Take care out there - Its that time again

Its the Gin

 

I'm just about to open a can of worms in a minute.

But, as for banning drunk drivers for life, respectfully, I disagree. The reason being that people can and do change. If they kill someone then yes, a lifetime driving ban is the least they should expect, but if they get caught before doing any harm to anyone, then it should be an instant ban for a couple of years or so followed by being made to re-sit their driving test, and effectively start from scratch as a new driver. That not only means high insurance when they're back on the road, but under the legislation which I think is called the New Drivers Act, they'll get banned again after just two minor offences (ie 6 points on the license = ban and start again).

 

I'll agree with that, but I think they should also see a film about the effects of drink driving.

 

If I remember right, it does. More than that though, unlike a normal ban where you're license is effectively just suspended, the New Drivers Act ban involves actually revoking their license fully, so they start from scratch. I.e. apply for a provisional, apply to do their theory test, have to pass that, then apply for their practical, have to pass that, apply for the pink license, then get a rubbish car with a hair dryer for an engine because its all they can afford to insure because their insurance starts from scratch too (plus they'll have a motoring conviction pushing the price up further). Even then, having started from scratch, they'll still be subject to the 'new drivers' rules for another 2 years, meaning two flashes from a speed camera is enough to make them have to do it all again.

 

I think they do. A mate of mine was daft enough to get in his car after a skinful once, and got caught. He was fined, banned for 3 years, and made to go on a course as part of his 'punishment', where they saw such videos.

 

Banning drivers for life won't work if they are habitual drunk drivers. These same people are likely to get back in a car and drive whether banned or not.

 

Watch out for drunken Santas!

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/drunk-santa-helper-hospital-facing-2955678



and http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/bad-santas-men-dressed-father-2949299
and http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/man-dressed-santa-crashed-car-2924945

 

We all know Santa is not a good role model. We know he drinks and drives. Think of all those glasses of sherry he drinks. And he sneaks into kids bedrooms when they're asleep.

 

Seems like there's lots of dodgy Santas about http://www.itv.com/news/meridian/up...-dressed-as-santa-threatens-staff-with-knife/

 

Nobody enjoys being breath-tested but then nobody enjoys having themselves and family routinely put at risk from drunk drivers who have no intention of obeying just laws, either. Sadly, the majority (myself included) need pressure brought to bear on them to control their drinking and driving and random testing has to be a part of that. Personally, I don't think it's heavy-handed, I've only ever been breathalysed once and the cops were the soul of courtesy and consideration. (It was green.)

Hah, if that happened most blokes wouldn't get behind the wheel of a car for more than a week until they turned 30! (Gosh, this can of Worms is delicious.)

'Bad driving' is much harder to quantify and would have to be witnessed by police unless an accident had actually occurred and been investigated. Drinking and speeding are easily measured risk factors and can be screened for as a means of cutting down general risk, and reducing accidents overall. It's a much more efficient use of police time than prowling the roads hoping to catch and verify an incidence of 'bad driving'.

 

And of course even if the coppers catch you rend handed driving like an idiot, they still have to prove it in court. Opinion counts for very, very little in court, and unless there is some tangible evidence of an offence, they're not going to get a successful conviction.

 

I agree with Loofah, just ban drinking and driving, the drinking limit is so low now it wouldn't make much difference. Other countries have done it!