So I mentioned that you cannot fix stupid. If you are stupid before you drink this wont help. Drunk people can be creative and get home safe. I know a guy that 2 times now he called a tow truck. Get a ride home and your car too. Maybe $75 or so but you didn't get a ticket or kill anybody!

Correction: Last January 12th comment.

Sigma, re: your last January 24th comment:

If the the problem, as you describe it, is so politically systemic, then, why are you even complaining about the law enforcement part of it? Shouldn't the target of your complaints be earlier in the chain of events: the people who decide to get drunk and the bar owners who over serve them?

You have a better chance of reaching drunk drivers on this site than making any changes in a system that you describe as incorrigibly corrupt.

indycolt- when they are continually swerving into oncoming traffic- YES I will call.

"rtabb
Jan 12, 2013 at 2:16 p.m.
@IndyColtFan: So somebody who calls in a drunk driver is a "rat"? Wow!"

Yep - nice huh?
If you can keep it in the lines good for you. If you cannot cops will be called before you KILL somebody. DUH!

Point is, once you are drunk enough to get a DUI, you are more than likely incapable of making proper decisions. So in this state of mind rather than having police that would help you make a better decision they don't. They capitalize on the situation you are in and make money off you.
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They can raise the fines, sure that deters sober people from drunk driving, but once you are drunk how do you get people to make rational decisions? YOU CANT because they are drunk. Whether the fine is $1 or $10,000 when you are drunk you dont care. '
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Putting a super tax on alcohol would bring back the problems that we had during prohibition. You dont want those.

Put the death penalty in place and be done with it. First offense, 6 months in jail w/ no TV, no internet. Second offense, lethal injection.

"law is not there to prevent anything... its there to penalize you when you do wrong. They dont want to detur drunk drivers they just want to fine them more..."- Sigma40

Whether this is true or not is immaterial. If you get caught drunk driving, it costs you a lot of money.

What level of IQ does one need to figure out how to avoid a drunk driving arrest? That is my question.

"If someone is completely wasted bartenders kick them out. Ive seen this in -10 degrees out and the guy had a tshirt and could barely walk..."-Sigma40

Sounds like a personal problem. Do you hang with a lot of people who are not smart enough to wear a coat in wintertime? Perhaps this is mother natures way of thinning out those who are not fit. Your defense of drunkards isn't going to go far in this world.

Jail time on first offence For everyone
No get out of jail free card

hey frogger, you forgot, stop n go, and all kwik trip stores, for the rat list.

Maybe the state should consider taxing alcohol the way the did cigarettes. The enormous tax increase got many to quit or cut back considerablly.

gazettefan - Its one of those things that just is and no one can ever fight it. Im not about to create a huge case over it...it happens everywhere, people think it is normal, and people go with it.

@IndyColtFan: So somebody who calls in a drunk driver is a "rat"? Wow!

I believe you frogger. The world is full of do-gooders (rats).

"IndyColtFan
Jan 12, 2013 at 8:10 a.m.
Suggest removal

Ok, here ya go rtabb: Maybe MADD should double the payments currently being made to fast food employees for turning in suspected drinkers. I hear that the current amount is $100. The McDonalds at Center & Kellogg is famous for this. I also hear that all the Taco Bells are good at it as well. Why 16-18 yr olds are supposed to be good at this is a mystery to me. The magic words are: "Pull up and wait on hot fries"."

Good. Somebody should be looking out for the innocent. I am sure most people who are driving behind the drunks, who are swerving, should call them in as well. I have.

Sigma, the authorities pertaining to police corruption are the Wisconsin States Attorney and/or the FBI. Have you contacted either of those offices?

As for the corruption you've actually witnessed, the same authorities apply.

What's your next step?

According to the bar owner the authorities are the ones that push the issue about kicking drunk people out of bars. I guess there is a better chance of them driving and the cops making some money. Besides the cops out at bar time are only out for blood, surely not to help anyone....cops dont do that anymore. I would probably go into shock and die if I seen a cop actually trying to help a drunk person, helping them get a ride or something...

Sigma, have you reported the alleged perfidy you stated in your comments on this story to the proper authorities?

Ok, here ya go rtabb: Maybe MADD should double the payments currently being made to fast food employees for turning in suspected drinkers. I hear that the current amount is $100. The McDonalds at Center & Kellogg is famous for this. I also hear that all the Taco Bells are good at it as well. Why 16-18 yr olds are supposed to be good at this is a mystery to me. The magic words are: "Pull up and wait on hot fries".

frogger: Yes your spelling sticks. (That is a quote) My spelling is not perfect I know. However, mainly I was referring to your lack of ability to form a complete sentence, and use any form of punctuation. Check your last 50 posts. I did, and they are very confusing and just hard to read. Sorry! Maybe this is just when you are "drinking at home", as you said.

Also, my neighbor cares deeply about being pulled over sober 4-6 times a month just because he was guilty of DABT. (driving at bar time) He`s considering legal action, and just recently equipped his vehicles with working cameras to record the cops and compile evidence.

If someone is completely wasted bartenders kick them out. Ive seen this in -10 degrees out and the guy had a tshirt and could barely walk... id drive too if i were him. What other options are there when no one cares about you because you are drunk?

"rtabb
Jan 11, 2013 at 3:14 p.m.
Suggest removal

@IndyColtFan: If you're sober and you get pulled over at bar time, who cares?"

I was thinking this as well.

For those that say I was "targeted" because of this or that and continue to say I was doing wrong.. You were targeted because you were DOING WRONG- DUH.

sigma"You turn the car on for heat.... BAM Arrested! Its a lot more risky to sit in your car than it would be to drive.... so people drive."
true but is the dead person that you took out worth it? I do agree if you are not moving and in a parking lot but there was a guy that was pulled over on Randall sleeping(passed out). Pretty sure he drove to get there.

IT really isn't rocket science. Figure it out. Figure it out before you leave for the bar. You know your habits and how "just one or two" is NOT going to happen. Is all this thinking really worse than killing somebody???

Start visiting your local(within walking distance bar). There are enough of them. IF it is cold then take the gear you need to walk home w/o frost bite. If you cannot do this then go to the liquer store and drink at HOME like lots of us do ;)- save money.

Indy- so what my spelling sticks. So does a lot of peoples'!! This is not a test. I did fine in school. Mostly B's thanks and yes I did graduate. Thanks for asking.
I am smart enough to not get sloshed and drive home! That is the point of this article.

BTW- I do agree that it is the drinkers problem when it comes to getting home. If they are sloppy drunk and stupid then yes cut them off. Bartender still cannot prevent them from leaving. They could take their keys but it that legal? Theft of keys?

Well said IndyColtFan. Another well thought out post adding nothing to the conversation. I am still waiting to hear some wonderful idea/ideas from you on how to stop this problem. I'm sure you'll just respond to someone elses post instead offering up a idea of your own.

Bartenders are not supposed to serve anyone who is "obviously drunk" NOW, and I don`t believe many do. It also is not their job to arrange rides for customers, although I hear some do. No way are they gonna wrestle their keys away from them. Don`t get mad at me because your ideas stink rtabb.

Frogger, how far did you make it in school? Surely not past 6th grade or so right?

The laws also contribute to drunk driving. Say its cold out and you are wasted. You walk to your car, know you cant drive so you are just going to sit in your car and wait....till either you sober up or a ride comes. You turn the car on for heat.... BAM Arrested! Its a lot more risky to sit in your car than it would be to drive.... so people drive. I also see cops waiting for people to drive out of the parking ramp downtown. Why not be there when they are getting in their car and say something rather than wait till they drive? Because getting in your car drunk is not a crime and doesnt have a fine. Driving does. All they want is money, safety is not a priority.

garyprimer
Jan 11, 2013 at 10:17 a.m.
Suggest removal

If you have to explain it,
it doesn't really count as sarcasm.

NOT WITH THIS CREW Gary !!! lol

@IndyColtFan: If you're sober and you get pulled over at bar time, who cares? Yes it's a inconvenience, but if you aren't doing anything wrong who cares? Lets just let drunks continue to over drink at bars, stumble out of the bar, climb into their cars and play bumper cars on the way home and pray they don't kill an innocent person!! How about instead of commenting on everyone elses ideas you enlighten us with one of your own. You don't want people pulled over, you don't want people put in jail, how do you suggest we stop drunk drivers? You must own a bar, you seem awfully woried about bar business. How about bartenders stop serving people when they are obviously drunk, or take away their keys and arrange another way home for them (cab or sober driver).

"Ok rtabb, let`s be proactive. How? Make everyone blow into a tube before they leave a bar? If they are over the limit then what? "

are they headed to their car to drive??? or do they have a DD or are they walking home?
ALl fine options that wont put a bar our of business- DUH!!!

If they hop in the car to drive- sure toss them in jail for the night for even attempting to go ahead and drive.

So cops lie when the pull you over. IF you were drunk are you SURE you werent weaving. And when they ask were you drinking and you say no or I just had a couple and blow .3 is that lying too?

My neighbor works at a pizza restaurant in Jville. We live about 10 miles away. The restaurant closes at bar time. He is stopped AT LEAST once a month, and sometimes twice a week on his way home between 2am-3:30am, just for the simple reason that he is "driving at bar time". It never fails that "he was weaving". Yeah right! He DOES NOT drink at work btw and has never had a drinking violation. STILL though, when he does go out on his nights off, he goes to Rockford, and spends his money there simply because of the police harassment. How many more people take their business elsewhere because of the crooked/stupid cops? No one knows, but random stops WILL NOT HELP the bar business in Janesville. Nor would it have any effect on drunk driving, but would surely mean less business for bars.

Ok rtabb, let`s be proactive. How? Make everyone blow into a tube before they leave a bar? If they are over the limit then what? Throw them in jail, and throw away the key like frogger says with no plea bargain, and no huber? Those are idiotic ideas also. Do you realize the cost of court proceedings, and incarceration? Do you LIKE paying higher taxes, which would surely result. Now for rtabb`s earlier brilliant idea of positioning a cop outside of bars to "randomly" pull people over. How many bars do they do that to? I think Janesville has over 30. Which ones get priority? Do they just pick a different one every night? What about the sober people that are "randomly" pulled over? What about their rights? Like I said earlier, it is illegal to stop someone for "random" purposes. That`s why cops always lie and say that you were weaving. I believe cops lie more than used car salesmen. Indiana tried the "random" stop. They would pull over 10 cars at a time and check them all. It was ruled unconstitutional.

They don't really want to stop it they just want the money from the fines to keep rolloing in.

@IndyColtFan, what is wrong with being proactive? If you know there will people leaving bars drunk driving why would you not want to stop them? That is the problem everything is reactive. Why not try to stop it before it becomes a problem? I don't wanna run any bars out of business.

THe other isusue is with steeper fines. If the guy is drnk at the bar all of the time spending all his money then no moeny for a fine anyway- he will never pay it. If he does have a job the money they take out per check will take the rest of their lives. Put them in jail and no huber!

"
Now, if only we could get the D.A.'s not to plea bargain quite so much..."
problem is there is only always one choice so went cannot pick anybody but Oleary. I didn't check the box this year. Tired of this guy plea bargaining everything.

Proactive - Could help our safety, but it Would hurt the revenue and the law.
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Reactive (what we do now)- Does nothing for our safety and only creates more revenue for the law.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

rtabb - What people dont understand is that he law is not there to prevent anything... its there to penalize you when you do wrong. They dont want to detur drunk drivers they just want to fine them more. If they did actually enact something that prevented them or greatly reduced them.... the law would not be able to make as much money off them. As sad as it is... money is what makes things happen, it also prevents a lot of things from happening.

Will tougher penalties stop hardcore drunken drivers? No, they've proven that. But it will help stop the first or second timers if we make the risk for them too high. Up until now, 4th or 5th time caught offenders could still get off relatively lightly and shortly have access to both alcohol and vehicles. We have to face that fact that for those hardcore drunk drivers, the only solution is to protect the innocent from them by putting them in jail for extended periods. The alternative, what we've been doing, is to wait until they've seriously hurt or killed someone before the courts get tough on them.

So, do we want to prevent more deaths, or do we want to leave things as they are now? I'm for toughening up the laws and saving some lives even if we can't save them all.

Now, if only we could get the D.A.'s not to plea bargain quite so much...

rtabb: Check points are illegal in most states. I think it is here also, but not sure. So, you want to run every bar out of business? That is where drinking takes place. Do you think those cars magically leave by themselves? My point is that no bar would be in business if the cops did this, and it IS illegal. Why do you think they don`t do it now? AND if they do/did, how do you think bar/tavern owners would like it? Your idea is assanine.

Well put frogger, CFS (can't fix stupid).

If we could just fix stupid. I don't know how a person that cannot walk thinks he should get into a car.

@IndyColtFan, it is no more illegal to do what I suggested as it is to have a check point. If you know drinking and driving is taking place then why not ry to stop it?

If you have to explain it,
it doesn't really count as sarcasm.

Gov. Walker,
While you are jet-setting across the country, please make it a point to stop in Nevada where this is already a felony. That way, you can learn what they did to make it a law and how it has changed the state.
Thank you.

OUTLAW ALL VEHICLES
(Sorry....couldn't stop myself)
And yes this is meant as Sarcasm....

Sleep medication is also a real problem. Some think they're ok so long as they take it hours before operating a motor vehicle, WRONG! FDA is finding sleep medications like Ambien are hanging in system much longer than originally thought especially in women. Local doctors are so preoccupied with fixing one problem they lose site of everything else. Ambien is making people brain dead!

http://news.yahoo.com/video/abc-fda-warn...

Walker is a governor, not a dictator.

Why do you people think drinking and driving is a privilege? By who? We the people own this country it is ours. It is our right as long as we abide bythe laws. But then again having a dictator now it might be a privilege.

They are not doing anything to prevent anything, they are only doing things to make more money off of it. Just like the assault weapon issue we have, if this works why dont they just increase the fines with people that commit crimes with assault weapons... that should work right?

rtabb: That has been tried by cops before. The fact is that it is illegal! Think about your suggestion for a second. How many bars would be in business if a cop sat outside, or "down the street"?

@saxcat70 although I agree, it would never work. You can make alcohol legally at home. Laws need to be more strict and enforced better then they are. Just look at how full some of the bars parking lots are on any given night. If police started randomly pulling over vehicles leaving I bet people would think twice about drinking and driving.

I'll say it again. and again. and again. DRINKING is a privilege, not a right. If you have alcohol related offenses, make it illegal for you to purchase alcohol. EVERY time you want to buy alcohol, you have to swipe your ID. If it says no, no booze for you. The felony charge should be saved for someone who knowingly purchases for someone who is not allowed. yes, there are loopholes to be tied. And folks will always curtail the law. But this solution makes much more sense to me than taking away someones ability to work and provide for their family. Driving is not the problem.

Anyone who is found guilty of inattentive driving (texting, etc.) that causes an accident should be held accountable to the same degree as those who are drunk. In a sense one could argue they should be held more accountable since their judgment is not impaired like that of the drunk. Someone killed by another who is on the phone is just as dead as the person who was killed by the drunk. It's about time that all these people are held accountable.

It doesn't matter what the law is as long as there's a permissible limit. After a person has been drinking he is in no position to judge that limit, and alcohol has a funny way of making a him think he's fine to drive if he's careful. Alcohol also affects people differently. A True Alcoholic™ could act perfectly sober with twice the legal limit of alcohol, yet that same amount in a newbie alcoholic would be unable to walk.
Remember that driving on public roads is a privilege not a right, and that privilege can have any number of restrictions to it up to, and including total sobriety.
I'm just sayin'...

My understanding from interviews I've heard with Darling is that there are a number of bills in the hopper on this issue. Among them is one to force defendants to show up in court for first offense. Currently those cited can just hire an attorney to handle the matter without being required to make even a single court appearance. Ott & Darling are both from metro Milwaukee, which has seen an ongoing problem with wrong way drunken freeway drivers resulting in horrific crashes. I think we need to take this problem more seriously and I'm hopeful something will be done this session to stiffen the penalties.