Stricter Drink Driving Limits for Scotland - Should Eng, Wales & NI follow suit?

[Papa Lazarou]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-30329743



This means that you'd really need to abstain from any booze to avoid going over the limit. Is it a step too far, or a sensible move?

 

[Titanic]

BBC News just said one pint / glass of wine for men, half a pint / small glass of wine for women... that is about what I would have stuck to in England anyway... seems sensible to me.

 

[Bry Nylon]

Yup - I'd sign up for this.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

BBC News just said one pint / glass of wine for men, half a pint / small glass of wine for women... that is about what I would have stuck to in England anyway... seems sensible to me.

Yep, but that would very much depend on a number of variables - 1 pint would put you on the limit, so best to abstain.

I wonder how many people (especially those like myself you commute to London early each morning) are over the limit from the night before?

 

[GT49er]

BBC News just said one pint / glass of wine for men, half a pint / small glass of wine for women... that is about what I would have stuck to in England anyway... seems sensible to me.

Also from the BBC - "Experts have said the new 50mg limit, which came into force at midnight, means that an average man would be limited to just under a pint of beer or a large glass of wine, and women to half a pint of beer or a small glass of wine". Step too far for me; I never drink more than one pint if I'm driving, and wouldn't even have that if setting out on a longer journey, but limiting it to even less?............sorry. I wouldn't vote for it.

 

[Grombleton]

I'd be happy to stick to it. If I go out and I am the driver then I may have one pint at the start of the evening or with food. If it's only a short stay at the pub then I'll not bother. So, if it turned out that you pretty much can't drink then it's all fine by me.

 

[Frutos]

No reason why not, although I'd be in favour of a zero limit.

 

[banjo]

Yes any reduction is better. I think it's so confusing for people to judge if they'd be over the limit or not, so would be a lot easier to have a zero limit. Not sure but I'd guess a fair few get caught the morning after a session.

 

[KZNSeagull]

There is no excuse for drinking and driving and I firmly believe that anyone driving should abstain from drinking any alcohol. Definitely not a step too far.

 

[Notters]

I think the limit is perfect where it is.

 

[spence]

Keep it as it is

 

[Notters]

There is no excuse for drinking and driving and I firmly believe that anyone driving should abstain from drinking any alcohol. Definitely not a step too far.

Does one need an excuse? Having a pint of harveys, for example, with a large meal isn't going to affect your driving as much as how much sleep you had the night before, who's in the car with you, or even how uncomfortably full you are after the meal. You also need to have a buffer. Surely the priority needs to be dealing with the (many) people who get absolutely bladdered and drive.

 

[Notters]

Yes any reduction is better. I think it's so confusing for people to judge if they'd be over the limit or not, so would be a lot easier to have a zero limit. Not sure but I'd guess a fair few get caught the morning after a session.

No, it would be ridiculously, unfathomably and indescribably more difficult. People have natural alcohol in their guts due to the digestion process, also small amounts of alcohol in the bloody from desserts, medication, mouth wash and even aftershave. You could also have traces left in your blood two days after an evening at the pub.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

For reference, other than a few nations that seem to have no limit, the UK (minus Scotland now) is at the upper end of the allowable limit

http://www.rupissed.com/blood_alcohol_limits.html

 

[Rookie]

No reason why not, although I'd be in favour of a zero limit.

Zero wouldn't work because of mouth wash etc that contain alcohol.
Hope that we follow the scots though and then enforce if with proper punishment when people are caught.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Zero wouldn't work because of mouth wash etc that contain alcohol.
Hope that we follow the scots though and then enforce if with proper punishment when people are caught.

Also, I believe there are biological processes that generate alcohol (or a positive on a breath test) - so zero is un-manageable.

(I could be wrong)

 

[Bry Nylon]

Zero wouldn't work because of mouth wash etc that contain alcohol.

That might register on a roadside breathe test, but would it register on the more sophisticated machine at the police station required to persue a prosecution? I don't know.

Still in favour of falling into line with the Scots on this one anyway. As close to zero as possible has to be the goal for me.

 

[Normal Rob]

my only issue with it is the morning after issue. Last night i had half a bottle of wine, finishing the last glass at about 11pm. At what time was i ok to drive?

I'd be all for widely available, effective and cheap self testing kits to make sure that i never risked it.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

my only issue with it is the morning after issue. Last night i had half a bottle of wine, finishing the last glass at about 11pm. At what time was i ok to drive?

I'd be all for widely available, effective and cheap self testing kits to make sure that i never risked it.

You can buy kits for travel to France (its now illegal not to carry them) so they're available.

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

my only issue with it is the morning after issue. Last night i had half a bottle of wine, finishing the last glass at about 11pm. At what time was i ok to drive?

I'd be all for widely available, effective and cheap self testing kits to make sure that i never risked it.

Exactly this.

If I'm driving, I won't drink. But if I go out a have a load on a Saturday night, at what time the next day can I safely/legally drive?

Safely I would say after 8/9 hours sleep - legally I'm really not sure.