Please read this if you are thinking of drinking and driving

[AyatollahPies]

Of course, this problem would be a lot smaller if soft drinks didn't often cost more than a pint of Bitter or Lager.

[Michael]

Wouldn't they then waste time arguing over whether somebody had had a drink or had recently used mouthwash though?

 

Last I checked lager doesn't smell like mouth wash. There is a big difference. Secondly you shouldn't consume mouth wash There are many countries which have a no tolerance policy and I am pretty sure they still have mouth wash available in supermarkets.

[plexer]

A blood test immediately and another an hour later? How is that ever going to happen it'd probably take an hour to get a doctor to do the first one.

[soveryapt]

One thing I can't understand is why we have a alcohol *limit*, it should be *no* alcohol if you are driving period.

 

I agree with this, but because of differing bodies and how they react to different food stuffs there needs to be some kind of thing built in .. the simple having using throat spray or mouth wash in a morning could effectively put you over the limit ..

 

I remember seeing a demo at school once when they were doing a drink driving thing and showing people how little it takes to put you over and tested one pupil who (obviously) was under the limit (not sure the same could of been said for the teacher at the time but that's another story) and then I think it was a couple of sprays of mouth spray (you know, that minty stuff you get to impress on a date) were given, a few minutes later the breath test was done again and they were reading at nearly twice the limit.

 

I'm all for the anti drink-driving thing, but setting the limit to nothing could end a lot of innocent people in trouble too for something as simple as wanting fresh breath. The government should certainly look to what they can do to bring the limit down though and clamp down a heck of a lot more on it. Drink driving should cost you your license, not 6 points and a slap on the hand.. if you're caught over the limit it should be a minimum 12month ban and having to retake your test, not just getting your license back on a whim after those 12 months (more obviously if you're a lot over / been in an accident and certainly a heck of a lot more for hit and run, drinking or not drinking!) There certainly need to be higher penalties.

 

IMHO, people who smoke whilst driving should be given points as that should be banned too. If you're driving, then drive, if you want to smoke, pull over and savour your death stick on your own without driving with a lack of attention to the road and potentially killing others through your own little habit (sorry .. personal rant there .. I used to smoke occasionally - stupid enough in itself - but if I ever wanted one whilst driving, I pulled over).

 

Back on topic, there are plenty of replacement beverages out there now (Becks Blue being the best I've found on general offer) if you really want to have that look of drinking, but certainly don't drink if you're going to drive .. and be extra careful how much you drink if you have to drive in the morning after as that's the biggest time people get caught .. go out, have a skinful, sleep, think "I've slept now, all the alcohol will be gone" .. hmmmm ..

 

(I'll stop ranting now ..)

[SC-UK]

Drink driving should cost you your license, not 6 points and a slap on the hand..

 

Sorry if I have misunderstood your wording here, but drink driving DOES cost you your licence. There's a mandatory minimum 12 month ban.

[synaesthesia]

I used to limit myself to a single pint if I was driving the same day. I was perfectly safe in doing so, but that's no excuse. I'm a particularly largely built fella, I'd guess it would take 3 or 4 pints to get me over, but my own safety is absolutely tiny in the grand scheme of things.

There's other people, other road users, pedestrians, cyclists.

There's my family. Particularly, my son.

Those things alone are the very reason I don't drink at all - regardless of whether I'm driving or not. I drive up to 150 miles a day sometimes and the car is the most useful tool I own. Then there's my son. What if he's taken ill and needs to go to hospital/doctors? What if any of my family are ill and need the same? The idea of having to take a phone call and saying "sorry mum, I can't come and fetch you and take you to hospital - I've had a pint" leaving her at the mercy of the NHS's ambulance drivers is enough to not bother with drinking.

 

It's 100% not worth it. I'd back a policy of a no alcohol when driving.

[markcuk]

and if you are the designated driver don't do this

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMMbVlN-BoY]YouTube- LTNZ - Mate (New Zealand)[/ame]

 

MATTTTTEE

 

good laugh when in NZ always did this ad at work

[jcollings]

Of course, this problem would be a lot smaller if soft drinks didn't often cost more than a pint of Bitter or Lager.

 

I don't believe it would change the issue at all. I'm sure people who drink & drive don't do it because it costs more for soft drinks.

 

As a teetotaller I do however find it scandalous how much soft drinks cost.

[witch]

If you look at the limits across the world, it is clear that MANY countries have a lower tolerance than us and they manage to cope. Interestingly, several countries have a limit which changes depending if you have a passenger or if you are being done for another traffic offence. This seems a very good idea to me

[soveryapt]

Sorry if I have misunderstood your wording here, but drink driving DOES cost you your licence. There's a mandatory minimum 12 month ban.

 

Having not been done, I'm not totally offay .. but I was meaning it needs to be stricter .. and not a one size fits all approach .. there need to be strict minimums and worse penalties ..

 

My whole point though is drink driving is a no no .. just like driving whilst using a hand held mobile (I think even the headsets can be dangerous too but I understand we all need to make a call sometime when it's not possible to pull over .. but generally I try not to unless absolutely required) .. and (as I pointed out) smoking whilst driving .. that takes your concentration away from driving, so why is that allowed?

 

There should be a lower limit on DUI with harsher penalties was my basic point though.

[contink]

Ironic really but last night the police had a roadblock up on a dual carriageway near us... I got caught up in it but they were checking for anyone who had been drinking, smoking, didn't matter...

 

I was waiting 10 minutes but out of about thirty cars ahead of me they had pulled three over by the time I was allowed through.

 

Completely clogged the dual carriageway and was annoying to have to sit there but when I think about those three drivers doing something stupid ahead of me... Well... No comment.

[AyatollahPies]

I don't believe it would change the issue at all. I'm sure people who drink & drive don't do it because it costs more for soft drinks.

 

As a teetotaller I do however find it scandalous how much soft drinks cost.

 

It wouldn't stop the persistent drink drivers, but might make a difference regarding the folk that once in a blue moon have that extra pint they shouldn't have.