EVC Podcast, Episode 007 Transcription Notes

The following notes were transcribed by Daniel Paul Von SƏtler.

Episode 007, “How to Increase Drunk Driving

Politicians create laws that encourage DD to increase revenue stream. DRUNK DRIVING is in NO WAY an acceptable behavior.

1. Destroy the options for people trying to avoid driving drunk = the same fines are now imposed if you are caught sleeping off a drunk in your car. This makes the path so narrow that individuals will take their chances driving home, rather than giving up and using the safest alternative.

2. Higher taxes on beer (more responsible) than on liquor (less responsible). This compels people to get drunk quicker, increasing the number of liquor impaired drivers. Financial penalties on more responsible choices drive people to use less responsible alternatives.

3. Tie the limit for alcohol consumption so low, that individuals reach the limit so fast, people say “screw it, I’m already over the limit, why not just keep drinking more?” 2 drinks will put you over the limit = .08. 2 drinks is just starting to feel the effect of alcohol. When you make the “enjoyable time” past the limit, the implications are obvious. Creates the incentive for the casual drinker to actually drink more.

4. Make punishment the exact same for being .09 or way past it. Once the limit, is met there is no incentive to stop. What exactly is slowing down drinking after 2 beers?

5. Reduce the amount of safe alternative options of transportation, by regulating the amount of taxis available. It’s a nightmare for police seeking DUI revenue by allowing too many taxis on the roads.

6. Make it illegal to be drunk in public, effectively making it illegal to seek public transportation home = make responsibility outlawed, even if you’re trying to walk home.

7. Make the legal age limit to drink higher than adulthood, thereby incentivizing under-age drinkers to get even more intoxicated. Greater benefit for greater risk. Just consuming one drink is already illegal, there is no incentive to stop once the law is broken. Also, this makes it illegal for responsible parents to effectively teach their older children the responsibilities of alcohol use.

DRUNK DRIVING is in NO WAY an acceptable behavior. Remember, DD laws generate revenue for police, they have no incentive to actually prevent DD, rather, all incentive is to create it. (Transcriber’s note: Last year in Ohio there were 19,088 DUI arrests. At $5,000 for each infraction this generates $95,440,000.) Revenue is NEVER discouraged, it is always encouraged. There is no profit in preventing crimes. This is an easy exercise in economic logic, cost, benefit and incentives.

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Founder and editor of Everything-Voluntary.com and UnschoolingDads.com, Skyler is a husband and unschooling father of three beautiful children. His writings include the column series “One Voluntaryist’s Perspective” and “One Improved Unit,” and blog series “Two Cents“. Skyler also wrote the books No Hitting! and Toward a Free Society, and edited the books Everything Voluntary and Unschooling Dads. You can hear Skyler chatting away on his podcasts, Everything Voluntary and Thinking & Doing.