Legalizing Drink And Driving

[looksgoodinred]

The motion was passed by Kerry county council in south-west Ireland by five votes to three. 12 councillors were absent for the vote, while 7 others abstained. Hardly resounding support. But still, it passed.

 

The idea was put forward by independent councillor Danny Healy-Rae, who owns a pub in the county. He said people in rural areas are "travelling in very minor roads, often on tractors, with very little traffic and it's not right they're being treated the same as the rest of the travelling public and they have never killed anyone."

 

Healy-Rae has also suggested the proposal would help lonely people to get out and socialize, instead of "looking at four walls. The only outlet they have then is to take home a bottle of whiskey and they're falling into depression, and suicide for some of them is the sad way out."

 

The council will now ask Ireland's Justice Minister to issue licences so people can drive home from their nearest pub "after having two or three drinks on little-used roads driving at very low speeds".

 

The head of Ireland's Road Safety Authority criticized the proposal, saying it essentially brings Ireland back to the dark ages.

Noel Brett said there's doubt that alcohol impairs driving - study after study has proved it, he said.

 

 

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/healyraes-rural-drinkdrive-permits-dragging-country-back-to-dark-ages-say-road-safety-chiefs-3361629.html

 

there's doubt alcohol impairs driving? back in the day, i'd certainly had several drinks and driven. more than several on occasion. i don't think even then i'd have argued my driving wasn't somewhat impaired no matter the speed or where i was driving, even if i didn't cause or get into an accident. i can't imagine insurers would be happy about this proposed change either. hitting a tree or rolling your vehicle into a ditch can cost plenty to fix.

 

in your estimation, do the benefits, as outlined by the councillor, outweigh the downsides?

 

EDIT: you'd think with that many councillors absent or abstaining, they wouldn't have quorum?

[caledonia]

Well if you are going to drink and drive make sure you have enough for the journey.

[tightbreeks]

maybe they're just making it legal because loads of folk are doing it anyway.

[Bluto10]

i drink cycle wvery time i go to the boozer

 

sometimes i fall off on the way hone

 

other times the bar staff confiscate my keys

 

no harm done everybods appy

[buchanskii]

I think it's great Idea, losing control of a car or being hit by a car isn't THAT dangerous, but why stop there?

 

It's unfair that pilots and people who operate heavy machinery have to be sober at their workplace too.

[360]

Seems fair enough to me.

[fatshaft]

Well first let's put this in context, it's Co.Kerry, it really is the middle of naewye, beautiful out Killarney way right enough, but still, the middle of naewye. Kerry airport resembles Aboyne gliding club, so...

 

As a son of the soil myself, I have sympathy with their plight.

 

Country pubs have been dying a slow painful death, and lets not kid ourselves, the SNP's latest hairbrained scheme which basically limits you to a half shandy now or you'll become branded a pariah in the P&J, is just going too far, and will kill the "one on the way home" mob now as well.

 

Back in the good old days, country bobbies turned a blind eye to those making their way safely home, of course get into bother, and you're locked up like anyone else for the night, but keep it on the black stuff and you'd be alright.

 

I'd suggest, for the truly rural places such as Kerry, a softening to that sort of stance would be sensible, giving out drink driving permits is completely Irish.

[Henry]

Yep, the police cracking down on drink driving has fucked pubs in Orkney too.

[Bluto10]

dye get pubs in orkney?

[Henry]

Yes Bluto.

[chaos_defrost]

The argument for drinking and driving in rural areas is still the exact same argument as for drinking and driving in urban areas and that is it's more convenient to drive.

[tainboy]

Our local drinking place will run you home. After the lock in.

[fine-n-dandy]

i drink cycle wvery time i go to the boozer

 

sometimes i fall off on the way hone

 

other times the bar staff confiscate my keys

 

no harm done everybods appy

 

 

Is that meant to be every or swervy?

 

Besides, keys for what? push bike or motor bike?

[fatshaft]

The argument for drinking and driving in rural areas is still the exact same argument as for drinking and driving in urban areas and that is it's more convenient to drive.

Well not really. Little or no public transport and no taxis. There is no argument for urban drink driving, there are mitigating circumstances in the country.

[cow]

It's far most sensible than climbing up a huge snow clad mountain.

 

I think if you're able to pass a driving test when drunk, you should get another category on your license. This would include passing the eyesight test.

[bonzodaddy73]

Here's an idea. Phone a taxi..

[cow]

Here's an idea. Phone a taxi..

 

 

I would like to share a personal experience about drinking and driving.

 

As you may know some of us have been known to have brushes with the authorities from time to time on the way home after a "social session" out with friends. Well two days ago I was out for an evening with friends and had several cocktails followed by some rather nice red wine. Feeling jolly I still had the sense to know that I may be slightly over the limit. That's when I did something that I've never done before - I took a taxi home.

 

Sure enough on the way home there was a police road block but since it was a taxi they waved it past. I arrived home safely without incident. This was a real surprise as I had never driven a taxi before, I don't know where I got it and now that it's in my garage I don't know what to do with it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cow.

[fatshaft]

Here's an idea. Phone a taxi..

Say you're at the Allargue Arms, and live in Corgarff, fit now?

[fatshaft]

I would like to share a personal experience about drinking and driving.

 

As you may know some of us have been known to have brushes with the authorities from time to time on the way home after a "social session" out with friends. Well two days ago I was out for an evening with friends and had several cocktails followed by some rather nice red wine. Feeling jolly I still had the sense to know that I may be slightly over the limit. That's when I did something that I've never done before - I took a taxi home.

 

Sure enough on the way home there was a police road block but since it was a taxi they waved it past. I arrived home safely without incident. This was a real surprise as I had never driven a taxi before, I don't know where I got it and now that it's in my garage I don't know what to do with it.

[dave_min]

Here's an idea. Phone a taxi..

 

You seen Aberdeen prices?

 

It's cheap to get caught and fined.

[daytripping]

It's fair enough arguing for drink driving in the Country to be allowed.

 

That's till a drink driver takes out an innocent family coming the other way.

 

If it was only drink drivers allowed on the road then fair enough go for it, fact is it isn't. It would be hard explaining your reasoning for the law change to a mother who's kids have been killed by a drunken prick smashing into the family car.

 

I used to be really bad for drink driving but now would never do it, it's selfish, as an earlier poster said get a taxi.

[Bluto10]

Is that meant to be every or swervy?

 

Besides, keys for what? push bike or motor bike?

 

 

every

 

push bile min. jesus idve beenn father ted years sgo if it was a motor bike

[bonzodaddy73]

I would like to share a personal experience about drinking and driving.

 

As you may know some of us have been known to have brushes with the authorities from time to time on the way home after a "social session" out with friends. Well two days ago I was out for an evening with friends and had several cocktails followed by some rather nice red wine. Feeling jolly I still had the sense to know that I may be slightly over the limit. That's when I did something that I've never done before - I took a taxi home.

 

Sure enough on the way home there was a police road block but since it was a taxi they waved it past. I arrived home safely without incident. This was a real surprise as I had never driven a taxi before, I don't know where I got it and now that it's in my garage I don't know what to do with it.

 

I actually laughed out loud. Nice work cow.

 

 

 

 

 

Cow.

[bonzodaddy73]

You seen Aberdeen prices?

 

It's cheap to get caught and fined.

 

Inverness is just as bad. I'm 8 quid from town to my house which is 1.1 mile from my house according to Google maps. Luckily there's a fleet of 20,000 taxis in Inverness, every second person drives one for a living.

Saying that I better go, I've a run to the airport.

[Ke1t]

Drunken Irish driving unlicensed deathtrap motors along single lane roads and through small villages at increasingly high speeds?

 

Sorry, not seeing the potential for mishaps at all.

[dj_bollocks]

It's a fucking ridiculous state of affairs... Some of the councillors own the pubs so how it's not a conflict of interest... How about they put on some buses on a Friday or Saturday night out of their own pockets. Are the councillors prepared to accept a manslaughter charge if any of their pass holders kill someone ? Drinking and driving is a selfish act, what next ? It's ok to hit a woman twice if you've had a few drinks... It's ok to steal jewellery if you break into someone's house... Dicks...

[dervish]

I can see the reason they want to take it in. Normally in these places there are no feds anyway so your''re fine. Boy from my work was done one night 3 times over limit one night... then 4 the next.

 

Thats up west though different world. End of the day you're taking a chance no matter how short or isolated so you deserve, if busted to get done. If the landlord is that keen and "it's not that far on quiet roads" take the 5 mins to run the cunt home yourself rather than selling booze to some old manny who you know fine is going to drive home drunk, like every other night.

[fifered]

Disgraceful idea, doesn't matter that it's the country or not. Come summer how many boys on motorbikes or families on holiday might be on those country roads only to risk being wiped out by some dickhead pished behind a wheel.

 

Drink driving must be one of the most selfish things going. Risking the lives of every other person on the road cause you can't be arsed organising an alternative. Can't stand them.

[ChutneyLove]

Was up in Helmsdale about 12 or so years ago. Speaking to a drunk bloke in the hotel bar. He told me he lived in a cottage about 7 or 8 miles away. I mentioned it must be a hassle getting to the pub. He said no, he just drives. I then asked, "What about the police?" He pointed to a bloke equally pished at the bar - the local bobby. In some secluded areas, if a copper started pulling folk in for drink driving, he'd destroy the community pretty quickly. There are roads in remote parts where the only traffic there is will be the person who lives at the end of it. No chance of collision apart from against inanimate objects like dykes / trees. If they drink drive and kill only themselves - tough one, but they knew the risks. Drink driving in general is obtuse - can't say I've never done it, though in recent years the only time I would come close is a "morning after."

[Aberdeen_Fan]

That is bloody ridiculous. What's the point in that?!!