judicial retention vote

I think we should probably start a forum to list judges that are lenient towards drunk and otherwise dangerous drivers. We can review this list when it comes time to vote to retain the judge. I searched the forum, but have not found a similar thread.

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Permalink Reply by Yasmeen on February 13, 2017 at 2:16pm

Maybe it's generational. Many of us have figured it out. I went to a number of dressy cocktail parties over the holiday season and every one of my friends took Lyft or Uber. People were laughing about how they ended up in the same shared ride to the party.

If you look at the Metra trains packed to the gills for Cubs games, concerts, and Bears games, many people in the suburbs "get it" too.

I own a car, I just choose not to use it - especially when alcohol is involved. I know I am not alone. Optimistically, I think we can get there and that doesn't make me "soooooo idealistic".

Many European countries have already made this shift and have much lower DUI-related deaths and crashes.

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Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on February 13, 2017 at 2:37pm

In terms of car vs. transit, I think that younger folks are more likely to take transit than older folks.

As far as drunk driving - not sure. Among people I know, those over 60 are more likely to have more drinks before driving. It doesn't appear to have the level of stigma that it does with people I know who are in their 20s. Many of the people I know who are 45 or younger show a higher degree of awareness about drunk driving. 45-60: mixed bag. These are observations among people I hang out with at times when we might have drinks, so that's not necessarily representative of everyone. Your mileage may vary...

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Permalink Reply by Bob Kastigar on February 13, 2017 at 3:10pm

Anne's got a good point on age-vs-transit choice. I don't drink but I sure do use transit and my bicycle to get around.

Very few people in my age group know what a "Seniors-Ride-Cheap" Ventra card is, how to get one, and why to get one. Maybe it's just because I'm parsimonious but I got mine as soon as I qualified for it - way back when it was free, not just cheap.

It is an age thing. There's a lot of things we all outgrow. Maybe the new thing to outgrow is a car.

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Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on February 14, 2017 at 4:21am

From talking to some seniors I know, I think that many (especially petite women) feel more vulnerable to being preyed upon by criminals while waiting for or riding a train or bus. Many of the exceptions are seniors who are very physically active.

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Permalink Reply by Yasmeen on February 14, 2017 at 5:00am

Very unfortunate but completely understandable.

Thanks for sharing your insight. I have friends from late twenties to fifties who are careful not to drive when they go out. Most are cyclists and many have an active lifestyle. I do think many cyclists are very aware of how vulnerable we are when we ride and that translates to responsible behavior and better choices (for transportation) when drinking.

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Permalink Reply by Jim Reho on February 15, 2017 at 6:24pm

It will be interesting to see how that plays out. From the statistics I've seen, even 85-year-old drivers have about the same accident rate as 19-to-24 year olds, and 75-year-old drivers have a far lower rate. What I'd like to see is the driving age raised to at least 18. Sixteen to eighteen-year-olds on the road kill more people than hundred-year olds driving Indy cars ever would. There's where the real problem lies.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on February 14, 2017 at 11:28am

Also, having any kind of disability that affects mobility tends to make many people (senior or not) feel more vulnerable.

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Permalink Reply by Jim Reho on February 13, 2017 at 2:45pm

The problem with judges in Cook County is that first, they are elected. It makes no sense to elect judges. They should gain their office on the basis of merit. Presently, and in Chicago in particular, people become judges based on who they know, who their parents are, how much they've pounded the pavement for the party, anything but actual merit. Cook County judges are regarded by most attorneys I know as being less intelligent and knowledgeable about the law than an average attorney. Elections and retention ballots mean nothing. Some form of merit selection is the only way to go. This is not to say that there aren't some good judges out there -- but it happens by chance, not by the best candidates being elected. By the way, people become state's attorneys and public defenders the same way. Actual knowledge of the law or academic achievement is way down on the list of necessary qualifications.

Also, I'd increase the driving age to a minimum of 18, and preferably higher. That alone would result in a whole lot less crashes and deaths on the highways. Just look at the crash rates by age.

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Permalink Reply by Steve G on February 16, 2017 at 7:17am

I would love to see a list of judges to vote for or against based on cyclist issues. But by the 4th post, this thread turned into a meandering discussion, and I don't wish to to read through to find any other judges' names. (I came here via a link in the Chainlink mass email)

So I'll post this request- please do as the OP asked, and start a subforum or section, or even a facebook post for such a list. It would be good to be able to vote with intent on that section of the ballot next time.

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Permalink Reply by Michael S on February 16, 2017 at 9:00am

It's a great idea to create a list but it'll take a lot of follow through. When I heard about the 10 day sentence I was appalled. I try to be open minded about these things because there could be more details that I don't know, but in this case, I can't think of anything that would make a 10 day sentence fair. All of that said, I looked up the judge and he was just re-elected and won't be on the ballot for 6 more years. Unfortunately, most people will have forgotten these stories by then.