Whiskey Plates

I don’t know what I was researching, but somehow I ran into a listing for “Whiskey Plates.” That happens when you use a search engine; type in almost anything and you will find a few references sort of on the edge of your original inquiry.

So I clicked on it and found the practice in Minnesota for people who have been caught DUI. As I searched “whiskey plates” further, I found it’s a practice in other states, as well – an embarrassing practice that lasts a year.

If nailed for DUI, the driver must turn in his regular license plates temporarily and use tags that start with “W” and perhaps another letter and numbers. It’s not a badge of honor and, not only that, but in Minnesota, the police are allowed to pull over these cars for no other reason than to administer a breathalyzer test anytime they want.

It does not matter who is driving the car during that year; the whiskey plates are there all the time. Could be the offender’s spouse, children, parents, friend; anybody.

Is this fair, legal, against your rights? I don’t care; balance it off against the damage drunk driving does and the slap on the wrist drunk drivers get when caught. Perhaps people who drink and drive will see this and think twice about their behaviour – “do I really want to have a whiskey plate on my car for a year?”

Make that “one for the road” a new license plate.