Texas starts arresting bar patrons for being... erm... drunk.

[Richelieu]

Originally posted by Elok


The average Texan lawn and the average European state are about the same size. Why does the "national defense" argument work for you and not them?

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Originally posted by David Floyd
This is kinda silly. However, I seriously doubt the police are arresting people for being intoxicated, but rather OBVIOUSLY intoxicated. If you are the type of drunk who can suck down 12 beers in an hour and act perfectly normal (at first glance anyway), you're not gonna get bothered.

It's the idiot fratboys who take group shots and generally make asses out of themselves who will feel this one

Joking aside, though, this is pretty silly - arrest people for committing a real crime - ie, something that hurts someone - not some artificial crime. If a person gets drunker than hell in a bar, that's fine. If they start picking fights or driving home, that isn't fine. Seems to be a reasonable enough distinction.

These are people who've entered a PRIVATE establishment and PAID a PRIVATE businessman in order to consume a LEGAL beverage. And they're being arrested inside the PRIVATE, LEGAL establishment.

Who the hell are you, and what have you done with the real David Floyd?

[David Floyd]

I thought I made it pretty clear I was against these arrests. I was kidding about the fratboy thing, because they typically annoy me

[MRT144]

what if they are going to hop on a bus? you shouldnt be able to arrest someone because you think they will commit a crime.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Originally posted by MRT144
what if they are going to hop on a bus? you shouldnt be able to arrest someone because you think they will commit a crime.

Answer 1: Under Texas (and most other states') law, they already have committed a crime: if you construe a bar as a public place, they're drunk in public.

Answer 2: A bus? In Texas?

[SlowwHand]

We have buses and light rail. Not even horse-drawn.

[David Floyd]

Drunk in public is a pretty stupid offense - actually, I think the actual "crime" is Public Intoxication, I don't think there's a difference.

PI arrests/tickets are fine, if the person is actually doing something, in public. If someone is behaving aggressively, or trying to pick fights, or doing anything else outrageous, sure, pick him up. That's what the law is actually there for. If someone is trying to drive drunk, sure, that's what the law is there for.

But "drunk in public" laws are sort of like marijuana laws - there may be a law against it, but come on, arrest the person for presenting a danger to others, not just for the sake of arresting him.

[KrazyHorse]

This is ****ing ridiculous. I get drunk at bars all the time, but I never drive drunk. Ever. These cops are total douchebags. **** them.

[SlowwHand]

Well-said. Eloquent, yet succinct.

[David Floyd]

This is ****ing ridiculous. I get drunk at bars all the time, but I never drive drunk. Ever.

Really? One drink and you don't drive, or what's your limit?

[KrazyHorse]

I don't drive if I'm anywhere over the region of 0.04 (estimated by knowledge of body weight, composition, consumption and time). Call it two drinks in an hour, plus one for every 75 minutes after that.

I try not to even let it get that high if I'm driving.

[David Floyd]

Nice discipline

[KrazyHorse]

Just forethought.

If I'm not in the mood to drink too much then I'm fine with driving. If I am, I find an alternative beforehand.

[Ramo]

Wow. This is incredibly retarded.

[Pekka]

Woaah, stupidity at its best.

Clearly someone has too much money. If I was some kind of official, I'd cut down some budgets of certain agencies. This comes to my mind first. I can think of many others as well. Other places need more money.