Drink Driving...DO YOU DO IT ? ? ?

grundie · 14-12-2009 01:30PM

Driving is a pivilege, not a right. When you apply for your licence you agreeing to abide by the laws governing road use. The rules are pretty clear, you either agree to them and drive or if you don't then you have to be prepared to face the consequences.

You may not agree with the drink drive limit or a particular speed limit, but they are there to make it perfectly clear what is acceptable or not in the eyes of the law.

Different people handle alcohol differently. You may be a perfectly good driver after 4-5 pints, but to apply a different drink drive limit to different people would be impossible to implement.

By maintaining a driving licence you are agree to stay within the drink drive limit, it's the price you pay for being given such responsibility.

(awaits goody two shoes comments)

Ickle Magoo · 14-12-2009 01:34PM

I've never been in a position where I must drink and then I must drive - so I choose one or the other.

I would hate to have had a drink, even one - and then be in an accident which hurt or killed someone. I'd always be blaming myself and wondering if I could have reacted differently if I'd had no alcohol -so I just don't take the chance.

Liam Byrne · 14-12-2009 01:34PM

grundie wrote: »

By maintaining a driving licence you are agree to stay within the drink drive limit, it's the price you pay for being given such responsibility.

+1

grundie wrote: »

(awaits goody two shoes comments)

None from here, but will a "common sense post" comment do instead ?

Dragan · 14-12-2009 01:34PM

FearDark wrote: »

Yep, my local is 2miles away, No possibility of getting a taxi and walking is out of the question, so yeah - I drive, I tip away down there every saturday night, everybody does. I've done it for years, I'll continue to do it.

/awaits onslaught.

Fcukit, so many people sayin "nooooooo never" blah blah blah, course you have.

Ah well, at least if everyone does it no one can really point fingers when someone eventually dies.

Which is nice.

Liam Byrne · 14-12-2009 01:46PM

rodberg007 wrote: »

Ok here's one for ya:

If you were to have 2/3 bottles of beer(in a glass with loads of ice) over the course of 3 hours or so would that be deemed as being over the limit if I was too drive home after...??

1) The ice makes little no difference - you'll still have drunk that much alcohol.

2) Depends on the size of the bottles and what strength the alcohol is; if they're typical lager and they're the standard 330ml / 33cl bottles, then the fact that 1 pint = 568 ml will help

3.5 bottles = 2 pints, or as near as is relevant.

rodberg007 wrote: »

I don't drink pints and I guess that's where the discussion has been centered around here - people who think it's ok to have 2 pints and drive after?!

It's not "people who think"; it's pretty much the law (over 3 hours), roughly speaking.

Blisterman · 14-12-2009 02:30PM

I'd never drive after drinking at all, but I'm always worried about being over the limit the day after a big night out. How do you tell?
If hangovers are caused by alcohol withdrawl, then if you have a hangover, does that mean that the alcohol has mostly left your system?

aDeener · 14-12-2009 03:14PM

I stopped ever since i received an SUI

KarmaGarda · 14-12-2009 03:18PM

Are we talking driving with drink on you (either within the legal limit or not) or are we talking drunk driving?

Yes, I have driven with drink on me, but I have done so legally, and I may do so again in the future. I don't drive while drunk though, or, for that matter, while over the legal limit.

For the record, Death by traffic injury (including both drink and speed related accidents) doesn't even appear in the top 5 killers in Ireland*. Deaths that the main contributers of include consumption of alcohol and smoking are by far higher. The legality of alcohol and tobacco (on this forum) would makes a very interesting discussion in conjunction with this thread!

*as per 2006 figures, I can't seem to locate anything more up to date online

Blisterman · 14-12-2009 03:57PM

There's a big difference there Karmagarda. At least with Liver and heart disease, you're causing your own death. Drunk driving, you're likely to kill others.

richie spice · 14-12-2009 04:21PM

Some people can drink and drive some fellas cant.
dont see why the ones that cant shoudl ruin it for them that can by bringing the limit down even further.

why not concentrate on the fella locked off his face not makin criminals out of ordinary people havin a drink.

KarmaGarda · 14-12-2009 04:28PM

Blisterman wrote: »

There's a big difference there Karmagarda. At least with Liver and heart disease, you're causing your own death. Drunk driving, you're likely to kill others.

Not exactly as big as you would imagine. I'd hedge a bet that any violence or injury related deaths, not driving related, but involving overconsumption of either alcohol or drugs isn't awfully far from drunk drivers killing others on the road. I might have a look for some statistics on that one later to back up my (possibly ludicrous!) argument :pac:.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not condoning it. Just putting things into a bit of perspective.

pyramuid man · 14-12-2009 04:28PM

Its amazing how peoples perception of this has changed over the last fifteen years or so.
Back in the day it was seen as an accepted thing and just passed over as if it was not an offence. Thank God we have seen sense and seen how dangerous it is. I have never and will never do it. I cannot think of a situation where it could be excused.

OutlawPete · 14-12-2009 05:46PM

If I'm driving I always ask for a glass of Beer if I'm having a meal and that would be all I'd have.

Most places will bring guys the little half pint (mini pint

) glass but some places bring the tall lady glass and then I feel like a big gay

If I am going to be somewhere for a few hours then sometimes I'll have one JD with lots of ice and sip that for an hour then switch to Club Oranges.

When I was 18 I did drive drunk one night.

Went drinking in the old Pink Elephant and then we all decided to drive to Donabate beach. Crazy days and once was enough.

Haven't done it since and wouldn't do it again.

General Zod · 14-12-2009 06:16PM

I'd say alot of the people who say they don't notice any difference in their reactions after they drink 2 pints don't realise that they don't notice the difference in their reactions, their judgement and reactions are still impaired, just not to the point where they realise it.

Big Nasty · 14-12-2009 07:54PM

Used to do it a bit years ago but put a stop to it altogether about 6/7 years back. I don't even have as much as a sip now if I'm driving but may have been still over the limit the next morning a few times over the years.

TouchingVirus · 14-12-2009 09:59PM

I've blown an orange on the breathalyser once, nearly collapsed with shame and shock. Was only driving up the road about two miles too.

Before that I drove twice while having alcohol in my system.

Once from Drogheda to home for work. I'd say I might have blown an orange that time too because I got five hours kip after a heavy session. However I did manage to get stopped a checkpoint and talk to the Garda on it and he never asked for a breath sample.

Once from the SU bar to home because I wasn't comfortable leaving the car there after seeing other students put other car windows in.

But that orange on the breathalyser, it was explained to me that the tolerance for that is very small, like in the region of +/- 3mg ..that put a stop to any considerable driving under the influence. I've reveresed a car out of a driveway and parked it alongside the kerb to get out of another drivers way since then, but nothing other than that.

Bandit12 · 14-12-2009 10:24PM

Drink drivers are the lowest form of scum.

Liam Byrne · 14-12-2009 10:31PM

Bandit12 wrote: »

Drunk drivers are the lowest form of scum.

FYP.

Whosbetter? · 14-12-2009 10:34PM

Bandit12 wrote: »

Drink drivers are the lowest form of scum.

So, someone who has a glass of shandy & drives is worse than any Murderer, Paedophile or Serial Rapist?

I'd say that's a perfectly reasonable point of view alright.:rolleyes:

aDeener · 14-12-2009 11:18PM

Bandit12 wrote: »

Drink drivers are the lowest form of scum.

interesting point you raise here sir bandit, so what constitutes the highest class of scum in your expert opinion?

sky88 · 15-12-2009 12:16AM

no dont even sober drive

dannydiamond · 15-12-2009 12:36AM

I haven't read through the whole thread so don't know if it's been brought up,but alot of people who've said they never have probably have at some stage.

A couple of hours sleep after a massive bender,then getting into the car in the morning is not enough to render you sober.This is a massive problem and it largely goes unnoticed.

Captain Slow IRL · 15-12-2009 12:37AM

Drove home after a hot whiskey at last years christmas party - that's the only time.

brendansmith · 15-12-2009 12:57AM

aDeener wrote: »

interesting point you raise here sir bandit, so what constitutes the highest class of scum in your expert opinion?

soap scum

The Big Red Button · 15-12-2009 01:07AM

I have my own rules:

If I'm drinking, I don't drive that day
If I have up to 6 drinks in a night, I don't drive til after midday the following day
If I have more than that, I don't drive the following day.

Over the top and unnecessary? Absolutely! However, rather than avoiding driving the next day, I generally simply avoid drinking too much the night before, if I have somewhere to be the next day.

I never, ever want to be in a position where I am the cause of an accident. I will do what it takes and a lot more to avoid that.

Also, I need my licence. A lot more than I "need" alcohol. So I will not risk it under any circumstances.

Dudess · 15-12-2009 01:15AM

I don't drink and drive - it's risky to drink only enough to achieve a slight sense of well-being (not because that makes you dangerous but because you risk being stopped for breathalysing) so may as well just drink 7up.

aDeener wrote: »

interesting point you raise here sir bandit, so what constitutes the highest class of scum in your expert opinion?

+1

Bandit12, you've got to publish your League Table of Scum for the good of us all. Where, for instance, do single mothers feature?

Bandit12 · 15-12-2009 09:03AM

Dudess wrote: »

I don't drink and drive - it's risky to drink only enough to achieve a slight sense of well-being (not because that makes you dangerous but because you risk being stopped for breathalysing) so may as well just drink 7up.

+1

Bandit12, you've got to publish your League Table of Scum for the good of us all. Where, for instance, do single mothers feature?

Sorry dudess you lost me. What has single mother's got to do with it.

Anyone who get's behind the wheel of a car whilst drunk is scum imo and i've no sympthy for anyone who does and get's caught.

RossFixxxed · 15-12-2009 12:14PM

Bandit12 wrote: »

Sorry dudess you lost me. What has single mother's got to do with it. Anyone who get's behind the wheel of a car whilst drunk is scum imo and i've no sympthy for anyone who does and get's caught.

Broken ankle, , shin, arm in 4 places, 3 fingers, 4 ribs, one of which punctured my lung, collar bone, shoulder blade, one friend dead because of a drink driver.

So yeah they are total scum. No sympathy whatsoever for any of them. They should not be allowed drive again. I know it's personal for me so maybe breaking their left arm and right leg might stop it for a while. Drunk driving = 10 years no driving if I'm in charge. If you think I sound like a Nazi, then get in line... the one on the left.

Sea Sharp · 16-12-2009 06:36PM

How do you anonymously report someone who's lost their licences for drink driving but continues to drive?

Redpunto · 16-12-2009 06:55PM

There is no reason or situation where anybody HAS to drink and drive - anybody who thinks they "know" best and think they are capable of driving after being over the limit is a tool.

Drink Driving...DO YOU DO IT ? ? ?

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