Drunk in charge of a motor vehicle

[Rocko]

It sounds to me like he arrived back, thought "They'll be asleep and will kick off if I wake them, Ill sleep in the car".

Me, Id be hammering on the door til someone woke up.

 

[wingnut]

Pretty ****e party if everyone was asleep. Think I'd rather have sat in the car with the radio on.

 

[Rocko]

Where are you getting this party nonsense from?

 

[B A Baracus]

I think he slipped Rohypnol in their drinks at the pub and they were out for the cold when he arrived back.

 

[Rocko]

And hes the one getting shafted.

Boom boom tish.

 

[Pumesta]

really I can't blame the police for the course of action they took. Yes your friend may not have had any intention of driving, but how many times have the police heard the same or similar story. What if they had not acted correctly (I assume the chap was arrested) and they had believed him and he had subsequently driven the car and been involved in an accident? The police are really only there to enforce the law, the courts are there to hear the 'excuses' and decide to believe them are not.

 

[collyirwin11]

People are always going to have a mixed opinion about this, I myself can see both sides of the story...

1, The person...For whatever reason may it be locked out/camping/etc the car is prob the safest and warmest place for that person to be until the next day. They have no intention of driving at all just needs must (as such)

2, The police...You have the keys in the car or on you, so therefore you are in charge of that vechicle how are they to know that you dont have the intentions to drive as they dont know the story behind it

If anyone was to sleep in their vehicle with alcohol in them, make sure the keys are set/put outside away from the vehicle

i agree, its six of one, half a dozen of the other. tbh i would hope that IF he is geniunely innocent that he gets away lightly, but again as mentioned above the police where left with no option.

 

[Gaz]

Whilst I have sympathy for your friend as no doubt his intentions were honourable enough, he really, really should have battered the doors and windows of that house until someone let him in. He didn't, and now he'll have an expensive lesson to learn.

Let's remember what the charge is : Drunk in Charge of a Motor Vehicle. He doesn't have to be driving it, or intend to drive it. The fact remains he was drunk and he was in charge of a motor vehicle. You don't have to be driving to be a danger in a car, there are plenty of instances where drunk people have let off handbrakes and cars have rolled back into others, etc. Just an example, not saying your friend would have done that.

As already stated above, you can hardly blame police for doing their job. Every week (and especially this time of year) police have to attend RTAs involving drunk drivers and see some things which will be etched onto their minds for years to come. When they come and find your friend lying pissed in a car, how do they know he won't waken in an hour and drive off somewhere? There is a serious potential for something bad to happen there, and unfortunately the PSNI are not in the line of work where they can simply take someone's word and let them go on their way.

Your friend may not be guilty as such, but he made a wrong choice and is going to have to live with that now.

 

[natogreen16v]

lmao. patronise much?

Forde a friend of mine got done for this a free years back. He was asleep beside his bike. He got 11points. You're mate could base his arguement on that he was in the back but ultimately I'd say the killer for him will be the fact the engine was running. I'd have done the same as him though as I've been locked out a few times and it gets very cold.

Can't believe some people think you can't actually be locked out

 

[Boydie]

Well put Gaz!

 

[Coog]

Knowing a few of my mates, you could be stamping on their heads after they've had a few and they wouldn't wake up. Battering a door would be useless.

The same thing as this happened to me a few years back, I was absolutely BATTERING the door to get in (to the point of neighbours coming out, etc), constantly calling/phoning, shouting, stoning windows, etc. After about FOUR hours of trying to get in I gave up and slept in the car. I posted the keys through the guys letterbox though but I could have easily got done when walking to the car.

Nightmare for your mate.

 

[Neil G]

i can see two views on this aswell, the way the police look at im sure is that, they dont know him for king dik so he could be a continuous offender that does it week in week out only this time hes got in to drive off, thought about having a 15min kip in the back whilst bessy warms up and been caught on for a change.

on the other hand could be a genuine law abidding man who has been stuck for some reason, and i know i would have got in the car an slept too, maybe if it got too cold even turned it on.

a good solicitor should get him off quite lightly i would have though if hes a clean record.

 

[B A Baracus]

Ive slept in peoples gardens, on my back door step, under a couple of inches of snow and in places ill not mention, and I still would have the sense to not put a key near my car when im drunk

 

[Nicky Glanza]

alot of people didnt like it, but i think if the psni took a leaf out of the rucs book....maybe the policing wouldnt be in the state its in!

lol... got to love the old RUC

 

[forde]

my question is he was locked outside, do they not have a door bell or bang a few windows to get attenton or like others say ring their house?

also a taxi home is not expensive when you end up in such a situation as above...

these dudes are unwakeable lol. and you hardly expect this to happen when you go to sleep in your car, it wouldve been probly 30 quid for him to go home and back the next day in a taxi.

I would imagine there is a lot more to the story that's been "glossed over". Who knows what actually went on.

oh, and what reason could you possibly have to think that?


Honestly i cant believe people think its impossible to be locked out. Glad to see some others are more understanding lol.


i know this dude, he would never drive when he's drunk.

im not trying to say he's not guilty either. Thats not the point of the thread. Just wondering what the chances of him getting away with points and a fine instead of a ban are cos a ban would be **** for him.

 

[saxo_man]

it wouldve been probly 30 quid for him to go home and back the next day in a taxi.

Could've posted car key through letter box, taken taxi home, then got one of mates to run his car over next morning.

But when drunk we all make irrational decisions, his lesson learnt the hard way unfortunately.

 

[Gaz]

Posts removed, can we keep on topic please.

 

[alan_c]

A guy I know was done for DIC earlier in the year. He decided to sleep in the back seat of his car after a night out. His car wasn't started and the keys were in his pocket. He got 10 points and £250 fine. He had a clean license before this happened.

 

[anlygi]

This thread has opened my eyes. I quite regularly go out to the car when im well over the limit to grab CD's and didnt know i could lose my licence for it, should there be a cop about.

Hopefully he gets off as it would be pretty unfair to lose your licence when you werent even behind the wheel. If you didnt have a licence and went tearing down a main street at 70, off your head on drink and drugs in a stolen car you would get off lighter.

 

[therock]

I don't think so, no.

And it's fine if it's in your driveway

 

[Crazy Horse]

People are always going to have a mixed opinion about this, I myself can see both sides of the story...

1, The person...For whatever reason may it be locked out/camping/etc the car is prob the safest and warmest place for that person to be until the next day. They have no intention of driving at all just needs must (as such)

2, The police...You have the keys in the car or on you, so therefore you are in charge of that vechicle how are they to know that you dont have the intentions to drive as they dont know the story behind it

If anyone was to sleep in their vehicle with alcohol in them, make sure the keys are set/put outside away from the vehicle

Two valid points Kirsty except it is up to the driver to prove to the court that there was no LIKELIHOOD of them driving not that they had no intention and the police do not have to prove likelihood thats is definitely for the driver to prove.
For instance what if this sleeping person who had no intention of driving when they fell asleep woke up? Would there be a likelihood of them driving? Possibly so!

 

[davey-dimples]

what if all your keys are on one bunch?

 

[scub]

what if all your keys are on one bunch?

common sense mate - your keys are also 'on you' if your drunk in your own house or 10 feet away at your next door neighbours.
as said i take mine out with me every single time i'm on the pop, for security reasons , but i dont get into the car when i go home.
we have to assume the cops have some sense too

 

[Gaz]

what if all your keys are on one bunch?

I'm pretty sure the judge will take sympathy on you, throw out the charge of DUI and possibly even give you some cash compensation.

 

[B A Baracus]

Change that lads name to davey-simples