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[Andy B]

the bloke in front of me at 0615 this morning must've been on something. he was all over the place. At one time he was half way across the other side of the road (main road to Notlob ..... )

[Nickbat]

Apposite to post this: 

http://eureferendum.blogspot.com/2010/06/all-to-keep-men-in-brussels-happy.html

Oh, and look at that poor Omega! 

[tidla]

more like it

[bert]

What about mobile phones the stupid b ****(lady) who pulled out in front of me was so engrossed in her conversation she did even see me and just continued on her journey yapping on her phone now theres a topic  on a ban.

[jonnycool]

I think a zero limit is unworkable in the real world, I think people who may have had loved family members killed or injured by drink drivers may disagree, but I think 99 per cent of us will have gone out on the road with some detectable alcohol in their system, knowingly or not.
    I think, as said above, that there need to be tougher laws on mobile phone use, given their poularity and the contempt that people have for the law as it is at the moment.
I can vouch for the fact that they are dangerous as I rather stupidly tried to read a text while going along a 30 limit road some years ago and found myself heading towards an artic coming the other way when I looked up. Don't even look at my phone if it rings in my car now, it's never that important a call

Jon

[miggy]

.....
I agree with it, it should be NO DRINK at all when behind the wheel, never mind limits. BAN it totally, thats my opinion, others will differ.

That's the sherry trifle off the Christmas menu then if you're driving!

thats the trouble with these sweeping changes they come out with as andy b has highlighted.

i wonder where the research come from that suggests that it those (law abiding) types close to the limit  cause the accidents rather than those who totally flout the law and dont care less.

the gene hunt types as mentioned above still exist in 2010. :-?

I think most of mainland Europe are already on a limit of 50, so trying to get us the same. I'll generally have a couple of pints if out & driving, it all depends on the person, what they have or not eaten, what pint they drunk. Too many variables to determine what you can safely drink. I can't really argue with the 50, but a total ban on any alchohol when driving would be rediculous.

As mentioned a few years ago i lost someone due to a drink driver, my thoughts are still BAN any alchohol when driving, people have different ideas but when expierienced at first hand your mind changes.

[Varche]

I have written on this forum before about the EU initiative to significantly cut road deaths in each and every member state. It is a ten year programme and each country was asked to introduce measures to specifically reduce the number of road deaths per annum. Remember that in the UK it is something like TEN a day. More than halfway through the ten year programme and the UK still hasn't significantly reduced the road deaths. You do however benefit from a prodigous speed camera population.

We used to be mortified when we watched Spanish  professional drivers having their morning break and chasing down their coffee with brandies. On one occasion we watched the fellow get into a 4 axle concrete mixer! We are always watchful in what we call the dead zone - 4 till 6 pm. when workers have staggered out from their 9 euro menu of the day including free drink (beer, fanta or bottle house wine!)

The Spanish too are cracking down on drink drivers and have introduced a process of stopping everyone on a motorway going in one direction and checking everything from car docs, vehicle condition, alcohol or drugs. Can't see that happening in Britain though it would gridlock the country! Other measures include the mandatory wearing of a high Vis jacket if you get out of your car on a road (puncture etc)

Anything that reduces the carnage has to be a good thing.

[Ploppy]

Hi all.

Regarding the original question, this may be  a new device that is coming into Police service.

Not only do new devices detect alcohol but now via breath drugs as well.... ie illegal drugs ie canabis etc.

I would imagine they are testing new units... thats my guess.

I may be wrong... but hey ho !!

Ploppy

[Martin_1962]

I think the limit for DD is fine, but need a lot more education for tired driving.

OTT speed checking also causes tiredness

[davethediver]

Not sure if there is a new machine or not but the ,bag, i blew into last week looked different to any other ive had to blow in. Was asked by the officer if i'd had a drink to which i replied yes ive just had a pint, came back clear so now having words with my local landlord about watering down his beer 

On a serious note i think the limit is fine as it is many will disagree but the majority of accidents aren't caused by people being just above the leagal limit usually they are two to three times over, whether that be at the time or 'The Morning After'

I drive for a living and to me a pint and half is the max and definatley no sssion the night before.

[Ploppy]

I can say yes 100% there is new machines being tested but dont know the forces that are testing it.

[Dishevelled Den]

Surely it's easier not to drink and drive and to remember that after consuming alcohol 'the night before’ some level in excess of the current limit may remain in the body.

Zero tolerance in terms of blood/alcohol levels in the bloodstream doesn't really work due to the way individuals metabolise alcohol and how the body naturally produces chemicals that can be detected my measuring equipment even though the subject may not have been drinking alcohol.

I think there would also be a legal consideration here that demands a degree of tolerance to be applied as any measuring equipment used in this way can't be guaranteed to be accurate 100% of the time on each and every occasion.

I consider personal transport to be a privilege not a right so therefore obey the current traffic regulations insofar as I knowingly can.  When I had to take prescription drugs I didn’t drive, I don’t use a cellular telephone or have it switched on when driving, I keep to the speed limits and don’t drink and drive – that to me is a price worth paying to have the right to drive wherever and whenever I want and not provide an overt threat to either myself or other road users.

[Andy B]

....
 I don’t use a cellular telephone or have it switched on when driving, I keep to the speed limits and don’t drink and drive –  .....

Did Adam Ant write a song about you? 

[Marks DTM Calib]

Lowering the drink drive level wont make much odds.

Reality is that most drink drivers are already well over the current limits and hence they clearly dont think its an issue.

If you lower the limit then do you think these people will stop......I doubt it.

And zero is not an option, totaly unworkable in a real world

[Kevin Wood]

And zero is not an option, totaly unworkable in a real world

Indeed. There's even a 20mg limit used to check pilots so if you are of the opinion that there should be a zero limit think carefully about your next holiday destination!

The fact is, we have a culture where people drink alcohol. That's not a bad thing, IMHO. There will always be people driving, etc. with some alcohol in their system "the morning after" in such a culture so a suitably high limit needs to be in place to ensure that the dangerous are detected while normal life can continue.

The key to safety is to ensure that those who offend are caught, taken off the roads and stay off the roads.

The level of policing on our roads currently means that, unless you happen to have an accident, drink driving, or driving while banned for drink driving, goes largely undetected.

Kevin