Re: End of an Era ?
 

I always liked the way Australia did it, not only do they have road blocks but also zero tolerance, same as Switzerland I think, at least then when you get in the car and you have had a pint, or a glass of wine you are over the legal limit period...

Re: End of an Era ?
 

The law has to have a margin of error, I dont think its possible to have a Zero, too many other possibilities, I know other countrys have a Zero limit, but are they Policed the same as other countries possibly not

My own view is the great majority of drunk drivers are way over the limit, Which suggests not that they misjudged, but that they totally ignore it. So they would ignore the 0% also.

Re: End of an Era ?
 

Thank you, digdug, Dick Dasterdly, and andyrich, for making those points :)
It's not so much having a 'good time', jojo, more enjoying the ambience, perhaps after a long hot drive to somewhere really scenic, where there happens to be a bar. (To me, there is nothing nicer than a very cold lager).
Obviously if you fancy a 'session', you'll get back and get the car parked up.
My girlfriend ALWAYS makes sure I'M the 'dedicated driver' ! :huh:
I don't know whether to be happy or sad for you, not liking a drink :lol:
(It can be a mixed blessing, it's true).
From my (admitted) limited driving experience in Mallorca, far from the likelyhood of being mown down from some drunken Brit, far more dangerous (and numerous), is the young Spaniard, in his 'hot-hatch', who thinks his surname is 'Fangio', or suicidal riders (either sex), of screaming two-stokes, having the rivets wrung out of them, cornering at angles of lean :ohmy: only dreampt of by a London Pizza Delivery Boy !
(Impossible to have a ZERO limit, as the body is capable of producing it's OWN alchohol, albeit a small amount, depending on what food is eaten).

Cheers
Fredthered

Re: End of an Era ?
 

The problem with a zero limit is that after even 8 hours or more of having a few drinks (without any driving involved) you can be just over the limit the following morning.

The current limit in Spain and most of Europe is very low and if the police had a zero tolerance attitude to that limit then more people would stop drinking and driving.

The reality in Spain is that the police take a pretty pragmatic view of it unless you have had an accident or they are having a bad hair day!

Re: End of an Era ?
 

The "official" rate is, nothing in the first hour after the start of drinking, but roughly a pint an hour is "pushed" through the body, and no matter what you do it it comes out at the same rate.
The OH has to attend a seminar twice a year on Responsible Retailing, its hosted, in part, by the police and they are bloody informative.

Re: End of an Era ?
 

I find it easier not to drink at all when I'm about to drive, rather than worry about how much I can actually drink and remain within the limit. What does worry me is the lingering effect from the night before, perhaps after a party, could you still be over the limit the next morning? Or even the afternoon?

I saw those home breathaliser kits for sale a few years ago, and wish I had bought one.

Re: End of an Era ?
 

You can buy them on ebay, I not sure how others would feel but personally I think driving pissed you are more in control than the next day when your really hungover, when I have been on a session I dont drive the next day either in the UK or Spain, I just try and sleep it off as long as I can.

If I cant wake up feeling normal I wont get in a car for any situation, daytime driving there is too many obstacles in the way if your still over that could lead to a accident certainly not being your fault but still your over, I just dont do it, but rarely do I find myself in that situation

Re: End of an Era ?
 

I agree and I wouldn't drive either if I felt that hungover the next day, but I'm thinking of even a normal few drinks at a party the night before, I can't stipulate an amount, that would vary between individuals, but how do you know that you are fit to drive the next day even if you feel that you are?

Thanks for the tip about ebay, I'll get the expert on to it, she's always buying 'bargains'.

Re: End of an Era ?
 

One of the things they do on the OH's corse is show how inaccurate those kits really are

Re: End of an Era ?
 

Here in Sweden they've had a close to zero limit from way way back.
In addition booze is generally frowned upon thru the week,partly because of the risk when driving next morning,also because its just not the thing to do.
The Govt totally control the sales with limited hours and exhorbitant prices.
However there are still loads of drunks and plonkies just about everywhere, mainly because of illegal stills and home-brew.
They had problems with Polish truckers driving off the ferries well drunk, as in the UK I believe.
Last time I came in there was a team of 30 or 40 police breathalising every single driver, cars trucks and all, and I think the same thing is starting in the UK.

Re: End of an Era ?
 

Bit cold there innit?

Re: End of an Era ?
 

Not really,summer is generally better than the UK.
Just had more than a week at 30c or so,the same way up North.
I have seen plus 35c here before and the heat builds up very early due to long hours of light.
Only drawback here in the countryside in Summer is the insect life,some places ppl.cant leave there houses its so bad, even after aircraft spraying.
The coast and cities are mostly OK.

Cold in the Winter,but usually a dry cold with little or no wind, so can be more pleasant than the UK.
Its the long hours of darkness that many incl.myself dont like in Winter,.....very depressing, so Im usually out of here by Oct heading back to Spain by way of a short stay in the UK.

Re: End of an Era ?
 

It is possible to have a zero, because I was routinely stopped and breathalysed by the Guardia three years ago.
The meter showed up zero, he looked pretty shocked by it too....even called the others to see it. :lol:
And no....I don't drink at all.

Re: End of an Era ?
 

Interesting report.


http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20090715...s-6323e80.html

Re: End of an Era ?
 

I think you are completely wrong on this... It is a fact that that more pubs have closed since the smoking ban on a weekly basis than before. Although in another post you mention a boom in the food sales, this is not where the most profit is made... Before you say it, yes I did work in the trade too, for many years, and although when you say about the profit made on a barrel of carling for example where you dont take into account the overheads etc, the mark up on food is nowhere near as much. so although you may be selling a few more nuggets and chips, the bar sales are down! I myself am a smoker, and I may be one of the few that DO agree with the no smoking law to some extent, there is nothing worse than sitting down for a meal and some prat at the next table sparking up and blowing the smoke your way... but by the same token non smoking friends of mine who were all up for it when it first came into effect have since said on many occasions that they would prefer the smell of smoke to the smell that you get in a high percentage of pubs nowadays which seems to be a disgusting mix of sweat, stale beer, sewage too much air freshener to cover up the aforementioned...

anyway, gone off topic... with regards to the drink driving limit, if going out for a night, there are always alternative forms of transport, fair enough, in spain the buses are slow and always late, trains are the same and taxis expensive, but if you split a cab 4 ways thats that problem solved, and really, if it is too hard to go out with your pals and not drink then you have a drink problem...!