BlueWaterRob

Howdy everyone! Thought I'd do a quick introduction to the site although I've already posted a couple of times in the High Functioning Alcoholics thread! Just found this site 3 or 4 days ago and have probably spent over 10 hours reading all the great posts and info. Seems like a really great group of people with a whole different vibe than the other forums I frequent.

I'm dealing with my first and only DUI that I receive a couple of weeks ago on the 9th of April. It really opened my eyes up to how out of control my drinking had become in the last 3 or 4 years. I just have to shake my head at how much I have abused alcohol recently (I'm 47 by the way). As much as it has sucked going through this, I'm glad I didn't injure anyone - it has been a real wake-up call for me to get my act together.

Anyway, I'll keep it short for my first post. I'm getting ready to head out to a friends for dinner, the girlfriend is driving, and I'll be sticking to diet coke. Hope everyone is having a great Easter!

Peace

ru12

Welcome Rob!

ACT10Npack

Hi BlueWaterRob. I'm going through my 2nd DUI and my last one. I'm 28 years old and getting one is never a fun thing. Your first DUI should be easy to do. After 6/12 months everything with your life should go back to normal besides the higher car insurance and putting DUI on any arrest on job appl. Take it as it is and learn from it. The quicker you learn from your alcohol abuse better off at the end you will be.

Ranger

Glad you're here and posting, BWR.

BlueWaterRob

Thanks for the welcome guys! Yeah, this whole thing has been a wake up call to me that I probably needed, hopefully I'll turn it in to something positive...

suki44883

I notice you live in the KY/SC area so I don't know if it's the same there. I live in Texas and got a DUI about 4 years ago. In Texas, generally the first DUI will cost several thousand dollars in attorneys' fees, court costs, probation fees, fees for the other classes you'll have to attend. Probably loss of your driver's license for several months or even a year, monthly probation visits for a year or so, perhaps several hours of community service. Once you get your license back, you'll have to get special insurance (quite expensive) for a number of years. The consequences of a DUI can last several years. I have one more year of the super high insurance premiums, then it will be over.

Dee74

Welcome to SR Rob

D

BlueWaterRob

Howdy Suki and Dee. :-)

This whole thing has been a real eye-opener for me, even though I know I've had a problem. It's been 14 years since I've had so much as a speeding ticket so getting arrested was kind of a shocking thing to go through. I really have to fight this if I want to remain in the profession I'm in, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that somehow my lawyer can get the charge reduced. I'm still going to take the initiative and do the alcohol classes and try to make some AA meetings. My girlfriend said to me the other day "it's a DUI, not a brain tumor", so that kind of puts things in perspective for me.

Anyway, I made it through Easter dinner watching everyone else get drunk while I drank lemonade. It was a bit strange. I'm starting to notice how many beer ads there are on TV too. Interesting...

ACT10Npack

BlueWaterRob how high was your BAC? If you don't mine me asking.

BlueWaterRob

I refused to blow on the advice of a lawyer that I called that had done some work for me in the past.

CarolD

Hi again Rob....glad to see you here in Newcomers..

No..DUI's are not part of my drinking history
Fortunately I was an active alcoholic without
a car.....lived in D.C.

artsoul

Welcome - glad you're here and using this for positive motivation. I drove under the influence lots of times and was just lucky I wasn't stopped. I hope things work out for you in court - whatever happens you'll be able to hold your head high because you'll have your sobriety!

Mcribb

it's a DUI not a Brain Tumor.... I don't people with brain tumors out on the road crashing into innocent people , or Brain Tumor checkpoints. Welcome, cool to see you are grabbing the bull by the nuts!

BlueWaterRob

Thanks Mcribb! Yeah, I didn't know how well that quote would go over on here, but believe me, I'm taking this very seriously. My whole social life, friends, everything seems to have revolved around alcohol. I made a list earlier today and off the top of my head I know at least 12 people that have gotten a DUI. That includes my very best friend, my brother, and my current girlfriend. I'm sure there are more. It's pretty sad. I've got some big changes to make in my life that's for sure...