Attitudes to drink driving

Snickers Man · 12-11-2015 07:08PM #1

The publicity given to the recent tragic case of Ciaran Treacy, the four year old killed in a road accident involving a man who was driving after drinking about 10 pints of cider, has revitalised the issue of drinking and driving.

There have been many threads on this in the past but I would like to get a more detailed picture of people's attitudes. It has been suggested to me that it is people of my age group (50+) who are now more likely to drink and drive than younger people because attitudes have changed thanks to awareness campaigns and, let's face it, detection rates.

Personally, I have never knowingly got pissed and driven. I always restricted my intake if I was driving and religiously held to the adage that "two will do" which was the best advice given to my generation several years ago.

Nowadays the mantra is "Never EVER drink and drive" I personally think that's a load of old bollox but then I am rapidly approaching cranky old man status.

I get very irritated by hand wringing columnists like Miriam Donohe writing that "It should not be acceptable to get behind the wheel of a car with any drink on board. Forget about drink-driving limits."

Here she is equating someone who has one or two pints in the pub after a hard day at the office before driving home with somebody who downs a gallon or so of cider and then staggers into the car. They are NOT morally equivalent.

Or so say I. But what do the rest of you think?

And is it true that younger people are more intolerant of people driving after drinking a legal amount of alcohol than are us older ones?

sonny.knowles · 12-11-2015 07:10PM

I frown upon it.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 12-11-2015 07:11PM

I agree with her on a zero limit.

Younger people are more tolerant because they haven't had to see, or live with, the consequences yet.

ElleEm · 12-11-2015 07:15PM

I would never touch a drink when driving. It is a better view to have as people don't self regulate well. We don't count properly in units, people think food helps absorb drink and people are also stupidly confident with drink on them.

Turtyturd · 12-11-2015 07:16PM

Younger people are more tolerant of drink driving?

Sounds like generalised 'damn kids' bullsh!t to me.

12-11-2015 07:16PM

It's just a complete culture change. Many in my age group and older would regale of days of drinking blind drunk and thought nothing of it, and remember the days when we would think nothing of cramming 6 into a Starlet after a match and a few pints or coming home from the local disco with a jarred driver in the early hours.

It's the same thing with baby seats. Grew up in an era when kids would be in the front seat with no seat belt. But you wouldn't dream of it now. Cars are more powerful, far more dangerous, Gardai are more vigilant, public opinion has gone completely against it.

super_furry · 12-11-2015 07:18PM

I don't know of anyone under the age of 40 who has drove with drink on them or would even consider it. It seems like it's almost exclusively the older generations.

jamesbere · 12-11-2015 07:20PM

It should be zero limit, if your stupid enough to drink drive you should have your licence taken off you on the spot. This attitude of ah shur I'll chance it needs to be stamped out.

jamesbere · 12-11-2015 07:22PM

super_furry wrote: »

I don't know of anyone under the age of 40 who has drove with drink on them or would even consider it. It seems like it's almost exclusively the older generations.

I've known plenty under 40 that have done it, utterly stupid decision making in my mind.

Mesrine65 · 12-11-2015 07:22PM

I'm 50 & would never & have never ridden my motorcycle with drink taken...

I love it too much to lose my licence over it, let alone smashing it/myself or an innocent up.

I'm also a regular cannabis smoker, same rules apply...always!

The Backwards Man · 12-11-2015 07:25PM

In my opinion, you need two things to improve road safety in general, law enforcement and peer pressure. It's not just drink driving, but mobile phone use, reckless driving, failing to wear seatbelts, you need the fear of falling foul of the law and the guidance of family, friends and society in general to ensure that drivers take responsibility for their own safety and the safety of others.

In the case of drink driving, the 'ah shure be grand (s)he's only going up the road' mentality coupled with the complete lack of enforcement is quickly becoming the norm once again all over the country. You would literally have to run someone over these days to be breathalysed in some areas, and that's not an exaggeration. It's starting to creep in the younger age groups too.

Another major problem I see on the roads lately is unrestrained kids in cars. I'd say it's worse now than it was in the 80s, belt up your kids folks.

smurfjed · 12-11-2015 07:32PM

My personal limit is ZERO, i have to report any drink related driving issue every 6 months, so if i get convicted I lose my job and my licence would be suspended pending alcoholic rehabilitation, so just not worth it.

ElleEm · 12-11-2015 07:34PM

smurfjed wrote: »

if i get convicted I lose my job and my licence would be suspended pending alcoholic rehabilitation, so just not worth it.

And all the death it might cause. That is a real buzz kill!

corner of hells · 12-11-2015 07:52PM

My family have been devastated by drink driving with one cousin dead as a result of his drink driving , his father responsible for the death of a cyclist and with multiple convictions and another uncle managing to get a ban for I think ten years.

So I've never driven under the influence.

Tasden · 12-11-2015 07:58PM

I don't drive so my opinion on this is probably not valid as such, but I'd never drive after drinking, even if it was only one.

TheNobleKipper · 12-11-2015 08:13PM

I have a pet hatred of drink drivers, and I grew up with a parent who drank in the car while driving. I don't mind having a pint/ glass of wine when out for dinner and you're staying in the same place for quite a while....but it's completely beyond me how anyone could ever think it's a good idea to have several drinks and get behind the wheel.

The Dogs Bollix · 12-11-2015 08:15PM

I've done it before. No excuse.

Tasden · 12-11-2015 08:17PM

I don't understand the "only one" argument. If its only one and it does absolutely nothing to you/doesn't make you tipsy or whatever then why bother at all? Have a soft drink instead. If it does make you a little bit "relaxed" or however you want to phrase it, then it has altered your brain in some way and you should not drive, regardless of whether it will have "worn off" or not.

Sonics2k · 12-11-2015 08:21PM

Not to brag, but I know I'm a good driver.

With that said, I would never drive after a single drink and frankly I think anyone who does drive should have their licence revoked for 6 months, and anyone who knocks someone over should be charged with murder.

suicide_circus · 12-11-2015 08:26PM

99% of people think they're a good driver, self analysis is pretty useless here since the true figure isn't anywhere near that.

Totally stupid to have a drink of any kind and get behind the wheel.

AnonoBoy · 12-11-2015 08:30PM

The Backwards Man wrote: »

It's not just drink driving, but mobile phone use, reckless driving, failing to wear seatbelts, you need the fear of falling foul of the law and the guidance of family, friends and society in general to ensure that drivers take responsibility for their own safety and the safety of others.

I was a passenger in a car on the motorway recently. The car ahead of us was doing around 100 kph then speeding up to 120 then slowing again. As we moved out and overtook it I glanced over to see the driver of the car happily scrolling through stuff on their phone.

Incredibly stupid. You're on a motorway and checking Facebook? Some people shouldn't be allowed to drive.

One eyed Jack · 12-11-2015 08:44PM

suicide_circus wrote: »

99% of people think they're a good driver, self analysis is pretty useless here since the true figure isn't anywhere near that.

Totally stupid to have a drink of any kind and get behind the wheel.

Far too simplistic this really, but I'm going to go on the idea that you meant an alcoholic drink of any kind, and get behind the wheel.

The problem isn't actually the amount of alcohol a person drinks, it's their attitude to drink, and this thread is going to be full of "I'd never get behind the wheel after a drink". Well that's great.

But there aren't going to be too many will admit that they feel they should be entitled to consume as much alcohol as they like, and drive, which makes a thread like this fairly pointless.

Tarzana2 · 12-11-2015 09:37PM

AnonoBoy wrote: »

I was a passenger in a car on the motorway recently. The car ahead of us was doing around 100 kph then speeding up to 120 then slowing again. As we moved out and overtook it I glanced over to see the driver of the car happily scrolling through stuff on their phone.

Incredibly stupid. You're on a motorway and checking Facebook? Some people shouldn't be allowed to drive.

Totally reckless.

I hate when drink driving proponents bring up stuff like "Yeah, well nobody has a problem with people using their phone when driving!" Wrong! Lots of people have a problem with it!

syklops · 12-11-2015 09:53PM

Tasden wrote: »

I don't drive so my opinion on this is probably not valid as such, but I'd never drive after drinking, even if it was only one.

Also don't drive, but, I can't imagine going for a couple and then driving. I'd rather get a few cans or a bottle of wine and go home. Feet up and relax. Not have a drive home when im wobbly on my feet ahead of me.

Im a big guy. And I like a pint and some days I could have 3 pints and not feel buzzed, but I think its a dangerous habit to get into, because there have been a few times when i missed lunch or maybe was just under the weather when 2 pints had me well buzzed. Getting into a car and driving.... No.

Inspector Coptoor · 12-11-2015 09:57PM

Depends on context.
Depends on size of the person and the social equation in question.

I recently attended a wedding.
Drove to the church, then drove to the reception for 16:00.
Had a bottle of beer.
18:00 - glass of red with dinner.
Sparkling water for the rest of the night.
Drove home at 01:30.

Fail to see the issue.

This is in stark contrast with going into the pub, lashing in two quick pints and then driving somewhere.

shugy · 12-11-2015 10:03PM

Nothing wrong with drink driving as long as one knows his/her limit. People keep going on about this one and that one died because of it. That's ballix IMO, people die on the roads every day of the week and we never hear about it. I don't agree with drinking 10 pints and getting behind the wheel but a few pints, ffs giver your head a shake.

12-11-2015 10:06PM

30 and wouldn't think twice about driving after 2 pints.

The whole "oh I won't even smell a drink if I'm driving" is sensationalist nonsense. Particularly as half the people who say it don't think twice about driving the next day when they could well be over the limit too. It's not the people with 2 or 3 pints that are the problem it's people totally hammered that are a huge danger on the road.

Tarzana2 · 12-11-2015 10:25PM

Inspector Coptoor wrote: »

Depends on context.
Depends on size of the person and the social equation in question.

I recently attended a wedding.
Drove to the church, then drove to the reception for 16:00.
Had a bottle of beer.
18:00 - glass of red with dinner.
Sparkling water for the rest of the night.
Drove home at 01:30.

Fail to see the issue.

This is in stark contrast with going into the pub, lashing in two quick pints and then driving somewhere.

That seems fine, plenty of time for the effects to wear off.

Tarzana2 · 12-11-2015 10:26PM

Beau Unkempt Package wrote: »

30 and wouldn't think twice about driving after 2 pints.

The whole "oh I won't even smell a drink if I'm driving" is sensationalist nonsense. Particularly as half the people who say it don't think twice about driving the next day when they could well be over the limit too. It's not the people with 2 or 3 pints that are the problem it's people totally hammered that are a huge danger on the road.

Well, happily the law disagrees with you.

crosstownk · 12-11-2015 10:36PM

While I've no real problem with someone having one small glass of wine over a meal and not driving until a few hours after, I do think the limit should be zero. That gets rid of speculation as to whether someone has or hasn't 'one too many' to drive. It's just zero and simple.

bruschi · 12-11-2015 10:41PM

Beau Unkempt Package wrote: »

30 and wouldn't think twice about driving after 2 pints.

The whole "oh I won't even smell a drink if I'm driving" is sensationalist nonsense. Particularly as half the people who say it don't think twice about driving the next day when they could well be over the limit too. It's not the people with 2 or 3 pints that are the problem it's people totally hammered that are a huge danger on the road.

totally disagree. couldn't disagree more to be honest. The people who are the biggest danger are the ones with only 3 or 4 pints in them, as they think they are fine and drive as if they are fine, keeping on speeding and not taking any precaution to an inhibited position. Those that are hammered are also dangerous no doubt, but many when absolutely hammered barely go any speed at all and are more a danger to themselves driving slow as they know they are hammered and they react to that by changing their driving style.

Its the ones who think that the drink hasnt affected them that are by far the bigger concern.

Attitudes to drink driving

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