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Safety
Rules |
One of the most important thing you should consider to study
in the U.S. is your safety. There are so many crimes and
accidents in America. Santa Barbara is not the exception. Crime,
violence and accident around campuses may happen to you, So you
should remember some safety rules.
Safety Tips
Escort service
Do you know that you can get a escort
service around UCSB and Isla Vista area at night? CSO (Community
Service Organization) offers free escort service for the
students who have to walk or bike at night. So, if you feel
unsafe to hang out at night, feel free to call CSO Escort
Line at 893-2000. For more information, check out the CSO
website.
General laws in Santa Barbara
Foreign students and visitors in the United
States must obey the same laws as Americans. If you break the
law, you will be treated the same way as an American- you will
have the right to an attorney and a trial. If you are found
guilty of a crime while in the U.S., you may be deported and may
lose your right to return to the United States.
The followings are things that you can be
arrested.
- fighting in public; other acts of violence
- minor in possession of alcohol
- public intoxication
- open alcohol containers in public
- DUI (Driving Under the Influence) / BUI (Biking Under the
Influence)
- violating the noise ordinance (after10 pm S-Th and after
12 midnight Fri/Sat)
- urinating in public
- burning couches or vehicles (any kind of arson!)
Rules about drinking
It is illegal for anyone under the age
of 21 to drink alcohol. It is also illegal to be drunk in
public and to drive after drinking. If you drive while you are
drunk, you may be sent to jail, have to pay a fine and lose your
driving privileges. It is against the law for you or your
passengers to have an open container of alcohol (even an open
can of beer) in your car. You can also get a ticket for riding a
bicycle while drunk!
California has the strictest drunk
driving laws in the United States and Santa Barbara has one of
the highest ratios of police officers to citizens. This is good
because it makes Santa Barbara a safe place to live but it also
means that many of its inhabitants and visitors are arrested for
drunk driving. The legal blood alcohol limit is below 0.08. That
means if you are at 0.08 or above and the police pull you over
for speeding, swerving, or just for having a broken tail light,
the following will happen to you.
1. You will be pulled over by the police
and asked to do several drunk driving tests.
2. You will be give a breath test at that
time.
3. You will be handcuffed and put in a
police car and taken to jail.
4. Your car will be towed away($100 bail)
5. You will spend the night in jail.
6. You will not be allowed to drive for 4
months, no exceptions.
7. You should hire a lawyer. ($500-$1,000)
8. You will have to appear in court.
9. You will have to pay a fine. ($1,500)
10. You will have to do community service
(2 weekends of picking up garbage on the highway)
11. You will have to go to "Alcohol
Awareness" school one night a week for 15 weeks. ($400
tuition)
12. You will have to attend several
Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.
13. You will be placed on probation for
3years, during which time;
a) If you are ever
caught driving with any traceable amount of alcohol in your
system( even.0000000001), you will be given another Drunk
Driving ticket and you will have to repeat steps 1-12.
b) You will be required
by law to show proof of car insurance. Now that you are a
convicted drunk driver, your insurance rate will now be
approximately $4,000 a year!
It is pretty overwhelming! So, don't
drink and drive!
Bicycling under the influence is illegal
and dangerous too.
Rules about drugs
Drug laws are different for foreign
students. Department of Immigration Laws state that any alien
guilty of a drug offense (including simple possession of
marijuana) may be deported. Foreign students must remember to
obey the laws. In California, you have to be careful about drugs
all the time. Especially, when you go to party, you'd better
pour your own drinks and keep them in your possession at all
times.
Things you should know about
Rohypnol
Rohypnol is known as a "Date
rape drug" in the United States. Is also called as a "Roofies",
"Rope", " Rib", "Ruffies",
"Roche" and "R-2". Pohypnol is very
dangerous and used in a lot of college campuses and parties
because it is really cheap. Rohypnol is often combines with
alcohol, and it causes memory blackouts. So, it has been used a
lot to rape. It looks like just an aspirin, it will cuase muscle
relaxation, dizziness, and headaches, slow psychomotor responses
and lower inhibitions. So a lot of women victims raped under the
influence of Rohypnol are even unsure whether they were raped or
not, because they have no memory. So, you should be careful when
you drink, never leave your drink unattended. Don't drink opened
cans, and if someone offers you to buy a drink, you'd better go
up to the bar with them to accept the drink.
Santa Barbara Rape Crisis Center
This center provides a 24-hour hotline, confidential support,
medical and legal information, counseling, and self-defense.
Advocates are also available to meet in person. All services are
available in English and Spanish.
111 N. Milpas
Santa Barbara CA 93108
Phone: (805) 963-6832
24-hour hotline: 564-3696.
UCSB Rape Prevention Education Program
(RPEP)
Rape Prevention Education Program (at the Women's Center) --
staff are available to talk with people affected by sexual
assault, abusive dating or domestic relationships, sexual
harassment, and stalking. The Center also offers education
programs, library materials, information, support, and advocacy.
893-3778
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