Drink Driving

[solutions4finance]

Hello!

I found this news piece on the times website

http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/driving/article4331229.ece

Personally, I think there should be a zero limit on all age groups.

If you had one glass of wine and were feling a little tired maybe would the wine not effect your judgement or reactions? Take away all of the "macho" stuff about guys being able to handle their drink and think about it... one glass of anything is one glass too many.

Just

 

[An Oasis]

Depends from person to person.

To digress, I'm far more interested in the driving standard being improved from the overall disgrace that it is currently.

 

[Delboy]

i personally think it should possibly go down the american route. Ie teach kids in school about cars and how to drive!

 

[An Oasis]

i personally think it should possibly go down the american route. Ie teach kids in school about cars and how to drive!

God forbid that we have kids on the road, the standard is bad enough already. What the hell do you want to teach them about cars? Most are manufactured now so that special tools are needed in order to work on them.

 

Regular testing is the way forward, and stiffer penalties for 'boy racers'.

One pint is not going to impair you judgement - how can it really.

When I know I am going somewhere that there is likely to be alcohol, I would tend to avoid driving anyway, so it will not affect me whatever happens.

This furore about the teenager stats is a little false tbh - the problem there is more likely to be with their speed and lack of experience, rather than the fact that they might have had one drink.

 

[Delboy]

most 16- 17 year olds have no ideas ( i know i was one ) about cars, and just dont relise how dangerous they are, and with games like GTA and the getaway making driving seem easy kids are more than happy to joyride having no idea what they are doing. This means even if they have Stolen a car they are more likely to kill themselves or more likely someone else. Maybe they could visit a car driving centre (like cardrome) while in year 11 to see how tricky driving is, putting them off joy riding?

However, i would not care if there was kids on the road, if they were licenced and insured... our problem is those who are unissureed and unlicenced. The other thing that should be does is all Mini Cabs should have a second test (or new test) every 4 years, as some of there driving skills leave alot to be desired.

 

[adejones]

A few of my friends have been banned for drink driving. One owns a bar and has been banned for 18 months, another is disabled and is wheelchair bound but drives an automatic with hand controls and he also got banned for 12 months after leaving a night club.

I do not think this is clever at all, if you intend on drinking,leave the car at home... I have not passed my test yet and actually stopped learning a little while ago, not because I am scared of driving, but I am actually scared of half the drivers we have on the road these days.

Like stated previously, kids have no idea about cars and how dangerous they are, how true!!

 

[An Oasis]

...However, i would not care if there was kids on the road, if they were licenced and insured...

I think the legal age for driving is low enough already, any lower and it would be ridiculous.

...our problem is those who are unissureed and unlicenced.

We do 100K+ per annum and whilst I don't know the numbers who are uninsured and unlicensed, I do know that there are way too many drivers who should not be allowed to drive because they are just not up to a basic standard despite, supposedly, passing their tests.

 

[estwig]

Don't drink and drive.....................You might spill it!!!!!!!!!

 

[Dawg]

Mr Estwig,
Were you referring to the article by P J O'Rourke:

"How to Drive Fast on Drugs While Getting Your Wing-Wang Squeezed and Not Spill Your Drink"?

No mention of talking on your mobile and smoking a fag at the same time, as well, mind you. 'King amateurs these days. Pah.

 

I think we should ban alcohol all-together, it would solve a lot of our problems and do everyone good!

 

If you drink and drive you are an idiot no matter what quantity.

Alcohol is a drug that has the immediate effect of altering mood. Because drinking makes people feel relaxed, happy and even euphoric, you may find it surprising to learn that alcohol is in fact a depressant. It switches off the part of the brain that controls judgement, leading to loss of inhibitions.
As most people are aware, alcohol also affects physical coordination.

The main problem in the UK and many other parts of the world is a driving test that is not fit for purpose.

One guesses it is left at such a low level in order that the government and various other vested interests continue to get there cut of every poorly trained driver let loose on our roads.

Earl

 

[lockie]

As an ex train driver i had a good education as to the effects of alchohol and how long it takes to leave your system. It roughly takes an hour a unit from the time of your last drink to leave your system.

A pint of fosters is about 2.2 units where as a pint of stellar is nearer 3 units which is why so many loon out after a few pints of it.

As a train driver if you were caught with ANY acohol in your system you were sacked and could be prosecuted as its breaking the law too. The trains on the underground have an automatic braking system and also you cannot steer them ,yet car drivers can steer into anything and have no safety brakes yet people still think its ok to have a pint or two.

Also if you think it doesn't affect you try hitting a punch ball or pads etc then have two pints and try again,the difference to your balance and judgement is immense.

 

[Dizzydiza]

I think there should be a zero tolerance for drinking and driving.

 

[Delboy]

we have been researching the whole units thing with a view to a new project, and its scary how many units you can drink in a cosy evening

 

[asonda]

Don't drink and drive, zero tolerance, end of.

There are people who can have 3 pints and feel fine, others who have half a pint and feel tipsy.

sirearl is right when he says Alcohol is actually a depressant.

When i was in college, we had a special drivers education day, where the local police, trading standards and drug/alcohol awareness people came and did a full days workshop.

One of the tests was a driving simulator, you drove it once completely normal, then they altered it to see how one pint would affect your driving skills....scary.

The day was actually boring for me as I've always been into and know about cars,

But for many others who'd never heard of cars being clocked, and cut and shut etc it was a very good excersize to have for them.

and one that I am ashamed to say, doesn't happen elsewhere in the UK.

 

[asonda]

I know this is off topic slightly as it's not to do with drink driving but I know this sounds arrogant etc but...

All of my friends, have had a crash. Simple. One of them so bad he had broken at least one bone in every region of his body, he has scars from where they put pins in his knees and elbows etc...really really terrible.

Me, I've been careful, driven well, good road sense and have avoided accidents where dickheads could have easily have made mincemeat out of me and themselves.

It comes down to the individual in question, no matter how young or old. I've seen plenty of middle aged drivers here in cornwall that are so far from anything that even resembles normal driving behaviour I do wonder if they even did a test or they believe they can drive on a forklift tuck licence

 

[An Oasis]

Don't drink and drive.....................You might spill it!!!!!!!!!

Good point Keith, maybe if we tossed 8 pints down most of the idiots on the roads necks the overall driving standard would improve, they would certainly be more careful...rather than think they are "safe".

 

[An Oasis]

I think we should ban alcohol all-together, it would solve a lot of our problems and do everyone good!

No, you seek the simplistic solution rather like a politician, better to terminate the morons who cannot control them selves under the influence. Leaving people like myself who enjoy sampling the finer things in life and enjoying the subtle craftsmanship that goes into producing a product of quality.

Your statement is about as crass as saying we should ban gays or blacks it holds no substance or merit, although I am sure NuLab would love you for it.

 

[Grassman]

Do you honestly think that having a zero limit of alcohol for driving will
make the slightest bit of difference to the people who already drink and
drive, joyride in stolen cars or drive with no licence or insurance, all of
whom don't care too much for the law anyway?
Never mind trying to police new driver rules and regulations, how
about spending some time sorting out the persistant offenders of the
existing ones.

 

[Dizzydiza]

Its all down to education again. As a parent I think its important to drum it into my teenagers the risks of drink driving. I tell my oldest if hes drinking he leaves the car at home. His future could depend on driving if he loses his licence he loses his job. Fortunately he doesn't have a girlfriend or family that requires his support but again we drum it into to him...you could lose your life or take someone elses life.....lose you licence...lose your job....lose the respect of your family. We warn him not to drive at least a minimum of 12 hours after he has stopped drinking(possibly not long enough)....unfortunately that is one rule he has broken but we gave him a really hard time about it so hopefully he wont repeat it.
Sadly though there are parents that don't have those standards so I think the zero tolerance on drinking and driving is a good start for the government and yes persistent offenders should be dealt with more severely.

 

[solutions4finance]

"An Oasis" made the comment that the amount of alcohol acceptable "depends from person to person" - but who is to judge what is an "acceptable" amount for one person and not another. Throw into the pot variables such as tiredness, stress, medication, general health (even having a cold can alter your tolerance to alcohol) and you're looking at a MASSIVE unknown entity.

Surely the only way is to stamp out alcohol across the board... "zero tolerance" as someone put it? Say you had one pint, an acceptable level so you say, then on your way home you mow down your own child.... wouldn't you ever think "if only I hadn't had that one drink..."?

 

[Tim R-T-C]

Problem is that zero tolerance would be very hard to enforce. People are always moaning when they get breathalysed ('a cop trying to get a cheap arrest' someone on another forum recently said) and since most people do not demonstrate poor driving after a unit or two it would be hard to identify them. The current limits are perfectly workable, and someone driving badly while below the limit can still be charged with plain old 'dangerous driving'.

In Britain we do have a strange attitude towards road crime (yes, it is crime), seeing speeding penalties as a "tax on drivers" is a particularly strange one. I have yet to see anyone say that fines for arson and robbery are a "tax on burglars" for example. It makes Joe Public feel that car crime is a much lesser problem, even though the figures for car accident fatalities are much higher than those for violent crime fatalities.

What I would rather see is more police doing random stakeouts in person rather than just relying on camera - I see loads of drivers each day here in Leeds driving down bus lanes, through red lights, talking on mobiles etc. but almost never do I see them getting stopped. It makes the people who do these things feel invincible. Perhaps they should implement immediate bans on people who do these things, complete with confiscation of their cars. Only real action like that would actually deter people.

 

[solutions4finance]

That would mean leaving the sanctity of the motorway service stations and greasy spoons... working for a living!

 

[estwig]

To be pedantic, alcohol isn't a drug it is classed as a poison same as nicotine, which is why it is legal.


There ends todays 'public builder announcement' stay tuned folks for tomorrows enthralling useless fact!!!