4 ms·

The person I mentioned in my story upthread had the one-year suspension followed by the interlock requirement for another year

londons_explore 7mo ago
Someone who drives drunk ought to drive with the interlock for life. Generally driving drunk is a sign of addiction.... And that can come back anytime, and killing bystanders is clearly a worse outcome.
- MisterTea 7mo ago
  > Generally driving drunk is a sign of addiction.... No it is not.
  - FireBeyond 7mo ago
    Repeatedly driving drunk absolutely is. You might be a functioning alcoholic, but when alcohol intoxication is so prevalent in your life it interferes with day to day routines activities, it absolutely meets the psychosocial definition of addiction, and likely points to a deeper one.
    - MisterTea 7mo ago
      The wording used did not indicate they were taking about a repeat offender.
    - Ntrails 7mo ago
      Every rural area I've ever worked in had a non trivial number of folks who would have 2-3 drinks at the bar/whatever on a Friday or a Saturday and drive home. It was not alcoholism, it was "I'm totally fine to drive, the law doesn't know my limits" etc. On some level that's just the price of wanting to go out and not wanting to drop a bunch of cash on a taxi (assuming you can get one to come).
      - cwmoore 7mo ago
        As long as bars still have parking lots and there are sin taxes, it’s another state-sponsored racket.
      - fragmede 7mo ago
        How is that not alcoholism?
        astura 7mo ago
        Having 2-3 drinks on a Friday night is "alcoholism?"
        rkomorn 7mo ago
        2-3 drinks on a Friday night isn't. 2-3 drinks on a Friday night when you're supposed to drive home is different. I'd also say "I can drink because the law is wrong" is also not exactly a neutral take.
        astura 7mo ago
        Ok, but it's not alcoholism, it's something else (disregard for others)
        Ntrails 7mo ago
        Precisely! There are two key components: - I believe the law is overly proscriptive / strict / wrong. - I believe I won't get caught It's no different to someone speeding because "It's clear conditions and I consider myself to be perfectly safe at this speed". Or skipping a stop sign "I can clearly see nothing is coming".
      - FireBeyond 7mo ago
        "intoxication", not "had a drink"
- ryandrake 7mo ago
  You can get a DUI without drinking[1][2], and you can get a DUI without driving[3]. 1: https://www.duilexington.com/blog/2020/september/can-you-be-charged-with-dui-and-still-be-sober-/ https://www.duilexington.com/blog/2020/september/can-you-be-... 2: https://www.carscoops.com/2026/01/tennessee-highway-patrol-says-thousands-of-sober-dui-arrests-were-justified/ https://www.carscoops.com/2026/01/tennessee-highway-patrol-s... 3: https://www.sevenslegal.com/criminal-attorney/can-you-get-a-dui-without-driving-in-california/ https://www.sevenslegal.com/criminal-attorney/can-you-get-a-...

londons_explore 7mo ago

Someone who drives drunk ought to drive with the interlock for life. Generally driving drunk is a sign of addiction.... And that can come back anytime, and killing bystanders is clearly a worse outcome.

MisterTea 7mo ago
> Generally driving drunk is a sign of addiction.... No it is not.
- FireBeyond 7mo ago
  Repeatedly driving drunk absolutely is. You might be a functioning alcoholic, but when alcohol intoxication is so prevalent in your life it interferes with day to day routines activities, it absolutely meets the psychosocial definition of addiction, and likely points to a deeper one.
  - MisterTea 7mo ago
    The wording used did not indicate they were taking about a repeat offender.
  - Ntrails 7mo ago
    Every rural area I've ever worked in had a non trivial number of folks who would have 2-3 drinks at the bar/whatever on a Friday or a Saturday and drive home. It was not alcoholism, it was "I'm totally fine to drive, the law doesn't know my limits" etc. On some level that's just the price of wanting to go out and not wanting to drop a bunch of cash on a taxi (assuming you can get one to come).
    - cwmoore 7mo ago
      As long as bars still have parking lots and there are sin taxes, it’s another state-sponsored racket.
    - fragmede 7mo ago
      How is that not alcoholism?
      - astura 7mo ago
        Having 2-3 drinks on a Friday night is "alcoholism?"
        rkomorn 7mo ago
        2-3 drinks on a Friday night isn't. 2-3 drinks on a Friday night when you're supposed to drive home is different. I'd also say "I can drink because the law is wrong" is also not exactly a neutral take.
        astura 7mo ago
        Ok, but it's not alcoholism, it's something else (disregard for others)
        Ntrails 7mo ago
        Precisely! There are two key components: - I believe the law is overly proscriptive / strict / wrong. - I believe I won't get caught It's no different to someone speeding because "It's clear conditions and I consider myself to be perfectly safe at this speed". Or skipping a stop sign "I can clearly see nothing is coming".
    - FireBeyond 7mo ago
      "intoxication", not "had a drink"
ryandrake 7mo ago
You can get a DUI without drinking[1][2], and you can get a DUI without driving[3]. 1: https://www.duilexington.com/blog/2020/september/can-you-be-charged-with-dui-and-still-be-sober-/ https://www.duilexington.com/blog/2020/september/can-you-be-... 2: https://www.carscoops.com/2026/01/tennessee-highway-patrol-says-thousands-of-sober-dui-arrests-were-justified/ https://www.carscoops.com/2026/01/tennessee-highway-patrol-s... 3: https://www.sevenslegal.com/criminal-attorney/can-you-get-a-dui-without-driving-in-california/ https://www.sevenslegal.com/criminal-attorney/can-you-get-a-...