You knew it was only a matter of time - 0.05 discussion

[Regs]

Well, that didn't take very long:

CBC News - British Columbia - Vernon man nabbed twice under new impaired laws

Personally, I'm all for getting impaired drivers off the road.

However, I do have a problem with this 0.05 - 0.08 "warning" range and the "punishments" that go with it.

Either you say flat out the legal limit is .05 or it isn't now. Otherwise, it is hard to imagine this is nothing but a way to generate revenue for the government (and I'm saying this as not an anti-liberal hater).

 

[Polska]

Another blow to the bars and restaraunt industry

 

[johnnybluenose]

and a comment in the below of the story hits the nail right on the head:

While I fully support the removal of drunk drivers from our roads, I really have a difficult time believing that the .05 to.08 level is one that is responsible for drunk driving deaths.
---------------------------------------------------------------

This is the point really. If you are a government in trouble then pass a draconian law that is never the less difficult to oppose. Who could possibly be in favor of impaired drivers being allowed on the roads? Or excessive speeders for that matter.

The fallacy in this is that fairly effective laws already existed. Impaired driving charges were on the decline. Most speeding was, if not stopped entirely, at least effectively controlled.

Now we have everybody's knickers in a twist over the government passing some unnecessarily severe penalties for things almost everyone has been guilty of at some point in their lives. Whether you oppose or are in favor of harsh penalties for these offenses the government has at least got you to forget the fact they are lying scumbags, at least for a short time.

The political stuff aside, Did anyone do any sort of a feasibility study to figure out the negative impact of such harsh repercussions to the new laws prior to enacting them? I'd hazard a SWAG (Scientific wild ass guess) that the news moneys generated for the Govt by these new fines at lower limits will not even begin to form a drop in the bucket for the down turn in revenue for the restaurants and thus taxation collected...

If I own a restaurant (LION?) I'm choked that when Mr and Mrs Smith come in for a nice steak or pasta dinner that they will order a glass of wine each, instead of the bottle, for the 1.5 hour sit down... or perhaps just an espresso and glass of water.

I know about this stuff... I have had friends get DUI's, I have had friends die due to being victims of or being responsible for impaired driving. I also bartended for 5 years at a Lower Mainland night club. This is nonsense. If the average schmuck gets in his car after 1 or 2 beers he is now asking for serious trouble, and who amongst us hasn't done that for years after a game or training?!

Why have a "legal limit" of 0.08 and a non-crimnal limit of 0.05 where there are SERIOUS repercussions!?

as it sits now most guys and gals that can afford a decent lawyer can appeal these things and or have them quashed in court... why bog the system down with more of this stuff...

You always hear on the news about these stories of accidents where someone blew Twice the legal limit... I have never heard of a story in my circle of friends etc where someone got into an accident and blew a 0.05

People kill people driving sober ffs...

Cash grab imho.

 

[silver fox]

Exactly Johnny. There is nobody who is impaired while still below the .08 level. It's a farce!!!!! This new law and the excessive speeding law do not allow a person to dispute it in court before they have been punished (car impounded, licence suspended). When I'm found to be innocent in court, who will refund the 100's of dollars I shelled out for towing and impound fees plus compensate me for the loss of my car? Our lives shouldn't be fukced up because of some prick cop with a faulty hand held breathalyzer or a poor sense of how fast a car is traveling who wants to nail people with these big penalties so he can look good. It should be a judge that fukcs my life up after he's heard the evidence in court. What kills me is these losers that agree with this nonsense. Can you not see that your civil rights and liberties are being taken away? What's the next thing we'll be found guilty of without being able to defend ourselves!!?? If this guy in Vernon wants to fight this in court, I'll gladly donate money to the cause.

While I'm going on about excessive speeding, I remember reading somewhere that most accidents are caused by going through red lights/stop signs, tailgating, not paying attention, cutting people off, etc., NOT speeding to the degree you always hear (speed kills, etc.). Once again, it's easier to raise money with some cop holding a radar gun at an area where every car is speeding and turn around and say they are keeping the streets safe by nailing those awful speeders than it is with those other offences. Cash grab!!!
A few days ago in Chicago, information was released that showed that even with 188 intersection cameras (to catch light runners), accidents were not reduced, but they did raise 60 MILLION DOLLARS in fines. Ineffective with traffic safety, but effective at what they are really there for ($$$).
Once again Johnny, your right , cash grabs everywhere!!!!!!

SF

 

[Tuna]

My two cents:

Zero tolerance makes more sense than 0.05.

Concentrate on getting the habitual DUIers off the road.

Make cab fares and/or keys please type of services more affordable.

There has to be a margin of error when it comes to these roadside breathalizers. Don't ruin someone's life or livelihood if you're not absolutely certain that the device is not infallable.

 

[Bronco]

How about a transit system that is open after the bars let out?

 

[swampdonkey]

My take...

The speed consequences apply in excess of 40km/h of posted limit - so school zone = 70km/h , township roadway 90 to 100km/h, highway 1 - 140km/h, coquihalla 150km/h, Okanagan connector 150km/h....I've been guilty of the last three for sure, but I also recognize that physics says the faster I go, the longer it takes to stop, the sharper my reflexes and reaction time need to be....for me there are not enough good drivers out there to not penalize speed to that degree...I don't see it as a cash grab it's a substantial financial and lifestyle penalty meant to change a behaviour.

In my line of work I've dealt with a large number of people injured in car accidents, many of which have resulted from "minor" impairment and speed. What I know is the faster you go the more carnage there is when you crash...I'd recommend watching crash test simulations with speed variations as an illustration. There's a big difference between compound femur fractures, paralysis, head injuries and a sore back....speed is a issue on the roads as is any level of impairment that alters your ability to respond to hazards.

I agree with Bronco Transit should play a bigger role, do I like it? not really...it means two beer instead of three, or no puffs instead a couple, but I do understand why it's being done.

 

[swampdonkey]

As for the roadside hand held breathalizers if you don't trust them request they take you to the shop for a full breath analysis or blood sample. It will resolve the burden of proof issue, if you do want to contest the violation / charge.

 

[bergamascho]

In my line of work I've dealt with a large number of people injured in car accidents, many of which have resulted from "minor" impairment and speed.

What is your line of work sir?

 

[swampdonkey]

Rehabilitation Coordinator good sir!

 

[bergamascho]

I thank you Mr. Swampdonkey, you are most gracious.

 

[Polska]

cheers! pun intended..

I have resolved my monday night football issues by forcing myself to aquire the taste for the molson 67 beer @ 3%. It aint that bad actually

Buy stock it is going up

Blood alcohol content chart attached

 

[Georgie's Best]

Another blow to the bars and restaraunt industry

Interesting conversation. There is some serious truth to your comment and I do agree but this could create some opportunity for some restauranteurs and bar owners (but probably not due to our fricken backward thinking province both gov & citizens). This could be a great opportunity for neighbourhood restaruants and pubs/bars to cash in on their local areas. The issue of pub/bars is the backlash from idiots that don't recognize the positives for a pub bar people can walk to or take a $10.00 cab ride to opposed to drive to. DT will be fine with the number of local DT residents but the after work crowd who have 2 or 3 pints very well may not be there now so profits will be down.

The only down side from this is I would have to drink with my wife now

 

[johnnybluenose]

How many scenarios does this affect now?
-Sunday family dinnner?
-After training/games cooler festivities?
-Canucks games with co-workers, friends, clients?
-Simply out for dinner with the wife etc?

People RARELY overdo it here ^^^ and then get in their cars...

It's easy to sit back and say this is good for local pubs etc.. the fact is it's bad for everyone.

The folks that go out to get blasted will continue to do so, and the small percentage of those that do it, and drive, will also continue. The guys that drive over .08 now don't care about 0.05... we all know many people who are well known to drive when they shouldn't be, chronic offenders...

This is only hurting the responsible folks out there, and so now they will just shrug and say "it's not worth it" and the effects will only really be felt by the owners of pubs, restaurants, etc.. places where a social pop or two could potentially cost you your car/license/job so now you have one drink and then opt for a glass of water, soda, or a coffee...

The margins restaurateurs, club/pub owners have on their alcohol is MUCH higher than the margins on their other beverage services, unless it's fountain setup for soft drinks, a hit here means a hit on total profitability, and will result in less taxes to Victoria and Ottawa, and could result in some operations having to get leaner to enjoy the same profitability, which means less servers/hostesses, etc which means less jobs, which means less income taxes to Victoria and Ottawa.

But I bet you'll certainly see more roadside checks and roadblocks, and cops pulling people over for stupid things like tailights or headlights out just to try and get a whiff of something to give them just cause to request a breathalizer...


/end rant

 

[trece verde]

Wow. I think this will be the end of cooler culture. Not that we've ever advocated blooterville as a team even with our motto of "a drinking club with a soccer problem" but guys were talking seriously about this at training on Wednesday and the repercussions. Going forward cautiously over this one, we've even thought about a 2-beverage limit on our players, unless they can prove that someone else is driving, or they've got some other means of getting home aside from driving themselves.

Thinking that we need another method to raise the paltry funds that our kitty supplies; just because it's been responsible for game balls, tournament fees, team tents, jerseys, and indirectly through our donated empties, paying for a number of kids' activities apparently doesn't mean it's indispensable.

Welcome to the future, follks. Fewer freedoms for all, in all the ways that can be defined.

 

[Bronco]

I don't come on here and agrre with JBN very often, but he's spot on about people that will continue to drive completely obliterated. This is not a deterrent to them. Much the same way our 1 billion dollar gun resgistry is not a deterrent to the douchebag gang bangers on the street. All this does is fcuk the avergae Joe. The guy who can enjoy 2 to 3 pints after a game or training and drive home. Again, as JBN pointed out the people blowing .05 are not the people killing other people. Want to deter the chronic DUI guy, throw him in jail for longer than a cup of coffee. Want to deter illegal guns? Throw the Charter of Rights and Freedoms out and start over again, and treat criminals like criminals, not like citizens!

 

[girth]

I am already seeing people debating more about who is driving and accepting that okay then the driver can't drink. This is exactly what they want to see! Some pubs purchasing shuttles to and from their establishments to give another safe option. I can't see this going away especially when they come out with the new stats in a couple months on the huge decline of injuries / deaths from drunk driving accidents. I've just chosen to have parties at my house every weekend....problem solved for me!

 

[Captain Shamrock]

I'm pretty sure I'm okay to drive after 8 pints of Guinness. These laws won't change that. I'll show them.

 

[bergamascho]

I'm pretty sure I'm okay to drive after 8 pints of Guinness. These laws won't change that. I'll show them.

You've gotten soft Captain...talk to me when you're back up to a dozen!

 

[Regs]

If you are thinking over having 2-3 pops after a game, this weekend is the time to do it I guess:

CBC News - British Columbia - B.C. adjusts breathalyzers' warning range