Blood Alcohol Limits for towing - 20 mg

fits

From today, the new blood alcohol limit for someone towing a trailer is 20 mg. Thats down from 80 mg, and is very very low.
Just in time for the hunting season!

Borderfox

No wine gums for ya then

finbarrk

Its a disaster. Stupid law introduced by a crowd that never drank a sup out of a flask in all their lives. Grrrr!

convert

I actually agree with it. It's unbelievable the number of people I've seen out hunting who are drunk (I'm not talking about a swig or two from a hip flask here, I'm talking pretty durnk) while mounted, therefore putting their own safety, that of their horse, not to mention the rest of the field and other horses, at risk. Then they get into their cars/jeeps/lorries and drive home, putting other road users at risk, too. I simply don't think that's acceptable. A swig or a few from a hip flask throughout the day is fine. Being on one's way to a tipsy state before mounting is not. Neither is getting tipsy throughout the day.

fits

Whats wrong with a 50 mg limit though? I just dont understand why its so low as 20mg.

convert

fits wrote: »

Whats wrong with a 50 mg limit though? I just dont understand why its so low as 20mg.

Safety? Reducing alcohol related accidents/deaths on the road? Even one drink can impair judgement.

fits

We are already one of the safest countries in the world for driving believe it or not. I am not for drink driving.
I am all for reasonable limits which are enforced. with this you'd be worried about taking a cough bottle. And you know what, I very much doubt that a 20mg limit for towers, will make much of a difference compared to 50 mg.

finbarrk

convert wrote: »

Safety? Reducing alcohol related accidents/deaths on the road? Even one drink can impair judgement.

You sound like Gay Byrne. The whole thing is shagged when one can't drink a few hot whiskeys or take a few sups of a flask while out hunting anymore.

Mongarra

Why should hunting be treated any differently than other pursuits. So if I like athletics and train for a cross-country or marathon should I be allowed take a few swigs from a hip flask during the day and not be restricted in my driving as you seem to imply for those on horseback?

fits

^ What bizarre logic!

Its not about hunting being treated any differently. This particular law is nothing to do with hunting, or even horseriding. It merely affects many people who tow horseboxes as well as other trailers.

As i said, I have nothing against a 50 mg limit, but will feel unable to drink anything at all the night before an early start with the horse now. There is simply no margin of error. And I dont think it will have any perceptible benefit.

Ave Sodalis

Like convert said, even one drink can impair your judgement and reactions. I also agree with the law. Towing horseboxes shouldn't be done with any amount of drink in my opinion, as the risk to your horse is increased, not just from crashes but doing something silly such as taking a corner too fast and putting the horse off travelling for life

fits

As I said before, I dont condone drink driving, but I just dont now where this ever-increasing regulation will stop. Will they ban horse riding altogether. That would save lives.

Ave Sodalis

fits wrote: »

As I said before, I dont condone drink driving, but I just dont now where this ever-increasing regulation will stop. Will they ban horse riding altogether. That would save lives.

What's the towing limit got to do with horse riding though? I don't see how decreasing the alcohol limit would effect riding

fits

sup_dude wrote: »

What's the towing limit got to do with horse riding though? I don't see how decreasing the alcohol limit would effect riding

It doesnt. Its a ridiculous suggestion.

Designed to reflect the ridiculous things done in the name of 'elf and safety'.

granturismo

fits wrote: »

It doesnt. Its a ridiculous suggestion.
Designed to reflect the ridiculous things done in the name of 'elf and safety'.

Nothing to do with 'elf and safety' gone mad. Here's a more likely reason - any vechicle towing is now heavier and also has the added hazard of instability. If a driver is drink impaired, drives too fast or makes a bad decision in a critical scenario - the combined weight or instability may have a more serious outcome.


I know of one fatality where a pedestrian was hit by a trailer. The fatality wasnt caused by the moving car a few feet in front of the trailer but the unstable trailer at speed.

Angelmangle

Alcohol is a drug and I do not believe anybody should be under the influence of a drug while driving, period. It doesn't matter how little you drink it still impares your judgment which is bad enough while driving a car, never mind pulling a box.

fits

Well I disagree with such a low limit that is all.

I wonder how this will affect people who dont have the correct EB license in the first place. Is it a case of 'if you aint got nuthin, you aint got nuthin to lose'?