On Apr 10, 2012, at 8:43 PM, Roger van Hoy wrote:
An old story. A buddy and I sold a ‘66 300 to a guy in Abbotsford,
BC, Canada. When we got across the border and the Canadian border patrol
inspected the car they checked our ID and deported my friend as an undesirable
alien because he’d had a DWI [or two or three] in Washington. Here it’s
not criminal but in Canada it is. Another border patrolman kept hurrying
me on out of the inspection station. Turns out the US and Canada have a
gentleman’s agreement to hold cars at the border for 72 hours to check the
paperwork. This Canadian patrolman didn’t like the rule and got me through
before the US patrol came over. They were mad when I went back through
customs without the car. BTW, to get the undesirable alien status waived
for DWI you have to go to the consulate in Seattle with all your records and a
pocket full of money to get a dispensation.
--Roger van Hoy
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Tying this in with the thread about insurance, I made a sarcastic comment the other day that I like to drive drunk and carry no insurance. Most people got the joke, but a couple got their knickers in a knot over it. They probably don't know I worked in law enforcement before deploying to AFG.
The DUI and impaired driving issue is a serious one, and my sarcasm was directed at how, after 20+ years of serious legal spankings handed out for doing just that, people still treat it like parking tickets or barking dog noise ordinance issues. Not to read anything in to Roger's comments, ... this is more of a general comment about complacent attitudes amongst peers over life threatening behavior. It's all fun and games until it's your wife or kid that gets killed or wheelchair bound on account of someone else's "party". Yet friends and relatives often compartmentalize that offender and his / her behavior as being someone else's problem.
I drove drunk once. I was pissed, stupid-ass drunk and had to get a girlfriend home. Somewhere in the spinning world of being on my lips, I kept the good sense to keep my speed at what idle would bear on flat ground. The ditches kept moving and I was acutely concerned with wrecking my car. No sooner than getting out on a main road, did Officer Friendly pull in behind and follow us the entire distance to her house and then follow me home. When I put the car in the barn and walked to the house, he turned around and went on his way. This was LONG before DUI legislation. Today Officer Friendly is retired, Sergeant Badhassle taking the helm. I was lucky, but conversely, I loved my car and was very much aware that my intoxicated status could cause great peril for me and others and acted accordingly. Most drunks feel bulletproof and kill themselves and others roaring about as if professional stunt drivers.
I should have a fat drunk driving conviction on my record, and after responding to all too many DUI related accidents with tragic consequences for innocents, I am appalled by the lacksidasical attitude so many have towards impaired driving and holding people accountable. To draw a parallel, if Joe Blow were to drive drunk or fire a gun into a crowd, is there any difference in the killing potential or early knowledge of what peril may likely result from said actions ? So, why is one considered so serious and the other just blown off ? One gets you 10 years, the other 90 days.
Sounds to me like Canada has the right idea about handling alien offenders, although I am admittedly clueless how they handle their own drunks.
One of my friends tells a story of a guy he went to school with who married a girl they all grew up with and after settling into marriage, took to kicking the shit out of her as a regular course of business. Word got back to the "friends" and a fishing trip was planned with the old guys from school. Out at a remote location, the guy was confronted with photos of his wife all torn up and a serious whoopass was handed out to familiarize the friend with the other side of a beating, along with a friendly directive to get his head straight or face the music. I guess the wifebeater friend took the hint and pulls his weight in life in an exemplary fashion and has for many years now.
It's nice to hear when things work out well and people make amends. I have no use for drunks or wifebeaters or anyone else who will put innocents in peril. I took an oath to protect others and make a life in support of that commitment. I hope my peers will be of similar resolve and take appropriate action when people in their lives endanger others. And just for the record, publicly stating one likes to drive drunk and carry no insurance *ought to* appear too absurd to take seriously, but in case it needs stating: This is sarcastic humor pointing out all the idiots who drive drunk or don't carry insurance and such comment should not be taken as genuine, ... other than if it makes you think about it for a moment.
Thanks, Burger
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