Drink driving? Is it really that bad?

Necro · 01-07-2019 3:59am

PistolsAtDawn wrote:

Currently lying in bed in Thailand nursing an extreme hangover after an all day drinking session yesterday. Drove back to the hotel last night, approximately 40 minutes journey, mixture of country and motorway class roads. Absolutely no incidents as I just staying in my lane, drove at appropriate speeds etc...

I am not advocating we have everyone driving around bladdered all the time but if society become so risk adverse that a guy/girl can't have a beer or two and drive home then what is the point of life.

Seems to me that it's exactly what you're advocating :rolleyes:

Not that I believe a single word that you say, surely no one is that careless with their own life to drive bladdered out of their minds in Thailand of all places.

micks_address · 01-07-2019 4:07am

In the states at the moment and everyone has two or three drinks and drives off.. they laugh at me when I won't even have one while driving

wexandproud · 01-07-2019 5:40am

Crock Rock wrote: »

I live rurally, last night my friend had 3 and a half pints and my friend had 11 and he drove us home. I got there in one piece and so did he.

The new limits are stupid and overrestrictive. No one crashed after 3 or 4 pints. Let's restore the old limit of 0.08 %.

Discuss.

a fella fell off the roof of a skyscraper one time and through every window on the way down he could be heard saying '' so far so good '' .
thats how it is with you and your friends ''so far so good ''

Nikki Sixx · 01-07-2019 7:46am

Zillah wrote: »

Yeah so is having your brains scattered across the road.

If ur license is so important to you then how about you make the gargantuan sacrifice of not putting booze down your gob on that occasion?

Yes I’m saying drink driving is stupid overall. I’m just saying to the people here who risk it, imagine having to depend on family and friends for lifts every day. Much better to organize a lift from the pub and get a taxi where possible. Admittedly it is easier for anybody living in a big town or city to get a taxi.

gimli2112 · 01-07-2019 7:48am

Drink driving's probably an ok concept for someone who can live with themselves having cut someone's life short.

ChikiChiki · 01-07-2019 8:12am

Roads in Thailand good. That's a first. You must have been out of it. Never seen such mayhem in my life with all the scooters driving erratically.

I've heard of so many bad accidents there involving westerners who think it's a free for all and same rules don't apply.

dudara · 01-07-2019 8:19am

PistolsAtDawn wrote: »

I am not advocating we have everyone driving around bladdered all the time but if society become so risk adverse that a guy/girl can't have a beer or two and drive home then what is the point of life.

The fact that if you drink & drive, that you may not have a life, or that you could take someone else’s life?

Defending drink driving in any way is truly defending the indefensible.

Igotadose · 01-07-2019 8:22am

micks_address wrote: »

In the states at the moment and everyone has two or three drinks and drives off.. they laugh at me when I won't even have one while driving

I'm from the US. Designated driver's a thing. Driving after a few is frowned upon. MADD's done a good job.

Laugh back at your dangerous companions. They're living the 99% life - 99% of the time, they get away with sh1t. But if they hit the 100%... look out below

Henry Ford III · 01-07-2019 8:24am

We still have a problem on a national basis with driving impaired. The detections are averaging over 150 per week.

To me that's a huge number of people who chose to do something really stupid.

inforfun · 01-07-2019 8:25am

ChikiChiki wrote: »

Roads in Thailand good. That's a first. You must have been out of it. Never seen such mayhem in my life with all the scooters driving erratically.

I've heard of so many bad accidents there involving westerners who think it's a free for all and same rules don't apply.

The (toll) roads arent bad at all. Granted, i have not seen every road in Thailand.
Now....as it comes to the driving skills of the average Thai we are talking about something different.
It is fun though. They **** up, hold their hands up to say "Sorry, i ****ed up" and off we go again.

And tourists driving scooters are a problem everywhere. Add driving on the left and the fun begins

twowheelsonly · 01-07-2019 8:33am

GMSA wrote: »

A lad and his girlfriend drive to a pub of an evening. At closing time they leave and drive home. On way home they pass a squad car. The driver panics and floors it. Shortly after he crashes at speed into a pole. Gardai are first on the scene. Both are seriously injured.
Girl recovers but driver suffered spinal injury and is paralysed from the neck down. Six months later locals organised several charity events for yer man. I was asked to participate in an event by someone on the community events committee. Told him I had no intention of paying for lawbreakers medical bills. They got plenty grief from locals complaining about the same. That said they still managed to raise over 25k.
I wonder did all the contributors know the whole story?

That's actually quite interesting. The ironic thing about it is that if the girl had died there would have been zero funds raised and zero attempt made to do so and he would be castigated by the majority. Instead he obviously has the sympathy of a lot of people despite his crime being exactly the same albeit with a lucky result in relation to not killing the girlfriend.

Baggly · 01-07-2019 12:17pm

I know too many people who have had their families made smaller by drink drivers. I dont really care of it happens in the minority of cases or not - ending someone elses life so that you can have a pint (in any circumstances) isnt worth it; and especially so in the case of having a pint and getting home quickly and/or cheaply in your own car.

Agricola · 01-07-2019 1:10pm

Lots of us would be well capable of driving home after 2 or 3 pints. Wouldn't even register.
The problem is lots of us isn't everyone. People can have a low tolerance for alcohol, can be tired, can be prone to a heavy right foot or worst of all be poor at maths, so just "a quick one then home" becomes 4 or 5.

There are too many idiots in the world and most of them own a car. So it has to be zero tolerance.

foxy farmer · 01-07-2019 2:12pm

Another thing is the publicans disregard for closing times. Passed 2 pubs last Wednesday night. 4or 5 cars outside each. Passed one at 01.15 and 3 lads chatting over the bonnet of a car. I know one of them. Tradesman and a martyr for porter. His van appeared outside the pub about 10.45. I passed at 1.15 . It was gone 20 mins later.

ELM327 · 01-07-2019 2:16pm

In my younger days I saw nothing wrong with drink driving, night on the p1ss and drive home regularly after 10+ beers and shots etc. The car got me home on more than one occasion.

Luckily as I got older I saw sense and don't do it anymore. Too much enforcement rurally now, that was what made me stop. I have probably driven well over 10k km drunk. No accidents, all down rural boreens. But now with police at every corner it's not worth the risk of losing my license.

ELM327 · 01-07-2019 2:18pm

foxy farmer wrote: »

Another thing is the publicans disregard for closing times. Passed 2 pubs last Wednesday night. 4or 5 cars outside each. Passed one at 01.15 and 3 lads chatting over the bonnet of a car. I know one of them. Tradesman and a martyr for porter. His van appeared outside the pub about 10.45. I passed at 1.15 . It was gone 20 mins later.

"one for the road" and drive home is not unusual out the country. Happens every weekend night in north meath. I see it, as I'm waiting for my (sober) lift home. Pub car park empties after closing time.

odyssey06 · 01-07-2019 2:25pm

I'm not convinced the recent lower limits are needed.

I think it was a mistake to focus on a legislative option of the recent lower limits as against the loopholes which meant something like 50% of
people who failed tests on the old higher limit escaped.

So now we have a crap shoot where you have people who failed tests on higher blood alcohol levels getting off scot free; and people who failed on lower levels getting points etc.

I think proper enforcement of the old limits would have been a contribution to road safety; this is more of a quick political act at the stroke of a pen to be seen to be doing something without providing any more resources, or tackling court issues.

FishOnABike · 01-07-2019 2:25pm

Pinch Flat wrote: »

I have 15 pints and reverse the car home. You can only go so fast in reverse, nice and safe.

That's what I'd call really backwards thinking! ;-)

Bobblehats · 01-07-2019 2:32pm

It is ba-ba-ba-bad to the bone my friend ..

armaghlad · 01-07-2019 2:45pm

I think people need to cop on. If you feel the need to drink, arrange a lift home, or have a club orange. To my shame I was once caught drink driving. Completely needless, 4am in the morning and a mile-long journey. I was pulled over yards from the house. Valuable lesson learned.

Cina · 01-07-2019 3:21pm

ELM327 wrote: »

In my younger days I saw nothing wrong with drink driving, night on the p1ss and drive home regularly after 10+ beers and shots etc. The car got me home on more than one occasion.

Luckily as I got older I saw sense and don't do it anymore. Too much enforcement rurally now, that was what made me stop. I have probably driven well over 10k km drunk. No accidents, all down rural boreens. But now with police at every corner it's not worth the risk of losing my license.

Honestly if that's what made you stop then I don't think you've seen much sense at all. The risk of killing people due to the stupidity of it should be what makes you stop, not potentially getting caught by the police.

ELM327 · 01-07-2019 3:23pm

At least I'm honest :P

WengerOutIn · 01-07-2019 3:27pm

Crock Rock wrote: »

I live rurally, last night my friend had 3 and a half pints and my friend had 11 and he drove us home. I got there in one piece and so did he.

The new limits are stupid and overrestrictive. No one crashed after 3 or 4 pints. Let's restore the old limit of 0.08 %.

Discuss.

I can only assume that you are taking the literal and metaphorical piss.

Insert inflammatory comment here, discuss.

firemansam4 · 01-07-2019 3:47pm

Publicans have to take some blame for issues with drink driving in rural communities, there is to much of a blind eye to people they know getting behind a wheel after a few drinks.

Publicans in rural communities with little to know transport should be doing more to make sure all there patrons have a way to get home safely.

Also it would help a lot if there was some decent non alcoholic options available in pubs, I know ide rather drink a non alcoholic beer when I'm in company of others drinking rather than a glass of coke or club orange. But many pubs have little to no choice of any non alcoholic beers.

Zillah · 01-07-2019 6:03pm

Igotadose wrote: »

I'm from the US. Designated driver's a thing. Driving after a few is frowned upon.

In Washington, anyway, they seemed to draw a big distinction between drinking and drunk. People were super casual about driving after drinking so long as you didn't cross the line into what they considered drunk, which I thought was pretty absurd. Even then it was kind of "Oh, not sure Tony should be driving home, I think he's a little drunk" and then letting him do it, anyway.

Zillah · 01-07-2019 6:08pm

Agricola wrote: »

Lots of us would be well capable of driving home after 2 or 3 pints...There are too many idiots in the world

The irony is excrutiating.

It's not about if you're able to drive. I'm able to drive while totally langered, but it's doesn't mean I am safe to drive. Regardless of how confident you feel about your driving after three points your reactions and awareness are dulled and you are far more likely to kill someone. I really don't understand why people just can't get that into their skull.

Stop trying to be a hard man who thinks his brain doesn't react to alcohol according to the simple laws of biology.

01-07-2019 6:52pm

firemansam4 wrote: »

Publicans have to take some blame for issues with drink driving in rural communities, there is to much of a blind eye to people they know getting behind a wheel after a few drinks.

Publicans in rural communities with little to know transport should be doing more to make sure all there patrons have a way to get home safely.

Also it would help a lot if there was some decent non alcoholic options available in pubs, I know ide rather drink a non alcoholic beer when I'm in company of others drinking rather than a glass of coke or club orange. But many pubs have little to no choice of any non alcoholic beers.

Many if not most publicans do sort ways home for people if there aren’t taxis etc but that’s all for the end of the night you can’t be expecting a publican to be going here and there all evening long with lads who called in for a few pints after work. It’s also a royal pain for a lad to either have to get a lift in or leave his car when he needs it in the morning when it’s only popping in for 2/3 pints after work.

The majority have no problem paying for a taxi after a proper session but personally I see no reason a lad on his way home from work on a Tuesday evening can’t have his 2/3 pints and drive home. I’d say you would lose more than half the people drinking in my local in the early evening if the limit was heeded 100%.

Zillah wrote: »

The irony is excrutiating.

It's not about if you're able to drive. I'm able to drive while totally langered, but it's doesn't mean I am safe to drive. Regardless of how confident you feel about your driving after three points your reactions and awareness are dulled and you are far more likely to kill someone. I really don't understand why people just can't get that into their skull.

Stop trying to be a hard man who thinks his brain doesn't react to alcohol according to the simple laws of biology.

The effects that 2 or 3 pints have on your driving are highly highly exaggerated that’s the issue. The absolute vicious outrage over driving after 2 or 3 pints is borderline insanity from some, I really don’t think they ever did it or were around someone doing it to actually see that it’s actually grand.

kirving · 01-07-2019 7:04pm

Nicholas Beautiful Teammate wrote: »

Is would be interesting to get a breakdown of accidents by BAC. I've always wondered how many accidents were caused by drivers in the 0.05-0.08% range, and whether it justified the lower limits. As the RSA hasn't released this information, a suspicious person might think that the legislation is not evidence-based.

They're not going to release that information, it would prove that the lower limits don't make sense, particularly the 0.02%.

In the US, you can legally fly a 747 with hundreds of people on board with a BAC of 0.04%. I would have far more confidence in the FAA's research than the RSA.

Now admittedly, the EU regulations are 0.02% for pilots, but flying a plane is infinitely more complicated than driving a car 3 miles home after 2 pints.

Atoms for Peace · 01-07-2019 7:20pm

Atoms for Peace wrote: »

I had 13 pints last night and drove home.

Apparently I've just been reported. The only thing is never said what was in the pints.

odyssey06 · 01-07-2019 7:24pm

Atoms for Peace wrote: »

Apparently I've just been reported. The only thing is never said what was in the pints.

Whiskey?

Drink driving? Is it really that bad?

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