Drink driving penalties-too tough or too soft

[BHDOGS]

Im confused by the resistance to 0.00 drink driving limit there isnt an epidemic of p platers and bus drivers being pulled over for gargling mouth wash so why would it suddenly happen with regular drivers? and isnt that what the second test in the bus is for 10 minutes later to double check or the check at the police station and if worse comes to worse you can get a test at a hospital or is it just really excuses so some people can still have a beer with there dinner because drinking one beer then driving is a right but drinking ten and driving isnt? just before the agro brigade bust out with the self righteous anger over anything being changed that doesnt suit them personally im not in favour of it being changed just wondering why the double standards.

[hawker]

Too soft. The problem is, the only real way to get repeat offenders etc off the road is to put them in prison. And magistrates and judges are being pushed to stay away from that Prisons are too full as it is.

I think diversionary programs are the better way to go. But some times people just don't listen. The scary thing is, these ******* are on the road at the same time we are.

[blk6t]

Those who are not drink drivers think the penalties are soft, yet the people that are convicted will say they're too harsh. I also don't think prison is the answer for the a lot of cases, the majority of prisoners are driving offenders, who are repeat....

To be honest I don't know what the answer is, but I also think we can't place all offenders in one basket. I do know in some middle east countries, high range PCA drivers face the firing squad......

[Olbucko]

I don't see the person that has one drink too many once in ten years as a problem, he has been responsible 99.9% of the time, give them some credit for that, don't let them off altogether though, a moderate fine and a loss of at least 8 points so that a repeat offence in the next three years will mean a loss of licence.

The repeat offenders are the problem, throw the book at them, confiscate their cars, throw them in goal, bring back the horse whip!

I think that all pubs and clubs should have at least one regularly calibrated breathalizer available to patrons at a nominal charge. The reading should show the alcohol level up to .05 then show fail so not to encourge people to see how high a reading that they can get. There should also be legislation introduced to protect clubs and pubs from from being sued by drivers who may be later be found by police to be over the limit because of incorrect use of the machine.

[Jim Goose]

Originally Posted by Olbucko

I don't see the person that has one drink too many once in ten years as a problem, he has been responsible 99.9% of the time, give them some credit for that, don't let them off altogether though, a moderate fine and a loss of at least 8 points so that a repeat offence in the next three years will mean a loss of licence.

The repeat offenders are the problem, throw the book at them, confiscate their cars, throw them in goal, bring back the horse whip!
.

It wont matter if he/she has been good 99.9% of the time.... they can still end up killing themselves or someone else just as easy as those who drive continually drunk every week.

Like some people who can drive for months/yrs without a licence, without a registered car and get away with it.... and when someone who 99% of the time obeys the rules and drives their unregistered car once, gets caught by police.... because they are unlucky!

[Olbucko]

Originally Posted by Jim Goose

It wont matter if he/she has been good 99.9% of the time.... they can still end up killing themselves or someone else just as easy as those who drive continually drunk every week.

Like some people who can drive for months/yrs without a licence, without a registered car and get away with it.... and when someone who 99% of the time obeys the rules and drives their unregistered car once, gets caught by police.... because they are unlucky!

When I said one drink I meant one and only one, putting the driver at the bottom of the low range.

Fortunately people with unregisted car and dodgy plates don't have to do anything wrong now to be picked up, cameras in police cars automaticly detect them in seconds.

[302 XC]

Originally Posted by graham7773

Automatic instant loss of licence for any amount of alcohol plus fines relevant to income of the offender. Road use is a privelege, not a right regardless of what the potential DUI"s may think. Repeat offender? Automatic gaol terms. They know it's wrong but do not care.

Not being picky,
So a dole bludger who gets lets say a few hundred a week,gets a few buck fine , and some high class CEO muppet who earns a few hundred grand a year gets a few grand fine ...
It doesnt matter what you earn or what grog you buy , they all have different effects on different people
You go scull 3 stubbies of light beer , ill skull the same volume of liquid of the top shelf dearest stuff i can buy
Youll be still standing, id be legless ...

[302 XC]

Originally Posted by Olbucko

I think that all pubs and clubs should have at least one regularly calibrated breathalizer available to patrons at a nominal charge. The reading should show the alcohol level up to .05 then show fail so not to encourge people to see how high a reading that they can get. There should also be legislation introduced to protect clubs and pubs from from being sued by drivers who may be later be found by police to be over the limit because of incorrect use of the machine.

There are these machines around
The problem is , some people get the reading, yep all fine but the beer or drink they just sculled before the breath test hasnt gone threw their system yet
Or they get a breath test and its under and then go throw another ale down , thinking its only another beer
Watch these cop shows, people just over have the option for a 2nd reading that can be awhile , depending on the distance to the cop shop
IF your just over and havent topped up before the breath test youll be fine, but theres many who have a medium or low reading then the reading gets higher as the alcohol effect comes thru

I dont understand how driving while drug effected has a higher effect,higher penalties,ect than DUI, there both driving under the influence, are they not ???

[Olbucko]

Originally Posted by 302 XC

There are these machines around
The problem is , some people get the reading, yep all fine but the beer or drink they just sculled before the breath test hasnt gone threw their system yet
Or they get a breath test and its under and then go throw another ale down , thinking its only another beer
Watch these cop shows, people just over have the option for a 2nd reading that can be awhile , depending on the distance to the cop shop
IF your just over and havent topped up before the breath test youll be fine, but theres many who have a medium or low reading then the reading gets higher as the alcohol effect comes thru

I dont understand how driving while drug effected has a higher effect,higher penalties,ect than DUI, there both driving under the influence, are they not ???

What you have said is very true.

The machines would only help the responsible people who read the instructions and followed the correct proceedure. The idiots that didn't take it seriously by having another drink or not waiting 15 0r 20 mins before the test deserve to be caught. also a person who took a test on a regular basis would be better able to judge how much he could drink without going over the limit if there was not a machine available.

[svo supporter]

Originally Posted by 302 XC

I dont understand how driving while drug effected has a higher effect,higher penalties,ect than DUI, there both driving under the influence, are they not ???

You're right, yet in S.A, get caught stoned and cop a piddly fine and loose 3 demerit points.

[svo supporter]

Originally Posted by Brazen

I agree there is no excuse to drink-drive, but as a society we really have to look at what is happening.

There are more to drink drivers than just the stupid party animal teen.

In our local community centre we meet twice a month with locals to go through issues like depression and mental illness, it is mostly farmers who are dragged there by the kids or the local church. The issues facing them are usually divorce or financial (often both). In 100% of the cases, I would say they hit the bottle pretty hard. Good people too who just are at an all time low, these people self-medicate with alcohol and end up doing stupid things which could of been avoided if they got help. I remember at one point we had 3 guys on drink driving charges (out of 3 people attending). These people who have never been in trouble in their life, helped in bushfires and floods but just couldnt handle losing their family or going bankrupt and resorted to booze. Losing their licence has massive consequences out here.

Looking at many drink driving stories, it is often an issue with alcohol that as a community we pretend doesnt exist. Millions of people drink a day, millions of people have alcohol and depression problems and millions of people drive each day, yet we all act outraged when the drinking and driving come together.

According to UK research 70% of drink drivers are one-time only offenders. Meaning the vast majority wake-up and realise they need help or they need to smarten up and never do it again. For these people to be treated worse than child abusers is just a convenient way for us as a community to ignore the problems that alcohol and mental illness can cause.

We could go along the lines of people stealing cars, breaking into houses etc etc, being a sign of the times....Mention these sorts of things on the forum and listen to the uproar...Everything from locking them up and throwing away the keys, to sticking a knife in their stomach.

Unfortunately when it comes to drink drivers, I have zero tolerance for excuses....I don't agree with jailing them, as it's pointless, but having an excuse like being stress or a sign of the times, doesn't wash.