Is Oktoberfest in Trouble, as RiverParks Makes Drastic Changes

[patric]

Is the drop-of point really a quarter mile away this year?

http://www.fox23.com/news/news/local/oktoberfest-goers-opt-out-driving/nn8hW/

What are we trying to encourage/discourage?

[sgrizzle]

Is the drop-of point really a quarter mile away this year?

http://www.fox23.com/news/news/local/oktoberfest-goers-opt-out-driving/nn8hW/

What are we trying to encourage/discourage?

I think the road by the park is closed.

[dbacksfan 2.0]

Inaugural Smoot Pedestrian DUI Check Point. Gotta keep the sidewalks safe.

[Conan71]

I think the road by the park is closed.

They have a pay to park across from the festival entry on Jackson but I'm not sure how traffic is getting access to it. 

As far as patric’s comment about the 1/4 mile walk, I believe that is the drop point GAST was using for years with the shuttles when they were still in charge of the event.  No big deal for anyone preparing to spend a few hours walking around the venue. 

Come out to the weiner dog races today, mein frau and myself will be there helping out.  We are really liking the new layout after the makeover of RWFP. 

Prost!

[cannon_fodder]

Inaugural Smoot Pedestrian DUI Check Point. Gotta keep the sidewalks safe.

Actually, I've had several friends arrested for public intox while walking home from Oktoberfest. They lived on the east bank of the river and walked home - there used to be an exit from the festival towards the pedestrian bridge.  As a crowd flowed from the festival an officer stepped in front, an officer stepped behind and a group of 15-20 people were then breathalyzed and anyone over .08 was arrested for public intox and taken to David L. Moss.

I bailed a couple of them out for $200 each. A week later they plead No Contest to a misdemeanor and were fined $75, being issued a refund for the $200 in bail they spent. I figure booking costs and transport is probably $500 per person...for a net loss of $425 each.

But hey, you stopped a drunk from walking home! Thank god for that.
- - -

The DUI checkpoint on the 21st Street Bridge this year stopped 273 vehicles.  It netted 9 arrests for DUI. Statistically, maybe half of those will actually be convicted of DUI. For a 1.5% "success rate." The other 98.5% of citizens stopped without suspicion will not be convicted. 

Search everyone, 4th Amendment be damned, and we might catch 2% for something!

Again: DUI is bad. I never drive after more than 1 drink. I took the shuttle from Oktoberfest and caught an Uber from the shuttle drop. No reason everyone else couldn't follow a similar path.

But DUI checkpoints are very dubious 4th Amendment searches IMO.
- - - -

Oktoberfest was awesome again this year. My fears of Riverparks taking over and the loss of the pitcher were unfounded. Its expensive if you want to drink a lot... but no one has to drink a lot anyway. The festival continues to improve.

Good times had by all.

[carltonplace]

What year was that CF? I always walk home from Octoberfest and other west festival park fests. I had no inclination that I could be impeded from walking home after having a couple beers at a fest.

[cannon_fodder]

What year was that CF? I always walk home from Octoberfest and other west festival park fests. I had no inclination that I could be impeded from walking home after having a couple beers at a fest.

2006 or so.

And yes, you can absolutely be stopped for "suspicion of public intox." If an officer says you were acting drunk, the stop will stand up. If you are leaving Oktoberfest after a few liters of beer... you are probably legally drunk.

To be fair, I haven't heard of such shenanigans since that time. So hopefully there was a reason and my friends just got caught up in the middle of a pack that was targeted for a reason. Or... TPD just felt like they needed to make more arrests at Oktoberfest.

[Breadburner]

You aren't getting a P.I. unless you are doing stupid s.hit.....

[patric]

You aren't getting a P.I. unless you are doing stupid s.hit.....

Absolutely incorrect.   Public Intoxication is a catch-all that requires no evidence whatsoever.

The need to fulfill a performance goal to collect the promised grant money (that pays overtime) factors in more often than we care to imagine.

[Breadburner]

Absolutely incorrect.   Public Intoxication is a catch-all that requires no evidence whatsoever.

The need to fulfill a performance goal to collect the promised grant money (that pays overtime) factors in more often than we care to imagine.

Dingus....I know....They don't give them out for people walking down the street...Please dont let your hate for cops get in the way of your comprehension.....But I know it will.....

[cannon_fodder]

Dingus....I know....They don't give them out for people walking down the street...Please dont let your hate for cops get in the way of your comprehension.....But I know it will.....

Hi. My name is cannon_fodder, and I can tell you several stories of people who got a Pubilc Intox for walking down the street. People I would trust at their word on anything... let alone a lame story about getting arrested.  If they were lying, they would have made it much more dramatic and fun. Plus, the police reports all supported their stories.

GENERALLY, you are correct. It is a huge waste of time. One guy was stopped because he was in a "black" neighborhood and was accused of buying drugs, having no drugs they arrested him for public intox. The other guy was walking home from Oktoberfest in a group of people - at the hearing there was 6-8 from the same group (they didn't all know each other). A third was a TU student walking home from the Buckaneer Bar, I'm sure he was loaded... but none were charged or accused of public urination, vandalism, or noncompliance. Actually, the arrest report in the one I actually looked into stated the guy was "polite and compliant."

In my college town, the police would pick up drunks and drive them back to their dorms if they saw you walking home. It was a way of supporting kids who choose NOT to drive drunk.