Little Miss WRX

I have just seen on our local news that Staffordshire police are piloting a new scheme to target drink drivers.

This involves a mobile "jail" whereby they can do further tests after the inital breathalyser roadside test and interview the driver.

A clip from a news site:
Mobile unit for drink-drivers: Police in Stafford are to use a special mobile unit for the first time ever this Christmas to deal with drink drivers. They'll be able to arrest people and take them into custody at the side of the road, instead of taking them back to a police station.


I think this is a fantastic scheme and can get those tw@ts who think it is fine to drive under the influence of alcohol off the road and make it safer.

For once Staffordshire police have my praise!!! I can almost forgive them for the thousands of speed cameras that they have dotted across the county - but not quite.

Hopefully other police forces will adopt this and start getting these dangerous idiots off the road and behind bars. [img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img]

johnfelstead

So do they have mobile solicitors to acompany the mobile jails?

You have certain rights under the law, i hope they dont "forget" that. Thats one reason why you have a custody oficer at a police station, to oversee that peoples rights are being exercised.

Jen

Sounds fantastic Maybe if this is sucessful it will be run by several forces next year - top idea

I put up a Drink Drive display in reception of the council offices yesterday - alot of the comments were off the ilk "that's just depressing", "stop spoiling our fun" ?!?!?!?! Eh?! [img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img] Attitudes are changing, but not fast enough in my view.

Little Miss WRX

There aren't that many details available, I should *think* that they have thought of this, else it would be no point launching it.

It was only just announced on the news this afternoon, I have been scouring sites for more info, as soon as I find it, then I will post up.

JASON H

I have just seen it on a layby on the A34 just after rugely roundabout.

AnDy_PaNdY

Excellent idea, I'll look out for them.

ChrisB

Best be on our best behaviour tonight then

Little Miss WRX

Hence why we are travelling in one car.

POC

I saw one today too! Managed to snap a shot....

POC

cos my pic is a bit on the crap side, i got a police artist to paint the following...



Policeman also in the picture

muppet paster

LOL : POC!

Little Miss WRX

Muppet.

Personally, I think that drink drivers should be put in those type of jails.

johnfelstead

only guilty ones chelle!

Little Miss WRX

Naturally John.

Those who exceed the legal limit of alcohol.

Though why the **** anyone has to do it is beyond me. If I am driving, I eithe rdon't drink full stop or have one and make sure that it is over an hour since I would have had that drink before I drive.

I just can't understand the mentality of people who drink and drive. Maybe, one day, they will lose someone very close to them to a ***** who's excuse was "I thought I was fine to drive" this was after he was breathalysed to be three times over the legal alcohol/blood limit. [img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img]

As far as I am concerned, the more they catch and punish, the ******* better!!!!

camk

wait till they start doing it for speeders.....

scunnered

iTrader: (1)

Its also very easy for innocent people to be convicted of drinking & driving. In 1993, two policemen overheard a conversation I had, and knew I was going to get my jacket out of my motorcyle pannier. They followed me and arrested me for "attempting to drive while under the influence". They new fine well that I was getting a taxi with freinds. I pleaded not guilty in court, but of course they lied to make sure of a conviction. I felt very bitter for a while afterwards.

Popeye P1

Don't want to start a war here but there's a difference between having lets say one pint too many and pottering home and the bloke who has a skinful and gets in his car and drives like a bat out of hell.
If w'ere all honest the majority of us have had one too many and driven thinking we are ok.

And before I start getting slated or flamed I don't condone drink driving. LOL

camk

driving too fast for the road or whilst pissed is just the same, certainly the outcome can be the same, however 'socially' one is more acceptable on here than the other, but thats just the propaganda getting to work.
Its obvious that any Government can only tackle one issue at a time, it was Drink Driving in the 80's , today its speeding. Anyone who doesn't see that needs to get their eyes tested.

Cheers
Cammy

BTW please don't come back with any DD is more dangerous than speeding quotes, the fact more people speed than DD makes it more dangerous to me and my family statistically. Yes i do speed as well and having even driven with a couple of pints in my 20 years driving. I just have problems dealing with the hypocracy of fast is OK but a few jars is the Devil himself......

Popeye P1

'I just have problems dealing with the hypocracy of fast is OK but a few jars is the Devil himself'

Couldn't have summed it up better. Its ok to drive like a madman sober but have a few pints and you're a f***ing w***** tosser who drives over the limit all the time and has no regard for road safety etc.

johnfelstead

i persoanlly believe driving under the influence of drugs is more of an issue these days than drink driving. Drink Driving was a big problem 10 years ago, it really isnt that common now. Driving after drugs is definately more on the up.

Steve Whitehorn

iTrader: (13)

I agree. Drugs is a big problem and needs to be tackled. And drink drivers don't deserve any sympathy, bang em up.

Interestingly. As we know one of the factors for driving quickly but safely in the right conditions is all about being smooth with the controlls and therefore relaxed. I find that after ONE drink, note ONE drink, I sometimes drive better as it just relaxes me slightly. And I am not talking about my Ars..

Anyone else noticed this or is it just me.
Steve

Steve Whitehorn

iTrader: (13)

...or am I talking out of my ars*?

johnfelstead

steve, you are talking out of your ****.

I find even after 1 pint of shandy, my level of ability behind the wheel is reduced. I dont have any issues with being relaxed behind the wheel, so maybe you need to think about why you are tense?

I must add, i am a lightweight and get pissed very easily.

mark_h

You may feel that your driving has improved, but perform any kind of perception or reaction test, and you will find that even one drink has a negative effect on you.

Steve Whitehorn

iTrader: (13)

John. My ars* has now shut up and my bottom is now typing this, so excuse any splleing errors.

And I thought I was a light weight when it came to booze!!
Perhaps we need to have a shandy drinking competition one day.

All spare money has to be spent on yellow liquid one way or another. I get more fun out of a pint of petrol than a pint lager.

Best wishes
Steve


I can occasionaly get a little tense behind the wheel. I had a very very bad off in a VR6 about 7 years ago. So I realise how quickly you can die in a car. Which has made me a safer driver. Don Palmer has been a great help in me getting over this

bug-eyed wonder

I'm gonna wade in and stick my neck on the block here!
IMHO drug driving can't be compared to drink driving. Drink makes you unfit to drive full stop. However due to the many variants of illegal/legal drugs it's impossible to lump them all under one label. I've never driven under the influence of drink but to be honest an early afternoon breath test on some occasions "may" have got me into trouble even though I felt fine (bet I'm not the only one).
As for the other type of driving offence,well been there done that never had a problem and was stopped on more than one occasion (at routine check points I must add )

The Viking

I have real problems with this my dad was a "drunk" driver and it was awful he never killed anyone (luckily) but seeing him stagger drunk from his car and fall flat on his face on a sunday afternoon was enough for me. There are enough alternatives in soft drinks, designated drivers taxi or shanks pony that there is no excuse for drunk driving. I feel that should stop all this over the limit nonsense my wife could have two drinks and be pissed (why I married her) but I could have a bottle of wine and be in better control( why she married me)yet she's still legal. Zero tolerance 1 drink over limit bye licence. Harsh but at least we would all know were we stood.

yet on saying that where I live are doing the name and shame game get caught and your picture,name and I think your address in the local papers. This even I think is over the top. When you consider that rapists, murderers paedeophiles and worse have their privacy protected.

Don't think I some tee-total guy just don't think cars and alcohol or drugs mix we're supposedly grown ups are we really saying that we have no control over our actions.

Claudius

So how much is ok? I drink half a bottle of wine and a Cognac type of digestive after dinner. Never had any problems. I have had like 2 or 3 accidents, years ago, when sober. I think the problem comes from people drinking and driving very fast, not frompeople having had one too many and crawling home?

MooseRacer

I'm afraid that's not the case. As with a lot of accidents it may not be what the driver - be they a drink driver or a speeding driver - does that starts the crash. It is the ability of said driver to react to situations that suffers in the case of drink driving, and a speeding driver has less time to react. Simple facts.

It is a fact that alcohol in any quantity slows people's reactions and adversly affects their judgement.

camk

Moose,
Sorry It actually not a fact, I've seen at least 3 experiments on TV trying to prove this fact and all have shown the same. After 1 or 2 drinks the drivers were better, however the issue is that after 3 ability goes down rapidly whilst perceived ability goes up....this is where the danger lies. Anyway I see you can get 500quid for shopping a Drunk Driver now, so there you go. Ten years from now when your getting blown in by other drivers(for a 10 quid reward) for speeding , you'll remember nostalgically where it all started
I do not have an issue with DD's getting done, my issue is this annual focus on DDing, its a lot of crap. Statistically more people are killed in cars whilst pissed in the summer, if its really an issue then why do we just 'do it for Christmas' and only focus on DDers, what about the pish drivers or punters with no insurance or MOT.

Regards
Cammy