Leroy W. understandably does not want me to use his full name for this story. You see, Leroy is a marked man in Minnesota.
More accurately, it's his car's license plates that makes him a marked man. Leroy has been issued "Whiskey Plates" by the Minnesota License Bureau after he garnered his second offense for drunk driving.
In Minnesota, anyone arrested and convicted for driving drunk more than twice may be issued Minnesota plates that start with a "W" which ostensibly stands for "whiskey."
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The prominent "W" leading of his plates makes it easy for police officers to spot him as a man with a past. It means he gets increased scrutiny from cops or high patrol officers, who will be looking for any reason to pull him over.
"It's one thing for the cops to be able to recognize me as a past offender, but this goes way beyond that," Leroy said. "Now everybody in my town can recognize me as a former drunk driver. It makes no difference if I have cleaned up my act -- I've been sober and going to AA for six months. But every time I go to the grocery store, or anywhere, everybody can profile me as a drunk. That's not fair."
Indeed, Leroy feels a bit like Hester Prynne of Hawthorne's classic novel, "A Scarlet Letter." After committing adultery Hester was forced by her small-town community to wear a red cloth letter "A" to brand her for her sin.
Leroy's personal "brand" is the glaring "W" on his license plates.
Because Leroy lives in the small town Kittson County town where "everybody knows each other" he said the whole town can judge him for his past, which he claims is "in the past."
"It's totally unfair," Leroy said. "Now when my 16-year-old daughter uses my car, everyone can point a finger at her and profile her as a drunk. She shouldn't have to be subjected that kind of treatment."
Indeed, it's possible for another person with a clean record to end up with whiskey plates. For example, a Stillwater woman recently obtained her husband's car after a divorce, and the car is adorned with whiskey plates. She is mortified to have other people think she is a past drunk driver.
But Sgt. Curt Mowers of the Minnesota State Patrol Office says that officers cannot pull a driver over simply for having whiskey plates.
"In Minnesota, whiskey-type plates are used for one year and then regular plates can be purchased for the vehicle," Mower said. "The vehicle only has to have whiskey plates if it is registered in the name of someone who got a DWI and were issued license plate revocation forms. No, you won't be getting stopped all the time because we can't stop just for having that plate on."
But according to the Minnesota Lawyers web site, that‘s may not be the case. The web site states:
"These plates are significant since they may provide law enforcement officer with a reasonable suspicion to stop the vehicle so long as there are no other indicia to indicate to the officer that the operator of the vehicle does not fit the description of the driver with the serial DWI offenses."
The Minnesota Lawyer's Web site also states:
"If you have Whiskey plates, chances are very good that you will be stopped at some point by a law enforcement officer. Any use of alcohol may result in the embarrassment of being subjected to field sobriety tests and other DWI tests."
If Leroy keeps his act together, he can shed his whiskey plates in a few more months. But in the meantime, he feels he has been unfairly singled out in a way that has publicly humiliated him.
“Yes, I admit to my offense,” Leroy said. “But why should I be singled out. I don’t see a shoplifter wearing a sign on his back every time he goes into a Wal-Mart, or a convicted arsonist wearing a flame patch on his jean jacket. Why should I be publicly branded with a W on my car? It’s not fair.”
Comments
What a weasel-worded example of journalism: "In Minnesota, anyone arrested and convicted for driving drunk more than twice may be issued Minnesota plates that start with a "W"..."
In other words, the drunk has to be arrested at least 3 times before he might get the W plate. And we are supposed to feel sorry for someone who has been convicted 3 times (or more) for drunk driving and possibly killing someone? Nope, sorry, no way this sob story makes normal people feel any pity to these 3-time losers.
Totally agree. Six months of sobriety doesn't yet erase three or more convictions. We need to get all these drivers off the road.
Next plate needed is a CP -- for unattentive driving while using a cell phone.
Why would you even write a story on this? If this guy is so worried about being humiliated then he should have thought about that before he drove for the second time after drinking too much! So if he had hurt or killed someone while drinking and driving would he still feel sorry for himself being "humiliated"? What a creep!! By the way a shoplifter is not driving a thousand pounds of car that could kill someone so that is why they don't wear signs. If you feel that sorry for yourself then sell your car and walk then you are not being singled out and we will feel a little bit safer with a jerk like you off the road.
I totally agree with Leroy. My spouse was arrested for DUI and he hasn't had to bear any of the scrutiny of having them on his vehicle. He gets rides to and from work. Meanwhile the rest of the family has to drive to work, go to High School and another is starting a new year at a Catholic College. How embarrasing that everyone that notices them thinks you are the one that committed the offense. It's going to be one long year and this was a FIRST OFFENSE...
What a weasel-worded example of journalism: "In Minnesota, anyone arrested and convicted for driving drunk more than twice may be issued Minnesota plates that start with a "W"..."
In other words, the drunk has to be arrested at least 3 times before he might get the W plate. And we are supposed to feel sorry for someone who has been convicted 3 times (or more) for drunk driving and possibly killing someone? Nope, sorry, no way this sob story makes normal people feel any pity to these 3-time losers.
actually it is your second DWI, check your facts
Feeling humiliated for 1 year is a small price to pay. What if he had killed someone? Then he would have to live with that for the rest of his life. He should say thank you. Obviously he didn't learn his lesson the 1st time he got a DWI. Hoepfully, feeling singled out and humiliated will make him realize that drunk driving is a serious thing.
My husband had a DWI in college and then now 9 years later gets pulled over for his second DWI. He blew just above the legal limit but got pulled over for a headlight being out. He is now getting Whiskey plates and since we co-own our cars, my car will also have to have Whiskey plates. I am currently pregnant and will be for a while. I am sick to my stomach about this. I cannot bear to think that I am going to be getting in and out of a car with Whiskey plates for the next year and also going to be driving a brand new baby around in this car. It is one thing to have your husband have to get whiskey plates because he was stupid but for me to also have this happen, it really makes me sick. I am a stressed out person as it is and have horrible anxiety. I am very worried about the stress of this affecting my unborn child. We are good people, We go to church, pay our bills, I have only one speeding ticket to my name. If my child is born premature, or mentally disabled or if I have a miscarriage, I would not be able to handle it. To punish the whole family for one person's stupidness is unfair.
No one cares if you go to church and this and that it does not make you a good person. Your husband is a drunk easy answer. If he did the crime then he needs to do the time. Would you rather have him in jail for a yeah or have whiskey plates? I have no mercy for people guilty of crimes. Except your punishment. I think if more people had to announce there crimes to the public we would have more people thinking twice about there actions. I bet your husband would have.
i am going threw the same thing but with my boyfiend its stupid
Actually, you now alos get Whiskey Plates for refusal to to submit to an alcohol test.
I agree with the subject in this Article, when a person is convicted of several drunk driving offenses then punish him/her and get it over with!! further humiliation is NOT needed PERIOD. The issuance of the W plates is dumb and pointless, furthermore the trooper interviewed for this article is incorrect when stating that they CANT pull someone over for simply having the plates. They Do all the time!! So his statements are HOGWASH!
Ummm, wow people really feel like they should get pity for dwi?? It already adds insult to injury when that person may only get 8 years in prison for killing someone in a dwi accident. I think it is a good thing so that the drivers on the road can stay away from that person too while driving
I just got them on my car....First offense, blew twice the limit, it was a GREAT night!
Personally i don't give a flying f#$% if i get pulled over by a cop with them on. I'll do the little piggy dance and he/she can go f@# themselves as i will have done nothing wrong. I learned my lesson. As for all you pricks that are holy than thou and have never done anything, think about your life.....you've never done anything wrong? Never shoplifted that piece of candy when you were 8? Never did any type of vandalism when you were young? Never did anything illegal? I call shenanigans on that. We all have done something in our lives and maybe all of the people who are preaching to the crowd should think about what YOU'VE done and never gotten caught at. Maybe you committed adultery? Should you be branded with an "A" on your privates? How about shoplifting? An "S" on your hand?
Think about YOUR life......
!Q$#%#$%
LOL, Adultery.....with an A on your privates.
no doubt....all these people thinking they are perfect. give me a break....they're all lying to themselves.
you people with the "W" plates should start a lawsuit against your state for public humiliation.
good luck to you..
i have to get these on my car because somone took my car without my permission and got there 2 dwi in it and i am trying to fight these plates going onto my car does anyone have any ideas
The whole whiskey plate thing is not only mis-guided, unfair to those sober folks having to drive a vehicle someone else drove drunk, it's bias, it serves no real purpose. It doesn't deter drunk driving any more than label warnings deter smoking. Or cell phone laws will stop people from using while driving. It's an unreasonable law. It only benefits the states pocketbook, some political agenda and the cops' egos. If it works...why is Minnesota the only state that uses such a thing? Punishing the innocent owners and drivers of these vehicles who didn't drive drunk is not the answer. It's just more liberal crap from this liberal state.
Don't Drive Drunk in the first place! I don't feel sorry for him at all!
my husband got his 2 dwi so all 3 of our cars had to get whiskey plates does any one know if the wife can buy a new car and put it in her name so not to have whiseky plates?
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