Drink Driving - Ever done it?

HelterSkelter

Following on from the other topic on drink driving (http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2054936735) I am just wondering how many people have driven after consuming alcohol at least once in their life and how much you consumed.

Jood

Ive driven after having one drink with dinner but never anymore than one.

base2

I regularly drive after having between2-3 cans. I try and give myself and hour without drink to keep it legal but I've a feeling its probably still over our tight limits.

Have driven properly drunk a few times, mind. Its not as dangerous as people think. It just increases the likelihood of something going wrong if I need to take evasive action.

smarty

I am a non drinker, so I have never had a drink, let alone drink and drive.

Turner

I would say alot of peole have had 4+ drinks and drove once or twice.

Everybody makes mistakes.

BoozyBabe

Yes, quite often after 1 drink.
I think once ever after 2, but I'd never dream of driving with any more than that.

Just not worth it

bspoke

Ordinarily I wouldnt but I had to drive on night after I had one drink while watching a film. I was petrified - an experience never to be repeated - thats what wifes are there for

Stephen

Chief--- wrote:

I would say alot of peole have had 4+ drinks and drove once or twice.

Everybody makes mistakes.

Driving after 4+ drinks is not a "mistake", its being a complete pr1ck with no regard for the lives of other road users.

ambro25

Once - with wayyy more than 4 (which is why I'll not vote ).

13 years ago, if memory serves. I remember it like it was yesterday, all the same. Never, ever, ever again (and no I didn't crash or injure or even remotely scare anyone - but it's a good job the Motorway was 3-lanes wide, put it that way ).

Anyone who says 'never' either (a) hasn't been driving long at all or (b) is lying. As for '1 is alright but never more than...' - that just joins in the "3's alright for him he's 190 pound, only 1 for me as I'm 120 wet-through" debate: you do, or you don't, period.

Stephen

ambro25 wrote:

Anyone who says 'never' either (a) hasn't been driving long at all or (b) is lying.

You're wrong there buddy.

Doolittle51

base2 wrote:

Have driven properly drunk a few times, mind. Its not as dangerous as people think.

base2 wrote:

It just increases the likelihood of something going wrong if I need to take evasive action.

Therfore it IS dangerous

coolmoose

ambro25 wrote:

Anyone who says 'never' either (a) hasn't been driving long at all or (b) is lying.

you're wrong. i started driving motorbike at 16, car at 17, and since the day i sat on that bike, i've never had a drink and drove. and that's 6 years ago.

Atomic Pineapple

ambro25 wrote:

Anyone who says 'never' either (a) hasn't been driving long at all or (b) is lying. As for '1 is alright but never more than...' - that just joins in the "3's alright for him he's 190 pound, only 1 for me as I'm 120 wet-through" debate: you do, or you don't, period.

I've been driving 5 years, since I was 17 and i've never even driven after one drink, if i'm drinking at all i make sure i have a lift home, its really very easy to organise there's no excuse for drinking and driving at all

Interceptor

I don't drink anymore and am ashamed at my drink/drive behaviour - I should have been banned but was never caught. I don't condone any level of drinking and driving and support the introduction of zero tolerance policies. If you think it is ok to drink and drive, you are wrong and the evidence is there to show how dangerous it is. Luckily I survived my own stupidity.

'cptr

Bamboozled

I've been driving over 5 years and am a non-drinker so I've never had the experience or had the need to find out!!

Max_Damage

I've driven with 4 pints on me before. Wouldn't make a habit of it.

I have however drank copius amounts of alcohol before and cycled a bicycle, ah, the wonders of my youth!

Atomic Pineapple

Max_Damage wrote:

I've driven with 4 pints on me before. Wouldn't make a habit of it.

I have however drank copius amounts of alcohol before and cycled a bicycle, ah, the wonders of my youth!

well its alot less likely you'll do damage to anyone else when your on a bicycle

mike65

Don't drink except at Xmas and thats just the odd half of cider.

Mike.

miju

have never had more than 1 and drove, can be a bit of a bitch having to nurse a pint

actually shocked and abhored at the people drinking 4 pints and driving

RobAMerc

I drove while really wrecked a few times. Wouldn't have done it unless I was (no excuse).
But that was 10 yrs ago and it was less evidently a problem.

No more, never.

dogg_r_69

Have driven home when I was drunk once Hated myself since for doing something so stupid so won't do that again

smarty

ambro25 wrote:

Anyone who says 'never' either (a) hasn't been driving long at all or (b) is lying.

Don't agree with you there Ambro. I know a number of people who have never done it, and why would somebody lie in an annonymous poll?

gerrycollins

base2 wrote:

I regularly drive after having between2-3 cans. I try and give myself and hour without drink to keep it legal but I've a feeling its probably still over our tight limits.

Have driven properly drunk a few times, mind. Its not as dangerous as people think. It just increases the likelihood of something going wrong if I need to take evasive action.

you pig ignorant shamless excuse for a human being,do you know what you are saying,the average human body takes 1 hour to process 1 unit of alchol

the average can contains 2.5 units of booze so for 3 cans you would need 8 hours to be legally under the limit but the process slows down the more you drink

it someone like you who nearly killed me and my pregnant wife last night and took another 4-5 cars with that also

think about it thats 3 lives and two families ruined because of people like you

if this rant or attack gets me banned so be it but anyone you acts like you should be killed on the road i wont cry

can anyone else see that those answering dont do it or not anymore its the ones that do drink and drive are too ashamed to answer the question because they know they will do it again and again

As for your reactions even your response to the person in front braking at an "average" rate slows so it takes you longer to apply your brakes and your cars slows at a reduced rate so feck that "evasive action"

coolmoose

hear hear gerrycollins!

hiscan

about 10 years ago i fell asleep behind the wheel about 100 yards from home after driving for about 3 miles, i hit atree nearly killed my brother and myself and i wrote off my car that i only had 2 months iwas paying off that loan for five years and no car
that night really made me cop on to myself about how lucky i was not to have killed anyone that night i wouldnt drive now even if i only had one pint its not worth it i mean you can get a taxi home now for the price of two pints and i live in rural area

JohnK

If I had one drink at 10am I still wouldn't drive at 10pm. As soon as you start driving on the day it just becomes a question of hours and it's really just not worth it.

jimmycrackcorm

i think it is all relative. one person could fail a breathalyser test after one pint yet another might register under the limit after four. I remember trying a breathalyser installed in a pub afterthree pints and I was under the limit - just about.

franksm

Years ago I would have thought nothing of driving after a pint (one). At the same time, the lads at work would have 6 or 7 and then drive home on a Friday evening. That kinda brought it home to me, I wouldn't even consider having even the one now if I had the car with me.

I'd be all for zero-tolerance with drink-driving.

Or else join the Jim McDaid School of Motoring and do it properly - abolish the road rules altogether if drink has been taken ;-)

smarty

The one area which I think gets overlooked sometimes is the next morning.

If someone had 8 drinks on a work night out, arrived home at 3am, and slept for five hours. If they drove to work at 8am, although they may not feel intoxicated, would they be over the legal limit?

SouperComputer

Sometimes after one drink, two drinks max depending on how im feeling. Usually 2 hours or so after the last drink and nearly always with food.

Carb

Done it once about six years ago after a night out, at about five o'clock in the morning. So it was more than four drinks. Spent three hours trying to get a taxi home, and eventually gave up and took the car. Although there was no way I'd pass a breathalyser, I certainly wouldn't have attempted it when I first came out of the nightclub. Never done it since.

Beruthiel

ambro25 wrote:

Anyone who says 'never' either (a) hasn't been driving long at all or (b) is lying..

I have been driving for 20 years ambro and I have never once drank anything before driving. There is absolutely no excuse for it, we have buses and taxis

base2 wrote:

Have driven properly drunk a few times, mind. Its not as dangerous as people think. It just increases the likelihood of something going wrong if I need to take evasive action

The sheer ignorance and stupidity of this comment has me speechless.
This is exactly the attitude that has so many people dying on our roads.
Accidents happen, you are not immune from it, and the day you kill someone is the day you never get to sleep again.
I also cannot believe how many people have drank more than 4 and drove, the mind boggles.

layke

Max_Damage wrote:

I've driven with 4 pints on me before. Wouldn't make a habit of it.

I have however drank copius amounts of alcohol before and cycled a bicycle, ah, the wonders of my youth!

`
I think we all did that one.

freewing

Anyone who says 'never' either (a) hasn't been driving long at all or (b) is lying.



I would have to stop you there .I have been driving bikes and cars about 10 years in total and have NEVER had so much as a sniff of a pint if I am driving. I would consider 10 years long enough and I dont appreiate being called a liar , Oh and I know plenty of people with the same view, If you insist on drinking and driving accept that you have no regard for the law or for the amount of damage this attitude will cause

HelterSkelter

Interesting poll results so far, seems to be an all or nothing situation for the majority of people. Makes you wonder why people want the current limit reduced when it seems so many people have no problem driving with a good few pints on them and seem to get away with it. I think it would be a much better idea to focus on catching these people.

franksm

No - the poll shows what people *did* do in the past, not what they would do now. I marked the "two drinks" option as I did drive in the distant past with a couple of drinks. Had the poll ask "would you drive now with drinks zero/1/2/3/more", you'd probably see more zeroes.

Not proud of doing it in the past, but now it's becoming more and more socially unacceptable to do so, which is really the only way to wipe it out. Detection and conviction will only ever catch the tip of the iceberg. If pubs were onboard with the whole concept, lives would be saved.

Cake Fiend

base2 wrote:

Its not as dangerous as people think

And how would you know? Have you done extensive research into the matter?

Or is the fact that you don't "feel" drunk good enough scientific proof for you? :rolleyes:

HelterSkelter

franksm wrote:

No - the poll shows what people *did* do in the past, not what they would do now. I marked the "two drinks" option as I did drive in the distant past with a couple of drinks. Had the poll ask "would you drive now with drinks zero/1/2/3/more", you'd probably see more zeroes.

I know, but there are 2.5m licenced drivers in the country. If 40% of them have driven píssed out of their mind (4+ pints) at some stage I think that is a problem that the Government need to concentrate on. It only takes one occurance of drunk driving to kill.

Carb

HelterSkelter wrote:

Interesting poll results so far, seems to be an all or nothing situation for the majority of people. Makes you wonder why people want the current limit reduced when it seems so many people have no problem driving with a good few pints on them and seem to get away with it. I think it would be a much better idea to focus on catching these people.

You question asked, "Have you ever". I've seen very few posts were people indicated that they've no problem driving with a good few pints on them.

HelterSkelter

Carb wrote:

You question asked, "Have you ever". I've seen very few posts were people indicated that they've no problem driving with a good few pints on them.

See my reply above.

maidhc

hiscan wrote:

about 10 years ago i fell asleep behind the wheel about 100 yards from home after driving for about 3 miles, i hit atree nearly killed my brother and myself and i wrote off my car that i only had 2 months iwas paying off that loan for five years and no car

That happens a lot, and there is no need for drink either. Funny there is no ads or campaigns about it. I live in a small place, but I know of several instances of people just dozing off on the way home after going out/being at work, and waking up in a ditch.

ambro25

freewing wrote:

Anyone who says 'never' either (a) hasn't been driving long at all or (b) is lying.

This is my opinion, not a statement of fact. You're (all) free to disagree, just the same as I'm free to state it.

freewing wrote:

I would consider 10 years long enough and I dont appreiate being called a liar ,

No need to get you knickers in twist. :rolleyes:

Oh and I know plenty of people with the same view,

Plenty of them in the thread and the poll - don't need to know them

If you insist on drinking and driving accept that you have no regard for the law or for the amount of damage this attitude will cause

I am not condoning it, nor defending it, nor advocating it, nor... I have been honest in saying that I did do it once, honest in saying that I never once would do it again (and never have since indeed), and honest in stating my opinion that I am doubtful about people who claim to have never once driven (with a moderate amount of experience, such as 10+ year) with not even a half-glass of wine in them. Then loop back to the top of this post.

Mc-BigE

base2 wrote:

I regularly drive after having between2-3 cans. I try and give myself and hour without drink to keep it legal but I've a feeling its probably still over our tight limits.

Have driven properly drunk a few times, mind. Its not as dangerous as people think. It just increases the likelihood of something going wrong if I need to take evasive action.

I wonder how fast you would react if my 3 year old ran out in front of you?
(assuming i took me eyes off him for 2 seconds)
and you were doing 30 MPH on a built up area.....We've all seen the add.

Mc-BigE

Having said that "those in glass houses" and all that, i think 20 years ago it was tolerated more, anyone remember the Government add on the TV in the late 70's/early 80's "2 will do" in modern terms, 2 pints would be over the limit.

mike65

I'll be honest given the age profile of boards and how long the awareness of drinking driving as a BAD THING has been around I'm shocked that so many have or maybe still do, drive tanked up.

Drinking is a purely discretionary pastime while driving is a complex (read potentialy dangerous) and for many, even most of us a vital part of our lives and livelihoods.

Allowing oneself to be intoxicated in charge of 1-2 tonnes of metal is on a par with carrying a knife in my book.

Mike.

ambro25

mike65 wrote:

Allowing oneself to be intoxicated in charge of 1-2 tonnes of metal is on a par with carrying a knife in my book.
Mike.

Not quite. Running in Grafton St on a Saturday afternoon with a pair of XXL scissors seems more apt, somehow

gerrycollins

ambro25 wrote:

Not quite. Running in Grafton St on a Saturday afternoon with a pair of XXL scissors seems more apt, somehow

ambro25 me thinks from another thread your a drink driver?

el tel

Generally aviation rules stipulate a minimum of 8 hours "bottle to throttle". Usually this would be increased to 24 hours after a big session. In my opinion, for drivers of cars this rule should be followed at the very least. In a car at any given time a potential catastrophe is only seconds away with virtually zero time to make a decision and react (or indeed to react naturally). Any amount of booze in the system will eat into this time. A couple of years ago I came across the scene of an accident where a car was upturned in a ditch. There was a guy staggering around in the road, sobbing his eyes out and frantically trying to find his girlfriend. 30 mins later I found her, hanging from the branches of a tree, stone dead with a broken neck. At the inquest they could not determine the cause the crash other than her severe intoxication. Drinking and driving is a mugs game.

ambro25

gerrycollins wrote:

ambro25 me thinks from another thread your a drink driver?

Can you please quote? As I'd be fairly amazed and would love to know where you got that idea from... :rolleyes:

Especially as my comment about Mike65's post was to reinforce the idea that it's bad to DUI.

If that comment is because I agreed with Comanche in another thread that you seem to be overreacting on the topic because of your near-miss, then that is either (i) childish (which I don't believe, truth be told) or (ii) misinterpretation, which aggrieves me.

gerrycollins

ambro25 wrote:

Can you please quote? As I'd be fairly amazed and would love to know where you got that idea from... :rolleyes:

Especially as my comment about Mike65's post was to reinforce the idea that it's bad to DUI.

If that comment is because I agreed with Comanche in another thread that you seem to be overreacting on the topic because of your near-miss, then that is either (i) childish (which I don't believe, truth be told) or (ii) misinterpretation, which aggrieves me.

im sorry i misquoted you i apoligise

ambro25

Accepted.