Drink Driving

[crazylegs]

A mildly heated discussion some time ago (read months) over on CS gave me some food for thought today.

Drink driving, we all know its bad, we all know that adding a poison that inhibits our reaction times, our spatial ability and other road related judgements is bad, but why do people still think its ok to have one or two before getting behind the wheel of (around) a ton and a half of metal then driving around other people of speeds up to 70mph (lawful upper limit in UK)?

It astonishes me that people are still not responsible behind the wheel of a car. Yes certain meds do the same, but hey don't drive. You're tired? Try waiting in A&E (ER) for 18 hours waiting to see if someone you know is going to pull through surgery after they've been creamed by someone who has fallen asleep.

None of these excuses matter.

If you've had alcohol, don't drive.

Now feel free to pull this apart!

[Amethyst Hunter]

I completely agree - I have no sympathy for drunk drivers. I personally know two people who were nearly killed over 15 years ago because they were hit head-on by a drunk driver (and it was his *first* such offense, no less); it took them well over a year to recover from the severe injuries they sustained (broken bones, concussions - the husband was wheelchair-bound for a good 6 months at least).

I also had a cousin I never met because he was killed shortly before I was born - he was hit by a drunk driver while on his way to school (in front of his mother and older brother, even!). Even worse, the bastard who did it got off scot-free because he was a wealthy physician with prominent connections.

People never learn, unfortunately.

[powerboy]

That is the only thing, someone will always drink and drive. When I go out drinking, I will only have 2-3 beers and I am still good to drive. My vision is not impaired at all. I am not a light drinker. I just know my limit for driving.

[Seshat]

why do people still think its ok to have one or two before getting behind the wheel of (around) a ton and a half of metal then driving around other people of speeds up to 70mph (lawful upper limit in UK)?

Because they're not thinking of it as a ton and a half of metal with an acceleration on impact of 70mph/half-second. They're thinking of it as 'a way to get home'.

Or because of thoughts like this:

When I go out drinking, I will only have 2-3 beers and I am still good to drive. My vision is not impaired at all. I am not a light drinker. I just know my limit for driving.

Powerboy, I'd like to see you do a challenge. I'd like to see you on an off-road testing track in your usual car.

You travel down the road at your normal post-drinking speed, at a point unknown to you, someone signals for you to stop. You stop, and the distance between the signal and the moment you hit the brake, and the signal and the complete stop are measured. (The car may need to have a timer fitted for the brake pedal, for this purpose.)

Then you have 2-3 beers and are at your limit for driving. You do the same test (with a different stopping location, so the test doesn't get skewed).

If your reaction time and stopping distances are unaffected, fine. I'll accept that you know your reaction-time limit for alcohol. If they are affected, though, then you'd better cut down on how much you drink before you drive.

(There are other road-related judgements alcohol affects, and I'd like to see those tested too - but this one's one of the biggest.)

[Boozy]

A while back I saw a TV special on a study where a large group of people did a bunch of driving tests like the kind Seshat is describing.

95% of people in this study were "shocked" to find out how badly they drove after a few drinks, especially because they all "felt sober".

Just some food for thought.

[blas87]

My coworker was telling us all last week about his uncle getting his 8th DUI. Yes, that's his 8th. People in Wisconsin (and other states) are getting that many DUIs and MINIMAL jail time each time and still get their licenses back or find a way to drive anyway.

Shows how serious the state is about stopping drunk driving and really punishing the offenders.

[powerboy]

As long as alcohol is served in public places, there will be drinking and driving. Not everyone is going to be causing accidents, after they have a few beers. It is the majority of drinkers that are the problem. And yeah, they should stop serving alcohol at public places.

Plus I only drink here and there.

[crazylegs]

Not everyone is going to be causing accidents, after they have a few beers.

I think the figures are that in the UK around 30% of all RTCs have alcohol as a contributing factor.

A third of all accidents.

Think how many lives would be saved, how much damage wouldn't happen and how much money wouldn't be wasted if people didn't drink and drive.

It only takes two or three beers to have a momentary lapse of judgement that can result in an RTC, that can also be Fatal.

There has been an incident reasonably locally where Seven people (four in one car, three in another) died in a collision, the driver at fault (he was on the wrong side of the road, attempting to overtake) had a previous conviction for drink driving. It will be interesting to see at the inquest if he was drunk this time.

[lordlundar]

I like the setup in Ontario. It is mandated by law that every vehicle be equipped with a breathalyzer tied into the battery. If you blow above the programmed amount (which is lower than the legal limit) the ignition won't start.

It's not perfect (the system can be bypassed with some work) but it's a step in the right direction.

[Boozy]

I like the setup in Ontario. It is mandated by law that every vehicle be equipped with a breathalyzer tied into the battery. If you blow above the programmed amount (which is lower than the legal limit) the ignition won't start.

Just to clarify, this is not a requirement for all drivers. This is only applies to those who have been convicted of a drunk driving offense.

[the_std]

As long as alcohol is served in public places, there will be drinking and driving.

But just because it's going to be there doesn't make it right. Drinking and driving is not mandatory. There is nothing that is making these people drink and drive, it's their choice. Therefore it's something that, with time, might be changed.

Plus I only drink here and there.

It only takes once to lose everything.

[Zyanya]

But just because it's going to be there doesn't make it right. Drinking and driving is not mandatory. There is nothing that is making these people drink and drive, it's their choice. Therefore it's something that, with time, might be changed.

It's amazing how courteous the bar staff can be when you identify yourself as the designated driver of a group getting a tad toasted. I've lost count of the time my appetizers and even meals have mysteriously vanished from the check, and I've always received at least one non-alcoholic beverage on the house.

Of course, I do consider it the designated soberee's duty to reign in those who have a wee bit to much Captain in them and get them to go home before they've trod on the waitress's last nerve.

[Seshat]

As long as alcohol is served in public places, there will be drinking and driving.

Why? There are plenty of other ways for someone to get from an alcohol-serving public place to home - or to wherever they want to go.


- They can wait two hours for the first standard drink, then one hour for each additional standard drink, and drive only after that time. The alcohol will have mostly passed from the system then.
(Crazylegs or anyone who knows this better, please correct me if I have the numbers wrong. For medical reasons, I can't drink, so I'm working off old memory.)

- They can use public transport or a taxi, provided they're not offensively drunk.

- They can use a 'booze bus', at least where I am.

- They can have a designated driver in their group.

- They can rent a room at a hotel and sleep it off, then go home.


Why the hell would you drive drunk, when you have so many other choices?

[crazylegs]

- They can wait two hours for the first standard drink, then one hour for each additional standard drink, and drive only after that time. The alcohol will have mostly passed from the system then.

I believe the rate of metabolism is one unit every two hours for a normal healthy liver.

So your pint of normal strength beer will take four hours to be completely gone from your system.

Your ten pints of premium, high strength lager last night, well probably not until midday, which is why so many people are still over the limit when they drive in the morning.

[Seshat]

Thanks, Crazylegs.

Another important thing I forgot to mention: nothing will sober you up. Only time. Water, B-group vitamins, or coffee only make you feel better or reduce your hangover - they don't get rid of the alcohol, just some of the metabolic effects of the alcohol.

And they don't affect the ways alcohol screws up your ability to drive safely.