BAC.08

[Thomas]

What is new in the mix, and has a relationship to the subject at hand, is that as the BAC drops it seems to lend more credence for law enforcement to activate more and more of those intrusive road checkpoints that happen frequently here in NY State--probable cause be damned. The last time it happened to me, the police officer first determined that I was sober, then he scanned my vehicle for contraband (which of course had nothing to do with the alcohol checkpoint delay). His eyes might as well have been gazing in my living room window, for that was how I felt about the violation of my privacy in my car.

When making alcohol policy, the first casualty seems to be reason; if we are not careful, the second will be our rights.