Cops breath testing in Chch Square last night

[Ixion]

I think that the police position would be "If you have had anything to drink, do not drive. Full stop. If you ignore this advice and get caught over a certain limit you will be charged".

They're not going to test you, say "Oh, you've had a bit, but you're OK", because their position (and I'm not knocking it) is that you shouldn't drive with ANY level. Just that below a certain level they can't charge you.

At any rate that would be my answer if I was a copa nd asked that question. "If you need to wonder, Sir, then you ought not to drive". One does, of course, but I don't think we can expect the police to condone it.

[spudchucka]

Oh ok - I get it now.

The cops don't want to say it's ok to drive because it might not be, and that would clearly raise some questions about the accuracy of the standards set in law.

but....

Doesn't that raise questions too? Either that standard is acceptable and absolute, or it's not. And if it's not, why is it rigidly (absolutly) enforced?

The public needs access to accurate testing facilities that can enable them to know if they're legally ok to drive or not.

The problem is that the road side breath screening devices aren't conclusive or evidential, they are just an indicator of your likely breath alcohol concentration.

Once you give a positive result at the road side you are then required to return to a police station where an evidential breath test or blood test will be conducted. Testing every person that wants to drive home but isn't sure about how much they have had to drink is just promoting an unhealthy attitude towards drinking & driving. And as previously mentioned, a person that was told they were ok to drive after a sniffer test could crash and subsequently have their blood alcohol concentration found to be over the limit.

The public, or more importantly, those who are wanting to drive motor vehicles on the road after consuming alcohol, are 100% the masters of their own destiny. The state is under absolutely no obligation to provide a breath screening service to drunks who want to drive themselves home from the pub.

There are plenty of personal breath testing devices available to purchase, perhaps people should consider that option. Or, simply don't drive if you have been drinking any alcohol, if you can afford to go out and get pissed you should also be able to afford the taxi fare home.

[idb]

...... if you can afford to go out and get pissed you should also be able to afford the taxi fare home.

It costs up to $80 for me to get a taxi from Queenstown.....and I get pissed on two pints.
The taxi companies should only charge in proportion to what you've spent on booze I reckon, maybe subsidised by Land Transport Safety.

[spudchucka]

It costs up to $80 for me to get a taxi from Queenstown.....and I get pissed on two pints.
The taxi companies should only charge in proportion to what you've spent on booze I reckon, maybe subsidised by Land Transport Safety.

You could always try the designated driver approach, that seems to work quite well for lots of people. Don't get caught in the trap that a few do though and just select the person who they think is the least pissed.