one for the road....

[Tom B]

.....surely the time has come to make it unlawful to have any alcohol prior to driving?

Not because one drink will necessarily make you drive any worse (yes/no - could be argued either way) - but because one drink leads to another and to another and then through clouded judgement to a decision to drive.

Maybe I've been there in the past, but a clear rule and help to enforce it would surely help everybody?

[bill]

Agree wholeheartedly.

Zero tolerance.

You drink,you do'nt drive.

[daftdog]

I would agree on that. If you want a drink, then either get a lift, walk, bus or taxi home.

If you are breathalysed and found to have alcohol in your system, you should be automatically banned from driving for a set time limit per milligrams of alcohol in your system (min 30 days etc), thus cutting out the valuable court time and costs. Only needing to appear in court if you are involved in an accident or are caught twice by stop and breathalysed means.

The brewery's and/or publicans should be taking a more positive approach at this time of year also. Why not have non alcoholic and alcohol free drinks promotions for drivers. The government could even make alcohol free drinks vat free for bars and restaurants from the 10th Dec until 10th January etc

[Sweltered]

Completely agree. Personally I will not drive with even 1 drink.

[Bobbie En Tejas]

.....surely the time has come to make it unlawful to have any alcohol prior to driving?

Not because one drink will necessarily make you drive any worse (yes/no - could be argued either way) - but because one drink leads to another and to another and then through clouded judgement to a decision to drive.

Maybe I've been there in the past, but a clear rule and help to enforce it would surely help everybody?

If a person has no control over their drinking, there is usually a term for that. There are many people out there who can have a glass of wine or even order a beer and leave half of it. Strange but true. If one drink doesn't make a person's driving worse, why penalize everyone because some people can't control their drinking?

[Sweltered]

I don't see how a zero tolerance approach to having alcohol in your system is penalising everyone. Having a limit is rediculous as booze affects everyone differently. One drink could impair an individual, whereas it may take several drinks to have the same effect on another person. Surely it is better that no-one gets behind the wheel with ANY alcohol in their system ( you can include drugs in this too)

[Bobbie En Tejas]

I think they have studied blood alcohol levels and its effects enough for it to be a pretty good gauge of how it will affect a person.

[Beachcomber]

"Zero-Tolerance" is a no-brainer, when applied to blood-alcohol levels because the human body naturally produces alcohol as a part of its natural biological processes.

You might never have taken an alcoholic drink in your life but you would register >zero for alcohol, albeit by a very small degree.

[Sweltered]

Splitting hairs. Of course there may be people who register a miniscule amount that is naturally produced, but I find it hard to believe theres many people walking about producing anywhere near a level that would impair, but it is plausible for a few people. After Linford Christie had all that naturally occurring nandrolone in him

Why would anyone want to argue FOR drink driving? If you can't go without a drink, knowing that you'll be driving, then you should be seeking help.

[Bobbie En Tejas]

Good grief, Sweltered... its not a matter of CAN'T go without a drink.. its a matter that if I go out to dinner, I don't feel that having a glass of wine is going to impair my judgment or my driving. Do people realize that you cannot regulate absolutely everything in this life? Regulate impaired driving, which means too tired, too angry, too drunk, too stoned, too distracted, too too too... whatever...

You might want to regulate cough syrup..

[daftdog]

Regulate impaired driving, which means too tired, too angry, too drunk, too stoned, too distracted, too too too... whatever...

You might want to regulate cough syrup..

What a stupid point you are trying to make.

If you are any of these things, you really should not be driving bobbie. Would you get on public transport if you knew the driver was any of these??

[Sweltered]

You automatically assumed I meant illegal drugs...... I didn't, I was including ANY drug which may impair. THATS why there are WARNINGS on the labels

Just because you don't "feel" like a glass of wine will affect you, doesn't mean it won't Bobbie. I am not advocating regulating everything in life, this is something that is ALREADY regulated. Obviously you shouldn't drive if too tired, angry etc, but alcohol exasperates both of these. The stoned reference was odd since that is already catered for under the law.

I quite often feel like having a beer or a glass of wine with dinner, even if my wife offers to drive, I don't often have a drink. I don't need it so I don't have it.

Is this anything to do with the fact that Americans NEVER deny themselves anything. We went to a hockey game the other night and it was appalling the number of places that sold beer. OK there's a 2 beer maximum, but it didn't seem to be regulated. I was in a suite with free food and beer, and enjoyed the game perfectly well with my Sprite. I had to drive home and I would rather not have it on my conscious if I had a crash (which is all to easy here, fault or no) if I had even one beer in me. DUI's don't seem to mean an awful lot over here, I would rather not join the ranks of people who have them.

[Annie]

You might want to regulate cough syrup...

Just a small point ...

Well, some cough syrups (cold medicines and and allergy medications, etc.) are already regulated in a way. Most of them are now held behind the counter, and you have to ask the pharmacist for what you want, because they are a basic ingredient to make ice (crystal meth).

[Sweltered]

[peaceseeker]

Agree totally. 1 drink = NO drive.

In fact we were discussing this the other night. They need to start selling off - totally contradictory - pub car parks.

If I plan a night on the ale, then I also add in bus/taxi fares as part of the night's budget. If I can't afford it, I wont go. Simple as that.