Drinking and Driving.

USA does not have many chain gangs, only seen 1 My entire life. It was in the South where things are more old fashioned. A group of Guys were chained together guarder by a Deputy Sheriff on a horse. It was more than 100° out with a cloudless sky in the middle of summer. He had a shotgun and looked like He might barely just crack a smile if He shot someone. My lesson from this, Don't screw up in Georgia.

One could have hoped that our access to greater global knowledge would have percolated through to the 'Hang'em, Flog'em and Blood Lust ' portion of society but it seems not!

Very simple to stop drink/driving - ban alcohol!! Drinking is, in general, unnecessary and, in a disturbingly large number of people, totally anti-social. Bad driving is much more prevalent amongst the young and inexperienced so they should be required to be accompanied by a driver with at least 20 years of accident free motoring for the first 20 years.

"the British legal system at one time was the envy of many democracies around the world"

When was this??? Certainly not when Mr Dickens was reporting on the ways of the legal world.

There are many varieties of anti-social behaviour and attitudes not just the wazzocks who self-indulge in drinking/driving

rgds

Bill

Now I'm disappointed. You'll be telling me next you have Gay Republicans and people who drink tea!

Dave

I was considering Naming and Shaming the guilty may be the way to go, but there would be so many culprits that the effect would be lost in no time at all.

As an added offence, using mobile phones while driving irritates me beyond belief.

Dave
The Emerald Isle

Prison population USA 0.7%, UK 0.13%, Holland 0.07%

Murder rate USA 4.9 per 100,000, for UK 1 per 100,000, Holland 0.9 per 100,000

Nuff Said?

all figures from interweb

.

Not really

Is your hypothesis simply that they are worse people in the U.S. ?

MichaelG.

No, it's that whole life sentences and capital punishment do not reduce murder rates, and that some other solution must be sought. Perhaps if they didn't sell guns to anyone who can scrape together enough money it might have some effect, but it would be very long term as there are more guns than people in the USA

Edited By duncan webster on 03/05/2018 17:59:54

I find mobile users scary, a woman was trying to negotiate a mini roundabout and was heading straight for me, luckily we did not collide.

Mike

A few people seem to be reading more into my posts that I intend.

Just to make clear I don't share all their conclusions, in particular, I think our society is fairer and more compassionate now than it has ever been, not increasingly morally corrupt.

Neil

Of course we need more guns in the "Good-Ole-USA" We gotta defend ourselves against the enemy !!!

Not too sure who that is,but we gotta be ready ,Yes sir ! If you dont believe it,ask our Leader !!

The answer is not fewer guns but MORE !!. Everyone should be obliged to carry a gun [just to protect himself against the "Enemy,of course ] Even teachers and schoolkids should carry them.

Would it work ? who knows,but since our Leader suggested it,it,s worth a try,I suppose.

I have thought the idea of subbing out the prison service to overseas a good idea. It would be cheaper. the prisoners could not threaten prison officers families in the same way that they can in the UK. In reality if prisoners gave the officers a load of lip they would get sharp short treatment.The prison officers would not be frightened of recriminations outside the prisons. It would be possibly to afford more officers. Sentences could be shorter but more rigorous.

The snowflakes in society would complain about visiting but we could offer to send the family to the country in a dedicated hotel for a week at a time so they could visit for a week at a time. In most cases they would probably be sight seeing & treat it as a holiday so would not complain too much. The saving in prison costs would cover it.

It would solve the problem of building prisons at home.

.

That proves my point nicely, Duncan

... My 'interpretation' of those raw figures differed greatly from yours.

So the answer to your question "Nuff Said ?" is quite evident.

MichaelG.

As a officer I was on patrol with a partner slowing down turn into an after hours bootleg joint. We were struck from behind by a drunk driver doing about 65mph. The driver had been drinking because his brother had been shot. I was injured and off the street for a few months. The driver didn't show up for court and a warrant was issued. One day he when in to court and the judge held trial right then giving him affine and probation.

A few months later I was working a section of the tactical unit dealing with street level narcotics, My partner and I had a assistant county attorney riding with us and we saw two people at the curb making a deal and the vehicle drove off. we got out and I took the one on the left who put his hand behind his back and after telling him to put his arms out his arm began to rise behind his back. I was convinced I was about to take a round. Already having my weapon out I kept yelling and he put his arm down and I had him lay on the ground. I put one foot on his hand and a knee in his back. With my gun poked in his ear I pulled a pair of brass knuckles out of his back pocket. That is what he was doing and nearly died for, putting them in his pocket. I asked him his name and he told me, It was the drunk driver. I did not recognize him. I was angered to the limit. Other officers had come up and I had them take care of him. Within the previous week I had told someone I wanted to have a piece of this guy and to tell him what he had done to me.

A lot of people say a lot of things until the moment comes when you are given the opportunity to show what kind of person you are. Thankfully I did not have to fire then try to explain I didn't know him, and the county attorney would have been the best witness if I would have. He was taken to jail for the brass knuckles. I had to ride in the back seat with him to jail and booked him. He still does not know it was me.

People will continue to drive if they can get behind the wheel. Some will straighten out, some won't.

So what happened to, 'Hard Labour' as a sentence? I am sure breaking rocks with a sledge hammer all day in all weathers would break even the hardest drinker, sweat it out of him.

had my fill of drunkeness in the army in BAOR, not me, but on duty closing 5 bars in the barracks and it took 1.5 hrs. Then, if lads still lying on the path outside shovel them into a cell and wake every half hour to make sure they did not choke on their own vomit.

Why are these people unable to cope with their existence? or is it addiction?

Clive

Sam your comment about prisoners in jail threatening officers families is a real issue. A few years ago my daughter was director of health, in charge of the hospital wing, at Strangeways prison, things got so lively that staff were instructed to withhold their names and addresses even from police officers if stopped at all out in the community, this was because Strangeways was home to some of the most dangerous drug villains in the UK.No longer a problem for her as retired from all that stress.

Dave W