WMATA: Too Drunk to Ride!

[The Davy Crockett]

Okay, its the Holly Daze and folks can 'overdo it' - but I think it a humorous, yet sad, commentary on human nature that this really needs to be explained to people. From WTOP:

A man who seriously injured himself after falling at L'Enfant Plaza early Sunday morning was likely intoxicated according to a WMATA spokesman.

Around 1:40 a.m. the Metro Transit Police Department and EMS responded to the incident on the Branch Avenue platform. The man, who hasn't been identified, apparently fell off a parapet wall when he passed out while leaning against it, then fell backward over it.

He was taken to the hospital with head and back injuries and released Sunday evening.

Spokesman Phillip Stewart says this is the second incident at L'Enfant in recent weeks where intoxicated people have injured themselves. Out of all stations, it's the sixth.

"There is such a thing as too drunk to ride. The Metrorail system can pose a serious hazard for highly intoxicated people, including falls onto the tracks, falls from escalators or walls, and electrocution. If you are unable to maintain balance, walk properly or exercise good judgement, you are better off taking a cab home," Stewart said in an emailed statement.

Around 20 years ago I use to go to beer tastings at a now defunct beer bar in DC that was a pioneer in offering a huge selection of beers from around the world - The Brickskeller - with a former boss, and we would joke that as long as we didn't get so toasted that we would fall off the platform waiting for Metro, we were fine. I guess it shouldn't surprise me that some folks have no common sense, but really - six incidents in recent weeks?

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I'm always amazed how, like in the article, people think drinkers KNOW when they've had too much. By that time they are too impaired to know anything.

 

[AKA]

I took my meds. I started to feel so good I don't take my meds anymore.

 

[afigg]

The WTOP article does not have the short cropped surveillance video that WMATA released of the guy falling over the parapet. WJLA, being a TV station, has the video: Metro: Intoxicated man falls over parapet wall at L'Enfant Plaza. According to the WMATA spokesman, the main's blood alcohol level was 3 times the legal limit, so he was pretty drunk. The cab drivers might have not taken him either if he was that staggeringly drunk. It is the holiday season, the time of year to get totally bombed!

 

[Devil's Advocate]

According to the WMATA spokesman, the main's blood alcohol level was 3 times the legal limit, so he was pretty drunk.

Legal limit for riding public transit?

The cab drivers might have not taken him either if he was that staggeringly drunk

So taking a cab instead of driving drunk only works below a certain alcohol limit, above which you have to go back to driving yourself home again?

 

[me_little_me]

According to the WMATA spokesman, the main's blood alcohol level was 3 times the legal limit, so he was pretty drunk.

Legal limit for riding public transit?

The cab drivers might have not taken him either if he was that staggeringly drunk

So taking a cab instead of driving drunk only works below a certain alcohol limit, above which you have to go back to driving yourself home again?

RUI - Riding Under the Influence

RWI - Riding While Intoxicated

 

[fairviewroad]

Presumably the "legal limit" means the legal limit to drive a car. There's no specific legal intoxication limit for riding transit or

merely existing in a public place if one is not otherwise causing problems. However, I'd imagine that someone that

sloshed up would probably be at risk of violating some sort nuisance/disorderly conduct ordinance.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Presumably the "legal limit" means the legal limit to drive a car. There's no specific legal intoxication limit for riding transit or

merely existing in a public place if one is not otherwise causing problems. However, I'd imagine that someone that

sloshed up would probably be at risk of violating some sort nuisance/disorderly conduct ordinance.

Many, many years ago, a friend of my sister's got a ticket for WUI (walking).

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Presumably the "legal limit" means the legal limit to drive a car. There's no specific legal intoxication limit for riding transit or

merely existing in a public place if one is not otherwise causing problems. However, I'd imagine that someone that

sloshed up would probably be at risk of violating some sort nuisance/disorderly conduct ordinance.

Many, many years ago, a friend of my sister's got a ticket for WUI (walking).

A ticket huh?

Presumably the "legal limit" means the legal limit to drive a car. There's no specific legal intoxication limit for riding transit or

merely existing in a public place if one is not otherwise causing problems. However, I'd imagine that someone that

sloshed up would probably be at risk of violating some sort nuisance/disorderly conduct ordinance.

Exactly.

 

[SarahZ]

I find that when someone says "three times the legal limit", they are referring to the legal limit for driving a car, as it's easy for people to picture that and use it as a measuring point. Most people know the legal limit is approximately .08 (it is in Michigan, anyway). Otherwise, just saying they were "intoxicated" can be rather ambiguous. Assuming they meant a legal limit for riding transit is kind of nitpicky and silly.

 

[leemell]

There is always publicly intoxicated. In California:

PC 647. Every person who commits any of the following acts is guilty of disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor:
...
(f) Who is found in any public place under the influence of intoxicating liquor, any drug, controlled substance, toluene, or any combination of any intoxicating liquor, drug, controlled substance, or toluene, in a condition that he or she is unable to exercise care for his or her own safety or the safety of others, or by reason of his or her being under the influence of intoxicating liquor, any drug, controlled substance, toluene, or any combination of any intoxicating liquor, drug, or toluene, interferes with or obstructs or prevents the free use of any street, sidewalk, or other public way.

Pretty much leaves it open, officers discretion, don't PO the cop.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I find that when someone says "three times the legal limit", they are referring to the legal limit for driving a car, as it's easy for people to picture that and use it as a measuring point. Most people know the legal limit is approximately .08 (it is in Michigan, anyway). Otherwise, just saying they were "intoxicated" can be rather ambiguous. Assuming they meant a legal limit for riding transit is kind of nitpicky and silly.

What's silly is the idea that average people can "sense" when they reach .07 and stop drinking. What do you picture when you hear "three times the legal limit?" What do you picture when you hear "exactly at the legal limit?" Most of us have no clue what it means unless we've already been in trouble with the law, at which point it's a little late to worry about it.

 

[Ryan]

There's also a wide variety in how BAC impacts people. Someone that comes home and drinks a case of beer every night could appear to be perfectly sober, whereas someone else could be falling down drunk at 0.05.

That said, I don't have a problem with how it was reported - "x times the legal limit" is a reasonably well-understood proxy for "how drunk was he".

 

[Bob Dylan]

Old Cop Story: Every Driver that is Stopped by LE for Suspicion of DUI when asked "Have You been Drinking?" replies;

"I only had a Couple of Drinks!" No Matter How Drunk!! Most Civilized Countries take DUI Much More Seriously than the US, in MY Opinion Rightfully So! These Folks are Dangerous! :help: