Since When Is It OK To Stroll Around Siesta Key Beach With An Open Liquor Bottle & Car Keys In Your Hand? (how much, home)

[wondermint2]

I've only been to Siesta Key Beach a couple of times so I'm not very up-to-date on all the rules and policies. However after the tragic accident in which the woman jogger was killed by a drunk driver (leaving the Siesta Beach) - I read some of the related articles in the Herald Tribune.

Apparently it's perfectly within the rules for drunks (who drove their car there to the beach) - to stroll around the beach with open whiskey bottles in their hands? Along with their car keys? YUCK!

I suppose the "rule-makers" are afraid to make some common sense rules because they don't want to be seen as "party-poopers" that might detract from business??

And in the same vein law enforcement (patrolling the beach) will in their infinite wisdom just ask a drunk (that's being an a**in public - with car-keys and a whiskey bottle in hand) to "move along"?? Geez what a brilliant strategy. It's so brilliant that it just resulted in an innocent jogger getting run-over by a drunk and killed - Heaven forbid we upset the party.

http://www.heraldtribune.com/article...runner-s-death

Crash that killed jogger should prompt safety improvements to Siesta Key road | HeraldTribune.com

[gettinoutofjersey]

it appears that it has become the norm and accepted to blame the cops. its always the cops should have done this, the cops should have done that. at what point does the kid that drank, drove and killed become solely responsible for his own actions? he killed now he should have to pay.

should cops be able to go into a bar and take away the keys from anyone that has a drink on the table? should they call a cab for each? maybe get everyone a room at the ritz for the night?

the public is always looking to cut the pay and number of cops, but when it hits the fan who do they call?

i am not a cop so dont think i have anything in the game. i just see where they are getting the sh** end of the stick being judged after the fact.


this wasnt directed at the op. it is directed at the ignorant comments in the news article

[mrs.cool]

The kid that drank, drove, and killed someone is OBVIOUSLY NOT responsible. Cops on the other hand, should know better.

[PixiStix]

I do have to say something regarding the second link posted in the OP. I realize everyone's feelings are pretty raw regarding this tragic event.

There is a knee jerk reaction to "fix this so it doesn't ever happen again". There have been a lot of comments on lowering the speed limit & fixing that area to make it more safe. Please tell me what a lowered speed limit would have done to prevent this? I've driven that curve 4x day, 5 days a week for almost 2 years. Is that curve safe for a driver tanked out of his mind going 90MPH? Certainly not. Is that curve safe for the thousands of people who drive it on regular basis that obey the laws? You bet. This is certainly not a "hairpin" curve. It wouldn't have mattered whether the speed limit was 2 or 200- this idiot would have still done the same thing. Lowering the speed limit just punishes people for what some idiot drunken driver did. The speed limit is 40MPH for most the stretch of this highway- like road. The curve is well indicated with large yellow signs indicating reduced speed to 30MPH at the curve, flashing yellow lights & arrow markers around the bend. I'm not sure how much better it can be marked.

The sidewalk & bike lanes are exactly the same position as they are all over the key. People were back walking/biking/jogging again as always after this happened. There are pedestrian accidents all over town (which many times does not involve alcohol) Everyone would like to say "if we just did this, it will be better".. I'm sorry, but until you take drunk drivers off the road, there will always be very unfortunate events happening. The curve/road/sidewalk etc, had nothing to do with this. It was the actions of this POS drunk driver.

I will say for the amount of vacationing/partiers/tourists on Siesta, things usually seem pretty tame.

Off my soapbox...

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by PixiStix

I do have to say something regarding the second link posted in the OP. I realize everyone's feelings are pretty raw regarding this tragic event.

There is a knee jerk reaction to "fix this so it doesn't ever happen again". There have been a lot of comments on lowering the speed limit & fixing that area to make it more safe. Please tell me what a lowered speed limit would have done to prevent this? I've driven that curve 4x day, 5 days a week for almost 2 years. Is that curve safe for a driver tanked out of his mind going 90MPH? Certainly not. Is that curve safe for the thousands of people who drive it on regular basis that obey the laws? You bet. This is certainly not a "hairpin" curve. It wouldn't have mattered whether the speed limit was 2 or 200- this idiot would have still done the same thing. Lowering the speed limit just punishes people for what some idiot drunken driver did. The speed limit is 40MPH for most the stretch of this highway- like road. The curve is well indicated with large yellow signs indicating reduced speed to 30MPH at the curve, flashing yellow lights & arrow markers around the bend. I'm not sure how much better it can be marked.

The sidewalk & bike lanes are exactly the same position as they are all over the key. People were back walking/biking/jogging again as always after this happened. There are pedestrian accidents all over town (which many times does not involve alcohol) Everyone would like to say "if we just did this, it will be better".. I'm sorry, but until you take drunk drivers off the road, there will always be very unfortunate events happening. The curve/road/sidewalk etc, had nothing to do with this. It was the actions of this POS drunk driver.

I will say for the amount of vacationing/partiers/tourists on Siesta, things usually seem pretty tame.

Off my soapbox...

Totally agree with you Pixi - and want to add that NO ONE should be blaming the police for this. Like you said, it was the actions of the POS drunk driver. Very sad, I can't even imagine what the family is going through.

[wondermint2]

Originally Posted by gypsychic

Totally agree with you Pixi - and want to add that NO ONE should be blaming the police for this. Like you said, it was the actions of the POS drunk driver. Very sad, I can't even imagine what the family is going through.

Yes but things can be done to make things safer in general.

Why not prohibit open alcohol containers on Siesta Key Beach? How do these people get to the beach - will they fly home after they get drunk on the beach?

Sure you can say that everyone should be responsible for their own actions - however in the 'real world' there will always be 'idiots' jeopardizing the safety of innocent people.

So in knowing this - is it better to just stand idly by and let people 'police themselves'?

If you think this way then why bother even having DUI checkpoints? Let people be responsible for their own actions.

Why even have any gun control laws at all? Let people be responsible and decide if they should have a gun.

And in the meantime more innocent people will be killed.

[gettinoutofjersey]

Originally Posted by mrs.cool

The kid that drank, drove, and killed someone is OBVIOUSLY NOT responsible. Cops on the other hand, should know better.

Do you mean to say the guy was irresponsible?

Where do we draw the line on cops should we have one assigned to.each of is? Do.we.want a police state?

This guy screwed up his life is just as.done as the women he killed

[imagardener]

Originally Posted by wondermint2

Yes but things can be done to make things safer in general.

Why not prohibit open alcohol containers on Siesta Key Beach? How do these people get to the beach - will they fly home after they get drunk on the beach?

Sure you can say that everyone should be responsible for their own actions - however in the 'real world' there will always be 'idiots' jeopardizing the safety of innocent people.

So in knowing this - is it better to just stand idly by and let people 'police themselves'?

If you think this way then why bother even having DUI checkpoints? Let people be responsible for their own actions.

Why even have any gun control laws at all? Let people be responsible and decide if they should have a gun.

And in the meantime more innocent people will be killed.

I guess you want to live in more of a police state than I do. How many jails do you want to build for the people walking around with a drink in their hand on the beach. Should police start breathalyzing people they SUSPECT will DUI? How many more police do you want to hire so they can follow that guy when he finally goes back to his vehicle and watch him until he starts the engine. You are talking about Big Brother.

The report I read said that the driver walked toward the water not back to his vehicle, that he was not drinking, that when he got back to his vehicle he drank. So how much surveillance of every citizen do you want to pay for? One to one? Welcome to Communist China where people used to rat out their relatives and friends for advancement.

So easy to place blame on everyone else. I support the police in this case (which is something I don't always do unless deserved). You are wrong.

[wondermint2]

Originally Posted by imagardener

I guess you want to live in more of a police state than I do. How many jails do you want to build for the people walking around with a drink in their hand on the beach. Should police start breathalyzing people they SUSPECT will DUI? How many more police do you want to hire so they can follow that guy when he finally goes back to his vehicle and watch him until he starts the engine. You are talking about Big Brother.

The report I read said that the driver walked toward the water not back to his vehicle, that he was not drinking, that when he got back to his vehicle he drank. So how much surveillance of every citizen do you want to pay for? One to one? Welcome to Communist China where people used to rat out their relatives and friends for advancement.

So easy to place blame on everyone else. I support the police in this case (which is something I don't always do unless deserved). You are wrong.

Ummm did you even read the article? The guy had an open bottle of whiskey and his car keys in his hand (in addition to being a drunk foul mouthed a**) when the police approached him. They could of ordered him a cab - as a law expert has already stated.

So doing something sensible like calling a cab for this guy - would mean that we are becoming a 'police state' like China? Give me a break. How do you feel about DUI checkpoints?

If bartentders/bars are held accountable for serving a drunk patron too many drinks and then not ordering him a cab - then why shouldn't trained law enforcement professionals be expected to do the sensible thing when they encounter an obvious drunk on the beach with liquor and car keys in his hand?

[gettinoutofjersey]

Originally Posted by wondermint2

Ummm did you even read the article? The guy had an open bottle of whiskey and his car keys in his hand (in addition to being a drunk foul mouthed a**) when the police approached him. They could of ordered him a cab - as a law expert has already stated.

So doing something sensible like calling a cab for this guy - would mean that we are becoming a 'police state' like China? Give me a break. How do you feel about DUI checkpoints?

If bartentders/bars are held accountable for serving a drunk patron too many drinks and then not ordering him a cab - then why shouldn't trained law enforcement professionals be expected to do the sensible thing when they encounter an obvious drunk on the beach with liquor and car keys in his hand?

Let me.ask you who.pays.for.the cab? I am sure the drunk wouldnt. If its on the cops tab anx.that became sop that would get very expensive.