February 2006 I received a DUI (Driving Under the Influence). I was shocked and horrified. What would my friends and family say? I have to be honest and say that up until this point I had no idea what the real repercussions would be from this. I mean I knew it would be on my driving record for 5 years (now 7), that my insurance would increase and that I would have to pay a lot of money in fines. What I did not know was how it effects EVERY aspect of your life. My total punishment:
- DUI on my record for 7 years
- 24 hours in jail ($386)
- 90 day license suspension ($45 reinstatement fee)
- Alcohol evaluation class ($75)
- Alcohol awareness class ($125)
- Defensive Driving class ($65)
- Traffic Survival class ($55)
- Approximately $1900.00 in fines
- License on probation for 2 years
I was pulled over last Friday night for making an improper right hand turn and speeding and to my dismay the officer informed me that my license was suspended. I did argue because I had paid to have my license reinstated after my 90 suspension because of my DUI. Unfortunately I found out (after pulling out every piece of paperwork I have ever received for tickets) that I had not attended one of the required classes. I had mistakenly thought that defensive driving and traffic survival were the same thing. Believing this I only attended the first. So yes, my license was indeed suspended. The officer assumed that it was suspended for my DUI and under Sheriff Joe's new laws they had to impound my car for a minimum of 30 days.
I called around Saturday morning and luckily found a lady who was willing to allow me into her Sunday class (you are supposed to sign up a week in advance). I took the class Sunday from 7:30am to 5pm. It was taught by a very charismatic young lady named Kristen (pictured above). She was entertaining and kept the class involved and awake. I did learn quite a bit in the class about the new DUI laws that passed only last month.
If in the next 2 years I get pulled over for ANYTHING I go back to jail for 9 days, my fines triple and my license is then suspended for 180 days. If I get pulled over for a DUI in the next 7 years then I go to jail for 90 days, license is suspended for a year, fines from $5,000-$10,000 and pretty much my life is ruined. Not worth it!!
So I took the class Sunday, went and got my license back Monday morning but unfortunately I cannot get my car back until I have an impound hearing which they have 5 days to schedule. What upset me was that they impounded it falsely yet I still cannot get it back. So now I am driving around in a like 1982 Corsica that my boss loaned me until I get my car back. It sucks but hey it gets me to work and back so I can't complain. Its better than riding the bus or walking.
The really ironic thing about this....when I got pulled over last Friday....I was the designated driver! Figures!
~Darlin~
3 comments:
wow, they are really keen to stop DUI in your state.
Move to the UK, you will probably get away with murder (literally)
toadee if I could I would. They just keep getting harder and harder on the DUI's.
I say if they really wanted to stop it they would pass a bill requiring bar owners to employ a person to sit at the door and give a breathilizer to everyone who was driving before they left the bar.
But then they wouldn't get all that money like the b*llsh*t amount the soaked me for!
~Darlin~
That's always been a topic of confusion to me. Why do they have bars, allow you to hang out all night and drink when they know you have to drive home? Does not make sense to me. You would think that the bar owner would have to own up to some kind of accountability.
~hic~
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