My friend said it's okay to drink alcohol in a park or on the street, as long as it's in a brown bag. Is that true?
It is against the law to walk along the street or being in a city park with an opened container of an alcoholic beverage, even if it is in a paper bag or in a different container from the one in which it was sold. In either case, you can be given a summons, that is, a ticket from the police for violating the law.

Are the laws against driving while intoxicated strict here?
There are varying opinions about whether the drunk driving laws are strict enough and whether they effectively discourage people from driving after drinking. Different states have different rules, some stricter than others.
Examples of violations and their penalties in the state of New York include:

• DWI (Driving While Intoxicated): A driver found to have a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of 0.8 or more will receive a mandatory fine of $500-$1000, a maximum jail term of one year and have their license revoked for six months. If there is a second violation within 10 years of the first, the fine is $1000-$5000, with a maximum four-year jail-term and at least one-year license revocation.
• DWAI (Driving With Ability Impaired): If the driver has a BAC of 0.05 -.07, the fine is $300-$500 and there is a possible 15-day jail term and 90-day license suspension.

Zero tolerance: If a driver under 21 and is found with any alcohol in his/her system, the fine is $200 or more and the license is suspended for six months.

The City of New York sets up "checkpoints" where police officers will stop drivers and if they are found in violation, their cars may be seized. For more information about penalties, check the Department of Motor Vehicles website at www.nydmv.state.ny.us.

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