Three drinks and you're out...

[matt420]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by celticno6
[B]I understand where you are coming from Motoracer, but my point is - what is the difference between 3 beers and 4 beers?

The point is, alcohol makes you worse behind the wheel. Just one drink can take that 'edge' off and just slows you down enough to make the difference.

Which for me, if I'm piloting 210 kilos and 100 hp down the road, is a bit of a worry.

Cough syrup has quite specific instructions on it - don't drive or operate heavy machinery within x hours of taking this medication - it's BECAUSE of the alcohol they say that.

Those who grew up in the Hutt Valley and were teenagers in the early - mid 80s probably remember what Thursday nights used to be like - I don't know how I survived - drunk racing down Oxford Terrace (Naenae) and hooning down LH carpark.

Only drug I put in my system before I ride now is insulin but I can't help that one.

It still makes me mighty cautious on the road though.

BTW, are there any other insulin-dependent diabetics on KB?

Hey Celtic,

Yea Im a insulin-pendent diabetic, since I was 8, Im now 24. Been riding for 3 years. Bit off topic so PM me if you want..

cheers

Matt

[matt420]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by matt420
[B]

Originally posted by celticno6
I understand where you are coming from Motoracer, but my point is - what is the difference between 3 beers and 4 beers?

The point is, alcohol makes you worse behind the wheel. Just one drink can take that 'edge' off and just slows you down enough to make the difference.

Which for me, if I'm piloting 210 kilos and 100 hp down the road, is a bit of a worry.

Cough syrup has quite specific instructions on it - don't drive or operate heavy machinery within x hours of taking this medication - it's BECAUSE of the alcohol they say that.

Those who grew up in the Hutt Valley and were teenagers in the early - mid 80s probably remember what Thursday nights used to be like - I don't know how I survived - drunk racing down Oxford Terrace (Naenae) and hooning down LH carpark.

Only drug I put in my system before I ride now is insulin but I can't help that one.

It still makes me mighty cautious on the road though.

BTW, are there any other insulin-dependent diabetics on KB?

Hey Celtic,

Yea Im a insulin-pendent diabetic, since I was 8, Im now 24. Been riding for 3 years. Bit off topic so PM me if you want..

cheers

Matt

oops posted twice, must be the insulin aye?

[marty]

or posted 3 times even.....

[curious george]

Originally posted by Lou Girardin
Only one fatal accident last year was attributed to a blood/alcohol level below 80 mcg's and there are, invariably, other factors. Do you guys really want to affect the livelyhood of thousands of people to try to save that one life?Lou

Wherer did that number come from????
I can think of at least a dozen serriously f***ed up people who either died, or we spent all day trying to fix cos of booze.
Come to think of it, I remember two seperate cases a few months back where drunk drivers had killed people. One was considerate and killed himself too, but not before other lives were ended.

It's cheap to be killed on the road, just the box, but surgery , intensive care and rehab afterwards cost the tax payer HEAPS.
It's the young and stupid who drink and drive, (good move lowering the drinking age!),I feel sorry for, and just want to strangle munters who have drunk and killed someone.

Perhaps a zero drinks policy would be easier than "just a couple"?

[Nouseforaname]

I would have to disagree in saying that its the young and stupid who drink and drive, sure young people do it, but i can think of heaps of cases in the last 6 months where middle aged men who i deal with at work have been DIC'd/ or have caused an accident from being boozed.

The last case was a guy who i deal with at work.... he was out at Pukekohe for the V8's, got blind rotten drunk, jumped in his company holden and then did donuts in the car park..... caused thousands of $$$ damage to peoples cars and then was arrested and had his company car impounded.

I have had many mates killed through drink driving related crashes and no matter how many laws or how many checkpoints we set up, i think we as a society have got to come together and stop it. How many times have you seen someone leaving the pub and get into their car, thinking to yaself, wow, that guy really shouldnt be driving?

[Lou Girardin]

Read it again george, I said UNDER 80mcg's.
Lou

[Jackrat]

I was kind,a waiting for that.

[curious george]

Originally posted by Lou Girardin
Read it again george, I said UNDER 80mcg's.
Lou

I guessed the point of yours was why punnish everybody for light drinking? And yes, there are always other circumstances involved, poor light, rain, etc. So is this not reason to be in tip-top shape?

I can't remember exactly how much they had to drink, but it wasn't many.
I would guess to be under 80mcg's would be about a couple of drinks to the average bloke?

And where does the blame lie? Because it was raining, and slipped? Or because you were mildly pissed? Perhaps if you were not drunk, you might have thought about stopping distances, or had better reactions? Maybe not too, but it is something YOU can influence.
(I refer to *you* as a collective, not as you Lou!!!!


A no drink/drive rule might just be easiest, not having to worry if you are just above or below the limit. I don't think that it would be a popular rule though.......

And where did your numbers come from?? (80mcg) Just hard to believe, thats all....

And in the big picture, there are many other things we should be doing to avoid road carnage rather than just speed and drinking.

Oh, I agree about the revenue collecting, that should be spent on road issues, but it is optional after all...

[scumdog]

That is exactly the reason for doing it. Is there ever anything the pigs do that isnt motivated by money??

I dont really care that it is coming down cause i have never drank and drove nor i ever will. I think it is more to come in line with other countries. We do have a pretty high tolerance compared to other countries.

Yeah right, they're always punishing us by way of fines -money-money-money!! I wish they would get serious and confiscate the bike/car for good and take your licence off you for life - at least then people like you and others would feel happy that they are not just after your money!!!!!!

[wkid_one]

Again - this is the case of the law of diminishing returns. The compliance cost of ZERO Tolerance on drinking would flow through to taxation and petrol etc - for what would be a very little gain.

The difficulty with drink driving offences - is that there is quite often a victim - who irrespective of the punishment may never get back what they lose.

Fine line to police tho, zero tolerance increases costs. The balancing out is at which point the cost of compliance overrides the social benefit expected from it.

[wkid_one]

PS - some people can have an alcohol reading in their blood regardless of whether they have had a drink - overseas studies have proven this - therefore there NEEDS to be a minimum accepted level of alcohol in the blood.

The biggest problem is the NZ psyche - 'go out get drunk', tied in with the other mindset 'own a car when old enuf'

[Lou Girardin]

The numbers were LTSA's. As for the value of saving one life, Transit NZ use that calculation now to justify road improvements, it's called cost/benefit analysis.
Finally, how many days would you not drive after a serious drinking session if we had a zero limit?
Lou