If this were about public safety, I'd be more supportive. It's NOT. The huge local increase in DUI arrests in the past five years has become an economic windfall for local government and it has failed to reduce the alcohol related accident rate at all. So... despite the fact that statistics show DUI checkpoints to be completely inneffective, they will stay with us because they are a fabulous tool for generating income. Never mind that the U.S. Constitution/Bill of Rights does not allow them.
The other night I drove from Walnut Creek to Oakland, CA and passed 4 signs encouraging motorists to call 911 to report drunk drivers. Brilliant. The 911 telephone lines are already backed up. Good luck when you need 911 because your child stopped breathing. The operators will be busy managing the 911
profit center. Do you honestly think the new push to use 911 operators to report bad driving
won't impact emergency medical response time?
