Drink Driving

[Bird]

Bit of a rant.
What is it in this day and age that people don't get the message about drink driving. Have people not heard how being really pist affects your reactions and makes you a ****ing danger to everyone else?

I don't mean people who are .04999999999999999999 (rounded up to nearest whole #)but people who are smashed - 0.1+ and north of 0.2 etc.. I mean thats not just a couple of beers at a BBQ..

What does it take to get through to these people? This year alone theres been some horror stories of pissed women picking up kids at school, and their defence is Shit like "they were stressed or under pressure".. FFS - that defence = FAIL 100% FAIL..

Things like from todays paper:

It was one case among a litany of stupid behaviour on the roads during new-year celebrations, including a P-plater in Bright who blew .204...
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/come-on-mate-its-new-years-eve-20130102-2c4oj.html

Having been in RFS and involved in scraping up a bodies that were killed it isnt something that you forget in a hurry. It isnt fun or make these people awesome, its ****ed. I still remember one where a kid they think suicided by burying the loud pedal into the tar down the road, and not taking the uphill bend and going airborne into few dozen coral trees (Note: huge trees full of thorns). The car was actually obliterated then the crew had to climb down to the wreckage and do their bit.. took hours to get there. There was only 1 road in and out of town, and it was blocked for 1/2 the day.. Then there was the family that was left behind.


What can the Gov do differently to get the message across? What would you do? Is it a lost cause?

[MDS69]

The thing that amazes me is that P platers (in NSW anyway) are not allowed to have any alcohol in their system yet you always see reports of them being busted. How many don't get busted.

[Bird]

The thing that amazes me is that P platers (in NSW anyway) are not allowed to have any alcohol in their system yet you always see reports of them being busted. How many don't get busted.

agree.

but whats he say to the bacon?

You're 16, you're driving a car around a roundabout the wrong way and police pull you over with a blood-alcohol limit of almost three times the legal limit.
And your first response to police?

“Come on mate. It's New Year's Eve.”

[gramps]

You'll never stop it.  We're talking about scum who don't give a damn about others.   

Anything above .1 or a second offence deserves gaol time, don't pass go, don't collect a Section 10 or whatever, go directly to gaol.  I don't care if it ruins your career, parts you from your family or favourite pet.  Get stuffed, go to gaol and either wake up to yourself or spend the rest of your life there.

ps My opinion may offend others.  Guess what, I DON'T CARE 

[nbd73]

Idiot people will do what they do, regardless of any education or stigma imposed by society. Drink driving is no different to cigarette smoking in that people still do it, despite overwhelming and conclusive proof that both practices ate detrimental to both personal safety and that of others. It's why idiots still commit crimes even though they know they will go to jail.
Sorry, but some people are just idiots, just pray that you aren't on the road when they are.

[Tim - Stratford]

A lot just don't get the 'residual' alcohol. I've lost count of the number of P platers picked up the next morning/afternoon.

A VERY basic way (everyone is different) of working residual alcohol out is 0.01 per hour. If you're at 0.049 then it is roughly 5 hours to be 0.00. Some youngsters hit the pubs and clubs easily getting to 0.200 - they don't drive but are well and truly pickled getting home at 7am. They may not be back to zero until 3am the following day (20hrs later).

Another group, low readings but over, are the mature tradies. A lot have two or three drinks on Friday after work, then drive home. On the way they get stopped and tested - 0.075 and get charged - the two or three drinks were actually two or three stubbies/pre-mix which is usually 1.4 standard drinks. They've actually had three to four and a half drinks.

.....and then there are the bloody idiots - they'll never get it! They drive drunk, get caught, lose their licence/car and keep driving. Get out of gaol.....keep driving drunk, fortunately they are a dwindling number....Darwins law.

Fuji - your comments? 

[briann532]

Ignorance is the problem......

People seem to think it's ok for them, but it's other people who need to follow the rules.
Sitting in the van park restaurant the other night, old mate at the table next to us lights up a fag.
Hangs his arm out over the balcony so he's not smoking in the restaurant. Idiot. Obviously doesnt care about the family's around him.
Can't wait till he's in the pool. I'll swim over and squirm a bit, pretending to pee, then I'll tell him it's all ok I'm in the peeing section......

I don't reckon there is an answer. Stupid people meet other stupid people and breed even stupider children.
Having kids is one of the few things you dont need a license for.

With the government trying to eliminate Darwin's ability to protect humanity, were a sinking ship.

[Crimso]

Give 'em a jar of vasolene & six months.

[evolution]

Honestly, Put Lost in front of a camera! put it on TV and then make sure Fuji is the one who arrests anyone over the limit! Its CARP!
I was at the Hume Weir on new years eve, There was a group to the right drinking and carrying on. Thats fine, there was only one car and one driver who was well and truly sober.
On the left was another group of P'platers. They were all smashed, two cars and 5 or 6 people. Then they figured that  it was OK to hoon around the reserve drunk because it wasn't a ROAD.
FFS. Ironically as soon as we turned our patrols and lights on the group they moved. What is it with these people. I don't give a dam if its new years or your birthday. Putting other peoples lives in danger because your a Kn*b is not OK and you should be thrown in Jail.

Cheers
Evo

[Jasjul]

Give 'em a jar of vasolene & six months.

I don't think they should get the Vaseline.   

[crackacoldie]

What really frustrates me is that repeat offenders lose their licence again, with no other real penalty.  I agree that jail time is required.  I am in the CFS and went to a fatal, where a drunk and drugged, unlicenced driver was the cause.  The driver was known to police, he had lost his licence 30 years ago for DUI while on probation, he received subsequent suspensions for DUI with out a licence!  Why suspend their licence for a further peior, they were driving without it anyway FFS!  Jail is the answer for these reprobates.

Rant over

  Cracka

[BigJules]

Human stupidity, or poor decision making, cannot be legislated against.

There are other crimes for which there are much more severe penalties, but they still occur.

I don't think we can expect to live in a world where everyone respects all the rules and does the right thing all the time. It's just not going to happen.

Please don't get me wrong, I am not excusing drink driving or any other foolish or illegal behaviour, I am simply stating that I doubt there is a way to eliminate it.

[Marcus73]

You'll never stop it.  We're talking about scum who don't give a damn about others.   

Anything above .1 or a second offence deserves gaol time, don't pass go, don't collect a Section 10 or whatever, go directly to gaol.  I don't care if it ruins your career, parts you from your family or favourite pet.  Get stuffed, go to gaol and either wake up to yourself or spend the rest of your life there.

ps My opinion may offend others.  Guess what, I DON'T CARE 

Couldn't agree more

[alnjan]

You'll never stop it.  We're talking about scum who don't give a damn about others.   

Anything above .1 or a second offence deserves gaol time, don't pass go, don't collect a Section 10 or whatever, go directly to gaol.  I don't care if it ruins your career, parts you from your family or favourite pet.  Get stuffed, go to gaol and either wake up to yourself or spend the rest of your life there.

ps My opinion may offend others.  Guess what, I DON'T CARE 

I am afraid we are not talking about scum when it comes to drink drivers.


The vast majority of drink drivers are your normal Joe Citizen type person, probably not too different to a lot of people on this forum actually.  People that have a few drinks, no different to what they may normally otherwise drink and not realise just how much over the limit they actually are and falsely believe they are okay to drive or in their intoxicated state believe they are right to drive.  People just do not want to accept the fact that Alcohol is a drug, not too different to cannabis, it is just that alcohol is unfortunately too readily accepted by they community to get fair dinkum and  place restrictions on the amount of alcohol one person can have in a 24hr period. 

but that is another issue all together.   

[xcvator]

There are systems available that can make it almost impossible for a person under the influence to drive a motor vehicle.
Last year a group of us hired a mini bus (14 seater) and driver in Turkey. That bus was fitted with a trip computer that the driver had to insert his license into every time he started the motor.Take the license out, the motor would stop. The computer recorded the length of time he drove, the speed,the distance, etc., even the license number.If you inserted a license without the correct endorsement, the number was recorded but the bus wouldn't start.
So how simple would it be to have this sort of system amalgamated with a breath alcohol interlock fitted to every vehicle ?

How would this work?
 
If a ''p" plater inserts his license the computer registers this and the "p" plater has to blow "0" in interlock, if any alcohol is detected the car is automatically disabled for 30 minutes.

If a full license is inserted the same thing would happen, but the limit would be .05.

The license holders DNA would be recorded in the license chip which would have to correlate to the interlock system (yeah I know, "big brother")
If this sort of system was implemented the cost each unit would be minimal due to the scale of the operation.
And yes there will always be some smart arse that can circumvent the system, but when they are at .15 or higher they probably can't work that out anyway

That's my 2 cents worth

[nbd73]

I am afraid we are not talking about scum when it comes to drink drivers.


The vast majority of drink drivers are your normal Joe Citizen type person, probably not too different to a lot of people on this forum actually.  People that have a few drinks, no different to what they may normally otherwise drink and not realise just how much over the limit they actually are and falsely believe they are okay to drive or in their intoxicated state believe they are right to drive.  People just do not want to accept the fact that Alcohol is a drug, not too different to cannabis, it is just that alcohol is unfortunately too readily accepted by they community to get fair dinkum and  place restrictions on the amount of alcohol one person can have in a 24hr period. 

but that is another issue all together.

I am sorry, but not all of your statement is true. There is a difference between the average person who may blow 0.07 after 1 too many at an afternoon bbq and the f*&$wit who gets in his/her vehicle after a half bottle/carton. These morons get one chance in society (I am one of them FYI) and that's it. Repeat offence should follow the monopoly board game when you get the dreaded community chest card "go directly to jail, do not pass go,.."

[Skinnee]

I am afraid we are not talking about scum when it comes to drink drivers.


The vast majority of drink drivers are your normal Joe Citizen type person, probably not too different to a lot of people on this forum actually.  People that have a few drinks, no different to what they may normally otherwise drink and not realise just how much over the limit they actually are and falsely believe they are okay to drive or in their intoxicated state believe they are right to drive.  People just do not want to accept the fact that Alcohol is a drug, not too different to cannabis, it is just that alcohol is unfortunately too readily accepted by they community to get fair dinkum and  place restrictions on the amount of alcohol one person can have in a 24hr period.

but that is another issue all together.

BS mate anyone who drink drives has a license to kill , I don't consider anyone who drink drives normal, they need to be locked up.

[nbd73]

BS mate anyone who drink drives has a license to kill , I don't consider anyone who drink drives normal, they need to be locked up.

I won't disagree with that, a stint in jail may well have helped me. But then again, I don't do it any more, it was a long time ago and on reflection I realise what a disgusting human I was. This line of discussion eventually leads back to the theory of capital punishment and who makes those decisions?
Society may well have locked me up under other laws, is that fair given that I have not repeat offended and am better off for the experience? Maybe not, its a question I can't answer.
Not all criminal acts are performed by "criminals". Then again, define a criminal as society generally perceives one to be.

[alnjan]

BS mate anyone who drink drives has a license to kill , I don't consider anyone who drink drives normal, they need to be locked up.

That is the point I was trying to make.  Some people only look at the high PCA readings and want to label them as being different, when everyone that goes over the limit regardless of the reading should all be treated the same, NO special cases.

[nbd73]

That is the point I was trying to make.  Some people only look at the high PCA readings and want to label them as being different, when everyone that goes over the limit regardless of the reading should all be treated the same, NO special cases.

By that inference you imply a lot of things. Social law in Australia has long had a tiered system of punishment for offences. Are you also suggesting the driver who gets caught doing 71 in a 60 zone where the limit has just been lowered from 70 only a few months ago with no change in road conditions should get the same penalty as someone who gets caught at 150 on the highway?

[alnjan]

Not at all.  But it still does not make it okay to go Low Range PCA either. 

Reading through the thread there appears to be some that only wish to target the High Range PCA drivers.  A HRPCA should have a higher minimum penalty then a LRPCA, but if your HRPCA or LRPCA  you are still a drunk driver regardless of you reading and still a danger on the roads

[Bunyip]

I looked at an interlock device but at the time was told they could not be fitted without a court order.

I have never driven drunk but want to make sure that my kids do the same. The slight inconvenience of having to blow each time you start the car is a small price to pay IMHO.

Not sure what the current rules are but will now go and find out.

Bunyip

[nbd73]

Not at all.  But it still does not make it okay to go Low Range PCA either. 

Reading through the thread there appears to be some that only wish to target the High Range PCA drivers.  A HRPCA should have a higher minimum penalty then a LRPCA, but if your HRPCA or LRPCA  you are still a drunk driver regardless of you reading and still a danger on the roads

This statement is a total contradiction. Your previous post said all cases should be treated the same. This post you say not at all, but you are still a drunk driver regardless of the level you blow. What does this then mean? Applied to my comment, you are still a speeder whether you do 10 or 50 over the limit. Different penalty, but branded the same? Please explain your point. Don't get me wrong, I am not condoning DD in any way, but merely curious to your attitude. Despite what you may think, there is a difference between the person who misjudged and the filth that don't care. Both are over the limit, but only one feels true remorse and shame for their actions.

[xcvator]

And 1 can be an accident, ( pardon the pun)

[albany_nomads]

P plater E plater any driver it should be any alcohol in the system and min 3 months  (if not more just get them out of society )  imprisonment and loss of licence for 3 years ( I'm not against drinking alcohol just against combining it with driving folks know what's right and know what's wrong., no excuses)
It's good enough overseas for stif penalties  in a few European countries its good enough here.
Also I'm a big believer in compulsory third party insurance being brought in for motorist... In WA it's only compulsory as part of vehicle licence for injury not property damage.
E plates should Never be given to those convicted of drink driveing... I'm sorry but drink drivers only rate slightly higher than cockroaches.. It's one subject that gets my blood boiling. John


John