RE: DD Limit Stays
Thursday 21st March 2002
DD Limit Stays
No reduction in alcohol limit says British Minister
Discussion
What gets my goat is Drink Driving and Drug Driving are to be 'Enforced' by Campaigns.. This I'm sure has nothing to do with the fact that it costs time and money to prosecute someone for either DD, but plonk a nice speed camera and let it snap away, soon makes it costs doesn't it. As was said below, Hypocrisy is the Govts watchword it seems.
I think the Government are right on this one (for once) in not reducing the DD limit and standing up to the 'safety campaigners'.
The current 80mg limit was decided upon back in the sixties and based on the findings of a large scale scientific test into the effects of alcohol on drivers in the USA. The limit was adopted by many countries. There is minimal evidence to suggest that reducing the limit would really cut road casualties but it would have a seriously detrimental effect on pubs, restaurants, sports clubs etc, particularly in rural areas.
'Safety campaigners' will always argue that if any lives are saved, and I imagine a small number would be, reducing the limit makes sense. Not everything can come down to safety, otherwise we might as well have strictly enforced 20mph speed limits everywhere. Think how many lives that would save... in fact we might as well go back to the man with the red flag and 4mph.
The current 80mg limit was decided upon back in the sixties and based on the findings of a large scale scientific test into the effects of alcohol on drivers in the USA. The limit was adopted by many countries. There is minimal evidence to suggest that reducing the limit would really cut road casualties but it would have a seriously detrimental effect on pubs, restaurants, sports clubs etc, particularly in rural areas.
'Safety campaigners' will always argue that if any lives are saved, and I imagine a small number would be, reducing the limit makes sense. Not everything can come down to safety, otherwise we might as well have strictly enforced 20mph speed limits everywhere. Think how many lives that would save... in fact we might as well go back to the man with the red flag and 4mph.
There are two kinds of "drunk" drivers.
Firstly, those who try hard not to offend but find themselves caught either by having one drink they shouldn't have had or by still being over the limit the morning after and not realising it. Although I NEVER drink and drive in the same evening, I could I suppose fall foul of the latter. The limit is there because otherwise those honestly trying to obey the law would find it almost imposible and a small amount of alcohol seems to have an acceptably small impact on driving ability. The law should treat such people with understanding.
Type two (and I had the pleasure of detaining one of these a few years ago after he had an accident) don't care about the law and will drink as much as they f*****g well like and then jump in their car and try to drive. The one I collared couldn't stand up or speak properly, let alone drive. Stupid, selfish c**ts like these should never drive a car again, they should be publicly flogged and left chained up for passers-by to jeer and throw stones at until they starve or die of their injuries. They have no excuse, they are a menace to themselves and others and have no place on the road.
Leave the limit where it is but change the treatment of "drunk" drivers to recognise that they're not all the same.
Firstly, those who try hard not to offend but find themselves caught either by having one drink they shouldn't have had or by still being over the limit the morning after and not realising it. Although I NEVER drink and drive in the same evening, I could I suppose fall foul of the latter. The limit is there because otherwise those honestly trying to obey the law would find it almost imposible and a small amount of alcohol seems to have an acceptably small impact on driving ability. The law should treat such people with understanding.
Type two (and I had the pleasure of detaining one of these a few years ago after he had an accident) don't care about the law and will drink as much as they f*****g well like and then jump in their car and try to drive. The one I collared couldn't stand up or speak properly, let alone drive. Stupid, selfish c**ts like these should never drive a car again, they should be publicly flogged and left chained up for passers-by to jeer and throw stones at until they starve or die of their injuries. They have no excuse, they are a menace to themselves and others and have no place on the road.
Leave the limit where it is but change the treatment of "drunk" drivers to recognise that they're not all the same.
Mostly agree with your post Steve, just one small point. Very small amounts of alcohol actually reduce accident rates from 1 to 0.97. Not sure why this is but several independant pieces of research confirm it to be so. That indicates the govt for once have got it right. Well I guess we have to win a few. 
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