Chris Tarrant - Drink Drive

[Solocle]

Perhpas there should be some link between the distance driven while drunk and the length of the ban? 2 miles on a country lane isn't remotely comparable to a drunk driver crossing London. I think the current sentencing is a bit one size fits all.

[JakeT]

I didn't realise he lived so close to me. I frequent The Bladebone and have never seen him there. But saying that, I'm glad he got a ban. It looks like a straight road, but it's got plenty of cyclists, walkers and runners at all times of the day. Not to mention there's a good few poorly sighted junctions, drives and the likes. It's plain wrong, and there's plenty of local taxis.

Surprised he didn't chuck a spoon at the officer.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6693101.s...

[Pericoloso]

Solocle said:

Perhpas there should be some link between the distance driven while drunk and the length of the ban? 2 miles on a country lane isn't remotely comparable to a drunk driver crossing London. I think the current sentencing is a bit one size fits all.

Some don't even leave the pub car park before being stopped so distance travelled doesn't really work in calculating fines n ban.

[slk 32]

Solocle said:

Perhpas there should be some link between the distance driven while drunk and the length of the ban? 2 miles on a country lane isn't remotely comparable to a drunk driver crossing London. I think the current sentencing is a bit one size fits all.

In 1989 I was a student working part time in a village pub in Norfolk. New Years Eve one of the regulars was walking home when a drunk driver mounted the pavement and killed her. She was in her early twenties.

Seeing how her family were torn apart by this brought home to me just how selfish drink drivers are ( those who knowingly drive over the limit). It doesn't matter how far you drive the propensity to kill someone is still the same.

I would have no qualms in reporting someone who was clearly over the limit

[Mr2Mike]

Solocle said:

Perhpas there should be some link between the distance driven while drunk and the length of the ban? 2 miles on a country lane isn't remotely comparable to a drunk driver crossing London. I think the current sentencing is a bit one size fits all.

The offence is absolute, like speeding. Why would you want to encourage people to drink drive as long as they are only doing shorter distances?

[DoubleD]

You could run over and kill someone as you leave a pub carpark, or you could drive 50 miles and not hit a thing. Distance isnt relevant.

[Rawwr]

Some of the responses on this thread are genuinely worrying.

[Boosted LS1]

TheAngryDog said:

ChilliWhizz said:

Agent XXX said:

comes from Australian slang


1950s: figurative use of dialect dob ‘put down abruptly’, later ‘throw something at a target’.

Used I guess more in the North than in East Anglia!

That's where the locals dobin the donkey. A bit like noggin the nog or muffin the mule.

[FN2TypeR]

cybersimon said:

Christ Tarrant has been banned for 12 months for 50microgrames of alcohol in 100 ml of breath - limit being 35 micrograms.
Fair enough. He had been drinking in a pub.

The thing that gives me pause is that he was reported to the poice by a member of public in the pub.

Would you have been that citizen?

I'm not sure I would.

A friend of mine who is a copper says that it happens more than you might reasonably expect (West Yorkshire area); fair enough in my opinion, getting behind the wheel of a car whilst pissed is a pretty shoddy and selfish thing to do

Edited by FN2TypeR on Thursday 18th January 18:53

[Too Drunk to Funk]

Jim AK said:

Seems he `confused` his story of what he had actually drunk at the pub, was also alleged he stumbled in there as well.

Living as I do in a small village I confirm BiB don`t bother here very often but both the local Fencing Contractor & Builder have a nice pension pot!!

CT got his just desserts imo

Someone I know reckons they were pulled after 6 pints and didn't fail the breathalyser.

[Boosted LS1]

Rawwr said:

Some of the responses on this thread are genuinely worrying.

It suggests to me the drink drive message being sent out by the government isn't getting through. Perhaps it's flawed in the same way the speeding campaign is.

[lee_erm]

He should have called a friend, to drive him home.

[0ddball]

I had a family member who was one of these "old country types" who lived on a farm. He was a persistent drink driver, pretty much every day he'd down at least 5 pints (usually much more) and drive home.

I say was, because one night, as he was stumbling to his Landrover, he was hit by a drunk driver.

I guess he reaped what he sowed.

I would have dobbed him in no problem but the police did a pretty good job on their own. Must have been done for DD 15 times over the years .

[Too Drunk to Funk]

Boosted LS1 said:

Rawwr said:

Some of the responses on this thread are genuinely worrying.

It suggests to me the drink drive message being sent out by the government isn't getting through. Perhaps it's flawed in the same way the speeding campaign is.

But we have some of the safest roads in the world.

[Boosted LS1]

He he, that's been nothing to do with the 'campaigns' though.

Plenty of people speed or DD in moderation. The blanket punishments don't fit the crime or prevent either offence from happening. I'd like to see a rising scale of punishment that suits the severity of the offence.

[gigglebug]

Too Drunk to Funk said:

Someone I know reckons they were pulled after 6 pints and didn't fail the breathalyser.

It can happen. An older brother of someone I grew up with was pulled after drinking a lot of lager and whiskey and yet passed the breathalyser. Back in them days, we are talking getting on for 20 years ago, once you were tested negative the police could do nothing further about it. Shame really as I can't think of a bigger prick to be honest, he even proceeded to gloat about how much he had drunk to the officers.

[Loyly]

cybersimon said:

The thing that gives me pause is that he was reported to the poice by a member of public in the pub.

Would you have been that citizen?

I'm not sure I would.

I would have, but then I don't agree with drink driving.

[Bobtherallyfan]

slk 32 said:

Solocle said:

Perhpas there should be some link between the distance driven while drunk and the length of the ban? 2 miles on a country lane isn't remotely comparable to a drunk driver crossing London. I think the current sentencing is a bit one size fits all.

In 1989 I was a student working part time in a village pub in Norfolk. New Years Eve one of the regulars was walking home when a drunk driver mounted the pavement and killed her. She was in her early twenties.

Seeing how her family were torn apart by this brought home to me just how selfish drink drivers are ( those who knowingly drive over the limit). It doesn't matter how far you drive the propensity to kill someone is still the same.

I would have no qualms in reporting someone who was clearly over the limit

Well said. Just over 20 years ago I had to identify my wife who had been killed in a road accident. Anyone who thinks they can drink and drive are just prats

[Section 8]

[Boosted LS1]

No their not. Many people drive safely within the limit. Sadly the person you mention was well over the limit or there was another reason for the tragedy.