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Yesterday, we told you why the LAPD announces DUI Checkpoints along with where one would be located in the Valley tonight. Now Central Traffic Division is announcing that they will hold one at Washington Boulevard and Lovelace Avenue from 7:00 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. "in response to an increase in DUI related traffic accidents" in the area.
LAist commenter Linkracer agrees 100% with the publishing of DUI checkpoints, citing the police's notion that it helps deter people from driving drunk in the first place. "Knowing a cop is on the highway ahead of time causes you to slow down so you can avoid the speeding ticket," he wrote. "But guess what, you slowing down was the whole point! You just made the roads safer by acting out of your own self-interest. It's a win-win."
Commenter hennypenny agreed, but decided to play devil's advocate. "Don't you think it also encourages drivers to just take a different route?" That prompted Ben Bang to snipe, "Yeah cuz plastered people remember such details?" Then BlueFairlane, who claims to be frequently inebriated, responded: "yes, we can remember such details and work around them."
It's probably each to their own, so we're letting you vote on a poll below. So vote away!
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Isn't the point of a DUI checkpoint that it's a surprise? If I was planning on going out around there I'd just go around it. Or better yet: don't drink and drive. But hell, this is LA right?
please announce all dui checkpoints whenever you can. kthx
Just take public transit - DUI checkpoints? What are those? :)
More seriously, I think the happy medium is just saying in what general neighborhood a checkpoint is in. They are bothersome, but really, you shouldn't be driving inebriated anyway for your ultimate self-interest and others.
It's the simple concept of deterence. While we'd like to believe most people will be altruistic and obey laws, we know that it helps when there are personal consequences for not obeying laws. People are less likely to commit crimes when they believe there is more of a likelihood of getting caught, and then facing the legal and monetary consequences. The believe is getting caught is often more important than ACTUALLY getting caught
The police should announce an increase in enforcement (not necessarily at a specific place). Because this pressures people to think twice about drinking and driving in general. I agree, telling you I'll be on Sunset will make you drive Wilshire.
The easy comparison is in regards to stolen cars: The Club versus LoJack. The Club only deters a car thief from that specific car, where he looks in the window, sees it, and moves on. It doesn't lower the total amount of cars stolen. LoJack on the other hand, is a service the car thief doesn't know whether or not it is installed. It is proven to actually reduce total car thefts because it is a deterrent in the mind of a car thief, who is not sure, even as he pulls out of the parking lot in your Audi, whether he's going to be pulled over in 5 minutes.
Apologies for the novel... your thoughts are welcome.
OF COURSE some people are going to drink and drive and just avoid the checkpoint. But not the worst offenders. No one who is wasted will remember the take an alternate route. And someone who has just had a couple of drinks does not deserve a DUI anyway! Of course there is the in between - the people who are not wasted but more than just buzzed. However I do believe a known increased police presence will deter even a few people from drinking and driving and maybe save a life. So yes, please keep posting the details!
I think it is interesting that the police is checking from 7:00 P.M. until 12:30 A.M.. Isn't it more likely to catch someone driving wasted after 2:00 A.M. when the bars just closed? And why start at 7:00 P.M.? To catch someone who had a beer after work?
In the end there need to be better alternatives to driving drunk like better public transportation and also: Ride your bike or simply walk!
Maybe after 12:30am, the amount of violent crime goes up, and the police are smartly diverting resources away from less effective checkpoints to more effecting criminal-catching endeavors. Just a thought.
hehe, Lovelace.