DebsyW

A lot of drivers aren`t competent even without alcohol in their blood!
Most drinkers will drive to work on a Monday morning with alcohol in their blood and could still be over the limit...along with those who `I`ve had a couple of glasses mid-week` could also still be over the limit come morning, unwittingly. They may have eaten and slept since their drink, although they are not full-of-FRESH-booze and getting into their car straight from the pub, they are still in charge of a very dangerous weapon.. and could still be well over the limit. In this case then `Most` people are not worth listening to. None of us want to be on the `receiving` end but I`m sure most of us have been, will be, or may well have an offender of this at some point or another.

DebsyW

A lorry driver, just this week, was jailed for being caught driving on the M6 motorway, in my area , whilst watching a film on a laptop propped upon his dashboard!!!
Texting and speaking on a mobile whillst driving in England is illegal... and I see drivers doing it a lot....... texting whilst driving.....christ, I wouldn`t even think of attempting it!

betris

the jail wasnt for watching the movie. the judge stated it was because the movie was.The sound of music. and it had the potential to send the driver into a coma whilst traveling along the M6

DebsyW

....I think it was Battlestar Gallactica!!..... or something along those lines!

coralsoft

As said by people in arguments about the earth going around the sun, mankind flying, mankind travelling faster than 30mph, man on the moon, evolution, etc, etc. Right up to the point when they realised that maybe those people had been worth listening to. Hilarious. Did they have to modify some horse-racing blinkers or can you buy them from a special debating dogmatist shop?

Is there a range of driving competency when sober from really bad to quite good? Yes
Are there accidents, incidents and deaths caused by people driving when sober? Yes
Could an accident or incident occur any time that people are driving sober? Yes
Could an accident or incident occur any time that people are driving after having had 1 or many more drinks? Yes
Do effects of drinking on driving ability operate over a range? Yes
Is it possible that a competent driver can remain more competent than an incompetent driver over some of that range of effects? Yes.

Sound of penny dropping.

I agree that it's a difficult one to legislate for and it's not worth pushing the boundaries. But it's also not worth a witch hunt when there are plenty more bad things that actually happen rather than are just an increased risk of something happening.

Dick Dasterdly

Drink driving is bad enough but has anyone noticed the number of airline pilots arrested in the last year or so after testing positive for alcohol when about to take off....... Another one at Heathrow yesterday.

Two Spanish pilots (pilot and co-pilot same flight),arrested a week or so back having a drunken brawl in the street just hours before take off time.
I was with 2 Canadian pilots I knew quite well who were knocking pints back in an Irish bar at 3 in the morning in Tenerife just hours before they were due on duty to fly a Jumbo.

Been many cases recently........Its more than just a little bit worrying.

I dont know what the standard procedures are but I think everyone of them should be tested when going on duty.

valenciatim

Someone with the same opinion as you killed a close relative of mine.
Please don't try to belittle me with comments about hilarious, blinkered, and sound of penny dropping, I find it offensive.

SueG

And me too - the driver thought he had hit a cardboard box not a nine year old child!

sensationalfrog

plenty of sober people kill while driving too,just because a drunk does it doesnt make it different,a sober driver can speed,drive the wrong way up a one way street,fall asleep on the motorway etc..

its seems tho that drunken drivers get the bad press when it should be spanish drivers

Rotor

Drink drivers are morons and deserve constant bad press ,Spanish drivers need educating, not complicated at all.

snikpoh

Well said Rotor - I agree

betris

This is a bit more complicated than some being drunk because the law says you are.a lot of people cant drive safley and are just as guilty.Im not sticking up for people who drink and drive.one of the things that is just as bad is driving whilst tired and proberly causes more accidents than the drunks.

Rotor

Numerous unbiased tests have proven people think they can drive safley when theve only had a couple but the tests prove they are always impaired.

betris

I agree.but being a ex truck driver I would pesonely be safer having a bottle of vodka and driving a truck than driving solid for 30 hours sober with no rest or sleep.

valenciatim

What a totally pathetic and stupid comment to make. Seems to prove Rotor's point.