Bill Moyers, National Treasure, Drunk Driver?

August 2, 2002 12:22 PM

Bill Moyers, National Treasure, Drunk Driver? Man, I almost hate to post this. Up here in Vermont we think that maybe the state troopers just don't have enough Dunkin Donut's outlets.
posted by dhacker (41 comments total)

Moyers swerved repeatedly across the centerline of the road and had trouble negotiating a curve, according to Trooper Travis Kline of the Vermont State Police.

I'd like to see you think that after some drunk runs you over.
posted by haqspan at 12:25 PM on August 2, 2002

"I have been driving 52 years - since I was 16 years old - and have never had a major traffic violation," Moyers wrote

It only takes once to kill someone Ace.
posted by juicyraoul at 12:27 PM on August 2, 2002

Hagpan, bad joke on my part maybe - but no need to stomp on me. If Moyers was drunk as accused, he deserves whatever fair punishment the court decides. My "Dunkin Donuts" remark was a Vermont thing. Vermont troopers have a reputation for making unnecessary stops and questioning folks for no apparent reason.
posted by dhacker at 12:27 PM on August 2, 2002

"Kline talked with Moyers during the ride to the Shaftsbury barracks, and learned that Moyers worked in television, but he was not aware of Moyers' fame in broadcasting , and Moyers didn't announce it, Kline said."

Then again, if your broadcasting fame is with PBS...
posted by fros1y at 12:29 PM on August 2, 2002

It's all Bill Clinton's(oops!) GWB's fault! What will we tell the children?!? If he weren't such a bad example for decent law abiding American citizens we wouldn't have this rot of our society's values occuring! Where's Bill Bennett when we need him?
posted by nofundy at 12:31 PM on August 2, 2002

Who's Bill Moyers again?
posted by insomnyuk at 12:36 PM on August 2, 2002

And why is he famous?
posted by insomnyuk at 12:39 PM on August 2, 2002

Blew .10? He's guilty. He should just take his lumps, because at .10, he shouldn't be behind the wheel. Period.

"See Dick drink.
See Dick drive.
See Dick die.
Don't be a Dick."

- best drunk driving poster I ever saw, hanging in a bar, no less.
posted by dglynn at 12:41 PM on August 2, 2002

DOES BILL MOYERS PLAY FOR THE RAIDERS?
posted by xmutex at 12:43 PM on August 2, 2002

I heard that they found the remains of Joseph Campbell in his stomach.
posted by Shadowkeeper at 12:45 PM on August 2, 2002

Ease up! some day you may get arrested for drunk driving and then you won't want people making fun of you.
posted by Postroad at 12:46 PM on August 2, 2002

Shadowkeeper,

Yr hardcore, yo.
posted by hackly_fracture at 12:47 PM on August 2, 2002

Shadowkeeper: yes... YES! :-)
posted by ao4047 at 12:49 PM on August 2, 2002

then you won't want people making fun of you.

But! But! That's the whole point of making fun of people!
posted by Skot at 12:50 PM on August 2, 2002

For reference purposes:

Blood Alcohol Level chart

Anybody Moyers-stalkers want to give us the reading on his bathroom scale?

This is also quite useful for consciencious alcholics...
posted by bingbangbong at 12:53 PM on August 2, 2002

Vermont troopers aren't so bad.

I grew up in VT, the only time you have to really worry about the troopers pulling you over there for 'no reason' is if you have Quebec or Mass plates, which generally implies there'll be a reason to pull you over soon enough.
posted by KnitWit at 12:55 PM on August 2, 2002

FOR SAFETY'S SAKE, NEVER DRIVE AFTER DRINKING!

Sheesh. It's not safe to drive after ONE drink? Gimme a break NCADI.

I'm guessing Moyers probably had the equivalent to five or six beers (he's in broadcasting, on PBS, so he must be overweight), based on the description of his driving. .10 would seem to be fairly pleasant, but definitely not safe to drive at.
posted by insomnyuk at 12:58 PM on August 2, 2002

Reread Moyers' speech and MeFi comments from about nine months ago here.Hope he still feels "today's heroes are public servants". He's another good man undone by demon rum.
posted by Mack Twain at 12:59 PM on August 2, 2002

He is lucky he was not in Chicago, we beat drunk drivers to death with bricks.
posted by thirteen at 1:04 PM on August 2, 2002

KnitWit: I'm from Mass. I was pulled over in Vermont for no reason (admittedly by local cops driving a Chevy Caprice). They didn't actually hassle me, didn't try to search my car, gave me a little warning about driving too fast (I was going 10 mph over the speed limit), and let me go. Very Kafka.

Remember that even if some Quebecois or Masshole is eventually discovered to have 3 kilos of meth and some dead kids in his trunk, pulling him over without cause is illegal. Not only that, but it provides a possible defense against prosecution.
posted by bingbangbong at 1:08 PM on August 2, 2002

I can't believe I just described not getting harassed by police as "very Kafka." Gives you some hint as to previous encounters with the po-po.
posted by bingbangbong at 1:10 PM on August 2, 2002

If we let people get away with things just because they're known from television, pretty soon we'll be at the sorry state where an actor will be elected president.
posted by LeLiLo at 1:10 PM on August 2, 2002

Shadowkeeper:
I heard that they found the remains of Joseph Campbell in his stomach.

It seems more likely to find the remains of Johhny Walker.

posted by dr_dank at 1:13 PM on August 2, 2002

donntt metafilter
while

drinkunk either!!
posted by xmutex at 1:16 PM on August 2, 2002

If we let people get away with things just because they're known from television, pretty soon we'll be at the sorry state where an actor will be elected president.


Or even worse, a known criminal
posted by dhacker at 1:18 PM on August 2, 2002

Remember that even if some Quebecois or Masshole is eventually discovered to have 3 kilos of meth and some dead kids in his trunk, pulling him over without cause is illegal

Well, not technically "without cause." The standard for a traffic stop (known as a "Terry stop") is "reasonable suspicion," which is much lower than the "cause" standard used for other types of searches and seizures.
posted by pardonyou? at 1:24 PM on August 2, 2002

Well, either they have to think you have a body in the car, or they have to be taking a survey to see if your city needs a public train. One or the other.
posted by bingo at 1:29 PM on August 2, 2002

Driving 10mph over the limit pretty much qualifies for "reasonable suspicion." In many southern states that, especially while driving with out-of-state plates, will routinely produce a citation. Credit cards accepted.
posted by caddis at 1:36 PM on August 2, 2002

This BAC chart only covers weights up to 240 pounds and volume up to 10 drinks.  Hardly the comprehensive resource needed for today's college student.

dhacker-- that URL kills me (smirkingchimp.com)... because that's the same thing I think when I see him, too.
posted by nath at 1:46 PM on August 2, 2002

In many southern states that, especially while driving with out-of-state plates, will routinely produce a citation. Credit cards accepted.

You think that's bad, try Ohio. It has to be the worst state in the union, the damn state troopers here chase speeders like fly on shit.
posted by insomnyuk at 1:52 PM on August 2, 2002

The law is the law and good old Bill was caught on the wrong side of it, by a modest measure.
For balance though, note that it wasn't so long ago that most states set the DUI threshold at .10%
So the line is somewhat arbitrary and political. (just as with drug posession penalties).
posted by BentPenguin at 1:58 PM on August 2, 2002

Driving 10mph over the limit pretty much qualifies for "reasonable suspicion."

Well, I was actually assuming the meth-and-dead-kids guy was driving carefully. My bad.

Also my bad for forgetting not everyone lives in Mass., where 10mph over the speed limit gets a thumbs-up from the trooper chewing cud in his car.
posted by bingbangbong at 2:01 PM on August 2, 2002

Ease up! some day you may get arrested for drunk driving and then you won't want people making fun of you.

No, actually, I'm quite sure that won't happen, and I resent it being treated as an inevitability or even a likelihood that it will. Not all of us are irresponsible, selfish, or preventably foolish.
posted by anildash at 3:27 PM on August 2, 2002 [1 favorite]

Vermont was already a .08 state before Congress started the *cough* incentive program.
posted by dhartung at 3:45 PM on August 2, 2002

I always need a drink after watching an episode of NOW. It is an excellent program but it usually leaves me somewhat angry and depressed. It's a corrupt fucking world out there.
posted by homunculus at 6:35 PM on August 2, 2002

"i got
(chorus) MOYERS
in my stomach like
BOYARS,
eat the rich cause i dont give a F$$$,
WARRIORS
for poetry and skywalker.
(he take a trip wants to dip his real trip
LAWYERS
he considers outta pocket e=pense
posted by clavdivs at 8:55 AM on August 3, 2002

handing out DUI's in VT is a little like handing out speeding tickets at the Indy 500...no?
posted by pejamo at 2:13 PM on August 3, 2002

Even our beloved President has been arrested for drunk driving.

I just thought it should be pointed out with all of the moralizing going on in this thread.
posted by mark13 at 2:15 PM on August 3, 2002

In California it's possible to arrested for a BAC below .08. This is called a "wet reckless." Similar to a DUI, this also involves a 4-month license suspension, jail and/or work furlough, $1000+ fine, and a drinking-driver treatment program.

Tough break for Moyers. At least (I think to myself) I was unquestionably guilty, measuring a .18 last March. For the moralists, I assure you I've learned my lesson.

A DUI surely ranks among the tortures of the damned.
posted by tambour at 2:05 AM on August 4, 2002

Perhaps hitting and killing someone because you were drunk would probably have been more tortuous, tambour.
posted by crunchland at 4:53 AM on August 4, 2002

For such a self-righteous prig like Moyers (who is saving America) to be caught with his pants down is really too much.
posted by drstrangelove at 4:34 PM on August 5, 2002