Question about drinking in FW

kayayar · Post by **kayayar** » Tue May 08, 2007 11:43 am

Hi there, I'll be moving to Fort Wayne this summer (from Michigan) and I've been lurking on this board. I'm a bit confused about some things I've seen people mention regarding DUI's and PI's (public intoxication?).

On another thread somebody said you can't walk home from a bar in FW or you'll get a PI. So what do you do? You can't possibly be suggesting driving intoxicated. Do you just stay home then? That can't be true because there seem to be lots of bars in FW.

In my town, when you're going to bars you walk, bike, catch a ride, or drive; if you drive then you don't get drunk. Otherwise you do. I've never heard of anybody getting a ticket for public intoxication unless they actually have liquor in their hands in public. So I'm sorry if this is a really stupid question, but please explain to me how it works in FW if you get tickets no matter how you get home from the bar.

MrSpall · Post by **MrSpall** » Tue May 08, 2007 11:59 am

I've walked home from a nearby bar (about 6 blocks) on numerous occasions and never been stopped or ticketed. I've seen only on PI since I moved here, and that guy was stumbling around drunk and peeing on the side of buildings.

I'm sure that if you're disorderly and causing a disturbance a PI ticket may follow, but if all you're doing is walking home I don't see a problem.

sevesd93 · Post by **sevesd93** » Tue May 08, 2007 1:05 pm

I watched FWPD tell an 85 year old man he had to leave Columbia Street because he fell and was drunk at 6:30 on a Friday. As soon as he stepped outside they arrested him for Public Intoxication.

The_Dude · Post by **The_Dude** » Tue May 08, 2007 1:24 pm

There are ways to avoid being arrested...

RULES:

A.) Don't be a dumbass.
B.) Make wise decisions.
C.) If in doubt...refer to A.

Post by **cwallace** » Tue May 08, 2007 1:25 pm

Let's just say...THEY ARE ASSHOLES about it...

They do EVERYTHING in their power to make drinking difficult to do...

The best bet...Go to the bars...get a DD...take a cab...if in fact you DO walk home...just walk...don't draw attention to yourself...and for the love of GOD...don't get behind the wheel...you will FOREVER be stalked...

It isn't all that bad, but give it time and you will figure out the 'system' and you should be ok...meet people soon...let them show you the ropes...

The next showcase we might be teaming up with a company and doing a 'safe ride home' thing with it...I have been outlining some showcase tie ins and that is on the list...

Chris

Al Quandt · Post by **Al Quandt** » Tue May 08, 2007 5:05 pm

It is really bad here.

I have somehow managed to stay out of trouble since being of age but over half of my friends have had at least one DUI/OWI. I don't condone drinking and driving but the city could have made some better descisions that make it so that there are less DUI's. But it is such a good money maker, that they would rather continue to arrest people rather then make it easier for them to have a good time.

No late night bus service, and no central night life. most activities are on the edges of town so you usually have a good drive ahead of you if you are doing anything.

Anyway, bottom line when it comes to drinking arrests it is all about money here not safety and progress.

Post by **cwallace** » Tue May 08, 2007 5:50 pm

To compare two places...here VS. there....

Don't you wish you were in Cali? If this b*tch doesn't spend her time in jail I think I will petition the court for ANYTHING that I have ever done wrong to be reversed and myself compensated...

Her mother needs to burn in hell...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070508/ap_ ... thy_hilton

Chris

echosauce1 · Post by **echosauce1** » Tue May 08, 2007 7:49 pm

I live in the country outside of the city limits. One night around elevenish, I had a few beers at home and ran out of smokes so I walked to the bar in the one intersection town I live by. It is only a mile from my house (not a bad walk on a nice summer night, the weather was excellent). I got my smokes, had a beer there, shot a game of pool with some locals I know and left. On the way home, no cars, no people out on the road. I was almost home and a car pulled up behind me and lit me up. I had to stand in front of the headlights in the road and get frisked (for any neighbor looking out the window to see) and answer about a bajillion questions. I explained to the officer that yes, I have been drinking. That is why I WALKED to the bar to buy some cigs. He then gave me a breathalyzer. After seeing the results he said something like "your not intoxicated enough to be a danger to yourself out here" and then let me go.

I then asked him if I was doing anything wrong. He told me that technically he could take me in on public intox but since I was trying to do the right thing by walking he was going to let me off. I couldn't believe it. What public? The only thing I saw between the bar and him pulling up was a horse in one of the fields I passed. He acknowledged it was silly but that technically I could still get arrested for it.

He let me go but I bet if I had taken up an attitude with him I would have been hauled in.

Just keep in mind it pretty much is left up to their (the police) discretion.

Aero · Post by **Aero** » Tue May 08, 2007 8:01 pm

echosauce1 wrote:I live in the country outside of the city limits. One night around elevenish, I had a few beers at home and ran out of smokes so I walked to the bar in the one intersection town I live by. It is only a mile from my house (not a bad walk on a nice summer night, the weather was excellent). I got my smokes, had a beer there, shot a game of pool with some locals I know and left. On the way home, no cars, no people out on the road. I was almost home and a car pulled up behind me and lit me up. I had to stand in front of the headlights in the road and get frisked (for any neighbor looking out the window to see) and answer about a bajillion questions. I explained to the officer that yes, I have been drinking. That is why I WALKED to the bar to buy some cigs. He then gave me a breathalyzer. After seeing the results he said something like "your not intoxicated enough to be a danger to yourself out here" and then let me go.

I then asked him if I was doing anything wrong. He told me that technically he could take me in on public intox but since I was trying to do the right thing by walking he was going to let me off. I couldn't believe it. What public? The only thing I saw between the bar and him pulling up was a horse in one of the fields I passed. He acknowledged it was silly but that technically I could still get arrested for it.

He let me go but I bet if I had taken up an attitude with him I would have been hauled in.

Just keep in mind it pretty much is left up to their (the police) discretion.

Did the officer look something like this?

echosauce1 · Post by **echosauce1** » Tue May 08, 2007 8:05 pm

Ha ha, no, that is funny though. To be truthful, after deciding I wasn't some kind of threat to anyone he was pretty cool with me. Despite that, the whole fiasco still leaves a bitter taste in mouth about how much power he could have thrown at me had he decided to be a d*ck.

bassjones · Post by **bassjones** » Wed May 09, 2007 7:05 am

I still can't believe all the people griping about enforcement of drunk driving laws! They are there for a reason - so you don't kill somebody!!!! Of course the cops are going to enforce them. That's their job. Public intox tickets are usually written when someone is stumbling (which means they could easily stumble into traffic and cause an accident), and definitely not enforced at the same intox levels of current drunk driving standards - .08. There are multiple ways to drink in this city without getting a dui. For starters, pick one person from the group to be a designated driver. He/she picks everyone up and drops everyone off. Or maybe, just maybe, don't drink so heavily. Or, plan accordingly and stop drinking early enough to be sober by 2:00. Let's see, there's also calling a cab, drinking close enough to home that you can walk home; I don't know, be creative. But don't drive intoxicated, whatever you do. If you do, you will probably get caught at some point, and you deserve to be. It's better than being dead, or killing somebody.

The_Dude · Post by **The_Dude** » Wed May 09, 2007 8:05 am

But don't drive intoxicated, whatever you do. If you do, you will probably get caught at some point, and you deserve to be.

Post by **cwallace** » Wed May 09, 2007 8:41 am

The argument is NOT to defend drinking and driving...the argument is that the city does NOTHING to prevent it...they are reactive instead of proactive...

Their solution is to throw everyone in jail until there is noone left to drink and drive.

Instead they should be focusing on building the city infrastructure and transportation system. Focusing on education to prevent people from getting behind the wheel.

It is never about defending those that do it...but if you wish to exist in this society and NOT lock yourself in the 'safety' of your own home there should be other methods and choices...as I said get a DD and go out...but hindsight is 20/20 for some people...

They back the tax money coming in from all the bars, but do nothing but fight the people that go to them...why not get the busses running later? I would gladly pay even a raised fee to have bus routes after a night out...

BE PROACTIVE...that is all we have ever asked of this town...and it has yet to happen.

Chris

Oliver's Army · Post by **Oliver's Army** » Wed May 09, 2007 8:53 am

Its not the city's responsibility to provide a safe ride home to anyone who drinks.

Buses run as late as proven as needed, and I doubt a bus runs past *anyones* house to make that a convenient alternative.

Cabs are available 24/7.

Use them.

bassjones · Post by **bassjones** » Wed May 09, 2007 8:55 am

So, it's the city's responsibility to provide drunk people with a ride home? The reason the busses don't run late is that people won't use them enough to pay for it. The one night they are FREE people still get pulled over for drunk driving. The city is responsible for enforcing the laws on the books. You are responsible for obeying those laws. The city is not responsible for having 40 busses on the roads at 3 AM for the 10 people that will ride them.