^OPM^

I dont agree with zero limit on alcohol as surely say on a sat nite u could go out get drunk -not drive sunday or drink at all-then monday morning get stopped on way to work and there is still say a very very slight amount of alcohol in your blood-then they could do you for that-couldn't that happen?

How long does it take for every minute bit of alcohol to go from your body?

RichWalk

Good point, in my case, that would be never. I dont drink as much, just more consistantly.

Personally if I know I am going to have a drink, I never take the car, cant relax if its sitting outside a pub.

stilover

Years ago, between the ages of 17 & 25 I use to constantly drink & drive. Reason? Cos my Dad had always done it, so, so did I.
I thought nothing of having 3 or 4 pints in the pub, then drive to the curry house, and have a pint there while waiting for my takeaway to be cooked, then drive home.
I would finish work, and call round to the pub. Again have 3 or 4 pints then drive home. At my worst (Sh1tty job) I was doing this EVERY night.

I stopped for 2 reasons.

1) Came out of the Curry house, hoped in the car, and drove off. Cop car was sat at the bottom of the road. **** myself. If they'd pulled me I'd have lost my license.

2) A week or 2 later (Saturday night) driving through Shildon main street, after drinking 3 or 4 pints, and driving back from the Chinese this time. Another cop car was parked up. As I drove past, the Blues and Siren came on. I though that was deffo it. Luckily it shot past me, obviously to another call.

From that day I didn't drink & Drive again. I figured I'd been lucky twice now. Third time would be Un-lucky.
I very rarely drink & drive at all now. Every now & then I'll have 1 pint, usually with a meal.

A few years ago my Dad got caught drinking & driving (just over) and got a 18 month ban.
He has learned his lesson too, so doesn't do it anymore.

I hate hearing when people say that if you get caught once you should be banned for life. Everybody deserves a second chance. After that though, then yes, ban for life.

Jerome

DD - an emotive subject.

I have no problem with under 25's getting a lower limit. They are inexperienced drivers and drinkers (drink may well affect them more than someone older, even if under the limit they may not be safe to drive).

However, a zero limit would be a bad thing. You would need to not drive for 24 hours after having a drink, to guarantee a zero level. You may be given food at a dinner party which has some alcohol in it. At the moment it would not take you anywhere near the limit, but it would register if the limit was zero.

Life bans would not take all (caught) drink drivers off the road permanently. It would simply mean many more people (than there already are) would be driving illegally and therefore uninsured. At least with a long ban, most people will wait to get their licences back before driving. 12-18 months is long enough to be a punishment, but also is worth waiting for before getting behind the wheel again. Do you really think an 18year old banned for life is never going to be tempted to drive for the rest of their life?

phil_wrx

iTrader: (2)

was it not said that the 35 to 50 year old age bracket are 4 times more likely to be caught drink driving, while most under 25's drive like prats.

so if u are under 25 u are limited to a 1.4 and can only have one passenger unless u have a person over 25 with a full driving licence in your car.

if u are 35 to 50 u can only drink 1 pint and thats it.

judgejules

So do the people who get killed by drunk drivers deserve a second chance?

Would you be happy if the person sitting next to you in the pub was playing around with a loaded gun after having 3-4 pints?

Drinking and driving is simply stupid, done by stupid people who think they know better.

Jules

sociopath

lol @ all the people who have been socially engineered to believe drink driving is worse than child abuse! You are the stupid ones because you have lost your perspective. It has become taboo to you because you have lapped up all the government propaganda like two bit ******!

There are that many **** drivers on the road that a good driver could be technically 'over the limit' and still be a safer driver than most of his peers.

Of course, the 0.1% that do kill or injure someone as a direct result of drinking/speeding/brushing their hair/<insert any other activity here> deserve everything they get.

Drinking and driving is no worse than speeding. 99.9% victimless.

And don't anyone dare come crying to me 'boohoo I know someone who was killed by a drink driver'. So fckuing what? That is why your judgement is compromised. I know someone who was killed by an old lady reversing a micra, what's your ******* point?

D.K.1

hectic

I actually agree.

Simon C

having been first on scene of a drink drive accident, when a friends head was wrapped around a lamp post, by a pissed driver. I think the limit should be 0 for everyone, and if you do kill someone, its an automatic life sentance for murder.

sociopath

There we go, as predicted.

Because of your personal circumstances your opinion is laughably tainted and biased against one particular activity to a ridiculous extreme. You expect that people won't disagree with you because of the sympathy factor.

Well your mate could just as easily have been killed by a speeder, but you don't feel the same way about speeding, do you. Your opinion is therefore discredited.

Simon C

Not quite, I think the same should apply for speeding too.

Even speeding he would have made the corner, the accident was a direct result of being drunk.

And sociopath, I hope 1 day you don't have to see what I did.

*Sonic*

Sociopath you really are a fucking **** at times

HTH

sociopath

Thanks for the support Hectic but you don't have the mental capacity to form an opinion either way.

sociopath

And smoking? Hair brushing? Singing to the radio? Bald tyre? All should be murder if they cause an accident?

This is completely subjective. And besides, you are already contradicting the statement you made above. If you really feel the same about speeding you wouldn't be trying to make excuses for it.

'A speeder would have made it round the corner whereas a drinker would not'

Surely there are other factors? Speed? Driver competence? Car condition? Road condition?

Face it, your opinion is overly harsh towards drink driving because of your personal circumstances.

Cheers but it's way too late for that.

sociopath

Yes, it does help now you come to mention it. It helps me see that you have conflicting views but are too spineless or too stupid to present those views and back them up. Instead all you can do is fling lame slurs.

*Sonic*

FPMSL

Ive got better things to do with my time than spend it presenting my views to you

judgejules

Lol at you more like. It's a scientific fact that any amount of alcohol in your blood causes diminished judgement, more self confidence and an increasing lack of coordination (in varying levels depending on blood alcohol concentration). Knowing that, it is their choice to drive what is in essence a blunt weapon. I do not believe that drink driving is worse than child abuse, however you don't get many child abuses doing so in public where they can be seen/stopped as with drink driving now do you?

True, but what about the bad drivers who have a drink and think they are better than they actually are, or that can take the corner that they would normally back off at? However this isn't a thread on the quality of learner driver training so I wont go there.

So you don't agree that drink driving is bad, but you will happily see them sent down after they have wrecked someone else's life? By that rationale you agree to a bit of child abuse if they get away with it, if the child doesn't remember or if it doesn't hurt them much?

Are you being serious here or what? Drink driving is much worse than speeding. At any point during a journey a driver can stop speeding, they are in control of their actions. However as above, with drink, this isn't possible. During the entire journey their reactions are diminished (unless its a long journey ), therefor their choice has gone the second they take that first sip.

I don't personally know anyone that has been killed by a drunk driver. Whats your point? Are you saying that all people who think drink driving is bad are people who've been "tainted" by past experiences? I can assure you this isn't the case. I am a rational, free thinking human being with an opinion on drink driving, not a sheep or puppet of a nanny state.

Like I said, drinking and driving is simply stupid, done by stupid people who think they know better, and from your comments you seem like one.

Jules

D.K.1

Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is unacceptable IMO

I don't agree with excessive speeding either, the odd couple of MPH over the limit fair enoug, but excess......

Dazza01

Ban it competely

You drink you DON'T drive or you
drive and DON'T drink

plus they should lower the price of non alcholic drinks

Fuzz

The trouble is people either cant or wont think for themselves about what is right and the just thing to do.
It's usually "ahh, I'll be fine"
What happens then is the law has to step in.
There will always be those that think they can get away with it.
Hopefully, with the right measures in place the deterent will be enough to warrent it "not worth the risk".
Until then I'll just shun the ***** who think they know better.

Andy

The Trooper 1815

iTrader: (31)

How many times do you need to be tested before you think you can push out a 3rd or 4th pint?

Just one more won't hurt...........will it.

davegtt

Unless you've got your head screwed on, seems that because you think like that doesnt mean others do. Judging everyone else by your own standards

The Trooper 1815

iTrader: (31)

At least on an X Box you won't hurt anyone.

It's human nature to take risks but how far would you push it. I am not judging anyone but you have to ask if you know it's wrong why do it..........thrill and need usually.

davegtt

But why is it wrong? if Olly can pass a breathaliser after 2 pints what makes it wrong? if hes a level headed normal person (he posts on SN so hes probably not ) then hes not going to crave that extra pint and risk his licence, life or somebody elses. taking risks is gambling etc not being stupid with your life.

judgejules

Do you fail to see the link between drink driving and increasing the risk of having an accident? Or are you talking about the risk of him having two pints and staying under the limit?

Jules

davegtt

Im talking about neither. I never once said there isnt a link between drink driving and the increase of having an accident. It depends on who you are etc but one pint will hardly send you into double vision and slow down reactions by a mile.

stilover

So, if someone crashes and kills a pedestrian because they took their eyes off the road, to fiddle with the stereo, should all stereo's be banned in cars?

If someone crashes and kills a pedestrian because they take their eyes off the road to look a some good looking lass in a tight top and short skirt, should all hot girls be banned from walking about.

Like I said on my first post. Everybody deserves a second chance. My old man didn't crash, or kill anybody, but, after being stopped (at Random) and charged/banned he learned his lesson. You learn from mistakes.

However like I also said. If someone is stupid enough to drink & drive after being caught/banned then they should be banned for life.

Alcohol is just one of many reasons why people crash. Banning everything that could/has contributed to someone crashing would mean that there would be no cars on our roads at all.

judgejules

You've just hit the nail on the head. One pint will slow down your reactions, maybe not much but it might be the difference between a near miss and a serious accident or death. Personally I would never want to put myself in that situation so I choose to not drink and drive. I feel that my choice is made through logical thinking and I see it as a black and white equation.

I cannot fully understand people that drink and drive. I can only assume that they are naive, selfish or irresponsible. I'd like to hear from people that do drink and drive as to why they feel they need to do it, and how they can justify it. Maybe then I'd be able to understand their position.

Jules

lightning101

Being obese is proven to slow your reactions, so is using a mobile phone, smoking, having music on loud etc etc.