If it saves just one child... Echoes of Brady arguments here

[Wernher von Browning]

OK, this isn't about guns, but about the bigger picture of a nanny society. Read it, though, and you hear the echoes of the Bradys and general nanny-state liberals who want to impose restrictions on everybody to prevent the excesses of a tiny few. "But if it saves just one child..." The question of cost, in money and loss of freedom, is never considered. Ditto for TSA "security theater."

http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2011/10/automakers-seek-to-curb-drunk-driving-with-in-car-alcohol-detection-systems/

As with guns, the rational solution is a lot simpler, and a lot cheaper -- just come down like a ton of bricks on the drunk drivers, the armed robbers, etc but leave the rest of us alone.

[J.D.Allen]

Not just the cost of freedom and liberty. Consider this. If it saves one child, how many more does it kill?

[Wherryj]

I can only imagine how many problems this will create. It sounds simple, but any complex electronic system is prone to errors. Imagine being stranded in the middle of Death Valley because your "alcohol detection system" fails and your engine is disabled.

If my two sons, my wife and I die from the malfunction, does this subtract two or four from the "if it saves one child" tally?

[vantec08]

Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience. C.S. Lewis

[jokat989]

so wait, if its your car is to blame when your drunk ***** kills someone, shouldn't the car go to jail, and not not you?

the car is obviously at fault for letting you start it when you were intoxicated

end sarcasm

[Wernher von Browning]

so wait, if its your car is to blame when your drunk ***** kills someone, shouldn't the car go to jail, and not not you?

the car is obviously at fault for letting you start it when you were intoxicated

end sarcasm

Well, what we need is the Million Mom Drive. A bunch of airheaded soccer moms all nattering away on their cell phones, and clogging up all the streets in Washington

[swilson]

Idiotic waste of money like a lot of other "save you from yourself" BS they mandate on cars nowadays. Probably pretty easy to disable anyway after you buy the car, and with the help of the internet you know a lot of people would. Who even knows how long those sensors last anyway, and God help your wallet to replace them each time.

[Norsemen308]

dear friggin lord.. children are easy to make...

thats heartless,

however, if you love your kids you will watch them like a hawk, if your kid dies because of negligence there is NO ONE to blame but yourself...

[SilverBulletZ06]

Not just the cost of freedom and liberty. Consider this. If it saves one child, how many more does it kill?

By statistics it would be 10-15 kids killed for every 1 saved. That's if you add up all gun crime which includes suicides, homicides, and accidents.

[Tom Gresham]

We are always trying to restrict the rule abiders in an attempt to cover up our unwillingness to deal directly with the rule breakers.

While we can not completely wipe out drunk driving, we could cut it by 90 percent if only we had the will.

Think of drunk driving as willfully endangering others. If someone goes into a mall, closes his eyes, and fires six round while spinning around, he doesn't plan to hurt anyone in particular, but he chooses to endanger everyone. What should the punishment be?

Want to get serious about drunk driving?

For convictions:

1st. offense -- one year in jail. $25,000 fine. Loss of car.

2nd offense, five years in prison, $100,000 fine. Loss of car.

3rd offense. Life in prison. Minimum sentence -- 15 years.

But, we don't have the will to actually do something, so we keep killing thousands of people, set up illegal road blocks, and come up with goofy ideas such as ignition blocks and holding bartenders responsible.

[yellowfin]

It's interesting how they're always saying they're looking out for the poor while they push thousands of things like this that make everything more expensive.

[Wernher von Browning]

We are always trying to restrict the rule abiders in an attempt to cover up our unwillingness to deal directly with the rule breakers.

While we can not completely wipe out drunk driving, we could cut it by 90 percent if only we had the will.

OK, question -- how many of you out there would actually get on the cell phone, call 9-1-1, and report an apparent drunk driver? Anybody? Nobody? Not your business? Let the police handle it, that's why you pay taxes?

In this day of instant telephone communications, anybody who walks out of a bar, gets into a vehicle, and then drives in a way that draws attention, should be lighting up the switchboard at the local PD. Does s/he? If not, why not?

[NorCalAthlete]

OK, question -- how many of you out there would actually get on the cell phone, call 9-1-1, and report an apparent drunk driver? Anybody? Nobody? Not your business? Let the police handle it, that's why you pay taxes?

In this day of instant telephone communications, anybody who walks out of a bar, gets into a vehicle, and then drives in a way that draws attention, should be lighting up the switchboard at the local PD. Does s/he? If not, why not?

Actually, I HAVE gotten on my cell phone and called 911 to report drunk drivers. Did so just last week actually. Dude was over both the double yellow and the white shoulder going over a very windy road (highway 92 in northern california, between half moon bay and san mateo). Crossed both lines several more times while I was on the phone with 911. Gave them his make, model, license plate #, and direction of travel. Offered to follow at a distance and was told "no, please just go back to whatever you were doing before". Even after I told them "there's several major interchanges coming up within the next 2 miles, he could go anywhere." Not much more you can do. However, more and more legislature to restrict the law-abiding is retarded. Soon enough, there'll be nobody left but criminals...

[Wernher von Browning]

Actually, I HAVE gotten on my cell phone and called 911 to report drunk drivers. Did so just last week actually. Dude was over both the double yellow and the white shoulder going over a very windy road (highway 92 in northern california, between half moon bay and san mateo). Crossed both lines several more times while I was on the phone with 911. Gave them his make, model, license plate #, and direction of travel. Offered to follow at a distance and was told "no, please just go back to whatever you were doing before". Even after I told them "there's several major interchanges coming up within the next 2 miles, he could go anywhere." Not much more you can do. However, more and more legislature to restrict the law-abiding is retarded. Soon enough, there'll be nobody left but criminals...

I've done it too. Stayed behind -- but well back -- until three local PD units pulled him over. He was more than 3x the legal limit.

It may be a whole lot easier in built-up areas. There may not have been any police near you at the time. Believe me, the police love busting drunk drivers. It makes their day.

[Suvhater]

I witnessed a man drinking in his car once, it became apparent he was drinking excessively. After he pulled out of the parking spot and left his bottles I called and reported his make model and license. Within 5 minutes there were no less than 6 patrol cars looking for him in his last known direction of travel. It was surreal following him for a few blocks and then seeing patrol cars converge like that.