SoberHoopsFan

For me - DWI, drunk and disorderly charges, vandalism, fights, etc. Done several one-nighters, although always had the charges dismissed or downgraded, never did any real time (fortunately). Some of my frat brothers and beach housemates did stints of 30-90 days in jail for alcohol-related offenses. Quite frankly, I never could really predict what I would do on my worst binges, but it was rarely sane or lawful.

Everyone is different when drunk, but you really don't want to test some of the depths that alcohol addiction can take you to as I and many others on here can attest to... don't find out the hard way. Get sober and you won't have to

matt4x4

Oh ya man, plenty of charges faced, plenty of jail terms and penitentiary time done due to drinking. But its not just the drinking, its everything else you do while you drink. See breaking parole for drinking is one thing, going to the drunk tank is one thing, going to a court date for DUI is one thing. When you start harming other people and robbing places due to drinking, and do federal time, thats an entire different ball of wax. I remember the first time I started going to jail, was a little scared, thought it would be like the California penal system where you hit the yard and look left, look right and try to find your own race. It wasnt like that at all, it was pretty tame compared to the American penal system. By the second and third time it was a cake walk, it became normal. Anything can and will become normal to you if you repeat it. Heck I am lucky, could have been a lot worse, way worse. But I guess thats what good lawyers are for.

thatcat

Canada here too .... One DUI - what a nightmare. A dui in Canada is a federal criminal offense (same as a felony). I blew .32 at noon. I was 47 (two years ago). Car impounded ($150)... License suspended (1 year)... Made the papers because of the high bac (don't think I was named though)... Court (horrifying being 'judged' in a room full of others watching)... Lawyer ($1000)... Fine ($1100)... Probation (18 mo.)... Mandatory driving course ($450)... Mandatory addiction counselling sessions and their recommendation on repeat risk probability (I was apparently low risk)... License back ($150)... Increased car insurance ($5000)... Have to wait five years to apply for a Pardon ($650).... Embarrassment.

I'm sure I'm forgetting a few other things. I thought I was 'scared straight' ... and I was, for awhile.

Boudicca

Count me in as well. Super fun stuff indeed! Unfortunately for many of us even these terrible consequences (esp. those that involve loss of freedom) aren't enough to make us stop.

I mean, you haven't LIVED until you go through withdrawals in jail.

matt4x4

Wow those are some cheap prices.

thatcat

Really? lol - I should count myself as lucky then!!

Elisabeth888

I have had three DUIs. They were all 3-5 years ago, thank God.

I could not seem to stop driving drunk. If I get popped again, I am looking at prison.

So I have not been doing it. It has been hard, and inconvenient, but I know I can't do it.

Wastinglife

I have one DUI, several drunk tank visits/public drunkeness. That DUI resulted in 3 job offers being rescinded and I can't afford the insurance for a car now. Many other times my behaviour was reckless and I put myself and other in danger. I still have a great deal of guilt and shame over the stuff I did while intoxicated.

Brian316

Multiple DUI's, jail, public intox, counselling, random invasive urine screens, house arrest......I could go on. None of that stopped me from drinking though. Like the man said, i was fortunate to accept the gift of desperation.

Kesko

I never did break the law after beer party!

matt4x4

Interesting, you werent drunk in public? which also means the front lawn of a house. Doesnt have to mean you werent cited for it. You never bought alcohol drunk. Interesting.

newwestdork

I got to witness a jail fight while spending a night in the hoosegow for public intoxication. Not something I'd care to repeat.

Pro tip: city cops do not like it when you tell them that they only joined the city force because the RCMP rejected their application!

SoberCAH

I was blessed with limited resistance from the law enforcement authorities.

But that was a miracle because I was publicly intoxicate almost everyday for years.

I would have to take taxicabs to the tavern on weekday mornings to pick up my car (after the barkeeps would take my keys away from me).

Like one of the earlier posters on this thread, I simply got sick of feeling like such a degenerate and low-life.

I knew that I was absolutely worthless in pretty much every respect.

I don't miss having to worry about DUI check points (I have been through plenty of them sober, let the cops look through my coolers (which contain diet soft drinks and carbonated waters), and watch as other drivers perform roadside ballet exercises for the cops and highway patrol officers.

To say I don't miss that lifestyle is a tremendous understatement.

hopeful4

I will share what my X has went through. I feel ok to do so b/c it has affected me just as much.

DUI 1st. offense $500 for attorney
$250 for the fines
Probation $500

In 2010 he got really really stupid drunk and mixed with Rx Xanax. Broke into a complete stranger's home. Trashed said home to the tune of $16k in damages. Drank their booze. Jumped off their roof and was found limping down the road. Woke up the next day in jail, no idea why he was there.

That cost:
$16,000 property damages
$1488 Supervised Probation Fees
$250-300 Court Costs
$2000 Attorney Fees

He then went to rehab to stay out of jail. That cost $3500

He also lost his job that paid $40k per year

Counseling in the $housands of dollars, I could not even add that up
That's the monetary costs

Now Divorced
Two children he has hurt to the core
X wife (me) who has completely detatched from it all and would not get back with him even if he were to be stone sober for the rest of his life. No way. I cannot risk that.

To this day....he still drinks and mixes with Rx Xanax. Amazing isn't it?!

Addiction will ruin your life and those around you.

Stay Strong.

telwood

I have heard everything in AA. Some people did long stretches in prison. What I like is when they talk about the solution. People with long-term sobriety have nearly always turned their life around and avoided further legal problems.

nigey1

Not personally but have seen lots and lots. Part of my motivation to stay sober.

Jupiters

one of my threads.

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...r-weekend.html

I'm doing jail weekends right now for my 2nd DUI (in Canada)
I haven't added up all the costs yet as it makes me ill. I'll deal with that mess after I finish my weekends. The brain can only handle so much in early sobriety when facing a multitude of crapstorms. LOL

Jupiters

as for car insurance? hahaha I will most likely never be able to afford driving again.
not with 2 DUI's
I try not to focus too much on that, not yet anyways. I'm at Day 71 and still processing everything that is going on.

anattaboy

Yes!

SonomaGal

I haven't gotten a DUI (certainly could have), but my friend left my house after too much wine last summer and got a DUI. I bailed her out, and picked her up at 5am. I was horrified that our drinking caused that to happen to her; and realized I'd never forgive myself if something worse had happened. I quit that next morning.