I hate new jersey legislators!

[Glitch]

Yup, I hate the legislators in new jersey, with a passion.
So here's why,
I was down at the shore a little while ago, walking with two of my buddies, and the one comes up with the brilliant idea that he was gonna try and get some alcohol for the night, minding that we're all 19. So, we walk by a store, he walks in, and my buddy and I start walking back to the house, a block away. We almost get back and get a call from the buddy who went in, he says to come back to the store because some cops wanna talk to us, great. So we mossy on over, dont know what to think. We get there and the one buddy is in cuffs, and then cops start drilling us. Asking us how much money we gave him and where we dumped all the stuff out of our pockets. Well, we were at the beach so we got nothing to carry, they didnt seem to like that comment. I gave him 10bucks for cigs, to make it seem more casual, and because I was out, and my buddy gave him nothing. So they decide to arrest us too and charge us with solicitation of another to purchase alcohol while being underage. I would think that saying we should know better, and then sending us on our way would be nicer and easier, but guess not. I'm pretty pissed about that, but I can understand it. So I'm thinking that I'll just plead guilty, because paying a ~$300 fine and not having to hire a lawyer is probably easier. This is were the "I hate legislators" comes in. So acouple days ago, I come to find out that if you do plead guilty, you are more than likely gonna have your license taken away for atleast 6 months!, and a fine, also heard rumors of possible jail time, but I dunno about that one. Now I'm paying close to a grand for a lawyer and still more for fines, and still not guarenteed that I wont have my license suspended. Also, I just sent my engine off to eric for some goodies acouple days before finding this out, theres $500, very excited. Finished paying my loan off to parents for another $500 for the bike. So there goes all my savings for school. Wanted to do suspension too, the poor little bike doesnt like 200lbs on it. Well, I guess I can look at it this way, if I lose my license, I have more time for riding, eh.
Sorry for the long rant, but I had to let it out. And was wondering what some other people thought of the consequences these lawmakes like to make. I think the day before I got arrested, they did a big press release on how they're giving more money to counties to up their undercover cops and have them sit outside liquour stores to catch us 'bad kids'. I just love the way their spending money.

 

[Mully]

"we're all 19"

I will assume the drinking age is 21.
I will assume your friend told the police the beer was for all three of you.
I will assume the state law is fines, suspended license, etc.

If that is true, you broke the law of the state of New Jersey. Now you must deal with the consequences of your actions.

Sorry buddy, :(
Mully

 

[Vic]

See above.

BTW, wait 'til you have to renew your driver's license. Then you'll really have something to bit** about.

 

[tyesai]

Get a lawyer, you could probably get it down to a fine. It really isn't that big of a deal, people sometimes don't goto jail for killing people. At least get the public defender to help you.

 

[Ryone]

If that is true, you broke the law of the state of New Jersey. Now you must deal with the consequences of your actions.

:think:

A lot of the legislature in this country is a joke. Nothing better to do than bust kids trying to have fun. When did drinking alcohol become such a crime?
Arrested for solicitation to buy? :think: You probably have a mug shot now... for 'trying' to buy alcohol. Our hard earned tax dollars at work.
If you ended up losing your license (which is a complete joke... you weren't even driving), they'll issue a "red" license to drive back and forth to work, school, whatever.
I hope you get everything worked out.

Ryan

 

[xsnrg]

Get a lawyer. Don't not pleady guilty. Get another part time job if you have to in order to pay for it, but pleading guilty will lead to lingering problems and issues for you.

 

[sick 96 250]

if you werent in the store or near it when this went down i cant see how they can pin anything on you.... now your buddy who was in there, thats another story. Did he have a fake ID or anything? If he just went in and tried to buy without and type of fake ID i cant see charges really being brought against him as well. Should be a warning at most. Had many of them when i was in my teenage years which wasnt to long ago. Sounds like there is more to the story but I dont know, something doesnt sound right.

 

[dirt bike dave]

IMO, seems like the punishment is a little too severe for the 'crime'. You probably will be able to get the fines/penalties reduced by going to court.

In some areas of the country, heavy fines for minor offenses are big business. It's more about generating revenue than it is about public safety.

Overly harsh fines/penalties helps to keep lawyers employed too. BTW, most of your legislators are probably lawyers (just a coincidence, I'm sure).

 

[BadgerMan]

Sounds like good legislation to me. Far too many teenagers drinking and dying in cars these days. I think everyone has to learn that lesson. Myself, I got arrested for underage drinking while in a county park. Better to learn the lesson this way than to end up in the hospital or at a freind's funeral. When I was that age, it seemed like about once a month someone I new of died in a car accident where drinking was a factor. Senseless, IMO.

 

[XRpredator]

. . . Did he have a fake ID or anything? If he just went in and tried to buy without and type of fake ID i cant see charges really being brought against him as well.

Illegal for minors to attempt to purchase alcohol, fake ID or not.

One thing I guess maybe a guy should think about, just so you don't end up with this problem. How about "STAY OUT OF TROUBLE!"

While I do sense a modicum of entrapment by the pole-leece, I think I'd be smart enough to realize that when my bud calls me from the convenience store where he is illegally attempting to purchase alcohol, something hinky is going down. If you live that close, he coulda walked down to see you.

 

[JuliusPleaser]

It's ironic that 18 & 19 year olds are allowed to die in combat, but they can't have a beer.

 

[a454elk]

Have to agree with that JP but fighting for our country, which is very honerable, doesn't give the right to drive drunk under age, or at any age, IMO.

 

[Glitch]

That was the whole story right there, didnt leave out anything that would make me seem more innocent or anything. Yep, got the nice ol mug shot, but I gave em a dirty look, that'll show em. My buddy said he walked in there, put a bottle of something on the counter, guy asked for ID, buddy said nope, so the guy said sorry and he left. Then the cops nabbed him when he walked out, they had an undercover guy there the whole time. Which is why they had him call us back over, because he saw us with him before he went in. He did tell them that the alcohol was for him, which is was, and that we didnt give him any money for it, which we didnt. My other buddy and I knew that the cops wanted to talk to us because he said so on the phone. We couldnt do much of not going back or else they'd keep charging my one buddy with stuff until he told them where we were. I did hire a lawyer, I didnt wanna mess with losing my license, and he told me not to worry about a thing. He read the report and seemed very confident that I should not worry, so I'm happy.
BTW, this was down at Long Beach Island, for those of you who know where it is, and the cops down there are probably going through 2 or 3 ticket books a day. The people I was staying with were telling us about a friend of theirs, an adult one, who got pulled over 4 times on his drive home from the other end of the island. He got 2 speeding, one for 4 over and the other for 6, in a 35, and two for not stopping completely at a stop sign. I think its how they support their town, by getting all this money from tickets, because they only have business down there for half a year.

 

[Glitch]

I think they should lower the drinking age back down to 18, my dad was around back then but said alot of people where crashing on the bridge back to pennsylvania and all around. So if they had it where if under 21, you can drive with only a beer in ya, but have as much as you want if your staying some place. If you get caught driving with more than one in ya, thheennn I think they should punish you very harshly. I'm not sure if it would work or not, but I doubt we will ever know. Its unfortunate that people have no respect for the safety of others and it ruins stuff for everyone.

 

[Patman]

The Honda advertising campaign seems to come to mine here.

Stupid hurts!

There are a lot of laws on the book that are stupid depemding on what your opinion on each matter is. I'm sure there are people that think molesting a child should be OK or beating a person of a different race for walking down the street should be legal. Extreme examples sure but there are laws on the book none the less. Knowing that what you did was illegal BEFORE attempting it doesn't mean you should get off easier, in my book it should get you a stiffer penalty as was dished out. Next I bet you think twice.

Sucks to be you.

 

[a454elk]

You said it right there Glitch, someone always ruins it for the others. Having kids of my own, and seeing what I see on a daily basis, kids under 18 shouldn't be driving. Or at the least, should be driving electric cars that can do no more than 45mph! Speed kills, add in adult beverages and minors and you get a bad reaction, unfortunately, but that's the way it is. There are alot of very responsible minors, under 21, and alot of very irresponsible adults as well. Things will never change, nor will we let them. ;)

 

[dirt bike dave]

I support the drinking age being 21. And I am perfectly happy with punishing a store that sells alcohol to the under-aged.

But..I just don't think it is right to make a young man pay hundreds if not thousands of dollars in fines and legal fees, give him a permanent criminal record, etc... becuase his friend ATTEMPTED to buy a beer!

For crying out loud, Glitch was not even in the store when the crime of the attempted beer purchase took place!

Also, there is no evidence that these young men were so irresponsible as to drink and drive (I have NO sympathy for drunk drivers!)

 

[xsnrg]

I don't see how they would have a case, especially if Glitch's friend sticks to the story that it was just for him and that the other two did not give him money to buy for them also. If he does not want to take the heat alone, though it sounds he should, then it is still their word against his. Regardless, I think the 'buyer' is the only one that should bear charges in this case.

 

[sick 96 250]

I don't see how they would have a case, especially if Glitch's friend sticks to the story that it was just for him and that the other two did not give him money to buy for them also. If he does not want to take the heat alone, though it sounds he should, then it is still their word against his. Regardless, I think the 'buyer' is the only one that should bear charges in this case.

I second that.....

On another note, all you guys talking about minors and drinking, it happens, but to say there any less responsible than an older person doesnt fly. I know a lot more people of age who had been accidents due to driving under the influence. In both cases its wrong but it happens, not just to people who are underage and drink. Its just when it happen to and underager it hits the public harder. Rant Off!!!

 

[CJG]

It seems like everyone here is jumping on the DUI thing. I don't have any use for anyone who drinks and drives either. But, assuming Glitch is telling the truth, noone was driving so that's a non-issue. Glitch, any competent lawyer(and most incompetent one's) should be able to get you off scot-free- no fine, no jail, no suspended license. Police departments are often as concerned with revenue as they are with keeping the peace(can't blame the actual officers, they're just following orders). For example, awhile back, I was pulled over for speeding in another state. The lawyers fees, and apparently the fines, in that state are based on how much you want your ticketed speed reduced. I paid extra and got it knocked down to Improper Equipment, a no points, slap on the wrist charge(I was driving a brand new completely unmodified GMC truck, towing a three-year-old perfectly legal and functioning 14ft. enclosed trailer, and was not ticketed by the officer for improper equipment). But it did cost me a pretty penny, just like the state intended(all about money, nothing to do with safety). By the way, I was speeding because I was coasting down a steep grade(approx. 10-15% for over 5 miles) on a deserted interstate at 6AM on my way to work, and I don't like constantly riding my brakes down the side of a mountain when I'm pulling a trailer. I usually coast for awhile then get on the brakes to get back down to a little under the speed limit, then I coast again and repeat as needed so that I don't heat up my brakes and wear them out prematurely. And yes, it was near the end of the month.

 

[BadgerMan]

I think they should lower the drinking age back down to 18

It would be interesting to see if you still have that opinion when you are 40 something and your son is turning eighteen and heading off to college in his car.

Believe me when I say that I have seen alcohol take or ruin many lives in my lifetime. Nothing glamorous or fun about a violent death or a broken up family.

Yeah, I still drink.........seldom less than one or more than two. Sadly, I still see people my age act like they are eighteen when it comes time to drink. And then, they drive themselves home! Maybe we should raise the legal age to 50!

It seems like everyone here is jumping on the DUI thing.

Only because we have been around the block enough times to know that when the partying is finished, eventually somebody has to get in a car and drive home. All the awareness, good intentions, cab rides, designated drivers, etc. have not stopped people from killing themselves or someone else.........every weekend.......all over the country.

 

[CJG]

Only because we have been around the block enough times to know that when the partying is finished, eventually somebody has to get in a car and drive home. All the awareness, good intentions, cab rides, designated drivers, etc. have not stopped people from killing themselves or someone else.........every weekend.......all over the country.

Actually I'm 32 years old, so I've been around the block at least a time and a half. ;) Maybe I'm misreading your post, but I don't think it's fair to assume someone would commit a serious crime just because other people have in the past(or will in the future).

 

[BadgerMan]

Maybe I'm misreading your post, but I don't think it's fair to assume someone would commit a serious crime just because other people have in the past(or will in the future).

Yeah, good point. I suppose they could have walked to the beach or were planning on taking the stuff home before drinking it.

I guess I was speaking in more general terms.

On the other hand, if someone has no regard for the legal drinking age, why would they sweat the DUI laws? I know that when I was that age, we did not drink at home and neither did 99 out of my 100 freinds. Likewise, we did not walk everywhere we went. Point is, even though these fellars MAY have had reasonably good intentions, a large percentage do not.

Again, they MAY be the exception.

Sorry.

 

[a454elk]

The DUI thing came up I think because it related to the drinkiing issue at 18. 18 year olds like to drive fast, think they are unbreakable and they think they're the best race car driver to hit the streets. They mix cars with drinking, that's all that was meant by it. I also agree that there are just as many older idiot DUI drivers as well, but the statistics show that the younger ones are the ones that have a majority of the crashes because they are so new to driving. They haven't perfected the art of driving, which time in the seat is the only thing to do that, other than a real talented young driver.

Police are different from state to state, county to county and city to city. We can't speak for the intentions of any of them. The bottom line is that they are there for your safety, whether we like it or not. They also enforce the laws that are in the books, no matter how petty they are. If what is stated is true about the attempted purchasing, then the two friends should be fine. When stories get passed along from friend to friend, it becomes a hate fest and the story gets twisted, fact of life.

Assuming one would committ a crime because others had in the past isn't an issue. The laws are there for everyone, if you break them, you pay, if you don't you continue on in your life. So basically you're saying that there should be no laws or am I misunderstanding what you said. Having laws don't point the finger or judge, it gives us guidelines to follow. Morons doing wrong is what makes laws in the first place. Falls back on the one guy that ruins it for the rest. Why do you think buying a house has so much dang paperwork. It's because some jackass looked for a loophole to get out of something or to sue. Stepping off the soapbox, thank you. :)

 

[jmics19067]

I believe the "soliciting of someone to purchase alchohol for a minor" charge should be bogus.If your friend went and did something stupid and you did not help him to go out and do something stupid.. or go out of your way to try and hire someone to go buy you beer..well you get my idea anyway.

guilty by association is not a fair practice in my book but it is a common one that we all should have better judgement to avoid and even better voice our opinion to those around us doing something stupid