[driver]

Was just reading the tauranga city news and saw how the cops are fed up with drink drivers.

Are they as much a menace as in the UK? Do you feel as if every driver is out to get you off the road the way it is here?

I spend all day on the roads and its like dicing with death half the time. I know they can be bad over there but is it really as bad all the time or just on occasion?

[Smiler]

I can't really answer fully as I haven't seen much of this personally, but here in the Dominion Post on certain days, a list is published of convicted drivers, complete with address and sentence and I think the breath alcohol reading.

It's normally about 20 or 30 people from all over the wellington region. I like the fact they publish that, if it discourages more people from commiting the offence.

I'm more aware of what I'm doing on the road because I'm new, even though it is the same side. But I haven't seen the tell tale swerving in front of me here yet.
Deborah

[Carol]

It depends where you live.

In the "country" is much worse.
But in towns it is bad too.


Personally I'd just ban them all. Never mind all this "first offence" crap.
If I can manage to refrain from drinking if I am driving then tough luck - "they" should be able to also.

I really would - ban them and impound their cars.
And if they still offended - I'd chuck them in the clink for a few months.

[Smiler]

and there's me toning my post down from the banner waving soapbox I was stood on.


Well Done Carol, :nice1 hear hear.
D x

[Carol]

:laugh

I've never been one to mince me words!

[jonSE]

It is much worse here than in the UK, where you'ld be (un)lucky to be able to spot a drunk driver if you were driving yourself. AKL is bad but here on Waiheke you'ld probably get away with it 99.9% of the time unless you crashed. The only good thing is that as it's christmas time the police set up roadblocks and pretty much test everybody.

[Bubbles]

Totally agree with Carol, absolutely no excuse for it.................................but on a lighter note,

http://uk.rd.yahoo.com/oa/*http://uk.download.yahoo.com/pr/fu/oa/drinkdriving.wmv

:D

[zardell]

:laugh :laugh :laugh

Oh Bubbles,that was so funny........

Julie


x

[driver]

Very funny bubbles, even the accent, i was waiting for him to be a kiwi, how sad am i?

I've been on forums too long, need to get on with being in NZ.


The drink driving does worry me though, our son will be 15 and driving in the summer.(sorry your winter).
We recently had two separate incidents here in one week where a young lad was killed, in a road accident. I'm hoping my son will be able to cope and get out of the way in time if one of these persistent offenders is coming in the other direction.

I am in the same boat as Carol i'm afraid.

[veronica]

Anyone out there know the stats for drink driving related accidents/incidents in the UK v those in NZ. And in NZ with town driving v country.
I know they hit the news here but then again there isn't much competition for news over here in NZ. Things like that aren't reported in national Newspapers in the UK as there is too much 'other' news floating about.

[Moorf]

Definitely agree it's worse in the country - even in the UK, where we lived in Scotland there was no public transport or taxi's and the locals would regularly, as in daily/weekly, drive to the local pub 10 miles away and drive back bladdered.... :( I assume the same goes on here in NZ.... scary isn't it, to think most of us would choose not to drink and drive and then have to negotiate the roads with the idiots who don't give a damn.....

There are some scary perceptions/observations in this report.
PERCEPTIONS OF drink-driving

AND ALCOHOL-RELATED crashes

in Rural Areas of New Zealand

http://www.aphru.ac.nz/projects/RURALw2.htm

[kiwidebs]

When I travelled around Ireland I was told by a local (not sure how true it was you understand, I was young and naive in those days....) that it wasn't illegal to be drunk if driving a tractor, so it wasn't unusual for farmers to take their tractors to the pub! :cheers


Debs

[jubjub]

I have to say I like the anti Drink drive message on the current police adverts, blunt and to the point.

"If you drink and Drive, then you are a bloody idiot"

It does seem to be a prob if you live in an area not covered by any public transport and taxis cost a bomb, or just wont go that far.

[Carol]

I've been breath tested now twice in two days.....completely different areas.


With a bit of luck they are really stepping up the testing this year.

[Bubbles]

Hot off the UK press


Drugs Could Be Biggest Road Danger Thursday December 22, 11:59 AM

Motorists taking to the roads over the festive season are being warned of the dangers of drug-driving.Police believe the use of drugs may be overtaking alcohol consumption as the main cause of road deaths.

One officer told Sky News: "It's an absolutely massive problem that we need to address soon because it's getting out of control."

A survey by the Local Authority Road Safety Officers' Association revealed 39% of young drivers admit to taking drugs before getting behind the wheel.

And worryingly, a third said they intended to carry on in the same way.

Three-quarters of those surveyed had no idea what the penalties are for drug-driving.

A third said they had driven while carrying passengers under the influence.

There has been an 8% reduction in the overall number of deaths on the roads in Britain.

But the mortality rate for young drivers has risen by 12%.