New drink driving limit and increased spot checks

[conaero]

As we probably all heard on the news yesterday, they are cutting the limit down to 50mg from 80mg, thats like a 40% cut. They are also going to substantially up the amount of spot checks, so it sounds like a new money making scam FFS!

Anyway, were do you stand, I mean, what do you all consider to be an acceptable amount of alcohol, ignoring the state set limit, to be able to drive responsible.

Now I know a few are going to jump right in and say zero, but come on guys, we are not saints on here, and a little honesty.

Ill start the ball rolling.

I will have 1 or 1 and a half pints of Stella if its not a Friday or Saturday around closing time, then it is none.

It has been know for me to have 2 pints but I would then go for weaker stuff.

The bit that worries me is the morning after thing. I regularly have a skin full....well for me anyway, say 6 or 7 Stellas, then just feel a bit pants the next day but would drive from say late morning on that.

Your thoughts.....

Disclaimer: All quotes above and below are hypothetical and not based on real experience.

 

[ENZ525]

As we probably all heard on the news yesterday, they are cutting the limit down to 50mg from 80mg, thats like a 40% cut. They are also going to substantially up the amount of spot checks, so it sounds like a new money making scam FFS!

Anyway, were do you stand, I mean, what do you all consider to be an acceptable amount of alcohol, ignoring the state set limit, to be able to drive responsible.

Now I know a few are going to jump right in and say zero, but come on guys, we are not saints on here, and a little honesty.

Ill start the ball rolling.

I will have 1 or 1 and a half pints of Stella if its not a Friday or Saturday around closing time, then it is none.

It has been know for me to have 2 pints but I would then go for weaker stuff.

Abroad, well, I just keep it sensible.

The bit that worries me is the morning after thing. I regularly have a skin full....well for me anyway, say 6 or 7 Stellas, then just feel a bit pants the next day but would drive from say late morning on that.

Your thoughts.....

Well Matt,
I'm afraid I'm one of those that is going to say ZERO.
Apart from the odd glass of champers at Christmas, I do not drink anyway these days...
but even in my youth, when going out with friends or familiy we always had a nominated driver,
and he or she obeyed the zero drink rule,
I really hope my children adopt the same approach as there is only one way to be sure...
Don't Drink and Drive!
Regards,
Enzo.

 

[conaero]

Ok Enz, fair enough and well done. Just let me make it clear, I dont drink every day, and I go out very little, so the above is probably a once a month scenario.

 

[Parisien]

Its a distinctly cultural issue, if we can reduce further road deaths by 20-30%.....then go the whole hog....no grey areas, no ifs or buts, everyone knows where they stand.......zero tolerance.....and thats not because I personally don't drink. If you can't drink at work why should you drink (anything) whilst driving a lethal weapon?

P

 

[NickP]

My father tells me horror stories from the 60s of his friends rolling cars full of people while drunk, it was legal then to drink & drive. I think generally the kids these days have been bnrought up knowing its dodgy to drink and drive and are therefore better behaved than those who grew up being allowed to drink & drive. Same story with seat belts.

I'd like to know what the saving in lives would be by the reduction from 2 pints to 1 pint? Why no have a zero tolerance on drink driving, ban it all together? The big problem with all this is that everyone reacts differently to booze, a tee total person would be drunk after one pint whereas an alcoholic would appear sober. Also mixing drink and drugs/prescription or otherwise seems to be the biggest problem, drug driving is pretty much undetectable but seems to be the biggest cause of accidents these days.

 

[conaero]

Hum interesting stuff, and I assume that none of you above are willing to say in an open forum as to what you do or do not drink, totally fair enough.

The 1960's, well yes, it was plain stupid.

I grew up with my parents being youths of the 60's and they just drink and drive. I remember one Xmas day, coming back about 2am on the Boxing day and my dad was all over the road, this must have been mid 80's. This was with my mother, in a similar state, and me and my 8 year old brother in the back. Ok the roads were deserted but its still no excuse to put your whole family and other in mortal danger. My parents always used to quote the "in our day, there was nothing on the road".

I am quite please that being brought up and learning to drive in the late 80's my attitude is very different from my parents, and I would never put my own family in such peril. All my friends parents did the same.

Dont get me wrong, my parents are great, its just they seem to have grown up and learnt to drive in a period in British motoring where it was acceptable.

Oh, and my dad has never been stopped, so it just goes to show just how effective the police are at enforcing it.

 

[conaero]

Frank, are you T total.....I am sure I saw you swigging the Rose on Saturday night at some remote farmhouse in the Loire Valley!!!

 

[Parisien]

Frank, are you T total.....I am sure I saw you swigging the Rose on Saturday night at some remote farmhouse in the Loire Valley!!!

LOL...your evidence wouldn't stand up in court..............officer!


P

 

[Parisien]

Valid points NickP......but we have a good idea that ANY alcohol affects your driving.....by what degree varies, again, age, height, weight, metabolism etc affect the effect.....no doubt same with prescription or other medications/drugs....need totally looked at...not just one in isolation!


P

 

[conaero]

I think my overall point is, that if I have one pint then half hour later I get banned for 12 months is way too strict.

 

[Dan!]

I'll have a pint of Lager shandy and that's it if I'm driving. If there was a total ban with zero tolerance I would not be bothered with regards to not drinking if I'm driving.
However, I too will have a skinful and drive the next morning without a second thought. God knows what my levels are like at that point and a zero tolerance would catch me and a lot of people out the morning after.

 

[Emtee]

If I'm having a drink at home, which I do 2 or 3 times a week, then my tipple of choice just happens to be a low'ish alcohol content bitter, and so on the occasions I go to the pub for a couple, I really can feel the effect of stronger ales after one, and certainly after two, so under these circumstances if I was driving, I'd have one irrespective of the limit, I just wouldn't feel comfortable driving knowing I didn't have all my faculties.

If I'm out for a meal and driving, I'd have a couple of glasses of wine with my food and stop for the same reasons.

It's the confusion this will all cause that worries me. People process alcohol at different rates and the effects are different with and without food. I too have had sessions and driven the next morning. I've fealt like I have all my faculties, but whether this is actually reflected in the new limits, then who knows?

I wouldn't be critical if the limit were reduced to zero, but I think there is an element of the government realising just how much taxation they take from alcohol, along with lobbying from the drinks and hostelry industries.

 

[urbanmaser]

I don't drink so it is not an issue with me.

 

[Parisien]

I don't drink so it is not an issue with me.

Beg to differ.......UM......and the bugger hurtling towards you and your loved ones, whose not eaten, had 2 hrs sleep , of light body weight and thinks he will get away with having had 2 pints of strong lager.....isn't a huge risk to you and other road users????





As ever we all like to think we are goodish drivers, but others regard the road and their use of same as a God given right to do with as they please.....esp when intoxicated!!!!!

Driving a car is the single most dangerous thing most of us will ever do.........adding alcohol to the equation is always a bad idea!


P

 

[lozcb]

I'll have a pint of Lager shandy and that's it if I'm driving. If there was a total ban with zero tolerance I would not be bothered with regards to not drinking if I'm driving.
However, I too will have a skinful and drive the next morning without a second thought. God knows what my levels are like at that point and a zero tolerance would catch me and a lot of people out the morning after.

Totally agree Dan , i can take it or leave it , personally i reckon there should be a total ban on drinking and driving , removes all the grey areas and everyone knows where they stand , think the Aussies have the same rules

regards loz

 

[Andyk]

Agree Loz..Total ban as this is such a grey area...The amount of alcohol a person can take as a limit will all depend on them..Everyone is different..One can have 1 pint and feel ******** and one can take 3 pints and feel OK...So if it's banned there is no grey area and we all know where we stand.

Was listening the the radio today and the concern was for the country pub that relise on locals who may drive to the pub and drive home and they were asking that the 'old' limit could stay for these type pubs...Can you imagine Policing that.

 

[Dan!]

In the country pub local to my mum and dad (when I say local i mean about 3km away) is frequented by many people that drink and drive, And there is a story (myth?) of one chap that took the micheal and was eventually nicked. He then cycled to the pub and was nicked for being drunk in charge of a bicycle after being pulled out of a ditch by plod. He then turned up on his horse... And was promptly nicked for being drunk in charge of a horse!

I guess he now drinks at home

 

[Andyk]

Saw a film once of a drunk women in charge of a horse...but thats another story and not for on here.

 

[ENZ525]

Saw a film once of a drunk women in charge of a horse...but thats another story and not for on here.

The mind boggles Andy...

 

[Andyk]

Dont' think about it for too long especially if you are eating.