Drink Driving

**CAGAN** · 19-02-2010, 12:04 PM

I honestly believe that the country has become obsessed with drink driving like it has speeding. This crazy government is considering a ridiculously low limit in stead of raising it to help the ailing pub industry. The vast majority of men can drive very safely after the equivalent of three pints and woman one and half. I suspect the majority of you on here have been drawn in by the governments propaganda, so I will give you my proposals. The suggestions below are based on the average conversion from alcohol units to pints and should be halved for women.

Limits

1) Half pint limit up to and including the age of 21
2) 2 pint limit up to and including the age of 30
3) 3 pint limit over the age of 30

penalties

1) Half a pint over the limit equals 3 pts and a £100 fine
2) 1 pint over the limit 6 pts and a £300 fine
3) 2 pints over the limit, a years loss of license and £1000 fine
4) Anything over 2 pts a five year ban and £2000 fine.

I strongly believe that the laws we have at present are to black and white and there should be a line drawn between drinking and driving and drunk driving. For those of you that believe in a reduction to the present allowance, allow me to ask you a question. Would you rather travel in a car with a forty year old man who has had 3 pints or a seventeen year old boy wearing a baseball cap that hasn't touched a pint ?

**Barry** · 19-02-2010, 12:52 PM

How would this be implemented, Cagan?
How would anyone (the Police) know how much the driver had consumed?
People lie, so the evidence has to be based on a laboratory or machine test to determine the proportion of alcohol in blood or breath.

**CAGAN** · 19-02-2010, 01:02 PM

You didn't read the thread properly. It would be measured the same way as it is at present. I stated the equivalent units. Regarding the age, DOB is on the license holders license.

**Barry** · 19-02-2010, 01:10 PM

So, why should someone over 30 be allowed to drink more - where on earth does that come from?
People who are under the influence of alcohol are an absolute menace on the roads.
I have been to a young woman in the middle of the night, to tell her that her husband, a postman, had been killed in a head on crash by a drink driver.
I am also well aware that the current limit is too high. People who have blood/alcohol levels of 80mg/100ml are already very seriously affected by drink.
People do not need to drink and drive, if they want to go out drinking, there are plenty of ways to do so without driving.

**CAGAN** · 19-02-2010, 01:34 PM

Originally Posted by Barry

So, why should someone over 30 be allowed to drink more - where on earth does that come from?
People who are under the influence of alcohol are an absolute menace on the roads.
I have been to a young woman in the middle of the night, to tell her that her husband, a postman, had been killed in a head on crash by a drink driver.
I am also well aware that the current limit is too high. People who have blood/alcohol levels of 80mg/100ml are already very seriously affected by drink.
People do not need to drink and drive, if they want to go out drinking, there are plenty of ways to do so without driving.

Rubbish. Only one in ten serious accidents are caused through drink driving, and anyway when you get behind the wheel of a car you know there are risks, it's life my friend. Like I said before, a teenage boy in a baseball hat is far more dangerous than any drink driver I have ever seen.

In answer to why should someone over thirty be given a larger limit, because they are in general safer drivers and have had more time to get used to the effects of booze. I also think that the limit should be increased for drivers prepared to attend a course that in turn can teach them to drink and drive safely.

It would appear you have been sucked in by government propaganda, but don't feel silly, your not on your own

**Midas** · 19-02-2010, 03:07 PM

There is some justification to have changes in the drink-driving laws to allow for the fact that the effect of alcohol can vary from person to person based on their weight, metabolic rate, experience in handling a car etc., etc., but in practice it would be a nightmare to administer. Far better and far easier all round to stick to an agreed fixed limit which is considered acceptable for the vast majority of people.

**CAGAN** · 19-02-2010, 03:47 PM

Originally Posted by Midas

There is some justification to have changes in the drink-driving laws to allow for the fact that the effect of alcohol can vary from person to person based on their weight, metabolic rate, experience in handling a car etc., etc., but in practice it would be a nightmare to administer. Far better and far easier all round to stick to an agreed fixed limit which is considered acceptable for the vast majority of people.

Look,life is about enjoying yourself. My mate drinks tons and drives very well, my wife doesn't drink at all and she is a horrible driver. The law should concentrate more on what your doing and less on what is in your blood.

**Don** · 19-02-2010, 04:09 PM

Originally Posted by CAGAN

Would you rather travel in a car with a forty year old man who has had 3 pints or a seventeen year old boy wearing a baseball cap that hasn't touched a pint ?

Depends. Is the boy's baseball hat on backwards and/or skewed to one side? If so I'll go with the 40 year old.

**CAGAN** · 19-02-2010, 04:26 PM

Originally Posted by Don

Depends. Is the boy's baseball hat on backwards and/or skewed to one side? If so I'll go with the 40 year old.

I rest my case, mee lard

**Greg Lance-Watkins** · 21-02-2010, 10:48 PM

Hi,

just as a point of interest is obscene racist propaganda advocating and inciting violence acceptable behaviour on this forum?

I quote the distasteful and offensive Zionist slogan, which I had understood was breaking the law in these United Kingdoms!:

>LONG LIVE ISRAEL, FIGHT THE TERRORIST STATE OF PALESTINE<

Regards,
Greg_L-W.

**Greg Lance-Watkins** · 21-02-2010, 11:03 PM

Originally Posted by CAGAN

Rubbish. Only one in ten serious accidents are caused through drink driving, and anyway when you get behind the wheel of a car you know there are risks, it's life my friend. Like I said before, a teenage boy in a baseball hat is far more dangerous than any drink driver I have ever seen.

What a restricted life you must have led!

Originally Posted by CAGAN

In answer to why should someone over thirty be given a larger limit, because they are in general safer drivers and have had more time to get used to the effects of booze.

What a ridiculous generalisation.

Originally Posted by CAGAN

I also think that the limit should be increased for drivers prepared to attend a course that in turn can teach them to drink and drive safely.

Oh what a good idea - perhaps we could have knife management courses so that people can kill at the first stab rather than make a messy job of it and spoil the carpets!

Originally Posted by CAGAN

It would appear you have been sucked in by government propaganda, but don't feel silly, your not on your own

Another idiotic comment surely - it would seem you have little understanding of the effects of alcohol, which alter day on day at different times for the same individual.

Further the very first ingestion of this drug effects the brain - how damaged a brain do you believe someone taking this drug or other drugs might be allowed?

I would be prepared, in fact welcome, the banning of ingestion of ANY alcohol within 24 hours of driving.

As a society we would in fact be immensly enhanced had alcohol never been inventing - unless of course you are a subscriber to the belief that the reason god invented al;cohol was to give ugly people the opportunity of sex - perhaps this explains why the politicians in parliament have not banned this drug yet have banned other drugs of a less addictive and damaging nature.

You may be interested to look up the details of cost to the NHS of alcohol and the cost of all other addictions put together!

Let's ban drink from our roads as we do from our airline pilots and train drivers.

I note you claim only 1 in 10 accidents involve alcohol - even on your quoted figure just think of the 400 people who died last year from alcohol related accidents on YOUR figures.

Just think - you have provided an excellent reason for banning alcohol for drivers - an immediate reduction of 10% of the accidents on our roads.

Regards,
Greg L-W.