U.K. Drinking Costs

[piercehawkeye45]

Originally Posted by Aliantha

Drink driving is a mistake no one should ever make. I don't care if they're just over the limit. The limit is there for a reason. It's no different to any other crime if you kill someone (including yourself) when you've been drinking.

The problem I see with the drinking and driving issue is that there is a clear cut between what is ideal and what is reality. Of course drinking and driving is bad and I personally don't know anyone that will disagree but in reality, the drinking and driving dilemma becomes more of calculating risk then a clear cut right and wrong.

We are supposed to think ahead but eventually many people will face the fork in the road when they are just drunk enough that they shouldn't be driving, are less then a mile away from their house, its -20 degrees outside, have no money for a cab, and no one else is on the road. Most people I know will decide that they will take the risk of drinking and driving even though they know they shouldn't. They make it home safety and then tell themselves that they will never put themselves in that position again. Naturally, they will put themselves in that situation again and will tell themselves that they have made it home before and they can do it again. That is where the snowball starts rolling and people start to feel confident in their drinking and driving abilities and start to believe that drunk driving accidents only happen to "other less responsible" people.

There are many flaws in the drinking and driving logic but in reality, many people are going to take the drinking and driving risk. No matter how much campaigning is done, no matter how low you make the drinking and driving limit, and no matter how big of consequences you make, drinking and driving is going to happen and most people are going to do it "safety" even though people know they shouldn't. The best solution IMO is creating alternative options and not trying to forcefully lower the number of drunk drivers with big consequences. Taxis are good and are widely used but they are expensive and many people prefer to drive. I don't know of a good solution besides expanding cab services and I doubt there really is one but I just don't believe continuing to lower the drinking limit and raising the consequences will do anything.


As a note, I do not disagree with the current laws in my area (.08 limit and heavy consequences for being caught) and quit drinking so I have never and will never drink and drive. Even though it is a reality that people will drink and drive, there must be consequences for doing it because of what can happen in the worst case scenario. It is not a preferable system but will have to do until a better is thought up.