Drink Driving

Fr_Dougal

Chancer3001 wrote: »

Jesus, what a retard.

You're the one advocating drink-driving, yet he's the 'retard'?

Canyon86

anybody who drink drives regardless of amount is a selfish person,

danrua01

If I'm driving I prefer to not drink at all, that way I can be 100% sure.

MadYaker

I know it's possible to have one drink and be under the limit but if I'm driving I just don't drink at all it's just easier. I often drive the morning after though, as long as I'm sober but even then id say id be over the limit a lot of the time.

It's funny how the perception of drink driving has changed, it's really stigmatised now, when my dad was my age he says they used to go to the pub and he'd have 3 or 4 pints and drive and nobody thought twice about it. These days if I did that my friends would think I'm a moron and rightly so.

MadYaker

MadYaker wrote: »

It's funny how the perception of drink driving has changed, it's really stigmatised now, when my dad was my age he says they used to go to the pub and he'd have 3 or 4 pints and drive and nobody thought twice about it. These days if I did that my friends would think I'm a moron and rightly so.

It's not really stigmatised in rural areas. Half all the people who drink in my local would be driving home and everyone complains about guards bagging etc even people who don't drink and drive themselves.

Being from a rural area and currently living in a city I can see a big divide in opinions on the issue.

Tarzana2

Zahir Thoughtless Lap wrote: »

It's not really stigmatised in rural areas. Half all the people who drink in my local would be driving home and everyone complains about guards bagging etc even people who don't drink and drive themselves.

Being from a rural area and currently living in a city I can see a big divide in opinions on the issue.

Sorry, but no. I'm originally from a rural area and where my parents live, it is more certainly not considered acceptable by most people. People who do it are generally considered inconsiderate assholes. Where my folks live, the view is that not enough people are bagged by the guards. This is not an issue with an urban/rural divide.

Shenshen

Zahir Thoughtless Lap wrote: »

It's not really stigmatised in rural areas. Half all the people who drink in my local would be driving home and everyone complains about guards bagging etc even people who don't drink and drive themselves.

Being from a rural area and currently living in a city I can see a big divide in opinions on the issue.

What I can't get my head around is why people in rural pubs will complain and moan about the limit and the guards actually doing their job, as you said. Yet, at the same time they can't seem to get themselves organised to share a taxi driving them all home, or just have a designated driver rota.

Honestly, it's not all that difficult.

Tarzana2

Tarzana2 wrote: »

Sorry, but no. I'm originally from a rural area and where my parents live, it is more certainly not considered acceptable by most people. People who do it are generally considered inconsiderate assholes. Where my folks live, the view is that not enough people are bagged by the guards. This is not an issue with an urban/rural divide.

Very different people in your area so, I know virtually nobody of any age who would against someone having their couple of pints and driving home. Plenty still do it but the majority don't simply out of fear of being caught (I'd fall into this bracket), they would love to be allowed to do it.

Shenshen wrote: »

What I can't get my head around is why people in rural pubs will complain and moan about the limit and the guards actually doing their job, as you said. Yet, at the same time they can't seem to get themselves organised to share a taxi driving them all home, or just have a designated driver rota.

Honestly, it's not all that difficult.

Organising a taxi for after a proper night out is fine. It's a pain and totally impractical for someone popping in for 2 or 3 pints while grabbing milk and the paper or on the way home from work.

Plenty of the auld lads would have their 2 or 3 every evening after doing their bit of shopping it's would just be out of the question paying or even getting a taxi operating in the area for multiple people leaving at differnt times and going in different directions.

Dunford

Drink drivers are dangerous idiots. To themselves and others. Rural living is difficult to get to a bar.but drink driving isn't the answer.

hynesie08

Zahir Thoughtless Lap wrote: »

Organising a taxi for after a proper night out is fine. It's a pain and totally impractical for someone popping in for 2 or 3 pints while grabbing milk and the paper or on the way home from work.

Plenty of the auld lads would have their 2 or 3 every evening after doing their bit of shopping it's would just be out of the question paying or even getting a taxi operating in the area for multiple people leaving at differnt times and going in different directions.

Then don't "pop in for 2 or 3". If you're driving don't drink. I can't believe this is even a topic of conversation in 2014.

Breffnigolfer

Jumboman wrote: »

You should be allowed to have 1 or 2 drinks with a meal etc.

I don't think people who have had 1 or 2 drinks are a major danger on the roads.

The zero drink drive limit is just political correctness in my opinion.

Why the necessity for so many people to have to have alcohol? If alcohol is required so bad that person has a dependency problem.

hynesie08

hynesie08 wrote: »

Then don't "pop in for 2 or 3". If you're driving don't drink. I can't believe this is even a topic of conversation in 2014.

Not having them is not really the solution people want.

People driving after 2 or 3 pints ads not an issue. Drunk drivers are the issue and pestering and putting hardship on people having a few is simply unfair.

Haithabu

Dunford wrote: »

Drink drivers are dangerous idiots. To themselves and others. Rural living is difficult to get to a bar.but drink driving isn't the answer.

It is very difficult indeed to get to a bar. And even more difficult to get home afterwards. And the roads are typically so dangerous that it is even unsafe to get home on foot because there is no sidewalk or even space to walk.

The only option is to arrange transport before you go out. Either have someone pick you up or if you are in a group, draw lots on a designated driver. Life is too precious to take risks. You don't want to risk your own life and not someone elses life.

In fairness I have been out a lot without drinking this year and I had my fun. Non-alcoholic beers used to be really bad but non-alcoholic Erdinger is good enough by now. Yes, I know it's less fun to be the only one in a group who does not drink, you can't laugh at the jokes you would laugh at if you would had a few pints but if you killing someone when driving drunk is no fun either.

Having a designated driver has also the advantage that you have someone who can make sure the group avoids trouble, you have someone who can reason and steer the others away.

hynesie08

Zahir Thoughtless Lap wrote: »

Not having them is not really the solution people want.

People driving after 2 or 3 pints ads not an issue. Drunk drivers are the issue and pestering and putting hardship on people having a few is simply unfair.

Luckily the law disagrees with you and your frankly selfish view of things.

Tarzana2

Zahir Thoughtless Lap wrote: »

Very different people in your area so

Very different people everywhere. But of course you extrapolate your own experiences to everyone erroneously, as always.

Jumboman

Breffnigolfer wrote: »

Why the necessity for so many people to have to have alcohol? If alcohol is required so bad that person has a dependency problem.

Its nothing to do with dependency its about meeting up for a social drink.

If somebody was an alcoholic they could just stay at home and drink 20 cans without any social interaction.

Bruthal

Chancer3001 wrote: »

Nope, on the average person.

Average height, average amount of food eaten, average alcohol tolerance.

The average male.

And I think you should be allowed drive just after finishing the 3rd pint.

And how do you test if a person's the average male? How about testing the concentration of alcohol in the blood? Would that not tell us?

It is possible to pass the test after 3 pints. And the same "average male" can then fail the test on another occasion. Can you guess why?

Bruthal

UCDVet wrote: »

Alcohol reduces your ability to drive. But if you think about it, the better driver you are, the drunker you could be and still safely drive.

A professional race car driver could be drunk and still in better condition to drive than my Grandmother sober.

Someone hit by your sober grandmother would likely fair better than if hit by the drunk racing driver.

Matta Harri

I'm by no means a small petite woman (what some might call 'a fine hoult of a woman') and I wouldn't trust my driving after 3 drinks. I drink a good dash socially so would have a fair tolerance bit 3 would most definatly be too much for me.

It's just not worth it. And I'm not talking just about losing your licence. If you ever have any doubts, pop into The National Rehab Hospital in Dun Laoghaire and see what may come from 'chancing it'.

Bruthal

Bruthal wrote: »

And how do you test if a person's the average male? How about testing the concentration of alcohol in the blood? Would that not tell us?

It is possible to pass the test after 3 pints. And the same "average male" can then fail the test on another occasion. Can you guess why?

American style sobriety tests are a fairer way. If you can handle your drink and you are ok to drive you will pass the test if not you are done.

BetterThanThou

I know people that can drink a liter of spirits over a night and still be pretty much sober. My mother drinks about 4 or 5 drinks when she goes out, and is clearly quite tipsy when she's done. People's alcohol tolerance can vary quite a lot, and therefore, the legal limit has to be low. The American style sobriety tests are flawed, I've given myself that type of sobriety test while totally wasted and passed. If someone really wants to have a few drinks then drive home, they should space them out and buy a breathalyzer, if they're large and space them out over a while, they may be able to drive home. But really, there's no excuse to drink and drive, if someone doesn't live within walking distance of a pub, that's their problem, and they'll have to get a taxi, or drink at home. I think the limit is fine the way it is, I've seen some lightweights tipsy after a pint.

Bruthal

Zahir Thoughtless Lap wrote: »

American style sobriety tests are a fairer way. If you can handle your drink and you are ok to drive you will pass the test if not you are done.

They are a method to indicate if someone was actually drinking, more so than testing if the amount of drink you had is affecting you. They are hardly a great method either.

Even if a person can handle their drink, whatever that means, it still affects reaction times, reduces inhibitions, increases confidence, all factors which may make driving more of a risk.

Sofiztikated

Zahir Thoughtless Lap wrote: »

It's not really stigmatised in rural areas. Half all the people who drink in my local would be driving home and everyone complains about guards bagging etc even people who don't drink and drive themselves.

Being from a rural area and currently living in a city I can see a big divide in opinions on the issue.

Monaghan, Cavan, Louth, Westmeath or Donegal? Own up, which one are you from?

The same clowns that give out about Gardai bagging people are the same clowns that will drive with one light out, or bald tyres, or on fill up on agri derv. They don't give a **** about anyone else on the road, as long as "I'm alright Jack, go **** yourself." They're also the same people that will go to a wake of a person killed by drink driving, then procede to have a couple of pints, and drive home themselves, not seeing the big flashing ****ing irony sign following them around.

The laws are there, the evidence is there to back it up, the statistics are there to prove it. Drink driving is moronic.

Burying your head in the sand, and saying otherwise is akin to saying that the theory of evolution and theory of gravity are just theories. You get laughed at and mocked by level headed and sane people, and rightly ****ing so.

The One Doctor

Chancer3001 wrote: »

You should be allowed take your test hammered drunk.

Pass it that drunk and you're allowed drink drive all you want

That's actually a good idea.

Sofiztikated

Sofiztikated wrote: »

Monaghan, Cavan, Louth, Westmeath or Donegal? Own up, which one are you from?

None of the above.

Sofiztikated wrote: »

You get laughed at and mocked by level headed and sane people, and rightly ****ing so

Nobody laughs at me or mocks me apart from a few random peope in AH. Most people I know or encounter (including people from other Western European countries) hold very similar opinions to myself.

Tarzana2

Zahir Thoughtless Lap wrote: »

Nobody laughs at me or mocks me apart from a few random peope in AH. Most people I know or encounter (including people from other Western European countries) hold very similar opinions to myself.

I'm sure they do. :pac: How great it must be to be surrounded by yes men in every sphere of your life.

Novella

My dad is from a very rural area. I remember when we'd go to visit my grandparents as kids, my brother and I would ask, "Why is there grass growing in the middle of the road?". I've seen young teenagers driving tractors on the roads there. It is middle of nowhere territory.

Anyway, about thirty years ago, my dad was in a car with his brother and a friend in this secluded place and their car was hit by a drunk driver. My dad suffered a horrendous brain and head injury. He was lucky to survive. He was diagnosed with epilepsy shortly afterward as a result and has had many devastating seizures throughout the years, including two which broke bones in his back.

He had to retire when he was forty-nine years old and in his early fifties was diagnosed with early on-set Alzheimer's, again doctors say brought on by damage to his brain both from the accident and the resulting epilepsy.

A man decided to drive home from the pub that night after having a few drinks. He was left with a few cuts and grazes. My dad underwent multiple surgeries, battled a lifelong illness and lost his memory. He forgot his wife and his children. I did not have my father walk me down the aisle on my wedding day.

Drunk driving is unforgivable. Everywhere. In my opinion.

kravmaga

Has anyone been breathtilised at a checkpoint this xmas in Dublin.

Have not seen one checkpoint in Dublin over the xmas period so far?

UCDVet

Bruthal wrote: »

Someone hit by your sober grandmother would likely fair better than if hit by the drunk racing driver.

To clarify, I meant someone that raced professionally who had a few drinks attempting to drive home in a safe fashion; not someone who was drunk *and* racing.

Anyway, nobody can reasonably argue that alcohol doesn't make someone a worse driver. But at the same time, there is a near endless list of things that make someone a worse driver. A great driver, made worse due to some external factor is still better than an average driver under optimal conditions.

danrua01

Zahir Thoughtless Lap wrote: »

Not having them is not really the solution people want.

Well tough, absolute best way too prevent drink driving. What about having joints before you drive? Or taking a few E tabs? Can't do it cos it's illegal, some people may not like that solution but no one's complaining about it.