5 ms·

If someone can pass a field sobriety test what is the problem if we don't have a chemical test?

by Teever 4y ago

Scoundreller 4y ago
I wish we had a system of simulators people could be put into to assess their driving ability before criminally charging them. While it won’t capture everything related to driving, it’s gotta be better than existing sobriety tests. And I say that as a terrible video game player but good driver (or so I believe), with a relative that’s a great video game player but meh driver. Dunno how well correlated a field sobriety test is, but the subjective element of it leaves a lot to be desired.
- dsfyu404ed 4y ago
  > I wish we had a system of simulators people could be put into to assess their driving ability before criminally charging them. That it would cause an uproar when "safe drivers" who are really just "safe to insure" because they follow the letter of the law fail miserably in droves because they have the context processing ability of a 2017 "driverless" car.
notch898a 4y ago
The field sobriety test is merely a way for police to make up signs of intoxication. It is a subjective test. If you're there you've already lost. At least in my state you can refuse it without losing your license. I'm not a lawyer, but I view it as akin to speaking to police without a lawyer. It has no upside for me, therefore I refuse to do it. I do submit to chemical testing due to that being a requirement of my license (in my state the portable breathalyzer is not admissible in court so I'm fine with taking that too).
- dsfyu404ed 4y ago
  This. The entire test is fine tuned to let the officer pen a police report that makes you look drunk without having to actually lie in an observable way vs the dashcam/body cam. They'll tell you to stand on the line, you'll pass, they'll make small-talk, they'll tell you to say the ABCs backwards, you'll pass, and they'll write "suspect was unable to remain on white line while saying ABCs backwards" in the police report and in the court the prosecutor will ask "did the officer ever instruct you to stop standing on the white line?".

If someone can pass a field sobriety test what is the problem if we don't have a chemical test?

by Teever 4y ago

If someone can pass a field sobriety test what is the problem if we don't have a chemical test?

I wish we had a system of simulators people could be put into to assess their driving ability before criminally charging them. While it won’t capture everything related to driving, it’s gotta be better than existing sobriety tests. And I say that as a terrible video game player but good driver (or so I believe), with a relative that’s a great video game player but meh driver. Dunno how well correlated a field sobriety test is, but the subjective element of it leaves a lot to be desired.

dsfyu404ed 4y ago
> I wish we had a system of simulators people could be put into to assess their driving ability before criminally charging them. That it would cause an uproar when "safe drivers" who are really just "safe to insure" because they follow the letter of the law fail miserably in droves because they have the context processing ability of a 2017 "driverless" car.

notch898a 4y ago

The field sobriety test is merely a way for police to make up signs of intoxication. It is a subjective test. If you're there you've already lost. At least in my state you can refuse it without losing your license. I'm not a lawyer, but I view it as akin to speaking to police without a lawyer. It has no upside for me, therefore I refuse to do it. I do submit to chemical testing due to that being a requirement of my license (in my state the portable breathalyzer is not admissible in court so I'm fine with taking that too).

dsfyu404ed 4y ago
This. The entire test is fine tuned to let the officer pen a police report that makes you look drunk without having to actually lie in an observable way vs the dashcam/body cam. They'll tell you to stand on the line, you'll pass, they'll make small-talk, they'll tell you to say the ABCs backwards, you'll pass, and they'll write "suspect was unable to remain on white line while saying ABCs backwards" in the police report and in the court the prosecutor will ask "did the officer ever instruct you to stop standing on the white line?".