Bill slashing drink-drive limit before Parliament (down to 0.05g per 100ml of blood)

**Jeff Sichoe** · 26th September 2013, 13:04

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/poli...limit-selected

Where do you stand?

Is this one of those situations where no protest from the public is possible due to then being seen as 'drunk drivers' or otherwise being looked down upon (much like 'normal' people who had an aversion to the Gay Marriage thing - ya can't say you don't agree with it without being labeled a bigot or similar...)

Is this just another 'freedom' NZers have gotten used to which really should be changed, or is this another example of the Goverment taking our toys away?

Who doesn't enjoy a quiet after work before riding home? Or are you teetotal when on the bike?

Discuss!

**bogan** · 26th September 2013, 13:11

Good, everything I've seen about the current limit points to it being set too high.

Approximately how many standards is 0.05?

**Devil** · 26th September 2013, 13:13

I dont think it should be changed. Pretty sure its not the people at or near the limit that are the problem, but happy to be shown otherwise.
I think they should leave the limit, but get MUCH tougher on repeat offenders. Those are the attitudes that need changing.

**Jeff Sichoe** · 26th September 2013, 13:14

Pulled from an older article on stuff -

A 0.05 limit equates to about two standard drinks in the first hour and one per hour thereafter. A level of 0.08 equates to six drinks in 90 minutes, which is closer to the definition of binge drinking than social drinking.

(2010... http://www.stuff.co.nz/blogs/opinion...r-on-the-roads)

**Scuba_Steve** · 26th September 2013, 13:14

They need to just stop wasting time & money, leave this alone & work on actually doing something about the problem. Giving repeat drunk drivers the keys back time & time again while they constantly drive 4x the limit isn't helping anyone yet what do they do? Just try to make it so they're 5x the limit & leave it at that

**bogan** · 26th September 2013, 13:17

Originally Posted by Jeff Sichoe

Pulled from an older article on stuff -

A 0.05 limit equates to about two standard drinks in the first hour and one per hour thereafter. A level of 0.08 equates to six drinks in 90 minutes, which is closer to the definition of binge drinking than social drinking.

(2010... http://www.stuff.co.nz/blogs/opinion...r-on-the-roads)

Sounds about right tbh. Bigger practical difference between the two than the 0.05 and 0.08 numbers imply though!

**Paul in NZ** · 26th September 2013, 13:19

Originally Posted by Scuba_Steve

They need to just stop wasting time & money, leave this alone & work on actually doing something about the problem. Giving repeat drunk drivers the keys back time & time again while they constantly drive 4x the limit isn't helping anyone yet what do they do? Just try to make it so they're 5x the limit & leave it at that

Agree - FFS - the total drunks dont give a hoot for the limit now and this wont change a damn thing except make criminals of people doing no harm.

**Jeff Sichoe** · 26th September 2013, 13:19

Don't forget that a standard drink ain't shit these days tho

Two big ole woodstock 8%ers (I miss them so

) would put ya at just under 6 standard drinks...

**HenryDorsetCase** · 26th September 2013, 13:20

[youtube]c5wGcEPezcI[/youtube]

I'm with these guys.

**HenryDorsetCase** · 26th September 2013, 13:21

It should be zero in my view.

some of the NOrdic countries do that. Sweden I think. No ifs, buts or maybes.

**Gremlin** · 26th September 2013, 13:24

It's hardly slashed if it's going from 0.08 to 0.05.

I think it's great and about time. National chickened out of changing this the last time around. 0.08 is simply too high, and I thought I read something recently, that if you're around that level, you're actually too intoxicated to made a safe decision about driving or not. 0.05 is also a level adopted by quite a few countries.

Agree with Devil as well that they really need to nail repeat offenders. Often these cases are blown a little out of proportion by the extreme. Harsher rules for all dog owners, when it's a minority that won't obey the new rules anyway. Same thing with drink driving.

**Scuba_Steve** · 26th September 2013, 13:34

Originally Posted by Jeff Sichoe

Don't forget that a standard drink ain't shit these days tho

Two big ole woodstock 8%ers (I miss them so

) would put ya at just under 6 standard drinks...

Social engineerings where it's at for the regular folk, everyone I grew up with was taught the limit of 4 standard drinks & we all stick round that limit. Just keep pushing the 4 standard drink message & the majority will be fine.
Then it's just dealing with the wankers that don't care for anyone else which isn't solved by any limits no matter how low, a good 1st step would be shifting that Boyracer car crushing over to repeat drunk drivers (& possibly their vehicles too

)

**mashman** · 26th September 2013, 13:48

Sigh... always legislation first, much easier that way eh.

How's about, you've been caught more than once, therefore before you can drive off in your car you must pay ??$300?? to have a bloke fit a breathaliser unit and a light to your car. Your car will not start without the breathaliser being blown into, but instead of it stopping the car from starting, it merely pops on a light to let others know that there's a piss'ead behind the wheel.

At least that way you will give everyone a chance of spotting the moron's that the cops can't catch because they're having a psychic day off.