Our arrangement has been the same for a couple years now. We both have one prior DUI and what usually happens is I pay for us to get in to wherever we're going, we take my car (he doesn't have to chip in for gas), I buy 1 or 2 beers for him at the beginning of the evening and by the end of the night, he drives us both home.
Last week, I won free tickets to see a show 50 miles away in San Francisco. My friend came along and unlike most of the other times before, he kept up with me drink for drink. When it came time to drive home he just got in the driver's seat as usual & 10 miles down the highway, we get pulled over. The police take him away & I am released to a taxi to drop me off at a local fleabag motel. My car was impounded & as it stands I already have invested $350 with motel, cab, and getting my car out of impound.
This is his 2nd DUI... how much guilt should I be feeling & how much do I owe my best friend? He's looking at maybe $5,000 all together, not to mention jail time.
2007-05-21 17:16:29 · 23 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Law Enforcement & Police
Absolutely help - IF you are really friends. If not, you will never be friends again.
2007-05-21 17:19:50 · answer #1 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
If your friend already had one DUI then he knew the consequenses of getting pulled over again. If he knew he was supposed to drive home that night then he should have been staying sober. If he didn't know he was supposed to drive and he only drove to keep you from getting another DUI, then I think you should help him with the fines (figure everything you pay and everything he pays and divide it in half, he will still have to do the jail time and pay the extra insurance, etc. so you still came out on top).
Please think about renting a room next time the two of you go out, it only costs about $50 (who cares what the room looks like, you will be wasted when you get there anyway!). Please don't drink and drive anymore--learn your lessons early before you hurt someone else or wind up in prison.
2007-05-21 18:49:27 · answer #2 · answered by Michelle My Bell 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wow! You both kind of screwed the pooch. Add up all of your combined fines, and a private limo would have been cheaper. You both did your own elbow-bending, and I have never heard of a woman being able to force a man to drive unless she has a loaded gun to his head. But, I assume you would not be asking strangers about the financial angle unless you are financially able to contribute to the cause, so for friendship's sake, I would say help your pal. The next step would be to either get a third party that does not drink, or take turns drinking with your friend. Or possibly consider how blessed you both are that you have not hurt any innocent person and maybe put the plug in the jug for awhile.
2007-05-22 14:25:39 · answer #3 · answered by One Wing Eagle Woman 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Help him out as best you can. Get a lawyer and fight it, if possible. Make it cost the county as much as possible to prosecute. I'd rather gve $5000 to a lawyer who gets your buddy off than one thin dime to the authorities. Remember, use common sense when driving uner the influence. There is a little bottle of stuff you can buy for $5 that takes away alcohol breath. Go to www.close-call.info. Also, there is another good site. It's called stopthecop.com. Since your friend was arrested, I'm not sure if they have a plan, but contact them. It take balls to follow their plan but they have an 80% success rate on common tickets. DUI, I'm not so sure. But FIGHT it! Make it also a rule to take the most beat up and valueless of your two cars. One you won't mind losing so much. Drunk driving takes practice. Passing a sobriety test takes practice. Also, consider refusing to take the test. They still haul you off, but there is no DUI on your record. You lose your license for only one year. 20 million illegals drive w/o licenses every day. Just be more careful, help your friend out and remember, NOW it is up to YOU! He can't have a 3rd DUI. The govt (who forgets who actually paid for the roads they so jealously guard, on the lookout for their money) would fine him tens of thousands of dollars and ruin his life by tossing him in jail. So it's up to you to be the more sensible and sober of the two of you when you go out to party. He's done. It's up to you now.
2007-05-21 17:42:47 · answer #4 · answered by Don S 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Let's see. He got drunk, knowing he's going to drive you home in your car and your considering helping him pay for the fines and legal costs? Be thankful you weren't pulled from a mangled wreck or worse. He not only ignored his responsibility to you as a friend but also his responsibility to everyone else on the road. Pull a couple bodies from a DUI accident and you'll understand the real cost, but then it appears all your worried about is the financial burden on yourself and your friend.
2007-05-21 21:11:40 · answer #5 · answered by xtowgrunt 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Maybe you could both reduce the fine and jail time by volunteering to check into Alcohol Rehab for treatment.
Frankly, if your buddy is going as the "designated driver" and then gets drunk, he can just swing in the wind. You owe him nothing.
However, if you value your fellow drunk's continued inebriated friendship, then you should offer to pay some of the fine. After all, you did sit there and watch him as "he kept up with me drink for drink.", and did nothing to stop him.
2007-05-21 17:26:54 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
y'all should be lucky!
it could be worse! stop drinkin and driving! Grow up before u kill someone! What about ur gf that went with ya? Was she sober if so why not let her drive! Or was she smart enuf not to even get in the car with ya?
Ur not really agood friend to begin with! What kind of friend lets their friend drive while drunk! DUMB! If you were a good friend you woulda just taken a cab or bus to the concert and back!
2007-05-21 19:14:09 · answer #7 · answered by woohooo 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Last night you said you had a DUI and had to do 48 hours
Now your friend got a DUI in your car?
You must be a Party animal!!!
Trying to get in as much fun as possible before that weekend jail trip?
Yeah - pay half of your friends bail, Clone.
2007-05-21 17:38:32 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
you're not too bright,are you? if i had stopped you, i would run you both in for drunk in public,as well. how many times does this have to happen to you before you get smart? and how much money? do either of you figure how much per beer,that night cost you? then,figure how much it would have cost to drink the beer,then take a cab home. 10 times cheaper? have one on me,and i'll see ya down the road,
2007-05-21 18:00:34 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The truth is you both should have your licenses revoked permanently and you know it. But our society will let you run around drinking your brains out and getting us killed, so go ahead and do it. For the love of God, find a purpose for your life worth living for, so you don't end up wasting it in jail or worse. Why should we have to be your conscience?
2007-05-21 17:27:32 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
That's a toughy since he's your best friend.
My instinct is to say it's his problem. Do you think if the tables were turned, he'd pay half of YOUR fines?
He drove while drunk, it's not your job to test him b4 u get in the car.
However, being logical may lose him as a friend. So paying some cash may keep the peace.
Do want to be right? Or to be a good friend?
2007-05-21 17:20:25 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋