Does anyone think that this might lead to a different interpretation of the less measurable "unfit to ride through drink" restriction on cycling after a tipple?
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!
"Lower drink-drive limit before Christmas"
(53 posts)-
Posted 9 years ago #
-
Poland has had a lower limit for decades also more of a drink drive problem.
I read in the paper that 10 years ago poland make riding a bike subject to the same laws as a car and now sends people to prison for riding a bike over the limit.Posted 9 years ago # -
In Slovenia this year, my Slovene pal came stotting out of the bar one night, stopped to have a slightly slurred conversation with the local police who'd parked up outside, then proceeded to get into his BMW and drive off. The police didn't bat an eyelid.
My pal told me they're not bothered unless you're drunk and causing aggro, or you actually crash after they let you drive off unchallenged.
I'm grateful that they have some fabulous segregated cycling infrastructure over there, so you're kept well away from the boozy drivers!
Posted 9 years ago # -
"
The drink-drive limit in England and Wales should be cut to match that in Scotland, the Police Federation says."
Posted 8 years ago # -
"
Drink-drive numbers fall after Scottish limit reduced
"
Posted 8 years ago # -
But is it the lower limit which has caused the fall? Or is it just less effort being put into detection?
Posted 8 years ago # -
Christmas drink driving up by a third over last year, and NOT because of the lower limit. At least it only accounts for a small percentage.
However, police figures showed that just 19 of the 459 drivers caught were found to be between Scotland's old and new drink-drive limit.
Posted 8 years ago # -
The xmas/new year 15-16 numbers are way up on those from 14-15, but the 14-15 numbers were quite a bit down on 13-14, so maybe it was 14-15 numbers that were unusual and 15-16 is just some of the 3% of drivers tested who were drunk returning to their usual behaviour?
Posted 8 years ago # -
@s
But is there any 'format' for the number of times/places police do checks around Christmases?
Posted 8 years ago # -
Re. our conversation on the previous page about the previous alcohol limit being too high. I have just seen an experiment on Mythbusters where Adam drank up to 75mg (so he could still actually drive legally)and did a driving test. When he got into the car he was looking very disheveled and saying that he could not believe he was still legal to drive. He did pretty badly in the test BTW! And asked Jamie to drive them home.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Are they assuming that becuase the law lowered the legal limit, people drank less? That is a big assumption to make, and would be reflected in the responses to police random stops rather than accident stats.
Posted 5 years ago # -
@mgj
Good questionI wonder if the limit dropping was low enough to enforce the choice that "you drink or you drive", rather than "I'll have 'one' and then drive."
I would also have thought that the changes would have meant that more people could be caught "morning after" driving.
Posted 5 years ago # -
I'm not sure there's any clear implication beyond "the policy, as implemented, had no measurable effect on road safety."
It would be interesting to know whether behaviour changed or not - that's more of an enforcement/implementation thing. Certainly, if alcohol consumption pre-driving has genuinely reduced without a decrease in harm, that's quite a surprising result. I suspect compliance is not that good though.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Interesting set of questions.
You might like to read this AFTER completing them.
https://www.alcohol-focus-scotland.org.uk/alcohol-information/alcohol-facts-and-figures/
Posted 4 years ago # -
Done - quite thought provoking questions.
Biketrain - might want to point them at this article for some relevant research results from Minimum Unit Pricing in part of Canada:
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/dar.12471
May need someone with access to academic journals to get the full thing for them.
Posted 4 years ago # -
Ooh, I got the How many crimes are alcohol related? Correct
Posted 4 years ago # -
alarmist alcohol stats are entirely irrelevant
all social classes drink alcohol to excess
deprivation is the problem
mental illness, poverty, poor education, and low socioeconomic status
Posted 4 years ago # -
@bax, it seems likely that a less equal society will experience more anti social crime. Also this is recorded crime. Motoring offences are presumably also excluded.
Posted 4 years ago # -
Big thanks to all that have posted so far. Much appreciated.
Posted 4 years ago #
Reply
You must log in to post.
posts
