What a shame, but he made his decisions - bad ones and paid the price. At least he's not up for manslaughter and watching a family grieve.
DUI Blues
- Thread starter cynyr
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Lots of company's have a clause for DUI spelled out in their employee handbooks. It was started I think by insurance companies requiring a DUI clause on anyone who's job description required them to drive company cars & trucks. I have driven company cars for years and now I have to furnish the company with a photocopy of my drivers license every 6 months and sign a release allowing their insurance carrier to check my driving record whenever the policy renews. Doesn't matter even if the DUI occurred in your own private vehicle on your own time. It's an automatic dismissal. Now it's carried over to all employees regardless of position, probably being pushed by the health insurance carrier as well. It goes right along with any random drug testing policy.
I somehow missed that the young man in question is a law enforcement officer. Sorry! There is a different standard for LE, although I'll admit I've never been comfortable about a "one-strike-you're out" policy on nonviolent episodes. Yes, he left the scene of an accident -- he was drunk, ergo his judgement was impaired (which is why you shouldn't drive drunk in the first place).
I also doubt it's smart to fire the guy before his case is resolved, although I have known of departments to do so when they felt confident enough of a conviction. I don't think that's the right thing to do, mind you, but it has been done before.
I also doubt it's smart to fire the guy before his case is resolved, although I have known of departments to do so when they felt confident enough of a conviction. I don't think that's the right thing to do, mind you, but it has been done before.
Doubt it's changed, but as a pilot, used to be if you got a drunk driving conviction, you also lost your pilot's license... or had to get a pretty good attorney to let you keep it.
That said, I wonder how many of us have driven while plastered but didn't get busted. Just got lucky we weren't stopped? I remember being woken up by a girlfriend after having driven myself to the airport to sleep it off on a couch there. She had hunted for me out of her mind half the night. I don't remember leaving my house, though.
I don't do it today. In fact, picking her and her friends up at a bar one night to give them a ride home, a cop parked just kitty-corner from the bar watched them falling down and climbing up each other, trying to make it to our minivan. He followed us right away, thinking he was going to get us off the street. Cherried me as I made the turn a block away to head for home. When I rolled down the window for him, he was shining his flashlight in and asked, "You have a taillight that doesn't stay on. I saw it winking on and off. Have you had anything to drink tonight?"
No, sir.
"You haven't had any alcohol tonight?"
No, sir.
"Then why do I detect a strong smell of alcohol from inside your vehicle?"
I haven't had anything to drink tonight -- but those three are smashed.
"Okay, then. Be safe. And have your taillight checked. It seems to be working at the moment, but get it looked at tomorrow."
Thank you, sir.
It's a rule for us: One of us drinks, then the other, pop only.
Yet I know I've been guilty in the past. I was just lucky I wasn't busted. Counting my blessings while unable to feel all that haughty about it. I really should have had to pay the price that night I don't remember leaving home. Makes me sick to think what could have happened to me or anyone else on the streets that night.
That said, I wonder how many of us have driven while plastered but didn't get busted. Just got lucky we weren't stopped? I remember being woken up by a girlfriend after having driven myself to the airport to sleep it off on a couch there. She had hunted for me out of her mind half the night. I don't remember leaving my house, though.
I don't do it today. In fact, picking her and her friends up at a bar one night to give them a ride home, a cop parked just kitty-corner from the bar watched them falling down and climbing up each other, trying to make it to our minivan. He followed us right away, thinking he was going to get us off the street. Cherried me as I made the turn a block away to head for home. When I rolled down the window for him, he was shining his flashlight in and asked, "You have a taillight that doesn't stay on. I saw it winking on and off. Have you had anything to drink tonight?"
No, sir.
"You haven't had any alcohol tonight?"
No, sir.
"Then why do I detect a strong smell of alcohol from inside your vehicle?"
I haven't had anything to drink tonight -- but those three are smashed.
"Okay, then. Be safe. And have your taillight checked. It seems to be working at the moment, but get it looked at tomorrow."
Thank you, sir.
It's a rule for us: One of us drinks, then the other, pop only.
Yet I know I've been guilty in the past. I was just lucky I wasn't busted. Counting my blessings while unable to feel all that haughty about it. I really should have had to pay the price that night I don't remember leaving home. Makes me sick to think what could have happened to me or anyone else on the streets that night.
Trailboss,
That is the saddest thing I have read in a while. My step father is a firefighter and has seen some pretty horrific things also, those are two jobs I don't think I can handle. After losing a cousin to drunk driving when I was a kid (his friends walked away after a few days), I swore to never drink and drive. I'll have a drink once in a blue moon, but thats about it, and I won't go near my vehicle.
That is the saddest thing I have read in a while. My step father is a firefighter and has seen some pretty horrific things also, those are two jobs I don't think I can handle. After losing a cousin to drunk driving when I was a kid (his friends walked away after a few days), I swore to never drink and drive. I'll have a drink once in a blue moon, but thats about it, and I won't go near my vehicle.
:
Old thread but one that's a good reminder to everyone I think. About 12 years ago,seems like just about everyone I knew nearby got hit with a DUI. A couple were fairly close friends, one rather wealthy. I watched how they suffered for the next six months. I made a decision this was not going to me.
I wasn't a heavy drinker by any means but there were certainly times I could have been ticketed had I been pulled over.. At first, i rationed myself to one beer every one to one and a half hours. As time went on, I discovered I really wasn't missing it. It would be extremely rare now for me to go out and have more than one beer or a glass of wine The place of mind in driving home with no fear or stress is priceless. Having not awakened with a hangover in a dozen years has been rather nice as well. I'll go to pool league these days and often not have one drink. I honestly don't miss it.
I wasn't a heavy drinker by any means but there were certainly times I could have been ticketed had I been pulled over.. At first, i rationed myself to one beer every one to one and a half hours. As time went on, I discovered I really wasn't missing it. It would be extremely rare now for me to go out and have more than one beer or a glass of wine The place of mind in driving home with no fear or stress is priceless. Having not awakened with a hangover in a dozen years has been rather nice as well. I'll go to pool league these days and often not have one drink. I honestly don't miss it.
It is interesting how sensibilities have changed over the years. My in-laws told me stories when they were in their 20s (mid 70s), it was almost a joke to be driving drunk. Like if you woke up and your car was parked sideways across your lawn, everyone knew you had a good time last night.
Different time now for sure.
Different time now for sure.
Thanks for the explanation! I was wondering what in the world would account for a new guy, now gone, to post one message in a zombie thread. Now I know.
Interesting thread, btw.
Interesting thread, btw.
We've gone from one extreme to the other: it was once "no big deal" to drive drunk, yet now, it's nearly a capital offense in the eyes of many members of the public. It seems like overkill to fire a guy from his job because he got a DUI, unless the job involves driving. Would he have been fired if he was driving recklessly while sober? What about if he had exercised some other form of unsafe bad judgment? Everyone makes mistakes and bad decisions at some point. While driving intoxicated should come with legal consequences and financial penalties, losing ones job over it is a penalty which is disproportional to the offense.
I should also like to add the concept of DIY Blues - this is where you attempt home rennovations while under the influence. The results can be nothing short of ghastly. You now have all been warned and I urge you to govern yourselves accordingly.
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