Enjoy your summer pint, but...

Enjoy your summer pint, but...

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Discussion

CampDavid

9,145 posts

197 months

Thursday 26th April 2012
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nistock said:
Call me suspicious but there is something in your story which does not ring true. You say your insurance company refused to pay out. Why? If you were comprehensively insured they are obliged to pay out, drink or not. Even if you were third party only the insurance company would have to pay for damage to the other car. And why would anyone in their right mind have only third party cover on a MX5?
Check your policy, Drink driving is an exclusion on all of them pretty much now.

They'll pay out third party then nail you for the bill

Veloce2012

Original Poster:

8 posts

143 months

Thursday 26th April 2012
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CampDavid said:
nistock said:
Call me suspicious but there is something in your story which does not ring true. You say your insurance company refused to pay out. Why? If you were comprehensively insured they are obliged to pay out, drink or not. Even if you were third party only the insurance company would have to pay for damage to the other car. And why would anyone in their right mind have only third party cover on a MX5?
Check your policy, Drink driving is an exclusion on all of them pretty much now.

They'll pay out third party then nail you for the bill
I didn't even know at the time. Was the worst letter you could ever imagine. I'll try and fish it out as it made references to the European code that allows them to exclude it.

Chris71

21,535 posts

241 months

Thursday 26th April 2012
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MarioKart said:
Chris71 said:
I'd love to drive a load of B-roads to a nice country pub, have a few pints of interesting beer (not the Stella in the example wink) and then erase my inebriation in order to hoon back.
Could you not just have a couple of interesting beers and drive back steadily? Assuming you are within the legal limit that is.

Or is the feeling here that mixing any amount of alcohol with driving is intolerable behaviour?
Personally I'd rather do one or the other without being constrained. On occasions I have driven after a small amount of alcohol and (despite almost certainly being legal) I've felt incredibly sheepish about it!

To a certain extent I think it's a generation thing. While I accept there's nothing wrong with someone having a responsible amount of alcohol and then driving back gently I try to avoid it. Most of the people I know of my parents' generation have no such qualms.

alock said:
I assume your assumption is that 1 pint of Stella is 3 units and you process 1 unit per hour?. If that's the case then you would have to drink all 6 units at midnight for your maths to work.
Far more likely is you drink 1 pint/hour from 6pm till midnight. In this scenario you're alcohol free by midday and potentially under the limit from 9am.

The benefits of getting older are that a good night out for me is now 3 pints and home by 10:30pm
Fair point - that struck me just after I posted it. But it's still not good if you're on an all day pub crawl or something.

It begs an interesting point: If an 18 stone rugby player can be legal to drive after consuming twice as much as a normal person (due to differences in the way they process alcohol), do they still feel equally drunk when they reach the same blood alcohol concentration, say 80mg/100ml blood?

Hugo a Gogo

23,378 posts

232 months

Thursday 26th April 2012
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the exact same thing as the OP happened to me, but when I opened my eyes, there was a hot cup of tea by the side of my bed, my mum must have put it there!

drophead

1,056 posts

156 months

Thursday 26th April 2012
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Your (ex) wife sounds lovely as do your parents.

(If you are real) I hope you get back on your feet and make something of your life once again.

J4CKO

41,287 posts

199 months

Thursday 26th April 2012
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Regardless of the OP's motivation or whether the post was 100 percent gospel truth, it just doesnt matter, this can and does happen, I am not doubting the OP by the way.

We always feel so in control and if we are honest about it alot of people have a couple of pints and manage ok, some cant drive after none but operating a vehicle under the inflence of alcohol is generally a very bad idea. By going anywhere near your car, sitting, or as one poster said sleeping in it, never mind driving it you are potentially setting in action a chain of events that you are very much not in control of that can and does have a massive impact on most peoples lives.

I think common sense is what is needed, if I go out I will have pint early on, of normal lager, say at six pm, then switch to soft drinks, then go for a meal and then drive back at say 11pm, generally I only have the one nowadays but having worked for the Police and worked on intoximeters I know two pints dont put me over even straight after but I still wouldnt drive, four/five hours later I have no qualms as I feel fine and the alcohol is way below the limit. If I have been out on a big night, not that I do that much now, I just avoid driving the following day,

I think people start off with good intentions and have a little bit extra, or underestimate, most people could drink two glasses of wine and probably not go over the limit, but a nine stone woman drinking two 250ml glasses of 13 percent wine most likely will, measures are bigger and booze sometimes stronger than when the guidelines/rule of thumb were introduced.

It is easy to be a total Pariah if caught Drink Driving and true, it isnt good but not all cases are the same, getting done for kipping in your car is harsh, I have done that years ago, wouldnt now and I woudlnt drive the following day, I remember aged 19 driving to work at seven one Saturday mornign after getting in at 2.30 am, I must have been over the limit but we tend to think its a new day, we have slept so we are reset, we know now that is absolutely not the case.

Another factor is not putting ourselves out, avoiding inconvenience or a taxi fare, we are basically pretty lazy but the little inconvenience/cost now is a minimal consideration compared to geting the bus for several years.

Another point is that after that three pints, you may actually manage to get home ok, not legal but slow and steady and you will usually get away with it, but you dont have to do anything wrong and then some pillock piles into the back of you, pulls into you, soemthing that even without alcohol in your blood you couldnt have avoided but you will still get done exactly the same, it is very black and white, under the limit and you get to carry on as normal, people will sympathise and celebrate your good luck, above you get to be a pariah, and once it has started you cant take it back, so dont let it start !

road_rager

1,091 posts

198 months

Thursday 26th April 2012
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wow, I'm surprised 3 pints over a few hours put you over the limit confused

Digby

8,230 posts

245 months

Thursday 26th April 2012
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Can they not just figure a way to have an intoximeter thingy linked to a cars ignition etc.Before it will start, you have to blow into a tube and pass the test scratchchin

J4CKO

41,287 posts

199 months

Thursday 26th April 2012
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Digby said:
Can they not just figure a way to have an intoximeter thingy linked to a cars ignition etc.Before it will start, you have to blow into a tube and pass the test scratchchin
Yeah, it exists but for convicted or habitual drink drivers returning to driving, but really for the rest of us, sensible drinkers, teetolaers, Muslims or whatever it would be just another thing to spoil your day if it goes wrong and an imposition every time you started your car.

Baz Tench

5,648 posts

189 months

Thursday 26th April 2012
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road_rager said:
wow, I'm surprised 3 pints over a few hours put you over the limit confused
Everyone is different. I saw. Programme once where an oldish gent had about 5 pints and was still under the limit. Another, younger lad was over after 2 pints. Personally, I get edgy after just 1 pint as I can feel it a bit. As a result, I have a shandy when I've got the car, never any more than that. It's just not worth it.

fatboy69

9,371 posts

186 months

Thursday 26th April 2012
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The easiest way to deal with drink driving is this - a zero limit.

That way there can be no argument at all. You drink, you get stopped & you fail the breathaliser even if you have had only a half pint.

No saying 'i have only had a couple so i thought i would be alright to drive' etc etc etc.

If the limit was zero that would put an end to all of the crap & myths surrounding drinking & driving.

I would also make the minimum ban 24 months & not 12 months, & have a minimum fine of £2k.

Harsh? Maybe. However the current 'deterents' are obviously not working so maybe now is the time to be a little more draconian.


Cyder

7,045 posts

219 months

Thursday 26th April 2012
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fatboy69 said:
The easiest way to deal with drink driving is this - a zero limit.

That way there can be no argument at all. You drink, you get stopped & you fail the breathaliser even if you have had only a half pint.

No saying 'i have only had a couple so i thought i would be alright to drive' etc etc etc.

If the limit was zero that would put an end to all of the crap & myths surrounding drinking & driving.

I would also make the minimum ban 24 months & not 12 months, & have a minimum fine of £2k.

Harsh? Maybe. However the current 'deterents' are obviously not working so maybe now is the time to be a little more draconian.
You are a moron

thinfourth2

32,414 posts

203 months

Thursday 26th April 2012
quotequote all
fatboy69 said:
The easiest way to deal with drink driving is this - a zero limit.

That way there can be no argument at all. You drink, you get stopped & you fail the breathaliser even if you have had only a half pint.

No saying 'i have only had a couple so i thought i would be alright to drive' etc etc etc.

If the limit was zero that would put an end to all of the crap & myths surrounding drinking & driving.

I would also make the minimum ban 24 months & not 12 months, & have a minimum fine of £2k.

Harsh? Maybe. However the current 'deterents' are obviously not working so maybe now is the time to be a little more draconian.
So same punishment for cough mixture as for ten pints

I'll have ten pints please

Also i live miles from anywhere and a taxi is about £30 from the nearest town. i often go out and have a meal with a beer. i enjoy it and i'm not breaking the law. Why the fk should i have something i enjoy doing stopped because of some wee prick on a high horse.

I want whatever you do banned because it increases the risk of someone getting hurt. And i don't give a fk what you enjoy it involves a risk to someone.

MX7

7,902 posts

173 months

Thursday 26th April 2012
quotequote all
fatboy69 said:
The easiest way to deal with drink driving is this - a zero limit.

That way there can be no argument at all. You drink, you get stopped & you fail the breathaliser even if you have had only a half pint.

No saying 'i have only had a couple so i thought i would be alright to drive' etc etc etc.

If the limit was zero that would put an end to all of the crap & myths surrounding drinking & driving.

I would also make the minimum ban 24 months & not 12 months, & have a minimum fine of £2k.

Harsh? Maybe. However the current 'deterents' are obviously not working so maybe now is the time to be a little more draconian.
Why not just ban alcohol and be done with it?

I'd hate to live in a society where legislation is created to cater for the dimmest.

fatboy69

9,371 posts

186 months

Thursday 26th April 2012
quotequote all
Pardon me for having an opinion. I had forgotten that free speech wasn't allowed anymore. I think the insults are unfounded however you are entitled to your opinion so I will refrain from calling you a tt!

If a zero limit is not an option what do you suggest? Serious question so a sensible answer would be good.


OllieC

3,816 posts

213 months

Thursday 26th April 2012
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fatboy69 said:
Pardon me for having an opinion. I had forgotten that free speech wasn't allowed anymore. I think the insults are unfounded however you are entitled to your opinion so I will refrain from calling you a tt!

If a zero limit is not an option what do you suggest? Serious question so a sensible answer would be good.
existing limit is fine, we just need to do all we can (collectively) to ensure it is adhered to.

fatboy69

9,371 posts

186 months

Thursday 26th April 2012
quotequote all
OllieC said:
existing limit is fine, we just need to do all we can (collectively) to ensure it is adhered to.
Yes but the constant anti drink drive campaigns don't work do they? Year after year, at Xmas & new year in particular, the don't drink & drive adverts are shown over & over yet still we get dozens of cocktards who fail the breath test so how else do you achieve the aim?

Maybe a zero limit is very the top but what else can be done?

I don't want. Jon the 'ban this, ban that' mob however I just don't see what else plod & the government can do o get the message across.

Irish

3,991 posts

238 months

Thursday 26th April 2012
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fatboy69 said:
Yes but the constant anti drink drive campaigns don't work do they? Year after year, at Xmas & new year in particular, the don't drink & drive adverts are shown over & over yet still we get dozens of cocktards who fail the breath test so how else do you achieve the aim?

Maybe a zero limit is very the top but what else can be done?

I don't want. Jon the 'ban this, ban that' mob however I just don't see what else plod & the government can do o get the message across.
The current limit is damn near zero. Sorry fb69 but you argument could be applied to speeding and a number of similar offences. OP - good thread.

fatboy69

9,371 posts

186 months

Thursday 26th April 2012
quotequote all
Irish said:
The current limit is damn near zero. Sorry fb69 but you argument could be applied to speeding and a number of similar offences. OP - good thread.
Fair point Irish & more eloquently put than simply calling me a moron just because i dared post to a comment on here.

DD is an emotive subject & whilst i dont want to ban everything that people enjoy - smoking, drinking, driving (not together obviously), hunting etc - we all know that DD is a killer, as is speeding, & as i have just said how else do you get the message over to those who know the limit yet still choose to drive when they know they shouldnt.

I know the same applies to speeding & i would ask the same question there - what do you do to stamp it out?

That was my point, badly put across i think, with my initial post re a zero limit. However many other countries have limits substantially lower than ours.

Estonia, Malta, Romania & Hungary to name four have a zero limit with Norway, Poland & Sweden having a limit of 0.2mg per milliletre & countries such as Italy, Belgium, Denmark, Austria, Poland, Spain, Turkey, Cyprus & Germany all having a lower limit that us which 0.5mg per millilitre - reduced to 0.3mg per ml in Germany in an RTA.

I was just making a suggestion thats all. So who has a more workable solution?


MX7

7,902 posts

173 months

Thursday 26th April 2012
quotequote all
fatboy69 said:
Yes but the constant anti drink drive campaigns don't work do they? Year after year, at Xmas & new year in particular, the don't drink & drive adverts are shown over & over yet still we get dozens of cocktards who fail the breath test so how else do you achieve the aim?
By having a realistic aim. No country has eliminated DD, even those with zero tolerance. All you would be doing is preventing millions of people from doing something that they enjoy doing, completely within the law, while having very little impact on those who persistently DD because they simply don't care what the limit is.