khaoss, i agree with you regarding personal responsibility, but that argument goes only so far. it is precisely because of the inability of the common man to control himself and his circumstances that we have governments. and one of the essential roles of government is to protect the citizens from each other, and oftentimes from themselves. when a police officer witnesses a driver operating his machine in a state of intoxication, his immediate responsibility is to ensure that life and limb are not further imperilled. he has to make sure that not only does this guy not hit a few parked cars and a tree, but that he does not collide with a carload of innocents, or climb a sidewalk and mow down a few dozen passersby. in nassau county, new york, if you blow more than the prescribed limit into a breathalyser, you are off to jail, and your car is off to an auction. that could never happen here, because nobody wants to be the bad guy who tried to rein in the irresponsibles!

When government doesn't enforce laws, it's the same as if the laws weren't there in the first place. The way we drive in the DR is the result of police/amet's not enforcing the law. If the police in USA wouldn't enforce it, they would en up driving the same as we do here. So yes, the government has a lot of guilt in this matter, at least in my opinion.

Dreadlocks... the point that i was trying to stress was that you can't always depend on the gov't to solve every problem. Every solution to any problem begins with ourselves. A company is only as good as its employees.

I did mention how I do agree that the gov't should enforce its laws but like I said, its up to the individual and to you whether or not to respect and abide by it. If you blame the gov't, the alcohol (blaming the alcohol is also blaming the manufacturer ie. Brugal, Presidente), the road condition you in turn free the driver of any wrong doing. Do you see my point?

we are on the same page, khaos. by the way, i love your little quote about fools never learning. whoever coined that saying must have read this forum!

Yes, more than 1,000 breathalizers were bought in December, 2006.
The new toys were used for a few days:
http://www2.elnuevodiario.com.do/app/article.aspx?id=43375
I have never heard about them since then.

Alas, the gadgets served their purpose otherwise.
Somebody must have earned a hefty commission on the procurement of the testers.
It's always like this.
Remember the electronic blackboards for the schools, the Harley-Davidson motorcycles for the police...

m'frog

You have to drink in order to drive here. You can't get a Dominican to go the right way down a one way street for heavens sake, never saw such uncivilized drivers ever.

Escott, are you implying that you have to be drunk so you will not feel the impact when they crash into you?

As the size of a vehicle determines the right of way here it's only consequent what's being done in the Puerto Plata province:
http://www.puertoplatadigital.com/noticias/nacionales/Agosto2008/autoridadesrealizanprueba.htm

m'frog

A copy of the indictment was made available to the Daily Journal Thursday afternoon. The indictment alleges the two adults “recklessly caused” the death and acted in a manner that “created a substantial risk” to the baby by co-sleeping with the infant while they were under the influence of alcohol and controlled substances.
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williamgeorge
california dui

Dread the loss of life due to alcohol consumption and motor vehicles in the DR is tremendous....The enforcement of DUI laws is a rather recent phenom in North America in The USA even later than Canada.....what was the prime lobby group for this was MADD....Mothers Against Drunk Driving...They were a group of mothers who lost children in accidents caused by chronic alcoholics and casual drinkers who had consumed to much alcohol and got behind the wheel....thus as you say you are off to jail and your car is off to an auction if you are stopped and checked and are above legal limits....These laws work and work well because of FEAR....and because they work so well alcohol consumption and roadside bars have diminished in the last twenty years ...IF YOU DRINK DONT DRIVE is the mantra of todays juicer and highway deaths have decreased dramatically .....Dread when you return to USA you must travel with a permanent Designated Driver because of your consumption habits.....I was told you were the only person ever diagnosed with Rheumatism of the hip from picking up wet change off the bar