Drunk driving can never be condoned and must be punished. But it seems to me that a college town like Boulder encourages drinking (Flagstaff, AZ is blatant about it, with ads directly encouraging it). Buses don't run late. The cab companies raised a fuss when a free shuttle was proposed. Isn't it possible that the police and all of the others who collect the money don't really want there to be fewer DUIs but rather more, to justify their existence and expansion? Like prison guard unions that certainly don't want there to be fewer prisoners and don't care much that no one is rehabilitated. As I noted earlier, there are many other offences, far less serious than drunk driving that are punished with heavy fines. Police can charge you with what they want, and you pay the consequences. In Pennsylvania, cops have two years to charge you with something after an arrest or even an illegal search of your person or car. Let's say you are riding your bicycle in a town. The police don't like you for whatever reason and stop you for something. They demand to see you wallet. You foolishly, or our of fear, show it to them. They find pills in your wallet. They note this but let you go. A year later you are notified that you have been charged with drug possession. Good luck to you. I've had a lot of experience with police, magistrates, courts, and the like. It is a nefarious system. Let me add that these experiences have seldom involved me. I don't drink or use drugs. I do have a car, however and we drive a good deal, evil and socially irresponsible as that may be.