Just A Wee Deoch & Doris

[grober]

A wee heads up for all our forum members "South of the Border" Following a November 2012 debate in the Scottish Parliament and an ongoing period of consultation a change in the legal limit for drink driving is scheduled to take place soon in SCOTLAND from 80 mg alcohol per 100ml blood to 50mg/100ml. This brings Scotland into line with the majority of Europe countries with the exception of Malta who also retain the higher 80 limit. Further-- existing legislation covers the possibility of car confiscation should anyone get caught over 3 times the legal limit. This would now reduce from 240mg to 150 mg as a consequence. There may have to be new signs at the border!

Border signs for new drink-drive law | Herald Scotland

 

[trapperjohn]

^Other than Scotland wishing to be the same as Europe is there a particular reason for this. Say not enough people getting caught over the limit hence less fines going into the coffers.
Is it health and safety gone mad?
Is it just good modest policy?
Whatever it is thanks for the warning.

 

[st4]

As a tee totaller I should welcome the move, but the limit has been safe enough and enforced rigerously enough the past years.

I see no reason for it to change. Change for the sake of change IMHO. Won't affect me, but its IMHO a waste of time.

People will no doubt pull the "think of the children card" but why is any debate about drink driving always stifled with the "children" argument.

As it were, don't 1 in 6 accidents involve a drink driver or whatever, its a minority number meaning 5 in 6 do not (a majority number).

A more progressive thing to do IMHO is increase speed limits on 3 lane motorways and/or increase DD limits.

Or better still, just leave things how they are.

 

[grober]

I wasn't really wanting to start a debate about the merits of differing drink driving limits---simply posting to make folks aware it was in the offing in Scotland. I don't ascribe to the theory its change for changes sake and can only assume the majority of European countries have adopted the lower limit for good reason. However if past experience with the smoking ban is anything to go by ---if the legislation change turns out to be beneficial then I wouldn't be surprised to see it implemented throughout the UK in a couple of year's time.

 

[st4]

Sorry for taking the thread OT Graeme.

It probably will be adopted throughout the UK, but can we have their 80mph limits too to aline us with the Europeans?

 

[grober]

Sorry for taking the thread OT Graeme.

It probably will be adopted throughout the UK, but can we have their 80mph limits too to aline us with the Europeans?

It is only with recently specifically secured powers through the Scotland Act 2012 that the Scottish Government was able to propose a change to the drink driving limit in Scotland. More extensive powers over drink driving such as being able to change the penalties for drink driving and random police breath testing were denied by the UK Government. If you want to change the speed limit that's still firmly in Westminster and David Cameron's hands.

 

[Deleted member 65149]

You should know by now Steve that we adopt legislation copied from other countries "because they do it" only when it suits us. Even when such legislation has proved to be more than effective, our law makers bow to pressure from all sorts of internal directions just because that pressure comes from those who shout the most.

 

[markjay]

I made a habit of not driving when I had a drink, and vice versa, so legal limits are not really an issue as such for me.

But for those who do drink (modestly) and then drive, I would have thought that standardising the limits across Europe would be useful as they would not need to worry about the various limits on each country? If so then this should go further than just the Scotts.

Of course this could take the thread into yet another OT direction - the EU - but this was not my intention...

 

[trapperjohn]

I don't believe we have gone off topic. We are talking about Legislation in Scotland in General Discussion. And thanks for the warning grober.

 

[Harrythedog]

It is only with recently specifically secured powers through the Scotland Act 2012 that the Scottish Government was able to propose a change to the drink driving limit in Scotland. More extensive powers over drink driving such as being able to change the penalties for drink driving and random police breath testing were denied by the UK Government. If you want to change the speed limit that's still firmly in Westminster and David Cameron's hands.

Have they done it because it needs to be done or because they now can. Given the "we're different" mantra of Salmond & co it's probably the latter.

 

[219]

As a tee totaller I should welcome the move, but the limit has been safe enough and enforced rigerously enough the past years.

I see no reason for it to change. Change for the sake of change IMHO. Won't affect me, but its IMHO a waste of time.
.

The reasoning AIUI is that under the current legislation it is possible to go out and have a drink , or possibly two , depending on your build along with a few other factors , and still remain under the current blood alcohol limit . Some people therefore are inclined to drink to the limit but , accept it or not , their ability to drive will still be impaired to a degree .

With the lower limit , it is virtually impossible to take any alcoholic drink and remain under ; a zero limit has been looked at and dismissed as impractical due to inherent blood alcohol which can be measured even in those who have consumed nothing ; hence the limit which precludes imbibing any alcoholic beverages but allows for natural blood alcohol levels .

I think there are statistics to show the reduction in casualties after the lower limits have been imposed elsewhere .

The big question is why is England not following suit ?

A cynic might suspect pressure being put on the government by licenced trade and alcoholic beverage producers , just as there was prior to the smoking ban in pubs ?

 

[219]

It is only with recently specifically secured powers through the Scotland Act 2012 that the Scottish Government was able to propose a change to the drink driving limit in Scotland. More extensive powers over drink driving such as being able to change the penalties for drink driving and random police breath testing were denied by the UK Government. If you want to change the speed limit that's still firmly in Westminster and David Cameron's hands.

While we don't have random breath testing , a police officer can stop any driver at any time without having to give a reason . Some forces happen to have a policy of requiring a breath specimen from all drivers who have been stopped , so no hiding place for drink drivers .

Of course , if anything about the manner of your driving , or about you once stopped gives an officer reasonable grounds to suspect that you might have been drinking , he can require a breath specimen - this is not a random test .