MyHighDUI

Another citizen ruined for life on the notion of being protected or served. This happened to me exactly. All I'm looking for is a few people to say "yea man that was fucked up!" Maybe that will satisfy me after all these years.

I was designated driver for a few pals one evening in college. Earlier that day I enjoyed some marijuana - roughly 2pm. As we all know, that fun lasted around 2 hours, thereby done around 4pm. I then took a long nap and a shower. I was a brand new boy. Some background for you.

Fast forward to 2am. I step out of the party that I have driven my friends to so that I can make a phone call. Get to chatting with a friends and it's hot in Phoenix, even at 2am, so I get in my car to throw on the AC.

As the police report tells it, I dropped the keys on my way to the car and a neighbor yelled to a near by officer (he was busting a party a couple houses down). The cop came to my car and asked if I had been drinking. No officer, I'm the designated driver tonight. Him: Would you mind taking a breathalyzer? Me: Sure. Blew 00's. Still having a nice night.

Then a surprise. "Sir please step out of the vehicle." I wasn't into this, but still didn't have much of an issue. "Have you done any drugs today? Marijuana etc.? Here's where you are all free to light me up (ha no pun intended). I said yes, I had smoked about 12 hours before. Not a good idea. I will forever feel like an idiot, but I grew up in a small farming town in Wisconsin, folks. I am an idiot.

STILL THOUGH! I don't think I would have said that if I was pulled over. I just saw no reason (at age 19) to lie to the nice officer. As you may remember, I am fucking sitting a parked car talking on the phone.

Aggressively cuffed. Car searched. Taken to jail. Spent the night. Booked for a DUI. Reasons given on the police report for me being "high"- I was "overly complicit, calm, and friendly" I had "elevated taste buds" and of course the only thing I think really mattered " I told him that I smoked 12 hours ago like an idiot."

This meant 9 months of court dates. Money. Time. Stress. Luckily I was young enough not to be phased by any of it at the time. BUT I sure would be phased now if I had a felony on my record. Yes, I got out of that shit. But not everyone does. I built my own case damnit. "Outside the party because it was too loud to talk on the phone. Inside the car because it was hot outside. Operating the motor vehicle for the purpose of using it's air conditioning, not to drive it. Testimony from my own sweet mother that I was talking to her on the phone (yes at 2am) and did not mention anything about driving any time soon."

How much did that cost the city in 9 months? Especially when I said fuck that to every deal. Not guilty. What percentage of everything that happens in court is just as pointless? I say at least 50%.

What can we do? Move I guess. But other countries are even more fucked. So I guess what I want the world to know is that you cannot trust the dirty dirty police. It does not matter if you think you're breaking the law. YOU ARE!