Do you care..

jaffa20 · 21-06-2008 12:02PM

Would you do the same for an old guy who lives in the middle of nowhere and the only pub is 5 miles down a country road... He has been going there every friday for the last 40 years for a pint with his buddies and all of a sudden there is all these laws about drink driving and he's not sure what to do. Give up an innoncent drink... Pay for a taxi... Annoy people for a lift... Even though he knows he's still fully in control after one drink but hey that may not be what the breathaliser says. I guess he could be lucky. It depends on the person is what i'm saying. The law cannot dictate the limit of alcohol for each person before the attempt to drive. There should be some sort of test in each pub but then again, how accurate are these tests! Should there be on limit at all. People say, it takes 24 hours before alcohol is out of our system and then drinkaware.ie come up with this info that each standard drink takes and hour before it's out of your system- how ridiculous is this!

So, i wouldn't blame the people who go for an innocent drink that they have been doing for years. I would blame the law who seem to reduce the alcohol limit again and again when it can be specifiied for each individual person.

longshanks · 21-06-2008 03:10PM

when i hear the reports on the radio etc. the first thing i usually think is i hope its not local (waterford, south kilkenny) because thats where the majority of my family and mates live, or cork (where my bro, his missus and their kid live). its nearly a bit of a relief when they mention donegal or portlaoise or somewhere.
its a selfish attitude i know, but its the first thing that pops into my bulb. obviously, i feel sorry for all those affected by accidents and that, and i'd never wish it on anyone. i think the likes of rb and that coming on here and giving it all 'you reap what you sow, you're an idiot' etc is a bit weak and predictable.

Holsten · 21-06-2008 03:19PM

No I really wouldn't care if they died, they are pretty stupid to be doing what they are doing, as these type of deaths usually occur on crappy country roads, natural selection working at it's finest.

People giving out about going over 120km/h on for example the M50 are a bit thick too, that road and others like it are capable of speeds well above 120km/h, it's just some people arnt comfortable driving at those speeds, weather they are intimidated or simply are not good enough drivers I don't know.

challengemaster · 21-06-2008 03:21PM

Darwinism

deisedevil · 21-06-2008 03:33PM

tracker-man wrote: »

for those of you who say you don't care about someone dying on the roads, i understand your thoughts to a certain extent because i once thought similar. I used never take notice of young people dying in crashes on the news, it was on every bulletin. My 19 year old cousin then died in a car accident. He was a back seat passenger and the driver had taken drink. It changed the way i look at the world. Its only when it happens to you, that you realise the pain and trauma the sudden death of
a young person is. Now i understand that every bulletin
has a family behind it, i can feel their suffering. We hear the bulletin for 30 seconds, the family have to deal with it for the rest of their lives. I think you are nieve and somewhat selfish to say you don't care. I'm sure if you think hard about what
such a death actually means you would have a different mindset. And i think if, god forbid, someone close to you died in a drink related accident you would realise that your op was insensitive and wrong to say. Please don't quote me and analyse my opinion, just take it into consideration for future posts of yours.

+1

Was about to post almost exactly that.
You hear the news reports about deaths on the road and they don't really shock you until the report is about a friend. Everytime I hear a report now I can imagine the pain and suffering the families are going through.

OP your entitled to your view but I know from experience that you would probably change your mind when it's someone you know very well.

Rb · 21-06-2008 04:47PM

jaffa20 wrote: »

Would you do the same for an old guy who lives in the middle of nowhere and the only pub is 5 miles down a country road... He has been going there every friday for the last 40 years for a pint with his buddies and all of a sudden there is all these laws about drink driving and he's not sure what to do. Give up an innoncent drink... Pay for a taxi... Annoy people for a lift... Even though he knows he's still fully in control after one drink but hey that may not be what the breathaliser says. I guess he could be lucky. It depends on the person is what i'm saying. The law cannot dictate the limit of alcohol for each person before the attempt to drive. There should be some sort of test in each pub but then again, how accurate are these tests! Should there be on limit at all. People say, it takes 24 hours before alcohol is out of our system and then drinkaware.ie come up with this info that each standard drink takes and hour before it's out of your system- how ridiculous is this!

So, i wouldn't blame the people who go for an innocent drink that they have been doing for years. I would blame the law who seem to reduce the alcohol limit again and again when it can be specifiied for each individual person.

There should be a zero limit for everyone. Just because one person can tolerate drink better than another, doesn't mean they should have a specific limit set for themselves. Noone should drive if they're having a drink. If you live a bit away from the pub, tough shít, country roads are lethal and one should definitely not be drink driving on them.

Rb · 21-06-2008 04:48PM

longshanks wrote: »

i think the likes of rb and that coming on here and giving it all 'you reap what you sow, you're an idiot' etc is a bit weak and predictable.

But it's true.

If you drink a load, get into a car and crash and kill yourself, you're an idiot who has only themselves to blame. There's no excuse for it whatsoever, everyone is aware of the dangers now so if you do it, you deserve anything that happens.

The ones to really feel sorry for are the innocent victims who these fools crash into and mame, kill etc.

Rb · 21-06-2008 04:53PM

Holsten wrote: »

People giving out about going over 120km/h on for example the M50 are a bit thick too, that road and others like it are capable of speeds well above 120km/h, it's just some people arnt comfortable driving at those speeds, weather they are intimidated or simply are not good enough drivers I don't know.

Being able to put your foot down on the accelerator a bit heavier does not equal a good driver.
There's absolutely no need to go over 120kmph on a motorway. When I'm on the motorways I often experience these "confident", "good" drivers flying up the overtaking lane as though they're important and have somewhere to be, truth is they're not, there's other cars on the road and they're speeding. These so called "good, confident" drivers are the ones ploughing into people over the speed limit and causing a mess on our motorways.

There's no need for it.

AckwelFoley · 21-06-2008 05:16PM

i got 2 points yesterday for doing 120 in a 100 nmotorway stretch in limerick by a fat lesbian bizzatch.

/end rant.

My own problem really, i was speeding so eh, no hard feelings.. she was simply doing her job...
i had to do almost 800km yesterday and was pressed for tim.. but meh.. thats an excuse and there is no excuse...

So if you read this Ms police woman, what you doing tonight? Dinner.. drink.. and buttsekz?

Sherifu · 21-06-2008 05:20PM

snyper wrote: »

i got 2 points yesterday for doing 120 in a 100 nmotorway stretch in limerick by a fat lesbian bizzatch.

Was she cute? Leather?

giveth · 21-06-2008 05:34PM

Rb wrote: »

Being able to put your foot down on the accelerator a bit heavier does not equal a good driver.
There's absolutely no need to go over 120kmph on a motorway. When I'm on the motorways I often experience these "confident", "good" drivers flying up the overtaking lane as though they're important and have somewhere to be, truth is they're not, there's other cars on the road and they're speeding. These so called "good, confident" drivers are the ones ploughing into people over the speed limit and causing a mess on our motorways.

There's no need for it.

How come you only seem to be annoyed by speeding on motorways? Motorways are by far the safest roads in the country. If you look at where people die its on country roads and in urban areas (pedestrians). This is where there needs to be a crackdown on speeding - not on motorways. In countries with much less road deaths than us, people drive much faster on motorways than here (eg most of rest or Europe).

But of course you can drive 80 or 100 on country roads anyway without actually "speeding".

AckwelFoley · 21-06-2008 05:41PM

Sherifu wrote: »

Was she cute? Leather?

Do you know what the arse of a simmental bullok looks like?

what2do · 21-06-2008 05:47PM

giveth wrote: »

How come you only seem to be annoyed by speeding on motorways? Motorways are by far the safest roads in the country. If you look at where people die its on country roads and in urban areas (pedestrians). This is where there needs to be a crackdown on speeding - not on motorways. In countries with much less road deaths than us, people drive much faster on motorways than here (eg most of rest or Europe).

But of course you can drive 80 or 100 on country roads anyway without actually "speeding".

+1 on this one.... if you weigh up the number of drivers on a motorway each day versus the number of accidents it is way safer than the country roads. And where you do you see speedchecks - on the N4 on a bankholiday weekend when everyone is doing 40KPH due to the traffic!

Sherifu · 21-06-2008 05:49PM

snyper wrote: »

Do you know what the arse of a simmental bullok looks like?

No.

21-06-2008 05:53PM

I don't know.I am working in a hospital for the summer.Happened to be working in intensive care when a 17 year passenger in a car driven by a drunk driver was brought. in.Injuries horrific.I did feel sad for the girl,dead before before her prime.

Toots · 21-06-2008 06:26PM

I wouldn't say I don't care if a drink driver is killed, but I think gettiing into the driver's seat with drink on you is the most selfish and dangerous thing you could ever do.

I remember one night I was at a party in a friend's house, and the next door neighbours were having a party too. My friend's parents were away so we were having a 'free gaff', next door were having a 30th bday parth it later turned out (sunny day in June, BBQ in afternoon and lots of drink, on into the night). A few of us were in the front garden having a chat to some of the people next door, when one of their friends got into his car and tried to start the engine. We said to the neighbour 'eh ur pissed friend is trying to drive, maybe you should stop him?' but they just laughed and said he'd be grand :eek: He got out of the car and went back in and we took no more notice. About half an hour later, we see the car peeling off down the street, and weaving around the corner. Soon after that we heard the sirens, and then a cop car arrived at the next doors, and then all we could hear was this screaming coming from the back garden.

It turned out the same guy that had tried to drive earlier decided he was going to the shop. He said he'd be back in a few minutes, and left. He crashed into a chestnut tree on the green at the entrance to the estate and was killed instantly. The woman screaming next door was his wife of just under a month, they'd just gotten back from their honeymoon the week before. I have to say that was honestly one of the worst nights of my life, even though we didn't know the couple, just hearing that screaming is something I'll never forget. The only fortunate thing really is that a) she wasn't in the car with him, and b) he didn't hit anyone else. But that split second stupid decision has destroyed so many lives. Really I think if you're even contemplating having a drink, the car should stay at home, cos your judgement is impaired after even one drink, which could lead to devastating consequences. Zero tolerance FTW, then there'd be no 'grey areas' over how much is ok.

Eglinton · 22-06-2008 02:11PM

Toots85 wrote: »

I wouldn't say I don't care if a drink driver is killed, but I think gettiing into the driver's seat with drink on you is the most selfish and dangerous thing you could ever do.

I remember one night I was at a party in a friend's house, and the next door neighbours were having a party too. My friend's parents were away so we were having a 'free gaff', next door were having a 30th bday parth it later turned out (sunny day in June, BBQ in afternoon and lots of drink, on into the night). A few of us were in the front garden having a chat to some of the people next door, when one of their friends got into his car and tried to start the engine. We said to the neighbour 'eh ur pissed friend is trying to drive, maybe you should stop him?' but they just laughed and said he'd be grand :eek: He got out of the car and went back in and we took no more notice. About half an hour later, we see the car peeling off down the street, and weaving around the corner. Soon after that we heard the sirens, and then a cop car arrived at the next doors, and then all we could hear was this screaming coming from the back garden.

It turned out the same guy that had tried to drive earlier decided he was going to the shop. He said he'd be back in a few minutes, and left. He crashed into a chestnut tree on the green at the entrance to the estate and was killed instantly. The woman screaming next door was his wife of just under a month, they'd just gotten back from their honeymoon the week before. I have to say that was honestly one of the worst nights of my life, even though we didn't know the couple, just hearing that screaming is something I'll never forget. The only fortunate thing really is that a) she wasn't in the car with him, and b) he didn't hit anyone else. But that split second stupid decision has destroyed so many lives. Really I think if you're even contemplating having a drink, the car should stay at home, cos your judgement is impaired after even one drink, which could lead to devastating consequences. Zero tolerance FTW, then there'd be no 'grey areas' over how much is ok.

Very poignant story. No one is invincible no matter what they think. It's others who really bear the brunt.

Just read through the rest of the other posts. Why is it that people who drive faster than the limit think they are better drivers than those on or just below the limit? Have they gotten private lessons in high speed evasive driving from the places that train diplomatic drivers!?!

I think I am an excellent competant driver with many years experience. Yet I don't feel the need to exceed the speed limit on any road. If the motorway limit was 180km/h I would drive at that speed. But it's not so I don't.

sam34 · 22-06-2008 07:38PM

jaffa20 wrote: »

Would you do the same for an old guy who lives in the middle of nowhere and the only pub is 5 miles down a country road... Even though he knows he's still fully in control after one drink

The law cannot dictate the limit of alcohol for each person before the attempt to drive.

Yes, i would do the same, and i dont see why not. how can you and he "know he is fully in control after one drink"? drink impairs alertness, concentration and coordination and reaction times.

why cant the law dictate the alcohol limit?

Guy:Incognito · 22-06-2008 08:21PM

Toots85 wrote: »

I wouldn't say I don't care if a drink driver is killed, but I think gettiing into the driver's seat with drink on you is the most selfish and dangerous thing you could ever do.

I remember one night I was at a party in a friend's house, and the next door neighbours were having a party too. My friend's parents were away so we were having a 'free gaff', next door were having a 30th bday parth it later turned out (sunny day in June, BBQ in afternoon and lots of drink, on into the night). A few of us were in the front garden having a chat to some of the people next door, when one of their friends got into his car and tried to start the engine. We said to the neighbour 'eh ur pissed friend is trying to drive, maybe you should stop him?' but they just laughed and said he'd be grand :eek: He got out of the car and went back in and we took no more notice. About half an hour later, we see the car peeling off down the street, and weaving around the corner. Soon after that we heard the sirens, and then a cop car arrived at the next doors, and then all we could hear was this screaming coming from the back garden.

It turned out the same guy that had tried to drive earlier decided he was going to the shop. He said he'd be back in a few minutes, and left. He crashed into a chestnut tree on the green at the entrance to the estate and was killed instantly. The woman screaming next door was his wife of just under a month, they'd just gotten back from their honeymoon the week before. I have to say that was honestly one of the worst nights of my life, even though we didn't know the couple, just hearing that screaming is something I'll never forget. The only fortunate thing really is that a) she wasn't in the car with him, and b) he didn't hit anyone else. But that split second stupid decision has destroyed so many lives. Really I think if you're even contemplating having a drink, the car should stay at home, cos your judgement is impaired after even one drink, which could lead to devastating consequences. Zero tolerance FTW, then there'd be no 'grey areas' over how much is ok.

Hardly a split second decision. He seemed pretty determind to drive the car at some stage that night. He most likey asked others, who couldwell have included his wife, if they wanted anything in the shop yet no one felt the need to stop him.

No sympathy from me .

Eglinton · 22-06-2008 08:27PM

Stekelly wrote: »

Hardly a split second decision. He seemed pretty determind to drive the car at some stage that night. He most likey asked others, who couldwell have included his wife, if they wanted anything in the shop yet no one felt the need to stop him.

No sympathy from me .

Certainly a fair point. 'Friends' are supposed to look out for one another.

Rb · 22-06-2008 08:31PM

Stekelly wrote: »

No sympathy from me .

Likewise.

Rb · 22-06-2008 08:32PM

Toots85 wrote: »

I wouldn't say I don't care if a drink driver is killed, but I think gettiing into the driver's seat with drink on you is the most selfish and dangerous thing you could ever do.

I remember one night I was at a party in a friend's house, and the next door neighbours were having a party too. My friend's parents were away so we were having a 'free gaff', next door were having a 30th bday parth it later turned out (sunny day in June, BBQ in afternoon and lots of drink, on into the night). A few of us were in the front garden having a chat to some of the people next door, when one of their friends got into his car and tried to start the engine. We said to the neighbour 'eh ur pissed friend is trying to drive, maybe you should stop him?' but they just laughed and said he'd be grand :eek: He got out of the car and went back in and we took no more notice. About half an hour later, we see the car peeling off down the street, and weaving around the corner. Soon after that we heard the sirens, and then a cop car arrived at the next doors, and then all we could hear was this screaming coming from the back garden.

It turned out the same guy that had tried to drive earlier decided he was going to the shop. He said he'd be back in a few minutes, and left. He crashed into a chestnut tree on the green at the entrance to the estate and was killed instantly. The woman screaming next door was his wife of just under a month, they'd just gotten back from their honeymoon the week before. I have to say that was honestly one of the worst nights of my life, even though we didn't know the couple, just hearing that screaming is something I'll never forget. The only fortunate thing really is that a) she wasn't in the car with him, and b) he didn't hit anyone else. But that split second stupid decision has destroyed so many lives. Really I think if you're even contemplating having a drink, the car should stay at home, cos your judgement is impaired after even one drink, which could lead to devastating consequences. Zero tolerance FTW, then there'd be no 'grey areas' over how much is ok.

To be honest, if his death will prevent that same crowd of "ah he'll be grand" muttering idiots from getting into their cars and onto our roads drunk in the future then society as a whole has benefitted.

Nightwish · 22-06-2008 09:20PM

I dont feel sorry for the perpetrator of the collision, but I do feel sorry for any innocent people he/she may take with them. Just another Darwin award recipient. In this day and age there is enough information out there for people to realise the dangers of drink driving but I dont think the punishment is harsh enough for it.

Toots · 22-06-2008 09:59PM

Rb wrote: »

To be honest, if his death will prevent that same crowd of "ah he'll be grand" muttering idiots from getting into their cars and onto our roads drunk in the future then society as a whole has benefitted.

I have to agree with you there alright. I mean these were supposedly 'responsible' adults, and yet when they saw their friend who was totally pissed try to start a car, they saw nothing wrong, whereas it was us, a group of drunken stoned teenagers who pointed out that they should try and stop him. Their attitude suggested that in their group, this was possibly a common practice. I hope they learned their lesson from it. It's just sad that they'll have to live the rest of their lives knowing that if one of them had stopped him as we suggested, he'd probably be alive today.

Do you care..

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