Over the McLimit

[Guy Profumo]

Scots drink-drive limit set to be lowered.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-30090003

In practice the change would mean a glass of wine or a pint of beer could put a driver over the legal limit.

(Cue the howls of protest from the "Nanny State" apologists)

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

Over the McLimit

we adopted that level four years ago. I can't believe it was still so high

[Toby Gymshorts]

Over the McLimit

No apologism here, I think it should be lower.

[ad hoc]

Over the McLimit

It's zero here. And I think that's a good thing.

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

Over the McLimit

zero is too low. 50 mg per ml, is lower than one drink, but makes allowances for driving the next day, when the alcohol is nearly entirely out of your system, and the impact is greatly redued.

[Stumpy Pepys]

Over the McLimit

Is zero actually zero in countries where they have those limits?

Presumably there's a reasonable likelihood of very low-level but measurable ethanol levels from intestinal bacteria.

[ad hoc]

Over the McLimit

It is zero yes, though, presumably if you showed up at 0.001 or something they'd give you a warning (and like in the Uk you need a blood/urine test to confirm the breathalyser to incur an actual penalty)

[linus]

Over the McLimit

The Awesome Berbaslug!!! wrote: zero is too low. 50 mg per ml, is lower than one drink, but makes allowances for driving the next day, when the alcohol is nearly entirely out of your system, and the impact is greatly redued.

Isn't 50mg more like one full drink and then some, for an average adult?

The limit in most parts of North America is .08% or 80mg, which seems reasonable.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

Over the McLimit

There have to be limits, of course. People can't drive as pissed up as flybe pilots. But drinking one glass of wine would impair a normal person's driving ability or reaction times by about the same amount as being distracted by having a heavy cold, or a headache. Let alone being tired. And much less than trying to smoke a fag behind the wheel, or using your mobile phone while driving. And none of those factors, actually, are anywhere near as dangerous as just being the kind of idiot who speeds or overtakes dangerously even when stone cold sober.

[pebblethefish]

Over the McLimit

The Awesome Berbaslug!!! wrote: zero is too low. 50 mg per ml, is lower than one drink, but makes allowances for driving the next day, when the alcohol is nearly entirely out of your system, and the impact is greatly redued.

Is this actually true? I don't drive, so I'm in no place to comment, but I reckon I'd be better and more aware straight away after two pints than the morning after a ten-pinter night, even though my blood mg would be similar.

[WOM]

Over the McLimit

Well, that's the thing. ANY alcohol has an impact on your judgement, your motor skills and your reaction time. It's a sliding scale from 'negligible' to 'significant'. Ideally, you don't drive if you've had anything to drink. The lowering of acceptable amounts is only a good thing in my books.

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

Over the McLimit

pebblethefish wrote:

zero is too low. 50 mg per ml, is lower than one drink, but makes allowances for driving the next day, when the alcohol is nearly entirely out of your system, and the impact is greatly redued.

Is this actually true? I don't drive, so I'm in no place to comment, but I reckon I'd be better and more aware straight away after two pints than the morning after a ten-pinter night, even though my blood mg would be similar.

greatly reduced from the night before. You're not looking to stop people from drinking, you're looking for them to get taxis or busses to the pub and back. by setting the level at 50 mg per 100 ml, you're basically trying to encourage people not to drink at all if they're driving. without setting it so low that you catch people who are basically sober the next morning.

[Guy Profumo]

Over the McLimit

Rogin the Armchair Fan wrote: There have to be limits, of course. People can't drive as pissed up as flybe pilots. But drinking one glass of wine would impair a normal person's driving ability or reaction times by about the same amount as being distracted by having a heavy cold, or a headache. Let alone being tired. And much less than trying to smoke a fag behind the wheel, or using your mobile phone while driving. And none of those factors, actually, are anywhere near as dangerous as just being the kind of idiot who speeds or overtakes dangerously even when stone cold sober.

Which is why using your phone while driving is an offence.