Lowering Breath Alcohol limit?

nzoomed, Jun 5, 8:39pm
They were talking about raising it not so long ago. Apparently they said ours was much lower than other countries!
a18a, Jun 5, 8:44pm
lol. I doubt different alcohol breath limits will stop people who already drink and drive from drinking & driving.
rallec, Jun 5, 9:23pm
It may not stop the worst of them, but I'm amazed at just how much you can drink and still be under the limit.I had 10 beers over about 6 hours and blew an under 250 (I wasn't driving, a friend is a cop and had his breathalyser at home).I definitely didn't feel safe to drive, and to think I could have had more than half as much alcohol again in my system and still be able to drive legally was kind of scary.
hounddog2, Jun 5, 9:42pm
hmm crushing there car on the third offence might
n1smo_gtir, Jun 5, 9:52pm
should be zero tolerance alcohol when driving. it's like handing someone alcohol and a gun. even the firearms code stated do not use a gun under influence of alcohol or drugs. a car is a 650kg-2tonne piece of weapon (depending on weight of car) is it not. why should one be allowed to drink and drive. not everyone can handle their alcohol and seeing some of the unruly behaviour from drunks in town, do you really want them behind the wheel coming the other way when you are out and about yourself or with your family!
pup2, Jun 6, 6:08am
Police friend always said - If you have a couple of beers (as in 2), and you think you are good to drive.Don't. Nothing wrong with a stubbie after work or on the way home. Doesn't worry me if someone does that. The ones that go out and get plastered and jump behind the wheel (sometimes getting caught repeatedly) worry me. I don't understand why cars aren't fitted out with a breath tester to be able to start it. No money in it for the government I guess. I'm sure Jazz would have a view on that
hatchback, Jun 6, 6:15am
Exactly, I wouldnt jump behind the wheel after the first beer, I feel the effects by then so wouldnt trust my judgement.it only takes a split second to kill someone
tonyrockyhorror, Jun 6, 7:35am
the key is "under the influence" and determining how much is required to appreciably impair cognitive function. The fact is that if that impairment was so easy to determine there are many people on the road that wouldn't reach the grade sober.
rob_man, Jun 6, 8:17am
I think you'll find that the accidents involving alcohol as a possible cause will mostly feature drivers well over the limit. I don't think changing the limit will do much in those cases.
nzoomed, Jun 6, 8:34am
yeah i agree
eagles9999, Jun 6, 9:16am
Yes its seldom the person who has had justone or two beers or wines that is involved as thissmall amount doesnt do much to effect one's abilty to respond to an emergency situation.Its also takes a lot more than one or two to impair judgement as well.
Interesting that many so-called alcoholrelated accidents are at intersections, often STOP signs where the signs werent even seen.
mark.52, Jun 6, 10:12am
These days of low-tolerance, I find it easier to just not drink and drive.

Attempting to make an assessment of my ability to drive (legally) is kind of subjective after 2 or 3 beers. "Probably OK" doesn't really cut it if you need a license.

Lowering the limit won't make much difference, I think. It's like lowering the speed limit. The people who are having the crashes are the ones that are easily distracted, or can't drive for crap anyway, or repeat extreme offenders.

The limits set (both for speed, and alcohol level) are arbitrary compromises. We're all different. Some people don't seem to be impaired at all after 4 or 5 beers, some go crazy after one glass. I'd like to see more of a focus on individual responsibility. Harder to police and deal with in a court, though.
trogedon, Jun 6, 11:03am
Sadly, I think you're right. (note placement of comma to show that its not actually sad that I think, for anyone who might misread this).
phalanax, Jun 6, 11:17am
Zero is a pointless exercise there wouldnt be enough cells and it would clog up the courts.lol. I think what we have now is satisfactory.Im for tougher sentences on those that exceed what we have.most folk are pretty responsible ,why punish the majority because of the minority.bite the minority into line.
elect70, Jun 6, 12:11pm
Think of all thesheilas having a glassof wine with lunch then driving to pick up kids, gets done DIC . Or atelaquer chocolatesThencriminal record( if theymake it zero tolerance ),
superdave0_13, Jun 6, 2:29pm
It can be done if you change the punishment as well. DIC doesn't need to equate to an automatic loss of license.
A few years ago I went out for a game of pool with a work mate in The Netherlands. My friend had two 7 oz glasses of Heineken and proceeded to drive home. We got pulled over and he got done. An instant 200 euro fine and banned from driving for an hour.
gunhand, Jun 6, 4:52pm
Hey, after two stubbies of beer (beer tips me over real quick) I wouldnt trust myself to ride the misses let alone ride a motorbike or drive a car, however after 10 Bourbons I feel like nothing is wrong at all, and generally there isnt.
fordcrzy, Jun 6, 5:04pm
why not make the speed limit zero too. that way the road toll will be zero too!
LOWERING THE LIMIT IS A STUPID IDEA.
it will simply make criminals of good honest people.

so mr blogs goes out and has a few beers and gets pulled up and is over the new lower limit.but under the old limit.he loses his licence, his job his house and maybe even his marriage, all because of the goal posts being moved.and is he any more dangerous than any other average driver out there! NO.
pollymay, Jun 6, 6:09pm
It's pointless, it's all in the attitude. If I drink I won't drive, if I'm driving I won't drink. It's pretty easy. No tolerance and all that nonsense will just catch people out that really don't deserve to be. It's a number, I think the circumstances of how it came to be there are much more important.

It's like how they cry for tighter gun laws when an illegal weapon is used, or lower speed limits when someone crashes grossly exceeding them, It all misses the real problem by miles.