We'll drink to that (I don't drink, it's just a saying)

cormie

http://home.eircom.net/content/irelandcom/breaking/7840087?view=Eircomnet

Drivers caught with a blood alcohol content of between 80mg and 100mg per 100ml of blood will be given the opportunity of paying a fine and relinquishing their licence for six months as an alternative to going to court.

The option is one of the measures included in the new Road Traffic Bill which was agreed by Cabinet today. The Minister for Transport Martin Cullen said he hoped the Bill would come into force before the summer.

Outlining details of the bill this afternoon Mr Cullen said the "court alternative" was designed to free up court and garda time. Motorists charged with drink driving who opt not to accept the fine with 28 days will go to court where they will face a stiffer fine on conviction. This measure is only open to drivers on their first offence.

The period for which a driver on their second offence or challenging a drink driving charge can lose their licence has also increased from between 3 months to 4 years to between one and 6 years.

Mr Cullen said he had opted to give discretion as regards sentencing rather a single, severe fixed penalty. However, the Minister said he was willing to listen to submissions on this point and would if needs be review it.

The maximum fine for a drink driving conviction has also been increased from Eur2,500 to
Eur4,000.

Along with the stiffer penalties will be new powers for An Garda to begin mandatory alcohol testing. Mr Cullen said this would not be restricted to certain hours and would remove the need for gardai to form an opinion which has caused difficulties in court.

Mr Cullen said the new legislation was "tough, sensible and necessary".

Anan1

Is anyone ever caught with between 80mg and 100mg? Any cases I've ever seen have involved multiples of the 80mg limit.

mike65

I'm suprised no one posted about this earlier.

In a country like say, Switzerland this would work well but here the first thought is to challange the law. At the moment drivers who are caught bang to rights are not getting the full sentence as writen in the legistation.

Also use of hand held phones is going to be a points offence.

Mike.

ando

is there any devices out there that you can tell you if your over the limit or not?, like a personal breathalyzer

Henry Ford III

DIY alcoholisers are available.

mike65

Don't drink.

Mike.

Henry Ford III

mike65 wrote:

....Also use of hand held phones is going to be a points offence.

If they enforce this one they'd clean up.

Sadly I don't expect this'll happen.

commited

There is a simple rule - if you're driving, dont drink

It's the rule myself and all of my mates (except for one from the country, seems to be more common down there as well as not wearing seatbelt) stick to. Unfortunately my old man and all his friends think differently ("ah sure yer still grand after 3 or 4")

Rabies

ando wrote:

is there any devices out there that you can tell you if your over the limit or not?, like a personal breathalyzer

I noticed a few breathalyzer machines in bars while in Sydney a few weeks ago.
Think it was something like AU$8 a go.

Gandhi

They had them in the States for a while, but they were usually surrounded by Frat boys slamming Jagermeister shots trying to see who could get the most over the limit. I haven't seen them in years at this stage.

Now that I think of it, the only bars I ever saw them in were city centre bars where almost everyone there would be getting a taxi / bus / subway home anyway.

fletch

A mates brother of mine recently got caught unlicensed, uninsured and drunk while drivin.....got a 6month ban from drivin(he drove home from court) and a measly €250 fine! :eek:
Made me so angry...I was expecting him to get a jail term, granted its a first offence but I thought they were meant to be clamping down on stuff like this!

KELTICKNIGHTT

Also use of hand held phones is going to be a points offence.
about time
as for drunkdrivers about time also
wait and see how it goes

byte

How much alcohol is 80-100mg? Is it half a pint?

If you were out having a few beers on a Saturday night for example, and were going to drive Sunday afternoon, would you still be over the limit?

drdre

the best option is donot drink and drive.if you want to drink get a taxi, bus or helicopter:D .
but the worst mistake would be getting a fine and 6 month ban or even killing someone.this is a good law but i still donot think the garda will be able to tackle the road deaths.they need more gaurds on the road not sitting on there arse.

Gatster

http://www.recovery.org.uk/druginfo/index.html

See about half way down - depends on how much blood you have though, metabolism etc. An anorexic midget could be in real trouble etc.

bazz26

ando wrote:

is there any devices out there that you can tell you if your over the limit or not?, like a personal breathalyzer

Seen one of these devices in the toilet of a bar recently. It cost €1. Tried it for the laugh after having about 5 pints and it told me I was fine. :eek: Go figure!