[Leccy-Lee]

Is a difference in different cultures or just me, or is this country so relaxed on drink driving?

Every since i arrived six months ago i had been surprised to see people propping up a bar and then jumping in there car. And since i started my job i have always had the every Friday evening after work we sit in office and chat for a couple of hours and the guys have a couple of beers before heading home, i had because i will never drink and drive at all (even one bottle, no) never have, never will.

But in the last week its been simple shocking to see they all seem to not worry about it, been to 2-3 BBQs at clients this week and seen guys downing 3-4 bottles in 20mins at lunch and heading back to work, on asking "are you driving" i get "of course i am why? only had a few beers mate", then there was a guy who had 4-5 shots of spirit and when i offered him a lift home, i got "what! why the hell i want a lift home my cars outside? i am not drunk so its fine". To which about another dozen people all agreed with him and implied that us British are too paranoid and the kiwi culture is that of a few beers mate!

I am forever getting called "strange" or "odd pommy" because i wont drive after any alcohol, which i know is probably not the norm, but even back home in UK i dont think i ever met anyone that would ever consider it ok to drive after more than 2 beers etc. The UK culture now seems almost to agree to the fact that you dont drink and drive. Like if you are done for Drunk Driving in UK you become a bit of an outcast for it, worries me that here you mates might pat you on the back? :no

[katiejay]

Know what you mean, Lee. I was pretty nervous driving my children into Dunedin this evening to pick my husband up after his works do. I went a fairly circular route and avoided the Octagon entirely, because I was convinced I was going to get sideswiped at a junction!! The government seems to be trying to change attitudes with the TV ads, but I don't think kiwis like being told what to do!! Most of the court rulings listed in the paper this week were for drink driving...:no

[Sam B]

I think the actual limit you are legally allowed to drink is higher, and that doesn't help because it condones the fact that you can have a few drinks, not just one. Every work's do I go to has lots of alcohol, and no-one ever mentions lift sharing, and some people look quite tipsy when they leave, I'm pretty sure they're all driving home. Yes, there is defo more drink driving here.

On Sunday mornings, I often see car wrecks on the side of country roads, looks like they've been abandoned whilst their owners stagger home.

[Moorf]

Yeah, have to say it's been eye-opening the amount of people who drink and drive here... having said that, we're very rural and I know that even when we lived in rural Scotland people would often take a chance as there was no public transport and usually no cops around in the middle of nowhere.... (mind you, they'd normally get you coming out of the pub car park - easy targets!).

Still, I do get anxious driving through rural junctions late at night - usually because they are inhabited by diesel-spreading, tyre-burning hoons :roll but also because they seem to be the major accident spots in our area.

A couple of the local taverns run a mini-bus service, but it's almost as if it's a bit too girly to use them.... :no

[victoria]

Agree with all of the above. It does seem to be that highly immature attitude to drink here.We take it in turns to have a drink when going out & I was amazed by the reaction of the staff at a social do the other week whereby they were impressed by our resposible behaviour on drink driving.Maybe this is ONE thing migrants are bringing in that might make a change.
cuckoo cuckoo

[jubjub]

I friend of mine has just finished training for the police and he was telling us that he arrested the same guy twice in two night for drink driving.... :roll

I also saw an article on the news last xmas, it was meant to put people off and show them how easy it was to get caught... they sent a journo off to a party and every drink he had the police had him come over and get breathalysed, he made it to 4 beers (330 bottles) before he was over the limit! We were stunned he got past beer no 2! I could not decide if it was irresponsible journalism or an interesting experiment!

[Lupin]

It's Very Bad Indeed here :(

10 mins away is our rural pub, which everyone bar the landlord needs to drive to. People drive home from that in a shocking state and perfectly decent people tend to think nothing of having 2 or 3 glasses of wine and then driving.

Just be very careful who you let drive your kids about folks :no

[ourquest]

I am forever getting called "strange" or "odd pommy" because i wont drive after any alcohol,

It is always better to be called an "odd pommy" than in hospital, or even worse in court trying to defend why you drove over your neighbour's 6 yr old daughter (for example).

:nice1 Well done for sticking to your principles. I bet your oddness makes some people think a bit more about their own behaviour.

[pinkpiggy]

Sam and I were discussing this very topic a couple of nights ago. It does seem to be the 'norm' over here. I've even heard them relating tales of how they got pulled over and didn't get arrested! :no

[Clare & Dunc]

I was at work yesterday helping with the end of year cleaning (I work in a childcare centre) and some of the girls had beer with lunch and then added some vodka to some juice. I must add the children had gone home before lunch. I was offered a drink but declined as I was driving. I got a funny look and a 'go on, its ok'. I still declined and said that on my way to work I had noticed more police around than usual. Still blank looks. I then suggested that the police where out and about because a lot of people finished work on Friday lunchtime and may have gone for a drink and then be driving home and police will be stopping and breatherlising people. That was greeted with oh never mind it will be ok, we are not having much.
Lee, I am always being called strange because I'm from the UK, but then agian I was called strange in the UK!!!! There seems to be a pattern forming.
I would rather be strange than banned from driving.

Clare