Drunken driving is a serious problem that deserves serious action. But I’m not sure about Texas’ new approach. The state is now arresting people for being drunk — in bars. The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission is sending undercover agents into bars to catch violators of the state’s public intoxication laws. Its goal is to catch drunks before they go out and do something stupid like drive or “jump off of balconies.” It seems like the state is putting a lot of resources into arresting people who may or may not do something stupid. What do you think?
Posted by Melissa Cooley
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29 Comments
Can you say “police state”? Perhaps “The eyes of Texas are upon you” sums it up.
Sure, arrest the one alleged drunken patron while Texas road laws allow an open pickup truck to be cruising down I45 at 80 mph with 9 people sitting in the truck bed unprotected.
And as all of our rights are taken away by this Government, This will be coming to a State near you!
The pickup driver was probably distracted talking on his cell phone. Everywhere I go, I see drivers on cell phones running red lights, tailgating, swerving around things, and so forth. Last week while stopped for a red light on Douglas and Main, a cell phone driver wormed between my car and the adjacent one to drive through the red light — for a very near collision. Several months ago, I saw a cell phone driver actually drive through wreck scene with a injured person on the pavement, rubbernecking while apparently reporting the incident to the person on the other end.
I suggest a new organization, MACD, “Mothers against cellphone drivers.”
Sounds like something the city of Wichita might do. Texas probably these deep thinkers from the Kansas BOE.
As explained by TABC Administrator Alan Steen, “We are looking for people who are intoxicated to the extent that they are a danger to themselves or others, and we want to cite the people who sold alcoholic beverages to them. Rather than working to increase arrests of drunk drivers, it is our intent to decrease the number of drunk drivers by stopping them before they leave the bars.”
http://www.texassafetynetwork.org/news/networknews/archive/2005/oct05.php———————————–
This is political warfare, apparently. The warring constituents are drunk drivers and bar owners.
My guess is that the bar owners are represented by the Democrat party in Texas, and I’d further guess that some powerful Republican constituents have been arrested lately for drunk driving.
Just a theory. A cynical theory, yes, but theory nonetheless.
The problem I have with this approach is that they don’t seem to allow for designated drivers. Perhaps they should give the guy a pass if he can produce that driver. After all, a hammered passenger in a car is not a hazard to the rest of us.
Not a hazard unless you have to clean the car the next morning Ben. :)
“Pre-emptive” is apparently a way of life in texas.First we had a pre-emptive strike by a texas president against a country that “may” be a threat to us.Now the texas ABC is doing pre-emptive arrests to intoxicated patrons. What if they walked to the bar?I have to wonder if soon they will be doing pre-emptive arrests for what you might be thinking.
Sounds like a money machine for the State coffers.
Why not take those resources and provide rides home for the offending patrons. The bar could have a bus that leaves every halfhour to deliver people to their doorsteps. It would be a LOT cheaper than putting drunks in the court system that can drag out for years. Might piss the lawyers off, but oh well.
This just in. Tom Delay had his concealed carry permit suspended in Texas yesterday. At least we know he wont be drunk in a bar AND packing concealed heat.
I wonder if their other laws work as well?
Check it out for yourself:
http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/DeLay_license_to_carry_concealed_handgun_0324.html
Sounds like a money machine for the State coffers.
Posted by: steve | March 25, 2006 at 10:08 AM…………………………….
$100-$500 fine + court cost= money machine
When you look at it, this is not a new law, nor it is a new fine structure. Texas (and most states) has a law against being drunk in public. That doesn’t just mean on the street, but in public places. A bar is a public place, in that it is open to the public.
It might seem intrusive, but if you look at it, it is just enforcement of existing laws.
When you consider the death and destruction caused by drunk drivers, I would think more people would support these efforts. After all, where do a lot of people get drunk before driving home?
brown,And who can forget the pre-emptive walk out by the Democratic legislature to avoid the vote on redistricting?
A bar is a public place? Even though it is privately owned? A cop can’t ticket a person for speeding in a parking lot, because it is private property. That is, unless he is INVITED on the property by the owmers. The only other time a cop can do so is if there is a felony being commited, or an injury takes place.
That’s the way it is in Missouri and Californa at least. It would seem to me that the police would have to have a reason for entering the bar. Suspecting drunk patrons hardly seems like one that would stand the test of the courts. But then again, don’t mess with Texas.
They could just as easily observe people leaving, watch for signs of drunkeness, and stop them when they start their cars.
If you can be a arrested in a bar for being drunk which legaly is about only two drinks. Where will Ron White be able to perform
JM – reminds me of an old drinking joke …
This cop needed just one more good bust to make his quota for the night. So, he parks outside this bar that is infamous for serving people WAY past their ‘limit’ and waits. Sure enough, just a bit before closing time a patron comes staggering out of the bar and crashes into a lamp-post. Said patron then staggers down the line of parked cars until he finds his, opens the door, and crawls in.
Unfortunately for the cop, instead of driving away the patron lies down in the front seat. “That’s OK figures the cop, he’ll get moving soon enough and I’ll nail him!”.
Shortly thereafter all the other patrons start leaving the bar, get in their cars, and drive away. Sure enough, just after the last one leaves the first guy sits up, puts his key in, starts the car and pulls away. BAM! Out pulls the cop with his lights and pulls the guy over. GOTCHA!
So, the cop has the guy get out of the car and performs the field sobriety test – and the guy passes! The cop calls in tha BAT van anyway to perform a breathalizer. 0.000!
“But how?” asks the cop. “I saw you stagger out of that bar just a half-hour ago; there is no way you could sober up!”
“Simple” expalins tha patron. “I’m tonight’s designated Decoy!”
Ben,chuckle, chuckle:-)
Damoon,
Some research shows that people don’t want to leave their cars at the bar so they will drive home even when a ride might be available…
I suppose we could just pay for everyone to have those little scooter guys drive them home in their own car?
Where do we stop? Lets just give them a free pass to go get wasted because we are going to drive them there and then bring them home too!
The socialist utopia is finally coming together.
First it was “you’re a “terrorist.” Now it’s you’re a “drunk.”
The United States in eroding into a Police State.
I have no tolerance for drunk drivers. They should go to prison on the second offense.
While public intoxication is a crime I would imagine that the police have a much better use for their time than to infiltrate bars and arrest drunks. Is there no other crime in Texas? Now if those drunks decide to drive or commit another crime then I’m all for arresting them, but just being in drunk in public seems to be silly. Hell if Wichita arrested people just for public intoxication the almost half of the people attending the River Fest would get arrested.
Mark this day on the calendar. I think it’s the first time Todd ever posted something I agree with.
j m walkerpre-emptive?re-districting is only done every 10 years after the census. the redistricting vote was an illegal power grab by the republicants to increase their power. we are just a little over halfway betwen the 2000 and the 2010 census. the only thing pre-emptive about this walkout was to stop an illegal vote.isn’t this under investigation by the justice department?
What about the bar owners who are seving the drunks? Are they being fined or arrested?
People should be able to drink, but they shouldn’t be drinking just for the sole purpose of getting drunk. That’s a sure sign of an alcoholic. Perhaps the good people of Texas should just limit the amount of drinks they can serve to a customer?
For even more revenue production, Texas might consider arresting drivers for speeding at NASCAR events, charging people with indecent exposure at nudist camps, or maybe issueing assault and battery charges againt the Dallas Cowboys. The possibilities are mind-blowing.
Yes, bars are public places. So are department stores, malls, etc. Every place where the public is free to come/go without needing permission is considered a public place. As compared with a private residence.
Laws covering California parking lots have no bearing on this issue. Besides, if an officer suspects a crime is being committed on a private parking lot in CA, he has full legal right to approach and investigate.