" One could have exactly the same sentiments towards the use of marijuana.

Regardless of what California does, it is against federal law to use or possess.

People should quit complaining and just follow the law... "

" People taking responsibility for their action? Thats just crazy talk! "

" Amen "

" I totally agree. "

" The breaking of public laws should be publicly posted. It provides sufficient, but not excessive, public shaming. It deters others, though not all, from repeating the same mistake. And it gives the voting public a starting point for determining which laws are just/unjust, and where the problem areas are. "

" Thank you. "

" Mr. Fisher,

My only question is why only DUI convictions seem fit to print. Where are the drug convictions? What about convictions for spousal abuse, child abuse, assault, burglary, robbery, fraud, gang activity, weapons violations and arson?

Is DUI the most egregious of offences so only it deserves a monthly list of convictions? Shouldn't we shame all criminals equally rather than single out DUI? "

" Geez, thanks for the ranting lecture. Still, nothing you said tells us why the list prevents drinking and driving. Nothing you said tells us what value the list provides.

One of the problems here is that the DUI list ruins the lives of people who have the sames name as someone on the list. People have been harrassed, shamed and lost their jobs for merely having the same name as someone on the list.

Why do we (meaning you, the list readers and tongue cluckers) have such a barbaric desire for social flogging, social humiliation, social I-told-you-so, social I-am-better-than-you are?

Here's the real bottom line. The list does not deter or prevent drinking and driving. Where are the statistics, the trend analysis, the demographic analysis, the risk analysis, the preventative measures?

What preventative actions have been initiated as a result of this list? How has the list helped to deter or prevent drinking and driving?

You're right. There are none. The DUI list serves only as an outlet for pubic shame and ridicule - not as a preventative measure - but to make us feel good. How barbaric. "

" I agree with winewoman why a list of DUI arrests- who cares it wont stop anyone from drinking and driving...most of all the tourists who think it just ok because they were just visiting a winery-how about a list of all countys so we can compare...would Napa be on top for the most aressts?
Now that would be more interesting "

" Winewoman, you are one of the toughest critics in the NVR blogs. But you left some gaping holes in your argument. You wrote, "Nothing you said tells us what value the list provides." Sure he has. Among other things, his letter shows the lack of accountability in today's society in referencing the outlandish complaints that people leave in the blogs about the DUI lists.
You also wrote, "The list does not deter or prevent drinking and driving. Where are the statistics, the trend analysis, the demographic analysis, the risk analysis, the preventative measures?" Exactly, winewoman! There are no statistics. So how can you then logically say that the list does not deter drinking and driving when you clearly state there are no statistics?!
You also question the blogger's "barbaric desire" for flogging and such. As one of the toughest critics here winewoman, YOU should have the answer to your own question.
But I think overall his letter was not meant to directly present any theory that the DUI list prevents drinking and driving. What I got out of his letter was that he was directing his dialogue to those who whine and complain that the DUI list exists. To get us to think of our own accountability. His letter gets an A++ in my book!
You do the crime, be prepared for all consequences. No whining. If you ended up on that list, you did it to yourself. As for an employer to mistake your name for someone else's same name, is ASSUMING. You know what happens when you assume. Winewoman, you would feel differently about the DUI list if someone you love was killed by a drunk driver. "

" What a bunch of hot air! I just passed gas so I "may" be contributing to global warming. You "may" have save a life - give me a break. Punish those who inflict injury on others. DUI laws are a mere cash cow for the state. More accidents occur as a result of Cell phones, texting, speeding, illegal lane changes, failing to stop and failing to yeild. I bet Mr. Fisher has a ticket or two in his past or maybe he's just better than everyone else. Get off your soap box dude. "

" Does printing the Divorce List prevent divorces? The NVR pushes that too - guess those people getting a divorce should feel shame - right "common sense"? Who are you to judge? Ever read the Scarlet Letter? Grab your pitch fork now, let's go get um. Have you not talked on a cell phone while driving? YOU SHOULD FEEL SHAME, just the right amount though - whatever that means. It's printed because it sells papers to all the hate mongers, gossips and just plain old nosy folks. That's why tabloids sell too. Your no "safer" because of some public ridicule. That's like saying the Puritan men were all safer because someone placed an "A" on the adulterer. Ridiculous. "

" post-it -

those are questions to ask the register, not mr. fisher.

realitybites-

how does drunk driving relate to divorce? The consequences are very different. "

" Register- perhaps a better way to identify someone, ad addition to the name? Like Year of Birth, or Month of Birth, or Street (not street number), or picture? I think it was Steve Silva who wrote a letter in saying it wasn't him who got the DUI but someone else with his same name. In his case, it wasn't his employer, as he's self-employed, but his customers, as he's a plumber. Or, maybe you should get rid of the list. The numbers seem to stay the same, 75-95, depending on how many days there are in a month. Perhaps they are not a deterrant. "

" Hey, that list keeps ME from drinking & driving. Can anyone reading this actually say it wouldn't matter to them, and then go out and do it? I doubt it. So it's working. "

" J.A.M.M, perhaps the numbers stay the same because the people getting caught either don't care enough that the list exists, don't read the paper because they're tourists or are immigrants that don't read english. Maybe the same number of people remain deterred, either due to the list, not due to the list, or both. Just to assume that because the number stays the same is because it is not a deterrent, is not enough data to draw that conclusion. A statistic must look at who and how many read the paper, who and how many care enough about the DUI list that do read the paper and finally who and how many are being added to the lists. Once you have that data, then a statistic will reliably tell us how effective the list is as a deterrent.
But for now, I say keep the lists going. The more awareness we can bring about drunk driving, the better. "

" There are obvious reasons why I won't drink and drive, but the list would be a further deterrent for me. So that makes two of us so far, froggie and I. So winewoman, you wanna tell us again that the list is totally useless as a deterrent? "

" freeport56 - Obviously you fail to grasp the simple concept that printing a DUI list is done to sell gossip papers, for ridicule and humiliation - evil motives, just like printing the names of the parties filing for divorce. Just because it's public information doesn't mean it's newsworthy. Ever break the law by speeding, texting, cell calls, rolling through a yellow, failing to signal, etc ? Guess you should get your name in the paper so we can all be safter. Hey froggie - guess we should put the names of everyone who passes gas in the paper so you won't do it anymore. "

" realitybites - I have a question for you. Even if there's an evil motive targeting scofflaws of drinking and driving laws (which I don't think there is), so what? Here we go again with the 'aw, poor drunk driver gonna get embarrassed with their name on a list". The poor me attitude takes away accountability that should be there. Coddling scofflaws only helps enable them to continue their bad behaviour. "

" post-it: Each of the offenses you list are reported in the NVR, arrests, trials, and convictions. DUIs are report on conviction only, unless the offender happened to kill someone on their way to jail.

winewoman: Addicts often minimize the impact of their particular vice. "

" Patrick Fisher spends most of his words saying that drunk driving is bad. Guess what, nobody disagrees with that. What he hasn't presented is a rational argument for why DUI drivers should be singled out by publishing their names on a shame list. There are plenty of other driving offenses that are potentially very dangerous. "

" hawkeye wrote: "Winewoman, you would feel differently about the DUI list if someone you love was killed by a drunk driver."

Please explain what difference it makes whether someone was killed by a drunk driver, a sober speeder, or a cell phone user? "

" Froggie1559 wrote: "that list keeps ME from drinking & driving. Can anyone reading this actually say it wouldn't matter to them, and then go out and do it?"

You've got to be kidding. Someone who has three or more drinks under his belt couldn't care less about the list.
I'm sure he's much more concerned about the hefty fines and loss of driving privileges. "

" JR wrote: "Please explain what difference it makes whether someone was killed by a drunk driver, a sober speeder, or a cell phone user?"
No difference. But driving under the influence is recognized as a distinct problem. So is driving distracted. But there just happens to be more publicity over the years about DUI. Distracted driving is a relatively newer recognition. Perhaps there will be a list for that in the future. It just happens, JR, that the laws are currently tougher on DUI than driving distracted, regardless of whether driving distracted is actually more dangerous. DUI related deaths also seem to get more attention than deaths for other reasons. Sure, the other violations could possibly be just as bad or worse, but I'd rather see some list than none at all. Maybe the laws will eventually expand to cover the others and there will be lists for those convictions. But for now, DUI is in the limelight. Blame it on the laws that give more weight to DUI, not on the media. "

" JR wrote, "Someone who has three or more drinks under his belt couldn't care less about the list." You are likely correct about that. But what about the would-be DUI drivers? "

" Unless you've NEVER in your livelong life had ONE OR TWO drinks and driven a BOAT or a CAR don't you dare get on board & agree with this person because you my friend are a total hypocrite. I have personally seen HUNDREDS of wedding guests throughout this Valley, tens & tens of wine tasters, bar & restaurant patrons & local event goers who drove away over the limit without even knowing it on any given summer night- step away from the List and go take a table & check it out! They surely thought they were fine to drive & wouldn't they be surprised to know that there weren't? Unless you have been well on the safe side of .08 every day of your driving life-especially you golden oldies out there who remember the old higher b.a.c. days when the police would drive you home with a slap on the wrist... then stop being so hateful- or apply to Judge School & live your dream. Everyone on the list will suffer strong punishment meted out by the DMV AND the Court ALREADY- as deemed enough according to the citizens of California & it's legislators. This list is a Scarlet Letter that floats forever online haunting people in internet perpetuity- meanwhile violent felons out there can can get their prison records dismissed! I think the mean spirited & irrational defense of publishing this list is distasteful. One wrong doesn't justify another. The police prevent drinking and driving not the List. I am confident these immaculate Town Floggers...er Folks are not without their own mistakes- probably not forever on Google, either. You add insult to injury and you just love it. Get off the List and crack some Hawthorne while you watch a parking lot. "

" hawkeye - are you serious? Let me try to frame the argument for you - Printing the names of DUI offenders does not prevent persons from driving under the influence. Napa County thrives off drunk drivers who visit to wine taste. Cell phone use, texting, speeding and other traffic violations are just as responsible for accidents. DUI is a victimless crime - like speeding for example. No accident - no one is hurt. Just like speeding, if there is an accident with injuries - someone should / will pay dearly. I have never condoned or made light of the offense. I find it hypocritical to post the names of local residents (for the most part) for victimless offenses when Napa Valley thrives off tourists who drink and drive every weekend here. Printing the names of DUI offenders when the NVR doesn't print the names of speeders, cell phone drivers, texting drives, red light runners, etc. The purpose of printing the names is clear - hate, vengence, gossip - it clearly sells papers though. "

" It seems that everyone who writes a comment regarding alcohol, drinks the stuff so what u say means nothing. Why is it okay to drink alcohol at all, at home, in the car, or on the toilet, if it isn't okay to drink alcohol anywhere and everywhere??!!! Because alcohol is bad for you. We are all intelligent enough not to let the silent, though obnoxious thing called alcohol take us for a ride. Anyone who consumes alcohol has not one thing to say about a drug consumer, not one thing at all, you're all the same to me. There's your bottom line. It's not about who gets caught, who makes the paper, who forgot that the baby is in the bathtub, cuz that's the reality of alcohol. If it's not obvious to you now, you will find out what alcohol is all about soon enough. Imagine You will even ask "why is alcohol legal"...it kills people who are still alive and it kills people who don't even touch the stuff, at home or in the turning lane, whereever you happen to be..it's a matter of time and everyone in their life will wonder why they drink/drank at all. So, the topic of argument should be on drinking alcohol, not drinking and driving.

No list is still my vote...no one really wants to drink and drive; it's when they really don't want to drink alcohol at all is when they will see it for what it really is. It's Satan and his greatest manipulation, and everyone's falling for it. "

" napahawaiinapa said, "everyone who writes a comment regarding alcohol, drinks the stuff so what u say means nothing."

Ever heard of a logical fallacy? Look it up because your argument is full of them. "

" Logical fallacy is air-borne, but not many breathe molecules as it looks. It’s hard to believe that we are all made from the same type cells, with similar and generally basic common sense and logic traits, so we thought, and I’m certainly ‘one of us’, but when we find something dangerous and downright bad for us, wouldn’t we make a bigger fuss than we are? We are of the same concept but completely opposite and quite different from one another in our thoughts and opinions and that’s why this is more important than just you and I posting a comment, based on our own experiences and/or education, and that’s that…for someone to read and produce their own opinion, comment and/or judgment. This is one of the most negative, yet a so completely traditionally populated entertainment pastime, and it comes with, what we are made to believe, feel, think and even see, is sort of fun-loving, get-together-with-friends kind of pleasurable weekend ritual with drinking as the main centerpiece. The truth of it is, with our cerebral structures, allowing us to gain adequate insight regarding right from wrong, but that’s all that is required, to ‘know’ the difference, not to 'practice' the difference, and as you know, we all know the difference. It’s sad but true that all of us, regardless of age, race, ethnicity, hair color, shorts size, have a tendency to cave under peer pressure. Logically, if we’re about to touch something very hot, our natural instinct is to practically have a convulsion due to the fear of jumping back so fast. Why is that, if indeed logical fallacy is a matter-of-fact? Those three words, matter-of-fact, means something very strong; no leaks..a matter-of-fact! Cont'd on next comment.. "

" Just breathing in a human body employes us instantly aware that we all have had, and will continue to have, a number of issues, deficiencies, weaknesses, and so many obstacles to potentially overcome that it seems to me that we have so much time for everything else but what really matters. I’m writing this comment to myself too, because I will always wonder why in the world do I do the things I do, knowing that I am going to feel it in a bad way…self-sabotage..say going for that second DUI, or the third, fourth….??? This is definitely not a proud time of life for that person so maybe if we ask ourselves some questions, instead of allowing alcohol to make our next move, for lack of a better term, like perhaps I wonder what I would do if after going out tonight, I am locked up in a prison cell for the rest of my days, because I was told I killed someone tonight. Shouldn’t we know if ‘we killed someone’? That’s my point again, and as stated, I’m speaking to myself through this comment too and faced with the hard facts, it makes me think so much..my concern is that there IS a ‘drunk driver’ whose name will appear in the paper that I read..this shouldn’t even be a topic and that’s why the ‘no alcohol’ is our only fighting chance, and we have the power to stay away from it..That’s pretty much my argument, and the conclusion to a difficult to comply with, yet self-explanatory if we take a deep delve into the definition of alcoholism and drug addiction. I could, and have, gone on..My flapped lip, and flapping fingers have flown their last flight, fortunately for the friendly readers. Take care! "

" Awesome.

This spectacular DUI checkpoint certainly helps keep my kids safe on a saturday night. How about keeping them safe Monday through Friday and have a police officer breathalizing people leaving wineries? Guess THAT would be bad for "tourism". The biggest downfall of living in an area like NAPA is it seems that we only care about locals drinking and driving, not anyone else. A double standard that carries 5k in fines.

I also enjoy how most prescription meds say "do not operate heavy machinery" yet we don't hold anyone accountable that is on prescription meds and driving. Just because we can't "smell" medication, somehow allows us to politely ignore the fact that over 10% of us are breaking the law at any given time, with equally disastrous outcomes to other drivers. At least the police are doing something constructive with their time though. "

" When I grew up as a teenager in Napa our access to booze was practically unlimited. Most of us enjoyed a drink or two socially on the week end but even back then (in the 1950's) we had designated drivers. When our drinking took to our old jalopies only the passengers were drinking, not the driver.

One thing we were all acutely aware of was the very high number of road fatalities per capita in Napa County. Way too high. Police were very tolerant in those days and people drank a lot. Even in the courts an accused had to be a 0.18 to get convicted of DUI (We called it a 502 in those days).

Admittedly we did survive and none of us were ever convicted of DUI in those days. At least, not that I know of. We learned at a young age that booze can be the enemy and we needed to control it lest it control us.

Did the police stop us when we were driving around and the passengers were drinking? All the time. On all those occasions the driver had not been drinking and the cops would give us some paternal advice and tell us to go home. We usually did because we did not want to get pulled over a second time.

The thing that impresses me about the NVR DUI conviction list is there are so many of them. You'd think they would know better. "

" kevin you truly hit the nail on the head. heck we might as well just get rid of state laws in general. they really don't serve a purpose. "

" The need for laws goes back many thousands of years to ancient times.
Without laws and the enforcement of them, the predators take over. "

" napahawaiinapa,

Pfffffffft, cough, cough, exhale "

" Inhale is more like it!! "

" I thought something more intelligent would accompany the comments. "