SteveBentley Posted December 17, 2009 Posted December 17, 2009 A sobering thread (pardon the pun). I just want to echo the local police's advertising campaign. Just because you've been to sleep, don't feel drunk/woosy, and think you're over the worst of the hang over - don't think you're not drunk and are fit to drive! Whilst I wouldn't want to condone drinking and driving, I do wonder how it's possible to convict somebody in such circumstances. The average driver doesn't have the means to know whether they have alcohol in their system, so in cases where somebody "accidentally" (for want of a better word) drives while over the limit it really doesn't seem reasonable to treat them in the same way as somebody who goes out on the lash and drives home knowing that they have had too much. I'm not saying that it's right for people to drive with alcohol in their system, it's not something I would knowingly do and I've never been done for drink driving. But I do think that this needs to be more transparent, there needs to be a way to definitively find out whether you are safe and legal to drive.
jcollings Posted December 17, 2009 Posted December 17, 2009 There needs to be some foolproof method of knowing whether you're fit to drive. I have one - I don't drink! 4
BTCC_Fan Posted December 17, 2009 Posted December 17, 2009 I've not got my own car yet but when I do I will not drink at all when I need to drive. Their is no point risking it.
SteveBentley Posted December 17, 2009 Posted December 17, 2009 I have one - I don't drink! Which is all well and good, but going back to my previous comment, how long before driving do you not drink?
tmcd35 Posted December 17, 2009 Posted December 17, 2009 The average driver doesn't have the means to know whether they have alcohol in their system, so in cases where somebody "accidentally" (for want of a better word) drives while over the limit it really doesn't seem reasonable to treat them in the same way as somebody who goes out on the lash and drives home knowing that they have had too much. I think the local bobbies stance, and one I agree with, is that if you've been out on the lash the night before don't think you're fit to drive the next morning because you have 'slept it off'. Give a reasonable amount of time for the alchahol to work it's way out of your system. If you stagger to bed at 2am having been out on a bender then get up at 9am and drive to the petrol station (or whatever) then you deserve the book throwing at you. You knew you where out drinking the night before (or head may definately still know (ouch)), you know you we're pissed and you know it hasn't been atleast 24hours since you stopped drinking. What excuse could you possibly have?
sparkeh Posted December 17, 2009 Posted December 17, 2009 how long before driving do you not drink? I agree that this would be an issue in drawing up laws, but it would a much better position that what we currently have. Ideally everyone would be responsible and not drink at all before getting in a car or be aware that they could still be impaired the next day, but sadly this is not the case. At least if people knew they couldn't have any drink before driving, a proportion of people would wait some time before driving and hence lower the number of impaired drivers.
HarryMonkey Posted December 17, 2009 Posted December 17, 2009 Such a law would be arbitrary itself though wouldn't it? How long after you've consumed alcohol must you wait before driving? It would need to take into account the quantity consumed too. There needs to be some foolproof method of knowing whether you're fit to drive, I suspect that for a lot of people who are over the limit it's not a pre-meditated deliberate act, but something that comes of not having an accurate way of knowing whether what state they are in the morning after. I think it's fairly common knowledge that it takes 24 hours for alcohol to work its way out of your system so driving to work the next day or driving anywhere for that matter, is (or should be) a no no.
El_Nombre Posted December 17, 2009 Posted December 17, 2009 I think it's fairly common knowledge that it takes 24 hours for alcohol to work its way out of your system so driving to work the next day or driving anywhere for that matter, is (or should be) a no no. I didn't know that myself, but useful. I don't drink at all these days (gets in the way of training, which I do lots of instead) and will most certainly avoid Christmas Pudding (effectively congealed brandy) so I'll likely be driving everyone around, which I don't mind. When exercising, should you drink to the extent you get a hangover you've just put yourself back a whole week's physical training. Empty calories in beer do literally nothing for you and stress the liver and kidneys too far if taking supplements. And it costs loads. And makes me silly.
TechMonkey Posted December 17, 2009 Posted December 17, 2009 I think it's fairly common knowledge that it takes 24 hours for alcohol to work its way out of your system so driving to work the next day or driving anywhere for that matter, is (or should be) a no no. Really? I thought it was an hour per unit minimum? Not that I am condoning any drink & driving but it is usually the problem when people drink huge quantities until late & then get up as the effect is cumulative. Plus I think the more in you means it slows the process.
SC-UK Posted December 17, 2009 Posted December 17, 2009 There used to be a bloke in my village that got properly drunk (insane amounts), every single night of the week and drove home. He had lost his licence at least two, possibly three, times before over drink driving but this didn't seem to bother him one bit. Not that this is any worse as such, as even a 10 second journey could be fatal, but he used to go on a grand pub tour to Peterborough and back (20 miles away from the village at the time), and how he wasn't in an accident I never will know. I, as well as just about everybody else reported him repeatedly, to the point it just got silly. The police knew where he would be each night and at what time, but still didn't seem to show. I remember being in a pub with him and a police car was driving by continuously after a report (obviously waiting for him to leave), but when he left they were nowhere to be found. :mad: The only one time I saw him leave the car, was when there were police at the pub (for a completely different matter).
capncrunch Posted December 17, 2009 Posted December 17, 2009 (edited) Also have a young daughter who is only 15 but has an older boyfriend who's friends drive and we have told her not to even contemplate getting into a car with anyone other than us simply for this fact that there are more and more youngsters driving whilst under the influence of alchohol and drugs. Whilst i understand completely where you are coming from and that you want your daughter to be safe. And though it was probably not meant as a dig at all young drivers, it does look like you are trying to tar us all with the same brush. If someone told me that i could not give them a lift because i might be under the influence of drugs or alchohol, that would really hack me off. Yes there are complete chumps out there that will drive under the influence (of all ages) but if I was that friend of a friend I would be dissapointed that you saw all young drivers in such a bad light. Edited December 17, 2009 by capncrunch 1
jcollings Posted December 17, 2009 Posted December 17, 2009 Which is all well and good, but going back to my previous comment, how long before driving do you not drink? Well currently it's about 9 years.
jcollings Posted December 17, 2009 Posted December 17, 2009 Really? I thought it was an hour per unit minimum? Not that I am condoning any drink & driving but it is usually the problem when people drink huge quantities until late & then get up as the effect is cumulative. Plus I think the more in you means it slows the process. As I understand it it is on average an hour per unit but that varies from person to person. Also how many people really understand what a unit it. I was was watching some documentary or other where they tested people on how many units were in x drink etc. and most people were not even close to guessing right.
sidewinder Posted December 17, 2009 Posted December 17, 2009 Really? I thought it was an hour per unit minimum? Not that I am condoning any drink & driving but it is usually the problem when people drink huge quantities until late & then get up as the effect is cumulative. Plus I think the more in you means it slows the process. Yeah same. It does depend how much you've drunk surely. If you were over the limit (not hugely but after a few beers) at 11pm, I highly doubt you're going to be over the limit for 24 hours after that. Though I agree that getting wasted the night before then driving the next day is stupid, and you would probably be over the limit
SteveBentley Posted December 17, 2009 Posted December 17, 2009 Well currently it's about 9 years. Fair play!
tmcd35 Posted December 17, 2009 Posted December 17, 2009 (edited) Really? I thought it was an hour per unit minimum? You may well be right. I should watch how I type things like this - wasn't supposed to be presented as 100% fact - more good advice. I've always been told that it takes 24hours for the alcahol to completely leave your blood stream. Sure how much you drunk the night before and how quickly it takes to disapate over the 24 hours will have an impact, at some point before the 24 hours are up you alcahol level must reduce below the legal limit but still not gone completely. I think the key message is, especially this time of the year - and more so on New Years Day - is that it does take time for the alcahol to leave your system and going to sleep for a couple of hours is usually not long enough. I was was watching some documentary or other where they tested people on how many units were in x drink etc. and most people were not even close to guessing right. Am I right in thinking (roughly) 1 unit = 1 pint of beer = 1 glass of wine = 1 double shot spirit = legal driving limit? Edited December 17, 2009 by tmcd35
contink Posted December 17, 2009 Posted December 17, 2009 Can I just point out that it's not just about drink driving it's about responsible driving... Car = lethal weapon Driver = responsible It's common sense really but that's about as common as formation flying pigs.
contink Posted December 17, 2009 Posted December 17, 2009 (edited) 1 unit = 1 pint of beer = 1 glass of wine = 1 double shot spirit = legal driving limit? No... Most pints of beer now are between 1.2 and 2.5 units... a SMALL glass of wine can be around 1 unit but most folks seem to go for the large ones so again you're looking at 2+ units... and a double shot of spirit is never going to be 1 unit... The rule of thumb I take now is one drink = 2.5 units so if I ever drink before driving, that drink is at least 3 to 4 hours before it's home time, and I make a point of drinking lots of water, juice, etc.. to help with the flushing process. Edited December 17, 2009 by contink punctuation... shocking 1
Michael Posted December 17, 2009 Posted December 17, 2009 I have to agree with the responses to alcohol and driving. It should be no drink at all, then the Police don't have to waste their time deciding whether you're over the limit or not. It would be much easier and I genuinely believe more lives would be saved.
Guest TheLibrarian Posted December 17, 2009 Posted December 17, 2009 (edited) I think the police should randomly target a pub every night, and everyone leaving the Pub car park in a car should be breathalised. Obviously they should wait a ways away from the target pub... Edited December 17, 2009 by TheLibrarian
tmcd35 Posted December 17, 2009 Posted December 17, 2009 I think the police should randomly target a pub every night, and everyone leaving the Pub cap park in a car should be breathalised. Not exactly the best use of police resources. They have much more important things to do. Like hide behind bushes with a radar gun
SteveBentley Posted December 17, 2009 Posted December 17, 2009 I have to agree with the responses to alcohol and driving. It should be no drink at all, then the Police don't have to waste their time deciding whether you're over the limit or not. It would be much easier and I genuinely believe more lives would be saved. Wouldn't they then waste time arguing over whether somebody had had a drink or had recently used mouthwash though? Having a level which is high enough that to hit it you have definitely had a drink and it couldn't be a background source of alcohol seems to be sensible.
Guest TheLibrarian Posted December 17, 2009 Posted December 17, 2009 Wouldn't they then waste time arguing over whether somebody had had a drink or had recently used mouthwash though? Having a level which is high enough that to hit it you have definitely had a drink and it couldn't be a background source of alcohol seems to be sensible. You are allowed to claim "mouth wash" but you have to provide two blood samples (IIRC) one at the time and one about one hour later.
Tallwood_6 Posted December 17, 2009 Posted December 17, 2009 Wouldn't they then waste time arguing over whether somebody had had a drink or had recently used mouthwash though? Having a level which is high enough that to hit it you have definitely had a drink and it couldn't be a background source of alcohol seems to be sensible. Have to agree, seems a little unfair to be done for being a little over indulgent with the christmas pudding and brandy butter.
Guest TheLibrarian Posted December 17, 2009 Posted December 17, 2009 I saw a "Real Police" TV program recently, DUI woman in the cells; when the police let her go with a warning not to drive her car again until she'd sobered up, she went straight back to the car and got arrested again for DUI - the police followed her because they suspected she would ignore them!
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