Drink Driving advice?

[MrBumpy]

Hi guys,

I made the mistake of leaving for work a few hours earlier then I normally do on Sunday, and was randomly pulled over and breath tested by the police.

After the breathalyzer I found out I was driving while still over the limit with a reading of 0.065. Now I have to make a court appearance in May.

I was wondering if any members have been unfortunate enough to make the same mistake as myself, and if you could tell me what to expect?

I've tried to search for the likely penalties that I'll recieve, but they are vague at best, and say it really depends on the magistrate.

Any idea what sort of penality you think I'll recieve? Will it make a difference that this happened on the Easter Weekend?

-bumpy

[Amulte]

easter weekend? id be surprised if its not double demerit points, i know it used to be, they generally advertise it. sorry im no help

good luck

[ENtiTY]

Yep double demerits! Poor bugger!

I think the best advice for drink driving is don't do it.

Not sure what you'll get slaped with though, the justice system is pretty harsh with DUI.

Gluck

[transDiMenTional]

Over the easter period i ran out of food and because christians (apparently) dont beleive in woolies, i had to do a lil mission to KFC. So off i go in my new van () to the kentucky fucked chicken shop cept the only trouble is that i dont have a full licence. Im only on my learners licence and the only person travelling with me is my son, and he certainly isnt on his opens! So anyways i ramble, the point is; on the way there i was tavelling up z main road and ahead i spy some coppers in their flashy yellow disco-glow pants pulling people over. 'Oh fuck!' i think and quickly turned off the road right b4 them. An RBT me thinks. So anyways i nearly got into a risky position, had to do a complete detour to avoid them and my KFC burger was cold and stale!

im no help either.

~edited cos cops wear pants not plants

Edited April 12, 2007 by transDiMenTional

[mu!]

You'll probably lose your license for, say, at least 6 months? Sad but true.

[Agamemnon]

Yeah 6 to 12 months loss of licence is possible. Not sure if you may cop a criminal record too.

It's just not worth the risk of drink driving for the penalties and the possible mayhem you might cause other road users. Hope it doesn't go too bad for you!

[Hellonasty]

You'll probably lose your license for, say, at least 6 months? Sad but true.

Yeah there was double demerit points but that does not relate to drink driving. They advertise speeding and seatbelts only !! 0.65 is only low range I rekn a fine 500ish. Because it was easter the magistrate could add 3 or 6months los of licence. Only a guess depends how angry he/she is.

Good luck

EDIT: ohh and NO crim record for first time low range...., Case law

Edited April 12, 2007 by Hellonasty

[Dodie]

An idiotic friend of mine was out drinking heavily one night and decided to go for a drive, he knew he was well over the limit (not sure how much) and got done.

An hour or so had passed and thought he'd go for another drive, knowing that he was still intoxicated. He thought what was the chance of getting done again in the same night? Lol 1000 : 1?

Well he got done again

He was extremely lucky though, he only copped a $900 fine and a 9month suspended licence I believe, also note that when you get done DUI you automatically have your licence suspended for 24hours, so he had 3 counts on him..

[Jesus On Peyote]

10 Demerit points and a $320 fine.

Thats what you`ll get in Vic.

[MORG]

I made the mistake of leaving for work a few hours earlier then I normally do on Sunday, and was randomly pulled over and breath tested by the police.

So was this the morning after a night on the turps?

[paradox]

i also know a very dopey dude who last year on the Anzac day long weekend got done 0.085 on his green p's.

then in drunken dumbness he decided that he was gonna drive home afterwards because it was too far to walk.

needless to say the cops were at his house waiting for him.

so he got double demerits, mid range DD, driving unlicensed and another low range DD. on his p's which has a 0% alcohol policy.

he ended up getting 2 years loss of license,60 hours community service, no fine, and had to do a traffic offenders course.

supposedly he was quite lucky. his solicitor recommended he go to a number of AA meetings (even though he only drinks very, very occationally and doesn't even like the stuff a great deal) as well as volunteering with some community organization to gain standing in court, which he did.

this dude now feels drink driving sucks. it's not worth it and it really is totally dodgy as drunk people tend to become fuckwits and fuckwits in cars are dangerous.

[Vertmorpheus]

People who drive around pissed should have their cars crushed into artistic shapes to be used as artificial reef. The driver should then be done for whatever the local equivalent is of "walking around the streets popping off random shots from a 303". People I care about use the roads to get life's little things done, I don't want them dead or maimed because some upfuck can't count standards.

Same goes for driving anytime you KNOW you are too fucked up to be driving, whether its bundy n cokes or mushies and poppy tea. Cars kill people, and not many of the drivers involved decided hmm I might go for a drive and kill someone.. it just happens.Before you start the car ask yourself if you'd want someone driving your mum around as smashed as you are, or would you like someone flying a plane you are in to be that high (no pun intended )

[paradox]

^^^ well said

[Jesus On Peyote]

Agree with u GD. Far too many lives are lost on the roads.

[ThunderIdeal]

Mr Bumpy, i know of several recent cases in queensland. i don't remember the exact particulars but you certainly have a chance of keeping your license, and if you don't, you should be able to get permission for work-related driving should it be necessary to hold your job.

a word of warning though: i used to be involved with the family court and it is a fact that judges/magistrates vary greatly, including from day to day, even case to case! however, i saw lots of driving-related cases go before a magistrate one day while i was awaiting hearing (bastards put me after all of them so i guess i am even worse than them???) and this judge judy wannabe was singularly bitchy and fanatical all day! this is the kind of character you should expect. go in there with pre-formulated answers, good answers. you will be made to explain yourself and why you deserve to continue driving. expect all of your answers to fall short of convincing, expect to be insulted and looked down upon, and even expect to beg and plead.

i didn't but that's another story ;) i would have if my license had been under threat

i'm serious, they might go easy on you but if you get judge judy it will be very tough and you want to be prepared for it. DON'T expect to face an ordinary, reasonable human being. i can attest without doubt that judges are capable of being WARPED individuals.

[SaBReT00tH]

you will get mandatory 6 months licence disqualification, I think at least a $500 fine, even though I've heard $800 being dished out (for blowing over .05 and under .12), have to pay higher premiums on your car insurance, no criminal conviction as it's a traffic offence. If you attempt to drive whilst disqualified for DUI they swear you will get jail time, and I wouldn't risk it. Also, different states may differ but in my state you get your full licence back straight away whereas others you may go onto your Ps. I guess the Ps thing may only happen if you have already lost lots of demerit points for speeding etc and lose them all when you get busted for the DUI.

Edited April 16, 2007 by SaBReT00tH

[Korky]

want to back up what greendreams has written.

dont want to be 'captain bring down' but i work in an industry that exposes me to the physical trauma of those in car accidents and many times caused by a drink driver, and on the rare occasion another form of substance abuse, unfortunatly the physical trauma does not stop at the person guilty, if it did i would not be so bothered, but its when innocent families are killed (including children) or left permenently disabled by some Fuckwits selfishness that i get that little bit closer to going completely insane

unfortunatly as a result i have seen mutalated bodies, bone piercing flesh, family screaming for their loved ones, ive been asked if a loved one is OK when it was clear they were deceased, how do you answer that question?

so many times these people are innocently going from A to B...and BAM, if survived, their lives changed forever.

PLEASE, we have cabs, trains, buses, feet, bicycles...

your not just risking your life, but ours.

safe one to you all

(if the government was serious they would stop profiting from fines and just strip licenses.)

[MrBumpy]

So was this the morning after a night on the turps?

Yep, I normally don't go into work until 10:30 - 11:00, but this particular morning I went in at 9.

-bumpy

[Korky]

my above post sounds a little self rightous, it is only fair that i also point out that i to have made the mistake of drink driving (in the younger years) and was lucky nothing resulted. but i have since learned from others mistakes.

[tardistestpilot]

PLEASE, we have cabs, trains, buses, feet, bicycles...

your not just risking your life, but ours.

safe one to you all

{you can lose your car license for riding a bicycle under the influence of alcohol as well }

not sure if this is true in every state of Australia but im sure it is so in Queensland

[Jesus On Peyote]

theres nothing self rightous about what u said, endogenous. its the truth

[Anodyne]

you can lose your car license for riding a bicycle under the influence of alcohol as well }

not sure if this is true in every state of Australia but im sure it is so in Queensland

WHAT?! You mean a pushbike, yeah, not a motorbike? How the fuck does that make sense? Can you lose the right to ride your bike if you're found walking while drunk?

[MrBumpy]

Can you lose the right to ride your bike if you're found walking while drunk?

You can't lose your right to ride your bike, but, ( it will depend on ho much you lip of to the policeman I guess) you can be charged with drink driving for riding a bicycle when drunk. (at least in Qld)

According to the Sen Const. that visited my highschool oh so many years ago, Drink driving laws cover any sort of vehicle, including skateboards and shopping trolleys.

-bumpy

[shruman]

also horses, camels and any other animal u can ride

[ramon]

I have heard that it makes a big difference to the outcome if you have a solicitor or not.

So my advice would be hire a solicitor for the court case.