It’s a night out. Tough week. You and your buddy, wife, husband, friends, whatever …. decide you deserve a break. So out you go to a nice restaurant for a quiet romantic dinner and some wine; or maybe you go to a sports bar to take in the hot game of the week and start pounding down 20 ouncers; then again, maybe you go to a bar where the hot, up & coming local band is playing and line up the Bud Lights. No matter who you are with or what you are drinking, it doesn’t occur to you, when the last glass is raised, that you may not be legally sober. Hell you don’t feel drunk; you can still put your fingertip to your nose, well almost! Lot’s of laughs, time to go home. Pile into the car, fire it up, drop it in gear, just like you always do. As you chat away, you suddenly notice blue flashing lights in the rearview mirror followed by that distinct sound of a siren. You pull over to let the cops by, but mysteriously they stay behind you as you glide to a stop. The flashlight in your face, the request for your license and registration….then a simple query…have you been drinking? The ordeal begins. The car is impounded and off to the Police Station you go. You join the ranks of over 16,000 people in Massachusetts arrested for drunk driving each year. First there is anger, then frustration, then reality sets in and you are embarrassed and feeling foolish, then helpless. The search begins to find someone to pick you up after waiting in the cell for a few hours to post bail. That can be the loneliest time of one’s life. You sit there thinking about the notice of the arrest that will appear in the paper, the loss of your license, do you tell your work? More importantly, how the hell are you going to get to work? What will your kids think? It goes on and on. Life as you knew it is now changed….forever.
All this could have been avoided for a fraction of what it is now going to cost. But first let’s look at the cost and the consequences of hitting that .08:
- Under Melanie’s Law, passed in 2005, if you take the breathalyzer test and fail it you automatically lose your license for 30 days.
- If you refuse to take the breathalyzer you lose your license for 180 days.
- Conviction on your 1st offense carries a fine of $500 to $5000 and the possibility of a jail term up to 2 ½ years
- License suspension of 1 year.
- Car towed – $100
- Car Storage – $30/day
- Magistrate (to get bailed out) nighttime bail fee – $50
- Average defense attorney fee for defending a drunk driving case – $5000
- Minimum Conviction Fee – $500
- Victim witness fee – $50
- License reinstatement fee – $500
- Head Injury treatment services surcharge – $125
- Drunk driving victims trust fund – $50
- Driver alcohol education program – $574
- Court costs – $250
- Probation Fee – $780
- THIS TOTALS OVER $8000 FOR THE FIRST OFFENSE!!! Forget about 2nd, 3rd, 4th offenses!!
- Drunk driving convictions remain on your record for life!!
So before you place yourself in that situation think of the above. Then think about the impact an incident might have on your family and friends. Let’s not even get into the possibility of being involved in any type of accident.
As a famous General once said: “Don’t do Stupid!!” There are alternatives.
- One solution is to find someone willing to operate as a designated driver. This can be an imposition, but obviously effective. Patronize those establishments that offer free non-alcoholic beverages or food for those willing to accept this responsibility.
- Find programs like AAA Merrimack Valley during the 2010 holiday season from 12/15 through 1/1. If you found yourself in a situation that you over-ordered your favorite alcoholic beverage and felt compelled to ingest every last drop, they offered to drive you AND your car home (by way of a tow truck) with no questions asked and NO MONEY required….totally FREE!
- Hire us! Webb Transportation Services, LLC offers an affordable service for individuals, couples, small and large groups to take this worry off your mind. As a greater Boston Limousine company, which has grown at an average annual rate of 31% for the past six years, we feel this service might be our most valuable to our customers. What are the consequences? Well you may still have the morning after hangover and a few pics on your phone documenting your good time, but you will miss the pleasure of appearing for your arraignment! Call today for a free quote!
- Visit WebbTrans.com for Sedan Service, Limousines for couples or groups and our SUV Limos can hold up to 24 passengers. We also have busses for 24, 33, and coaches for 55 passengers. No matter the occasion, WebbTrans has what you are looking for at reasonable prices!
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