I would wager at least 80% of the people on this board have driven with a .15 bac unless they are non-drinkers.
Really? 80% at a .15? I could see possibly see 80% at a .08. Unless Reilly is an alcoholic, .15 is pretty damn drunk.
And, like it or not, results matter, and here, he didn't hurt anyone or thing.
This kind of thinking is what bugs me about drunk driving. By not hurting anyone or getting caught doing it this time, it reinforces the behavior to do it next time when there could be grave results.
I had a good friend in college that was hit by a drunk driver. Her sister was killed and she had to drop out of school for a couple semesters because she was in the ICU for a long while. She was still having surgeries a couple years after the accident to try to correct the physical damage to her, not to mention the emotional damage of losing her sister.
Excellent post, particularly the part about grave results.
Drunk driving is the conscience decision to consume alcohol exceeding the legal limit, get behind a wheel with impaired motor skills and then risk countless lives. Those bringing up the fact that he didn't kill anyone are, in fact, excusing the behavior. How do we know he WOULDN'T have killed anyone? The police pulling him over may have helped save a life that night.
I get what you're saying, but I don't think you agree that negligent behavior, even grossly negligent behavior, should be punished the same whether it results in actual harm or not. it's really the difference between malum in se versus malum prohibitum. Imagine the following scenarios:
1. Man speeds at 15 mph over the 55 limit, but causes no accident versus man speeds at 15 mph over 55 limit, which prevents him from stopping in time to avoid an injury to three people in another car. Should his punishment be the same in both instances?
2. Woman shoots crossbow out of window at a deer within city limits versus woman shoots same crossbow and hits person in background causing severe injury. Should the punishments be the same?
3. Company negligently dumps 50 tons of raw sewage into river but no one or thing is harmed versus Company dumping sewage that causes actual harm to people/environment? Should the fines be the same? Should there be no additional punishment/fines in the latter case?
Remember, in each of these cases, including Reilly's and most DUI drivers', the wrongful party was not acting with the intent to harm anyone.