Drink Driving

murpho999

This week has been an awful week on Irish roads with 12 people killed. Far more than people killed by terrorists in France that people seem more worried about.

I would guess that alcohol may be a factor in some of the accidents and wonder what people's attitudes are to this?

I am of the age to remember how many people drove whilst totally twisted in the 1970s and how through the 80s and 90s it became more anti-social and declined.

However, I have heard to people in their twenties in work talking recently how they often drive with drink on them and I was shocked.

It seems to be creeping back and I think lack of enforcement is an issue. Used to live in Holland and was stopped there regularly for regular random breath tests but 11 years back in Ireland I have never seen one.

What do people on Boards think?

Do you ever drink and drive?

risteard7

murpho999 wrote: »

This week has been an awful week on Irish roads with 12 people killed. Far more than people killed by terrorists in France that people seem more worried about.

I would guess that alcohol may be a factor in some of the accidents and wonder what people's attitudes are to this?

I am of the age to remember how many people drove whilst totally twisted in the 1970s and how through the 80s and 90s it became more anti-social and declined.

However, I have heard to people in their twenties in work talking recently how they often drive with drink on them and I was shocked.

It seems to be creeping back and I think lack of enforcement is an issue. Used to live in Holland and was stopped there regulary for regular random breath tests but 11 years back in Ireland I have never seen one.

What do people on Boards think.

Do you ever drink and drive?

Drink driving is an excuse used all the time. How many of the 12 poor people had alcohol in their system??

Canis Lupus

You won't find many muslim drunk drivers on the roads hey.

Also drink driving is bad but people do it. Whatcha gonna do.

murpho999

risteard7 wrote: »

Drink driving is an excuse used all the time. How many of the 12 poor people had alcohol in their system??

As I said, I don't know but there is a high chance it was a factor especialy as many happened late at night/early morning.

Why do you think it's just an excuse.

Also,just wondering, why would you quote my entire post to respond to it?

Like many of my age and older, did it. There was a culture of it in rural Ireland 20 years ago. With taxis everywhere now, with increasing penalties, with the social opprobrium, it's just foolish.

risteard7

murpho999 wrote: »

As I said, I don't know but there is a high chance it was a factor especialy as many happened late at night/early morning.

Why do you think it's just an excuse.

I think mobile phone use is a much bigger problem than drink driving.

Captain Chaos

murpho999 wrote: »

As I said, I don't know but there is a high chance it was a factor especialy as many happened late at night/early morning.

Why do you think it's just an excuse.

All the ones in Donegal were in the early hours and aged late teens to early twentys, more than likely drink related plus wreckless driving. Add to that the very low garda presence in the county in general so there is a lack of deterence .

HardenendMan

Nope, never drink drive. Well maybe once or twice when moving my car a few metres within my drive to make way for another car.

To be very honest, I don't drink drive because of the penalty, rather than because I think it is so dangerous. Of course I don't think I could drive just as well after a skinful, or even say 4 or 5 pints over few hours. But I don't feel any affect after say two pints. My reaction after two pints is still miles better than a lot of the geriatrics out there.

HardenendMan

Captain Chaos wrote: »

All the ones in Donegal were in the early hours and aged late teens to early twentys, more than likely drink related plus wreckless driving. Add to that the very low garda presence in the county in general so there is a lack of deterence .

Don't agree. Late teens and early hours is more likely inexperienced guys pushing beyond their limits.

SEPT 23 1989

Was there not a cash register found on the back seat of one of the cars

Atlantic Dawn

4 of 5 killed one of those days were not wearing seat belts, basic common sense out the window.

VincePP

risteard7 wrote: »

Drink driving is an excuse used all the time. How many of the 12 poor people had alcohol in their system??

38% of driver fatalities in the past 12 months had alcohol in their system.

In kerry, over 30% of those caught drink driving were males under 29 - that's a phenomenal percentage.

Minderbinder

In my opinion the use of phones is more dangerous than alcohol up to a point. Personally I think I could have three or four pints and be grand but if I was trying to use my phone I'd be an instant danger to myself and others. I never use my phone when driving. I don't even like tuning the radio station when I'm driving.

I think for some people alcohol makes them feel invincible so they drive faster but I'd be the opposite if I had a pint with dinner or something.

pablo128

Captain Chaos wrote: »

All the ones in Donegal were in the early hours and aged late teens to early twentys, more than likely drink related plus wreckless driving. Add to that the very low garda presence in the county in general so there is a lack of deterence .

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

4 of 5 killed one of those days were not wearing seat belts, basic common sense out the window.

4 of the dead in Donegal weren't wearing belts. I doubt the cash register lads would have survived but it was very possible the others would have survived looking at pictures of the crash.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

Maybe they're mentally ill and need our understanding, and we should try to understand them more so they're not so tempted to get behind the wheel and kill innocent people?

Or is that only a valid excuse when it's terrorism?

Lisha

I would never ever drink and drive. I know it's difficult living rurally getting taxis etc, but that's no excuse imho.
There is no excuse for it.

But if people aren't afraid of getting caught then it prob will creep back in.

VincePP

Minderbinder wrote: »

In my opinion the use of phones is more dangerous than alcohol up to a point. Personally I think I could have three or four pints and be grand but if I was trying to use my phone I'd be an instant danger to myself and others. I never use my phone when driving. I don't even like tuning the radio station when I'm driving.

I think for some people alcohol makes them feel invincible so they drive faster but I'd be the opposite if I had a pint with dinner or something.

If i saw that post 30 years ago, I'd almost understand. But to say you can have 4 pints and feel safe to drive is utter stupidity at its very highest.

Your reaction times are impaired with alcohol. 4 pints and you simply won't react to any situation in a proper and safe manner - if the situation is bad, expect a serious accident and permanent damage to yourself.

Visit the rehabilitation hospital in dunlaoghaire - talk to a few there. It will change your mind.

The Backwards Man

There's more people drinking and driving now than ever before I'd say, it's crazy how many are at it out there. You have more chance of winning the lotto than meeting a checkpoint where I live, it's crazy

But I still think phones are a bigger problem in saying that, every second car you meet has an eejit if a driver staring at a phone, they don't even put them to their ears any more, they're holding the fcuking things in front of them and staring at them when they're driving.

murpho999

Minderbinder wrote: »

In my opinion the use of phones is more dangerous than alcohol up to a point. Personally I think I could have three or four pints and be grand but if I was trying to use my phone I'd be an instant danger to myself and others. I never use my phone when driving. I don't even like tuning the radio station when I'm driving.

I think for some people alcohol makes them feel invincible so they drive faster but I'd be the opposite if I had a pint with dinner or something.

You think you're ok with three or four pints to drive, but do you actually do that?

bigroad

Your local gp gives you drugs.
But not too much about that in the statistics.

petrolcan

HardenendMan wrote: »

Don't agree. Late teens and early hours is more likely inexperienced guys pushing beyond their limits.

This ^^^ in spades.

It has always been an issue in Donegal for as long as I remember.

petrolcan

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

Was there not a cash register found on the back seat of one of the cars

Link or hearsay? If the latter, shame!

s4uv3

I'm 34, been driving since I was 19, and often drive to and from town late at night (sober ) if I go out. I'm in the car multiple times per day. Live in a ruralish county.

I've never once been breathalised. Haven't come across a general checkpoint in probably a couple of years. There just isn't enough of a chance of getting caught to deter a lot of people

pablo128

petrolcan wrote: »

Link or hearsay? If the latter, shame!

Its all over the news, mate. One of them was previously convicted for a ram raid.

pablo128

s4uv3 wrote: »

I'm 34, been driving since I was 19, and often drive to and from town late at night (sober ) if I go out. I'm in the car multiple times per day. Live in a ruralish county.

I've never once been breathalised. Haven't come across a general checkpoint in probably a couple of years. There just isn't enough of a chance of getting caught to deter a lot of people

I live in Tallaght in Dublin. Its pretty much the same here!

petrolcan

pablo128 wrote: »

Its all over the news, mate. One of them was previously convicted for a ram raid.

<<<My Location!

When I look at Irish news I tend to concentrate on the North and saw no mention of a cash register.

pablo128

petrolcan wrote: »

<<<My Location!

When I look at Irish news I tend to concentrate on the North and saw no mention of a cash register.

I didn't realise. I'm having trouble trying to link it on my phone but if you google the Irish Daily Mirror you should get the story from a day or 2 ago.

petrolcan

pablo128 wrote: »

I didn't realise. I'm having trouble trying to link it on my phone but if you google the Irish Daily Mirror you should get the story from a day or 2 ago.

Looked but cannot find a story mentioning as such. Surely there has to be a better source that the feckin Mirror?

biko

I'm a safer driver when I'm drunk





I drive like 3 mph

pablo128

petrolcan wrote: »

Looked but cannot find a story mentioning as such. Surely there has to be a better source that the feckin Mirror?

Got it now.
http://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/two-young-men-killed-head-8505788

DontThankMe

Don't drink and drive just smoke and fly!

Cantona's Collars

Maybe it is the times I drive at but I meet more gobshites staring at phones while driving than those who have obviously been drinking.It is no surprise that so many of these fatal accidents have been head on collisions when people feel the need to read a text or tweet and reply to same is more important than looking at the bloody road ahead.

petrolcan

pablo128 wrote: »

Got it now.
http://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/two-young-men-killed-head-8505788

Appreciate the link.

However, the suspicion is just that. There seems to be no official statement to back it up.

pablo128

petrolcan wrote: »

Appreciate the link.

However, the suspicion is just that. There seems to be no official statement to back it up.

It was 48 hours ago! Give them a chance.

petrolcan

pablo128 wrote: »

It was 48 hours ago! Give them a chance.

It was more a dig at the publication.

Your Face

Jesus Christ I love drinking.

Pinch Flat

What scares me is that the RSA report that in the order of 150 to 180 people a week are caught drink driving.

I've been driving back here since 2000 since in moves back from the uk, drove from 1987 to 1995. In all that time, I've been breath tested once. Had a few random stops for tax insurance etc, so perhaps if I had a few sherbets on board I could have fallen foul of the law.

Given that alcohol is a factor in 38% of road fatalities here, I think we have a massive drink driving problem.

Minderbinder

murpho999 wrote: »

You think you're ok with three or four pints to drive, but do you actually do that?

I have done it on a cold winter's night. Long way to walk in the countryside. And plenty of folks happy for the lift too.

stampydmonkey

May have done it once a long long time ago...the fact I'm not sure scares me so much...not a chance I'd put myself in a position anymore so that it's even a possibility. A few at work do it from time to time....have no time for these muppets no matter the excuse...please call in sick before risking other people lives

bigroad

Look at the MAT checkpoints a joke,most people with 80 percent sight can see them a mile away and just turn off to another road.
Are these checkpoints just set up for the pr stunt,i think so.
We checked 750 drivers and got one .
I know many places they could check 10 drivers and get 8.
Its just a media stunt and nothing to do with catching drink drivers.

Atlantic Dawn

The Gardaí need to introduce more stats in to crashes, they have improved but need more detail...

• Phone of driver, active text/call in 15 minutes pre crash
• Tyres on car, were they bald or legal
• Was the car road legal with tax, nct and insurance.
• Did the car have any defects
• How many people on the same road died in the last 10 years

bigroad

Thats too much work for the Rsa ,lazy pizzants .

Turtyturd

Have never done it. But it's easy to see why some do when the risk of getting caught is so low. I don't think I have ever come across a checkpoint outside of bank holidays or in the run up to Christmas, and even then I know they will either be along the quays, at Heuston Station, or on the Naas Road just before the Long Mile Roundabout so all easily avoidable if I wanted to.

TheQuietFella

risteard7 wrote: »

I think mobile phone use is a much bigger problem than drink driving.

I had a lady who pulled up on the N2 to use or answer her phone.

Not much room on the left to pull in either and I was travelling

at speed albeit a legal one!

pablo128

TheQuietFella wrote: »

I had a lady who pulled up on the N2 to use or answer her phone.

Not much room on the left to pull in either and I was travelling

at speed albeit a legal one!

Yeah, but that exact scenario would occur too if she simply broke down, or did she slam on the brakes?

worded

People often forget to drink and drive, you need a car

VincePP

petrolcan wrote: »

Appreciate the link.

However, the suspicion is just that. There seems to be no official statement to back it up.

They're dead - so there'll hardly be an investigation and trial and unlikely they will be applying for bail.

VincePP

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

The Gardaí need to introduce more stats in to crashes, they have improved but need more detail...

• Phone of driver, active text/call in 15 minutes pre crash
• Tyres on car, were they bald or legal
• Was the car road legal with tax, nct and insurance.
• Did the car have any defects
• How many people on the same road died in the last 10 years

They get all of these but if the person is dead they tend to respect the family as is the norm in most countries.
You do hear it sometimes when an inquest is held.

I think Australia and new Zealand are exceptions and publish if alcohol or drugs were involved.

shamrock2004

[Deleted User] wrote: »

the social opprobrium

Wha?!

TheQuietFella

pablo128 wrote: »

Yeah, but that exact scenario would occur too if she simply broke down, or did she slam on the brakes?

She simply pulled up in emergency style as if the call couldn't wait!!!

ItsLikeThis

I have been driving 11 years, I do a lot of driving all around Donegal and regularly drive on nights out (sober). In those 11 years I've been breathalysed once. Just not good enough. Fair enough I see a few speed guns/gosafe vans around but cars need to be stopped and looked at and drivers tested for alcohol/drugs. The level of driving in Letterkenny itself is very poor.