Breathalyzers could be reinstated for road safety

Glenn Burke

Well-known member
Sep 12, 2023
439
298
63
Santo Domingo
Stopping them before they get on the highways seems like a good idea. I would think that in most countries, the vast majority of arrests for driving under the influence are made within city limits, not on the highways.
It would make more sense to put alcohol testing points at the toll plazas on every highway.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JD Jones

Glenn Burke

Well-known member
Sep 12, 2023
439
298
63
Santo Domingo
Great idea. Create the biggest traffic jams in the DR at EVERY toll booth. Stop every car and test the driver. Like right now without this "brilliant" idea the SDQ toll is jammed up all the time..........
I have never seen police stopping EVERY car to test the driver in any country. Those checks are always random. But as resources for this in DR are very limited, and since the point is to prevent fatal traffic accidents, it would be better to test it where drunk drivers present a maximum danger, let's say on the highway from Las Americas to Samana, for example.
 

SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
15,021
5,140
113
I have never seen police stopping EVERY car to test the driver in any country. Those checks are always random. But as resources for this in DR are very limited, and since the point is to prevent fatal traffic accidents, it would be better to test it where drunk drivers present a maximum danger, let's say on the highway from Las Americas to Samana, for example.
How long have you been driving here? Any Policia checkpoint ALWAYS creates traffic jams..............
 

CristoRey

Welcome To Wonderland
Apr 1, 2014
13,826
9,986
113

Glenn Burke

Well-known member
Sep 12, 2023
439
298
63
Santo Domingo
How long have you been driving here?
21 years.
Any Policia checkpoint ALWAYS creates traffic jams..............
You think that testing drivers on Av. Lincoln or on Av. Churchill in Santo Domingo doesn't create even more traffic jams? In the whole city center you can't drive faster than 15 mph during the day because of the traffic. Ok, they create even more traffic jams here with this testing, but what's the point? At this speed there will be no fatalities at all even if all drivers are drunk. And how many of them will get on highways? Probably none.

On the other hand, one drunk driver on a highway to Samana can cause multiple deaths or serious injuries in case of a head on collision at high speed, and that happens there once in a while.

So they are testing in the wrong place, if they want to save lives. But of course they don't, they are just like children playing another game with the first world toys that were given to them. In a few weeks they will break all the toys, and the game is over for a next couple of years, until somebody donates a few more toys again.
 

MariaRubia

Well-known member
Jun 25, 2019
2,952
4,016
113
The headline says breathalyzers will be "reinstated", were they ever actually used in the past then?

Yes, I remember a few years ago they were used and then they caught a few popi's and ministers and hijos de mami y papi, and they concluded that the machines obviously didn't work properly in this Caribbean climate as there is no way that such upstanding pillars of the community could possibly be doing anything so left bank as drinking too much and then driving. So they were abandoned.
 

Glenn Burke

Well-known member
Sep 12, 2023
439
298
63
Santo Domingo
Yes, I remember a few years ago they were used and then they caught a few popi's and ministers and hijos de mami y papi, and they concluded that the machines obviously didn't work properly in this Caribbean climate as there is no way that such upstanding pillars of the community could possibly be doing anything so left bank as drinking too much and then driving. So they were abandoned.
Maybe this time they test only guagua or delivery truck drivers? (like in the photo in the first post in this thread)?

I believe if they stop new Land Cruiser or Porsche in Piantini, the driver will just tell them to f*ck off and they will f*ck off.
 

Ecoman1949

Born to Ride.
Oct 17, 2015
3,518
1,886
113
Another Dominican poorly thought out pipe dream. Seeing as AMET only works the day shift, and only they can enforce traffic laws, and 90% of the drunks are out at night, this should have zero effect on road safety.
But I give them a solid C+ for effort. God these people are morons.
The best line from Forrest Gump is, “Stupid is as stupid does”. Melphis, they may be morons, but the real reason may be the government has a tendency to reach beyond the educational and operational capability of the police force. It’s only recently Luis introduced a new plan to raise the capabilities of the police force, a police force that operates primarily on gut instinct, the power of their guns and rounding up the usual suspects. it will take a long time to see the positive effects of Luis’s new approach.

Technology whether it’s breathalyzers, or forensic site analytics, is not always used correctly by DR police because of a lack of proper training and/or not being comfortable with new technology unless it’s a cellphone. Does anyone know if they are trained in evidence collection, sample preservation, and chain of command custody? Basic police protocols. Based on the fact that evidence like confiscated drugs, surveillance tapes, and seized documents goes missing frequently during many high profile corruption cases, I’m guessing the answer to my question is no.

As long as they continue to put the cart before the horse, introduce technology and play catch-up with the training, anything they do is doomed to failure. Police enforcement in the DR is like a box of chocolates, especially if your a gringo. You never know what your going to get If your arrested. We’ve all read the horror stories here on DR1.
 
  • Like
Reactions: melphis

NanSanPedro

Nickel with tin plating
Apr 12, 2019
7,950
6,868
113
Boca Chica
yeshaiticanprogram.com
Maybe this time they test only guagua or delivery truck drivers? (like in the photo in the first post in this thread)?

I believe if they stop new Land Cruiser or Porsche in Piantini, the driver will just tell them to f*ck off and they will f*ck off.
This is spot on. .I accidentally did this at Lincoln and 27 de Feb yesterday and I drive a puddle jumper. I was first at the red light eastbound on 27 de Feb and the light changed to green. The Digisett dude was saying stop but I didn't get the message in time and just buzzed thru the light. No repercusions.
 

CristoRey

Welcome To Wonderland
Apr 1, 2014
13,826
9,986
113
These inconveniences will not make Dominican drivers change their behavior.
 

El Hijo de Manolo

It's outrageous, egregious, preposterous!
Dec 10, 2021
5,586
3,715
113
Dominican Republic
There has to be a balance between the illusion of a developing society and economy while keeping the poor just comfortably oppressed and the middle class in a charming state of decline. The smoke filled room elites of a third world country are really not interested in such things as a formalized highway patrol and the associated laws and enforcement of such that go with it. So far, Abinader has brought consultants from Brazil to train police in special tactics, they tried to introduce tasers, onboard computers that hook into some national police database and now breathalyzers. As Ecoman tries to walk the fence of political correctness, I do not bother. It’s no mistake the PN are low IQ barbarians. I don't know what the HR process looks like, but based on my experience, there's no six sigma happening there. The elites need the poor to punch the clock and take up minimal resources. If they invest in a legitimate highway patrol, there won't be money for the big semiconductor movement that will reshape the Dominican as we know it buahhaaaa. It’s a grand theater. The big pretty seseme street multi colored block letters create the illusion of progress, but at day end… wait for it… zzzzzz 😴😴😴 nothing changes if nothing changes.
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
44,696
7,289
113
The best line from Forrest Gump is, “Stupid is as stupid does”. Melphis, they may be morons, but the real reason may be the government has a tendency to reach beyond the educational and operational capability of the police force. It’s only recently Luis introduced a new plan to raise the capabilities of the police force, a police force that operates primarily on gut instinct, the power of their guns and rounding up the usual suspects. it will take a long time to see the positive effects of Luis’s new approach.

Technology whether it’s breathalyzers, or forensic site analytics, is not always used correctly by DR police because of a lack of proper training and/or not being comfortable with new technology unless it’s a cellphone. Does anyone know if they are trained in evidence collection, sample preservation, and chain of command custody? Basic police protocols. Based on the fact that evidence like confiscated drugs, surveillance tapes, and seized documents goes missing frequently during many high profile corruption cases, I’m guessing the answer to my question is no.

As long as they continue to put the cart before the horse, introduce technology and play catch-up with the training, anything they do is doomed to failure. Police enforcement in the DR is like a box of chocolates, especially if your a gringo. You never know what your going to get If your arrested. We’ve all read the horror stories here on DR1.
They just need an app that "attaches" the breathalizer to their cell phone.

Problelm solved.

Just look at the story of a former DR1 poster who was murdered to see how advanced their forensic skills are.