Good thing too.

[Saz]

I am self confessed binge drinker. If I had to drive I would not go out simple, none this DES nonsense for me, rather not bother. I either stay in or go out and get completely wasted (zedfesters will testify). I do not see the point in 1 drink, personally I just would not bother.

I can not understand why anyone would want to risk their licence over 1 flipping drink, you do not even feel tipsy so whats the point?

My licence is more important to me which is why I stay in drink cheap booze and smoke as many as I want without the law intruding in what I can and can not do. I also do not drive the morning after a session, not because I could run a pedestrian over but because I do not want to lose my licence or increase my insurance policy

I probably sound like your stereotypical Saturday night Town Centre drinker but hey ho! My experience that it is not the young ones who are the drink drivers, more the older business man that thinks he is above the law!

 

[Mr Ex]

What about that peer that got off killing someone whilst tapping out a text message on his mobile ?

To me that was all wrong he should have had a jail sentence plus a ban when he came out.

 

[vpulsar]

YES, but if they bring in zero tolerance the one who is allowed to drink coz they ain't driving won't know when they have totally got ALL the alcohol out of there system before driving the next day.
When you go to a barbie you don't swill it down with water & pop, it's either wine or cans/ bottles of booze, I only have one or two, But normally I don't drink or drive.
I have a strong Bacardi on a Saturday night at home so if they bring in zero I'll have to make sure I don't drive Sunday (how boring) but what if it's a nice day & need to go to B&Q for some diy stuff, yes this zero thing is really gonna balls things up.

Are you expecting sympathy ?, Because you wont get any from me .

What you're saying is that you're one of those people who can't have a good time with out alcohol in your system, That's not our problem it's yours I'm afraid. I think zero tolerance for drivers is the way forward, People will just have to modify their behavior .

Being a part time taxi driver I make my living out of the sensible people .



Rob

 

[Mr Ex]

OK,
Lets say for example, and its just an example as I am no expert on limits etc,

I have a Saturday night in with my wife, have a nice Chicken Tikka Bhoona, 2 or 3 bottles of beer/lager and say a tipple of my choice, a nice malt whisky. Go to bed , say around 11.00 ish, boring, I know, but for me, a nice, chilled Saturday night.

Get up around 8.00am, which is a long lie for me, have brekky, wash the car and my wife says to me, "nip to B&Q and get a can of paint"
I jump into the car at say, 12 ish. A mile down the road I get stopped for a road side spot check. The breathaliser indicates I am 1ml over the limit, am I a drunk driver ?
Surely, I am a driver, who has been drinking ? Which in my eyes, is totally different ?
Or am I missing something ?
Should there not be a law that separates drink driving and drunk driving, the same as in Texas for example ?

As I could be sitting there waiting to be charged with being a drunkard, some guy could be driving by me with a cold, stuffed up on Benylin or Lemsips or whatever, if he was stopped, he could be half asleep with medication but would drive away scot free ?? Or some daft wee lassie, changing CD`s and on the phone, while doing her hair at the same time ! Who was the biggest danger at that particular time ?

Great thread this and many different points of view, which makes it all the more interesting. If it is too be Zero Tolerance, I take it thats its based on a safety issue ?
How many who voted for Zero Tolerance broke the speed limit today, and be honest in your thoughts ? I will hazard a guess, that speed plays more part in accidents etc than anything else, apart from careless driving perhaps ?

Dont know if my opinions count on this forum, as I dont post up that much, but I am a 47 year old Father of one, and part of my job involves covering the 24hr breakdown and recovery section of my firm, so I have attended such incidents as Arkwright so vividly remembers, and they are not pleasant. Kids involved always made me have a lump in my throat. I will add tho, that the majority of accidents I attended were down too speed, or carelesness.

I will also venture to state here, that I in no way, shape or form can condone the taking of alcohol to excess and driving. Last night, my wife and I went to see Jools Holland at the SEC in Glasgow. We arrived early, and as such went to the restaurant for a bite to eat. We both had three drinks each. My wifes were all alcoholic and mine was a 275ml bottle of Magners and 2 Pepsi, why ? Becoz I knew I was driving home !!!

Apoligies for the long winded reply,

Alan..............

I fully agree, I don't even have one alcoholic drink though when I'm driving except if we've gone to a barbie , then I'll have one or two cans.

 

[vpulsar]

It seems that you haven't been to billing or zedfest, can't imagine Saz,Andy & many others only drinking water. So that means if you can't drive the day after you might as well go home Saturday night.

I've been to many overnight car shows at santapod/billing ect ect over the years but have never felt the need to get pissed to have a good time, Just meeting up with the other people and having a good laugh is all the stimulus need.

How many who voted for Zero Tolerance broke the speed limit today, and be honest in your thoughts ?.

Of cause I speed who doesn't, But being older and wiser I don't speed in built up area's and while I am speeding I'm not under the influence of drugs or alcohol, On the other hand people who do drink and drive have their judgment impaired by said drugs and alcohol and who are the people who are normally responsible for a lot of the deaths of innocent people going about their business on our roads and foot paths.




Rob

 

[Mr Ex]

Are you expecting sympathy ?, Because you wont get any from me .

What you're saying is that you're one of those people who can't have a good time with out alcohol in your system, That's not our problem it's yours I'm afraid. I think zero tolerance for drivers is the way forward, People will just have to modify their behavior .

Being a part time taxi driver I make my living out of the sensible people .



Rob

What about people like me who use mouth wash, wouldn't like to think that was enough to get me banned.

 

[vpulsar]

What about people like me who use mouth wash, wouldn't like to think that was enough to get me banned.

Now you're grabbing at straws to try and win some sympathy from us all .

Their are plenty of NON alcoholic mouth wash's available to purchase my friend .





Rob

 

[Mr Ex]

for some people the new lower limit will make no difference as if they have not been caught they will think they are getting away with it but if it saves lives then it must be a good thing !!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's ok thinking like that,but did you have a few drinks at zedfest? if so how do you know you had zero alcohol in your body when you went home on Sunday?

 

[Saz]

I can not have a good night without a drink, that must sound really bad but seriously first thing I do after work is have a beer!

 

[Mr Ex]

Now you're grabbing at straws to try and win some sympathy from us all .

Their are plenty of NON alcoholic mouth wash's available to purchase my friend .





Rob

I don't always use the same brand just grab it at supermarket when needed, got one yesterday different brand to the empty one, both have alcohol in.

 

[Mr Ex]

I can not have a good night without a drink, that must sound really bad but seriously first thing I do after work is have a beer!

Then you drive to work the next day, so with zero tolerance that will have to stop.

 

[Saz]

Then you drive to work the next day, so with zero tolerance that will have to stop.

Yes you are right it would have to stop I would stop working and go on the Roley Poley

 

[Mr Ex]

Just one thought vpulsar, I had a large Bacardi/J20 last night, mouth wash this morning, can still press the right buttons on the key board so I must be fit enough to drive.

 

[vpulsar]

Just one thought vpulsar, I had a large Bacardi/J20 last night, mouth wash this morning, can still press the right buttons on the key board so I must be fit enough to drive.

LoL good effort my deluded friend .

As far as mouth wash goes you will just have to read the label for a change wont you, It's not that hard you know , Even for me and I'm dyslexic .

But seriously do you lot of die hard drinkers realise just how sad you sound , Drinking at home is just sad in my opinion. But I'm not really unbiased on this subject having been bought up by two heavy drinking parents who may of clouded my objectivity on this subject, My step father has been banned twice for drink driving and even nearly been killed in another drink fueled accident, Where he was thrown over a 100 yards down the road after going through the screen, The driver was killed outright as was the driver of the car they hit, A nice sober man going about his business .



Rob

 

[Saz]

I do not think I sound sad at all. I work hard for my money and enjoy a drink paid for with that money! I also come from a family with alcoholics in, also certain members have been banned for drink driving on more than one occasion. It does not mean I am going to make the same mistakes though. I value my licence dearly.

 

[vpulsar]

I do not think I sound sad at all. I work hard for my money and enjoy a drink paid for with that money! I also come from a family with alcoholics in, also certain members have been banned for drink driving on more than one occasion. It does not mean I am going to make the same mistakes though. I value my licence dearly.

People from families like ours tend to go one of two ways in their own lives, They either follow in their parents foot steps as you have, though you seem to delude yourself that somehow you're different when you clearly can't survive with out having a drink on a daily basis, On the other hand I and my 2 brothers never touch a drop and also don't have the same filthy smoking habit as our parents did.

My fathers second wife burned herself to death in a drunken stupor when she feel asleep on the sofa while smoking, and both her parents and sister where all the same sad alcoholics.

I guess some people learn and some don't .




Rob

 

[Saz]

I am not deluded I have stated I like a drink on a daily basis. I do not drink and drive though. In my defence I am holding down a full time job whilst doing 3 hours study a night, sometimes more, towards my degree and keeping the house running, I am a very indepenent young woman who puts a lot of effort in and enjoys a little relaxation in return. I break no laws, have not so much as a speeding fine to my name and I am proud of what I am doing.

 

[Mr Ex]

Drinking at home is just sad in my opinion.



Rob

Better than drinking & driving don't you think?

As you sound like a none drinking self-righteous person, answer this "when did you last have a speeding ticket or made an insurance claim"?

 

[vpulsar]

I am proud of what I am doing.

Proud of having to drink everyday ?, Proud of going out and drinking yourself into a coma at weekends ?.

That's the kind of proud I can live with out.

But I'm a big believer in letting people do what they like with their lives if it doesn't impact on others, So ENJOY .




Rob

 

[Mr Ex]

I've been to many overnight car shows at santapod/billing ect ect over the years but have never felt the need to get pissed to have a good time, Just meeting up with the other people and having a good laugh is all the stimulus need.







Rob

After seeing all the empty cans at zedfest there must have been a lot more drinkers there than non-drinkers.