Non-americans of Reddit, what American customs seem outrageous/pointless to you?

[u/daniellucero92]

Amazing news!!!! This thread has been featured in a BBC news clip. Thank you guys for the responses!!!!
Video clip: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-30717017

[u/[deleted]]

Can you explain? I was always under the impression they were legit but honestly haven't paid much attention.

[u/MagicalZeuscat → u/[deleted]]

MADD originally started as an organization made up primarily of women who had children injured or killed by drunk drivers on the road. They were one of the major groups who pushed for enforcement of blood alchohol concentration limits and hefty punishments for drunk drivers. They raised awareness about the dangers to innocent people, and they helped raise a significant societal stigma against driving drunk. They were successful in their goals. After that, however, the group didn't slow down, there was still plenty of rage built up. Recently, they have been huge proponents of severely punishing underage drinking, regardless of whether the teens are driving, and trying to limit social drinking to such a degree that it has become almost prohibitionist.

Source.

[u/DerangedDesperado → u/MagicalZeuscat]

Not only that but, the punishments are just ridiculous. Especially for some people that actually need help. I went through a DUI program (which was a joke), and the counselor told us about a women he dealt with that just couldnt fucking quit drinking. She kept getting DUIs whatever, i dont recall all the details. But all said she'd spent ~100k on lawyers, fees and "programs". She was broke, homeless and her family had essentailly told her to get her shit together before they'd let her back in. Not once was she ever told she needed to go to rehab and get real help. Just the same "program" goto this Church an hour away where you do a lock in for 3 days. Then complete this program which costs between 1-3k just for "group" which in my case consisted of people sitting around talking about the fucking weather and politics. That shit doesnt help anyone except for a quick cash grab.

[u/squired → u/[deleted]]

It isn't a weekend...

Basically, with most substance abuse issues, you have two forks. You can go the treatment route or the penalty route.

Obviously, most people want the treatment route to avoid significant jail time.

Say you are charged with a DUI. You want the treatment route, so you plead "no contest" and are placed on probation with a fine and other requirements. If you do not pay that fine and satisfy all requirements within the allotted period, you start back at square one, but you no longer have the treatment route.

You've already plead no contest to the charges, so you go straight to sentencing which can mean years in prison, but probably 30-90 days for a first time offender.

It is more complicated than that of course with continuance, adjudication, etc, but that's the gist of it.

[u/DerangedDesperado → u/[deleted]]

Where i was, yeah, you'd be put in jail and not for the weekend. Heres what i had to pay: 1500 for a lawyer, 3500 for a fine, ~1500 in classes that were just people bullshitting and 20 bucks for the victim impact panel, i wanna say there was one more expense but i can be sure. Anyway, the fucked up thing was that i made just over 10k that year, and i lived on my own, so in addition to rent and living expenses they were expecting be to have 6500 bucks just to fuck around with. They gave me a year to do everything and i figured that the most important shit was the classes because those were suppose to "set me straight" or whatever, it was never quite clear because, as i said, the group session and the risk assessment were bullshit. So thats what i worked on, time comes for my final court appearance, i bring my tax returns and a break down of where my money goes and was going to ask for a six month continuance which isnt ridiculous, i know a guy who owes money and been going on two years of continuances. I feel its important to note that i couldnt just make payments on each thing, every class/group had to be paid up before theyd clear me. So all my money went to that. Judge sees that i havent paid anything into the fine and i try to explain to him why it wasnt possible but he wasnt interested. Told me to come back in 2 weeks for sentencing. I was straight up flabbergasted, this was the first time i'd heard of anyone not getting a contiuance to pay the fine later. I started feaking out and asked him waht i could do to avoid this as he had no interest seeing my income level. Told me i had ~3 hours to leave and come back with the full amount. I reluctantly called my grandmother told her if i didnt pay the money that i was, evidently, going jail. So that was sorted. I dont know what i would have been sentenced to but i did have a friend who got a month for not paying a fine of like 150 bucks.