EMR

The grave yards are full of the victims of those idiots who believe that they have a bigger tolerance to alcohol than others.
Anyone who actually believes that they are OK to drink and drive is a total prat of the first order.

rugbymatt

About 300 people a year are killed by drink driving a year, over 70,000 die from smoking related diseases and around 9000 from alcohol related illness. Statistically you are safer being drunk behind the wheel that drinking and smoking.

That said I agree with a previous statement, having a "limit" is ludicrous. Zero tolerance is about the only way to go.

EMR

More would die if the police were less observant and did not test any and all involved in accidents.

bobd22

The zero limit has been looked at a few times I believe and so far rejected. A number of reasons have been used to reject it, many every day items and I believe some medications can contain traces of alcohol. I suppose after social but not excessive drinking would you actually be zero in the morning? At the moment it has been deemed as far as Europe is concerned unworkable. The Spanish limit is quite low but how well is it enforced? especially out of the way. In rural areas of Spain you often see groups of expats eating and drinking quite heavily toddle off jump into their cars and drive up the tracks into the campo. They may not get breathalised but amazes me how some stay on the tracks and are not crashing down the mountains. it is a personal choice to drink and drive and as such the drink driver has to accept the consequences of their own actions problem is those who have not made the choice but end up injured or dead. As bad as drink drivers are those that sit and drink with the driver often in rounds buying them drinks then jump in the car with them knowing they are unfit. Sin alcohol cervesa tastes OK if you feel like a beer with lunch not really being a lager drinker I can't tell the difference. Some years ago when visiting the States it was common practice when out in a group in a vehicle for the vehicle driver to identify thereself as the nominated driver to the barman/landlord they then got free soft drinks provided, I thought that was a good and positive action. I like a drink but do not condone anyone drinking and driving as I have on too many occasions dealt with the consequences.

EMR

We have an aquaintance one of those " social drinkers " who could hold their drink, blah m blah blah.
One lunchtime driving back from his local he killed two people.
For one the courts took action and he got two years.
If the limits cannot be reduced to zero then the punishment for those who fail should be increased.
Min 3 year ban a loss of licence until a new test is taken.
If caught in Spain or Portugal etc on holiday or a Resident then the UK rules should apply to anyone who holds a UK licence.

Horlics

You've never been to Blackpool, then.

jimenato

Where do they do that?

EMR

In the UK and Portugal breath tests following an accident are a fact of life.
It catches out more than a few " the morning after ".

jimenato

OK - not so in Spain and must be fairly recent in the UK. I had an accident in the UK which caused injury a few years ago and wasn't breathalysed.

It seems an obvious thing to do.

bobd22

The UK have been doing this for at least 8 years to my knowledge any Road Traffic Accident no matter how trivial, including police officers should they be involved. I am unsure what the situation in Spain is, but it is a bit like the smoking ban silly to have it if you don't enforce it. Which is often the case away from the coast or large towns. Yes good that they actually have a lower limit but if it is never checked on or enforced then as much use as a chocolate fireguard as they say. Current UK law. Sect 5 applies to accidents



Power to administer preliminary tests

(1) If any of subsections (2) to (5) applies a [police] constable may require a person to co-operate with any one or more preliminary tests administered to the person by that constable or another constable.

(2) [...] if a [police] constable reasonably suspects that the person—

is driving, is attempting to drive or is in charge of a motor vehicle on a road or other public place, and
has alcohol or a drug in his body or is under the influence of a drug.

(3) [...] if a [police] constable reasonably suspects that the person—

has been driving, attempting to drive or in charge of a motor vehicle on a road or other public place while having alcohol or a drug in his body or while unfit to drive because of a drug, and
still has alcohol or a drug in his body or is still under the influence of a drug.

(4) [...] if a [police] constable reasonably suspects that the person—

is or has been driving, attempting to drive or in charge of a motor vehicle on a road or other public place, and
has committed a traffic offence while the vehicle was in motion.

(5) [Or...] if —

an accident occurs owing to the presence of a motor vehicle on a road or other public place, and
a constable reasonably believes that the person was driving, attempting to drive or in charge of the vehicle at the time of the accident.

(6) A person commits an offence if without reasonable excuse he fails to co-operate with a preliminary test in pursuance of a requirement imposed under this section.

(7) A [police] constable may administer a preliminary test by virtue of any subsections (2) to (4) only if he is in uniform.

cliff b

My mother then about 72 was breathalyzed after she rolled into another car at some traffic lights, she was doing about 2 MPH but the other people called the police so that they could make a claim for "whiplash"??????? she has never had an accident before and doesn't drink alcohol, she was still breathalyzed as this is standard procedure after all accidents.

She was upset for weeks after, i think she thought of herself as a criminal? The police were sympathetic but they do have a job to do.

bobd22

Yes that sums it up Cliff as I say even police on duty themselves must now be breathalised after an RTC. It is the only fair way to do it but as you say for some it can be quite distressing. Although the new methods are much better than the old tube sytem.

stuboy

Just to clarify. Are you saying people don't have different tolerance levels?

I'm not talking about drink-driving which I abhor and have prevented on many many occasions.

stuboy

It may be procedure but I can assure it is not always followed.

I had an accident last June and was not breathalysed when the police turned up.

stuboy

You leave my hometown alone