Drunk driving is taken much more seriously in Europe and Australia than it is here. Two examples.
In 2007, we took a trip along the Normandy coast in France, a place known for its love of wine. They had set up a sobriety checkpoint in the parking lot near one small resort town and I was tested for the first time ever that evening. Luckily we had decided I would be the designated driver.
In Australia, another place known for big drinking, the wife did the driving in a night out while the husband had perhaps two glasses of wine. They were very clear about deciding who would do what and in explaining why.
I'm all for very harsh DUI penalties. However like all such punishments, the problem is there's no end in sight to the number of jails we build and the inmates they hold. We end up with a system in which bad actors are cared for, sometimes with kid glove treatment, at taxpayer expense. I haven't found an answer to that one yet.
In 2007, we took a trip along the Normandy coast in France, a place known for its love of wine. They had set up a sobriety checkpoint in the parking lot near one small resort town and I was tested for the first time ever that evening. Luckily we had decided I would be the designated driver.
In Australia, another place known for big drinking, the wife did the driving in a night out while the husband had perhaps two glasses of wine. They were very clear about deciding who would do what and in explaining why.
I'm all for very harsh DUI penalties. However like all such punishments, the problem is there's no end in sight to the number of jails we build and the inmates they hold. We end up with a system in which bad actors are cared for, sometimes with kid glove treatment, at taxpayer expense. I haven't found an answer to that one yet.
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