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An Ignition Interlock In Every Car?
ryeguy-nm writes "Monday the New Mexico House of Representatives passed a bill that would require every car sold in the state to have an ignition interlock. This device is essentially a breath analyzer that prevents the car from being started if the driver is drunk. The bill would require that every new car sold be equipped with an ignition interlock by 2008 and every used car by 2009. Ignition interlocks require a breath test, which takes 30 seconds to complete, to start the car as well as random 'rolling retests' to discourage others from taking the test for you. These rolling retests require the driver to take the test as the car is moving. If the driver fails a retest, the horn sounds and the lights flash until the car is turned off. The bill's lead proponent is Dem. Ken Martinez who believes the bill is a quick fix for New Mexico's drunk driving problems. Opponents of the bill argue that it penalizes car dealerships and law abiding citizens who have never driven drunk. The bill makes no mention of who will have to pay for the device, but it will most likely be auto dealers and citizens who have to sell their cars. It seems to me that impinging upon the liberty of an entire state is a little bit too extreme. Perhaps tougher penalties and larger fines for people who actually drive drunk would be a better idea."
They could have asked for rolling urine samples and performance anxiety would have cleared the roads of cars.
There's NO WAY to blow air into a tube wihout it coming from a human lung. Billows do not exist. And these things are so inexpensive, they can put two or three in each car, to make sure the passengers are sober too!
Wait, none of that is true.
What the story doesn't mention is the Special Edition model for bishops and politicians. When they fail a drunk test, a HUD shows up on the windshield and locks on to pedestrians. Makes life a LOT easier, let me tell you.
REM Old programmers don't die. They just GOSUB without RETURN.
but, but, what about all those movie scenes where's it the middle of the night, and the woman desperately tries to start her car, while the stalker is running towards her. I'm sure that the 30 second breath test will be the death of large numbers of movie babes...
"No officer, she wasn't taking my breathalyzer for me. She was just giving me road head."
OddManIn: A Game of guns and game theory.
While we're at it, can we have a device which detects whether slashdot readers are on crack and refuses to give them mod points if they are?
These sigs are more interesting tha
I dont drink and drive so obviously this has no appeal to me.
Substantial delay in starting your own car plus random distracton while driving has no appeal to you?
I've often wanted and required one of these placed on my mobile phone, simply for those post drinking sessions moments when it seems like an ideal moment to call my ex.
It would certainly prevent those next day conversations when she calls you up wondering exactly what you were trying to say/sing on her answering machine.
You're right. It should do periodic test of your ability to focus by playing the sound of a baby crying in the back seat and checking that your steering doesn't become erratic.
There should also be a periodic eye exam for older drivers where an eye chart drops down in front of the driver and they have to read off the bottom row.
Its clearly the auto makers who are at fault in every accident by letting unqualified drivers operate their cars.
fill it before you start drinking of course
then only outlaws will have balloons
--Drunk as in Beer
Ever wonder why New Mexico's license plates are yellow?
fuck you.
Why would these representatives care if their chauffeur was inconvenienced?
Ooh, a sarcasm detector. Oh, that's a real useful invention.
Get rid of alcohol. It worked for drugs. Hell I haven't heard anything about drug usage since Nancy Regan started her "Just Say No" campaign. Too bad GWBush didn't read the papers back then.
New Mexico has periodic (annual, IIRC) vehicle safety inspections. If your interlock were disabled, you wouldn't get your inspection sticker and couldn't legally drive your car.
How is the guy who tests if the interlock is working going to drive home?
Yes but once all the drunk drivers are taken care of the insurance premiums will come down. Yes ? Sorry what am I thinking
If certain drinking establishments had a breathalizer I'd guess there would be a high score sheet next to it.
Degaussing scares the bad magnetism out of the monitor and fills it with good karma.
At least if he's president someone else will be driving most of the time.
Stephen
"Don't write down to your readers, the only people less intelligent than you can't read" - Sign on Newspaper Office Wall