Support Greek Life Push for a Good Good Samaritan law At Your Campus

tchi252 · #1 08-06-2007, 11:31 AM

I know that all of us greeks have really bad stereotypes out there and i hope alot of chapters are fitting those stereotypes because thats what college is about. lol j/K anyway as an SGA Senetor and Future SGA President i wanted to let you know about the single college rule that helps out greeks more than any other student. It's The Good SAMARITAN LAW.

It's a verision of the french law that was adapted by some college campuses all over the nation. And it's simple. Pretty much the way we have ours set up is If your having or hosting a party, or are at a party or social event, and someone gets hurt or is unresponsive due to (drugs, alcohol, etc....) that when the ambulance comes or any type of help comes the cops cannot issue citations and tickets or arrest anyone for partying or underage distrubution and/or consumption. So it ennables fraternities and sororities to seek help when having a social event without having to worry about getting in trouble with the school or nationals.

Interested bring the good Samaritan law up to your schools SGA.

AlphaFrog · #2 08-06-2007, 11:36 AM

We had the Good Samaritan law (I don't think it was spesfically called that) for the dorms at my college, but I don't think it applied to off-campus parties, etc. Since fraternities and sororities at my school owned their own housing, the campus rules wouldn't have applied.

Personally, I do think it's a good idea.

shinerbock · #3 08-06-2007, 01:30 PM

I'm not sure whether it was an official provision or not, but at my school if you were intoxicated, you could ask a police officer for a ride home and they wouldn't ask questions (your age, etc). Of course, it wasn't a drunk bus service, but if you were around campus and needed a ride, supposedly they were willing to do that. Then again, I always liked our cops, as people pulled over for DUI's often got a "park it and call a friend to get you, or we're taking you to jail" choice.

AlphaFrog · #4 08-06-2007, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shinerbock

Then again, I always liked our cops, as people pulled over for DUI's often got a "park it and call a friend to get you, or we're taking you to jail" choice.

Yeah, I like people who let other people take the chance of killing innocent victims too.

macallan25 · #5 08-06-2007, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

Yeah, I like people who let other people take the chance of killing innocent victims too.

I have a feeling the officer would make sure the friend was sober. I've had that happen before. Don't see the big deal.

AlphaFrog · #6 08-06-2007, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by macallan25

I have a feeling the officer would make sure the friend was sober. I've had that happen before. Don't see the big deal. Not sure why you would roll your eyes at that.

I'm not talking about the friend who comes and picks the person up. I'm talking about the person driving drunk in the first place. If it's well-known that DUI offenders get off without even a warning, it's just incentive to keep repeating the behavior.

Drunk driving is STUPID and DANGEROUS. People who do it are INSENSITIVE, SELFISH IDIOTS. If more people who actually drank and drove killed themselves in accidents, the world would be a better place. The fact is, 80%of the time, they end up killing the innocent person in the other car and walking away without a scratch. There is absolutely no excuse for driving drunk, there are ALWAYS alternatives. They may be inconvient, but I don't care. People who drink need to be responsible for their own actions.

macallan25 · #7 08-06-2007, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

I'm not talking about the friend who comes and picks the person up. I'm talking about the person driving drunk in the first place. If it's well-known that DUI offenders get off without even a warning, it's just incentive to keep repeating the behavior.

Drunk driving is STUPID and DANGEROUS. People who do it are INSENSITIVE, SELFISH IDIOTS. If more people who actually drank and drove killed themselves in accidents, the world would be a better place. The fact is, 80%of the time, they end up killing the innocent person in the other car and walking away without a scratch. There is absolutely no excuse for driving drunk, there are ALWAYS alternatives. They may be inconvient, but I don't care. People who drink need to be responsible for their own actions.

I see what you are saying. Misread it. Agreed.

AlphaFrog · #8 08-06-2007, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by macallan25

I see what you are saying. Misread it. Agreed.

I was hoping you weren't promoting drunk driving as "not a big deal".

Tom Earp · #9 08-06-2007, 03:16 PM

The idea of the good sumariton law is to keep people who try to help someone in need from being sued.

If the Police are called to a situation, they are still bound by law to uphold it.

shinerbock · #10 08-07-2007, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

I was hoping you weren't promoting drunk driving as "not a big deal".

I don't drive drunk, nor do I condone it. However, I don't have a problem with people who are less than drunk being given an ultimatum/last chance. I say this because I highly doubt people who are visibly intoxicated are given this choice, but rather those who are probably near or slightly above the legal limit. Driving under some influence in college is incredibly common. It is unfortunate, but I respect the police giving some latitude to students they don't find to be a threat.

I'm not sure it lends itself towards continued misdeeds, as most people would not want to test their luck by continuing such conduct. Also, it isn't a major metropolitan area, such students could very likely encounter those police again.

I like police officers who recognize that arrests can destroy lives. I realize it is a difficult line to draw, but I respect the effort and recognition of the seriousness of an arrest. Many officers, especially in smaller areas, view getting arrested as a rite of passage rather than a life/career-altering event. To them it is just another fine, while that student (who may or may not have been endangering himself or others) may watch medical school or law school slip away.

couggirl · #11 08-07-2007, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shinerbock

To them it is just another fine, while that student (who may or may not have been endangering himself or others) may watch medical school or law school slip away.

In washington state you can add teaching certificate to the list as well for a minor in possesion/ under the influence charge.

shinerbock · #12 08-07-2007, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by couggirl

In washington state you can add teaching certificate to the list as well for a minor in possesion/ under the influence charge.

Yeah, and I'm not saying that these people should be able to do what they want without meeting the ramifications of their actions, but I like police who are empowered to use their judgment when it comes to young people and what may be fairly innocuous offenses.

AlphaFrog · #13 08-08-2007, 07:31 AM

I can see if the person has a .09, has not previously been in trouble, can walk the like, recite alphabet backwards, stand on one leg and touch their nose or whatever field sobriety test they have, etc being shown some leniency...but if they're above a .15 or so, have previous offenses, and/or can't walk the line...there's no reason not to throw them in jail.

Oh, and if you are so drunk that you decide to see if your car can swim in Lake Ruth outside of Corbin/Olsen Hall, you should not get out of your DUI, even if your friend did sleep with the arresting officer.

arizona13 · #14 08-08-2007, 07:03 PM

wow, again...

L.O.C.K. · #15 08-09-2007, 12:21 AM

At my school, there is a university shuttle service that takes kids all around like a 10-15 block radius from the center of campus. It won't drop you off at bars, etc. but it does do other places. You can call and get a free ride in it (great for coming home from parties safely).

Also, they just established this new medical amnesty rule. Basically if someone needs to go to the hospital and you call them in even if you are drunk and underage, you don't get in trouble. The person who has to go to the hospital (and is underage) gets one "free ride" so to speak where they don't get in trouble, but the next one you get nailed.

I think its a great rule, and the amount of judicial cases have gone down considerably...not sure about hospitalizations..I'd have to ask.