ANSWERS: 11
  • You sure can! I can only speak for Canada, and Ontario in specific, but I would be willing to bet that our laws on drinking or being drunk in public are pretty well the norm. It’s a charge of “D&D” or “Drunk and Disorderly” which is a minor offence usually only punishable by fine. In this day and age however, it’s not very often someone gets charged with this for simply being drunk in public. If that were the case, the police could have a field day charging people walking home from the pubs on a Saturday night. Since we live in the time of Drinking and Driving being a mortal sin, the Police tend to cut you some slack about it. They would rather see someone stumbling home than driving home anytime. However, if while stumbling home you are creating a lot of noise, smashing windows, knocking over mail boxes ETC, you can easily be picked up for being D&D. It’s one of those charges that the Police like to lay on you with a plethora of other charges hoping that you’ll plead to it to have the other charges dropped, thus saving them from actually having to go to court over it. The upsetting part about this is that the Police will often pick drunks up and NOT charge them, but put them in “The Drunk Tank” for the night. While I agree that having aggressive drunks off the street is a good thing, I can’t quite bring myself to agree with arresting people and holding them overnight with no charges being laid. I actually received a ticket for being D&D once, fought it and won. After enjoying a night out with some friends, I was walking home quietly and minding my own business, but I certainly was staggering. An Officer who it turns out had been on the job for only a few months started talking to me and I simply kept walking. (There is no requirement for me to speak to the Police) and he charged me on the spot. After walking in to Court and explaining that not only was I an Officer in the Reserves, not only did I hold a Federal Security Clearance Rating, not only was I Chairman of the local branch of a National Board and Chairman of an International Alumni Association but I was also law abiding Citizen, the Justice threw the charge out and admonished the Officer for wasting the courts time. Did THAT ever feel good.
  • I am sure it runs state by state. Where I live you can. It is called public intoxication.
  • Yes, and even if your not actually 'drunk' - you can get charged with drinking in public, if you are just walking down the street holding an open beer, (or basically drinking it).
  • Yes you can. I've been arrested about 3 or 4 times for drunk in puplic. Spent the day in jail each time.
  • Absolutely, you can. In Canada, if you are causing a disturbance in or near a public place, by being drunk, you can be arrested and charged criminally under section 175(1)(a)(ii) of the Criminal Code. It is what is referred to as a "summary conviction" offence (similar to a "misdemeanor" in the USA), and the maximum penalty is a fine of not more than $2000., or imprisonment for up to six months, or to both. In my province, we have a provincial statute called the "Intoxicated Persons Detention Act", which permits the police to detain you, without charge, if you are so intoxicated in a public place that you could pose a danger to yourself or to others. Other provinces/territories likely have similar provincial/territorial legislation.
  • Yep. but, here is a twist......there is so much over-crowding in the jails, that in my town, a drunk is taken to a shelter to sober-up. i guess i agree with this. drunks are like the homeless people, they usually do not bother anyone, but they really are a nuisance.
  • Yes, I got a ticket the other night in Vancouver when I was walking home. Definately a little drunk but not plastered I saw this guy walking into traffic so I grab his sweater and pull him back to the side of the road. Officer sees me on the road and pulls up says hes going to arrest me puts cuffs on and then lets me go with a ticket. I was confused as to why the fucker i pulled off the street wasn't the one getting the ticket. Anyone know if I should be fighting it? I want to but will I have to pay more if I do fight and lose?
  • Yes, fo show. To me this is a very stupid thing to and have on your record. Being arrested for something like this will cause you pain if your next employer does a background check on you and finds this. My advice is to keep your behind inside if you are falling down drunk. If your interested, you can check your criminal background history online to see what employers will see at http://www.USRecordsDatabase.com
  • Sure can. WATCH YOUR BACK.
  • Yes, but its better to just get tore up in the bar : )

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