Will it really make the roads any safer??????

[Bogger]

Living out of town I do make proper arrangements when I plan to indulge...I just feel that changing the existing law does not solve the problem of drunk driving, it only punishes those who choose to obey the existing laws... how about proper enforcement of existing laws rather than creating new ones... I'm interested to find out where a beer or a glass of wine puts me on the breathalyzer scale, maybe it doesn't make a difference to my one or 2 drinks but I still do not believe that this law is targeting the dangerous drivers...

One thing to remember is that no one is stopping you from drinking or limiting your comsuption, its about driving afterwards. There are alternate means of transportation to use if necessary.

 

[Work2Ride]

Living out of town I do make proper arrangements when I plan to indulge...I just feel that changing the existing law does not solve the problem of drunk driving, it only punishes those who choose to obey the existing laws... how about proper enforcement of existing laws rather than creating new ones... I'm interested to find out where a beer or a glass of wine puts me on the breathalyzer scale, maybe it doesn't make a difference to my one or 2 drinks but I still do not believe that this law is targeting the dangerous drivers...

Why are you so pro-drunk driving? With every topic that has ever came up on this forum for as long as I can remember, you seem to think it's okay. Maybe you and Plio are able to indulge a bit and wager yourself. There is many of us who are not and if this law overall improves the safety of the general public. Than Ian, I'm sorry, you can't go have a beer or 2 with your brother or a glass of wine with your wife when you go out for dinner.


First world problems.

 

[OVERKILL 19]

Why is drunk driving still a topic? If gang members drove around and shot and injured as many people that are by drunk drivers. We would have had the military wipe them out by now! I just don't get why this is still a on going problem, it's been on tv,news paper, commercials, flyers , and huge groups getting the message out! Stupid really if ya think about it!

 

[Snowdin]

But this law does nothing to change either the 'driving over .08' or 'driving while impaired' except that there will probably be fewer people on the road that have had anything to drink, for a while, until people realize that enforcement hasn't increased so their chances of getting stopped are the same as before the law was changed.

A bud of mine in Fort St. John says the cops are stalking the licensed restaurants and pulling people over as they leave. They never used to stalk these establishments. He says the pubs and restaurants are slowly going out of business. He also says people are getting their vehicles impounded as well as very large fines for having a glass of wine with supper. The province were letting the cops use their own discretion and they abused their authority. That's why the law is under review in B.C. Our government need stop making criminals out of everyone and start making the judges put the real drunk drivers behind bars for a long time. It's not the one or two drinks with supper people who are killing others with their vehicle. How about we stop putting murders under house arrest and start locking them up in a hell hole for a very long time. That would include the ones who murder while driving over the legal limit of .08

 

[growly]

[h=1]From the 100 mile free press

Impaired driving penalties overruled[/h]

​

<a href="http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/bprs.news.100milefreepress/news;tile=2;pos=box1;kw=;dcopt=ist;sz=300x250;ord=123456789?" target="_blank"><img src="http://ad.ca.doubleclick.net/ad/bprs.news.100milefreepress/news;tile=2;pos=box1;kw=;sz=300x250;ord=123456789?" width="300" height="250" border="0" alt=""></a> Share this story

• Impaired deaths down in B.C.
• UPDATE: B.C. suspends its strictest roadside penalties
• Youths witness impaired driving repercussions
• Acohol consumption led to impaired driving
• Roadside penalty appeals considered

​

By Carole Rooney - 100 Mile House Free Press
Published: December 07, 2011 8:00 AM
Updated: December 07, 2011 11:55 AM

Changes are pending to some tougher impaired driving penalties established in British Columbia a year ago, after they recently came under the scrutiny of a British Columbia Supreme Court justice.

Justice Jon Sigurdson ruled the penalties for a failed Breathalyzer test reading (over .08) and an immediate roadside prohibition (IRP) for the driver were unconstitutional.

The IRP laws for those who blow a reading in the warn range of .05-.08 will remain the same; however, as Sigurdson deemed those were "validly enacted provincial legislation."

His ruling followed in the wake of several challenges of the provincial IRP legislation, during which people argued their right to be "innocence until proven guilty" were infringed by the resulting 90-day suspension, 30-day vehicle impoundment and costly fines and fees.

The appeal process for drivers was ruled to be inadequate, as penalties are enacted without the ability for impaired driving charges to be disputed in court.

100 Mile House RCMP Staff/Sgt. Brian Coldwell says his detachment has received instruction not to proceed with the IRP process for those who blow a blood-alcohol reading higher than .08.

"We will not be using the IRP for the fail, but we will be referring to the Criminal Code process to deal with impaired drivers who blow a fail."

This mandatory Criminal Code investigation means any resulting licence suspensions or vehicle impoundment can't take effect until 21-days after the offence, to give drivers time to appeal the administrative driving prohibition.

It also takes up more of a police officer’s time to investigate offences they may previously have opted to pursue under the IRP, Coldwell says, adding it will take resources away from the roads.

"The Criminal Code investigation could tie up a member for three to four hours, whereas the IRP process, because there's no need to bring the person back to the office, can be done in half an hour."

Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Donna Barnett says no one is trying to impede business, which is what "a lot of the noise was about."

"All that anybody is trying to do is to save lives. If people don't drink and drive, they don't have to worry about any of this."

The issue has gone through the courts, she notes, and will now go for changes in the government's legal department, as it did a year ago.

"We have to abide by the law and what the judge says. I respect the decision [Sigurdson] made."

Meanwhile, Coldwell notes the penalties are not actually lessened, but rather they’re just delayed.

"We have always treated impaired driving seriously and the Criminal Code is an effective tool to deal with impaired drivers."

The number of alcohol-related traffic deaths since the provincial legislation was imposed dropped 40 per cent in the 12 months previous to Sept. 30, 2011, from the same period last year.

"I think the 'stats' really speak for themselves.... Obviously, you can't refute the numbers; it's working."

Coldwell adds the public comments he has received indicate the IRP has been a "very drastic" improvement and an effective piece of legislation.

Attorney General Shirley Bond cautions the public to be aware that the current IRP (three- to 30-day) licence suspensions and potential vehicle impoundment for warn readings are still in place, as well as associated fees and penalties

 

[DieselDemon]

I think this is a great law, I don't drink when I go out to dinner, if I go visiting I may nurse A beer in the beginning then switch to pop and eat. This law is not aimed at the mature responsible individual, but we pay the price for the mistakes of others cest la vie. I can go on for a while but it's early and I need to feed my daughter. So all in all it's not the end of the world, just suck it up and carry on.

 

[magnet]

i find it very difficult to believe 1 or 2 drinks will put a person over .05 maybe if you 5ft tall and weigh 40lbs. i have been stopped in my younger years when i would indulge a bit so to speak. i was way past safe driving mode but still chose to drive, we had been drinking hard stuff for 4-5hrs already. i made the decision to drive, poor decision on my part i seee now.
however it did not end bad, i got pulled over by the cops while pulling into our second bar of the night. buddies were gone out of the car into the bar, resembled something like cockraoches when the light s came on. lol i went to the back of the cops car and did a breathelizer. blew green i could not believe it. cops said i was the first one of the night and they had just recalibrated the machine. they were glad that i was being the responsible one they said, i was like ya right if you only knew lol. it takes a few to get over the .05 limit imo.
will this law make the roads safer yes, however it still does nothing for the repeaters or heavy offenders, should have a scale for fines etc based on ove the .05 limit, and major repercussion for second time offenders and lifetime bans for 3 time offenders imo.
of course that just makes more license/insurence less drivers out there probably in the end which in turn jacks everybody elses rates up. either way the innocent guy gets it in the end.

 

[gm3d]

There must still be a problem or we wouldn't have the DUI stats that we do. Myself, i would like to see the law get tough on repeat offenders. Make the second or third impared a life altering experience. Don't blame the Yellow Striped guy at the window. He/she didn't makethe laws... Only enforces them.

If you are against tougher DUI laws, you probably have not stood beside the casket of a loved one!

Enjoy, but do it safe.

 

[Toyboy]

I'm going to have to give that a whirl, I've always assumed that 3 beers will put me over .08 yet I can polish off 12 and still not pizz on the seat, even after 18 I can still pizz standing up.... I've been told that the portables however are not very accurate

The one my friend bought was supposed to be as accurate or better than what most Canadian police dept use as they all don't get brand new ones every year.

It cost him three hundred and change.

It also had some info on getting it calibrated and how often to do so. I wouldn't need it to be deadly accurate as each time you drink it can effect you differently depending on what you have eaten or are tired etc. but it was nice to have an idea of where a guy stood after a couple with dinner.

TB

 

[gmac]

I wont be voting for Allison next time.

 

[grizzlymud]

There lots of good points here but I don't believe that this does anything to the people that choose to get DRUNK and drive, notice I said get DRUNK not DRINK. The people that lose there license after they drink and drive many times and get caught don't even have a license and they still do it. They need tougher penalties for these people not penalize the people who are choosing to only have one with supper. We need to start punishing the Criminals not the average person and that is why this place is going to ch!t. When a guy who goes out and has couple drinks with supper and ends up getting penalized worse then someone who assaults someone we have a big PROBLEM. As for the people saying oh you've never seen the effects. I can tell you I have seen more and far worse then most. My dad was waking me up at 3am since before I had my license to go to accidents. I've seen more then I wanted. Also for the deaths, how many deaths are caused from smoking? What is done about that? NOTHING as the Gov't makes to much money from that.

END OF RANT

 

[eclipse1966]

when a cop sits at a local restaurant and/or pub doing a stake out I have a problem with. All they have managed to create is fear for those who have a couple drinks and risk losing car, license etc. To trap the good law abiding citizens is wrong. The government cant sell booze to establishments, collect taxes etc etc then come after you for having a couple. Another example of the government wanting its citizens to jump when told to do so. I fully agree to come down hard on those who continue to drink excessively and drive. I have lost 3 friends due to the excessive side of drinking but zero from having a couple drinks during a dinner.

 

[fargineyesore]

Its the law and its that simple. While I was in the mountains last weekend I saw a crazy number of sledders on the mountain that were easily over the limit. There seem to be more and more of these idiots every time we hit the hills but nobody ever talks about it.
On Saterday evening I spoke to one of the Valemount RC's and they told me that they are activly planning to start patrolling the hills in Valemount.
its funny how the same people wouldnt be caught dead behind the wheel of a car after drinking but they have no issue with ripping around in the mountains on a sled while smashed.
I understand the point bogger is trying to make, but the law is the law.

How the hell do you know they were over the limit? Are you an expert in assessing whether persons you don't know are over the limit or not? The law is the law? Give me a break. It was once against the law for women to vote in this country, but by your simplified logic, too bad. It's the law, so too bad lady. Suck it up. If you need the government to think for you and control your every move, why don't you move to China or some other country like that because that is where you belong.

 

[fargineyesore]

Why are you so pro-drunk driving? With every topic that has ever came up on this forum for as long as I can remember, you seem to think it's okay. Maybe you and Plio are able to indulge a bit and wager yourself. There is many of us who are not and if this law overall improves the safety of the general public. Than Ian, I'm sorry, you can't go have a beer or 2 with your brother or a glass of wine with your wife when you go out for dinner.


First world problems.

No where did he say he is pro drunk driving, so don't put words in people's mouths. If you choose not to have a drink then drive, that's your choice. You and people like you should not have a say in what I do if I am not harming anyone, which I am not if I am under 0.08. You people just don't seem understand that it is people that are well over the 0.08 limit that are hurting people. Do you argue that all sledding areas should be shut down because a small few break the laws, even though most don't? If you don't then your reasoning is not consistent. Your reasoning boils down to this, if I don't do it, no one else should either. That's called being a control freak.

 

[BrownEyes420]

I work for the organization that helped bring this legislation to Alberta, here's a link that might help people realize the number of deaths that are alcohol related. PAGE 4 of These are from 2009, when we get our updated data, I will share that too

 

[DaveB]

Legally impaired is 0.08. Get caught..get punished. Don't do it.

Get caught at 0.05...lose car for 3 to 30 days and lose licence for 3 to 30 days? BULLCRAP. Money grab.

 

[magnet]

ouch might lose a few friends on that post. lol but good on you and your fellow employees on getting this in. imo.

 

[BrownEyes420]

I'd rather lose friends this way than by drinking and driving just saying...

 

[magnet]

Legally impaired is 0.08. Get caught..get punished. Don't do it.

Get caught at 0.05...lose car for 3 to 30 days and lose licence for 3 to 30 days? BULLCRAP. Money grab.

i disagree dave, as the ones who fougght to get this legislation passsed are not making any money on this deal. j/s
yes some peeps are but thats the way it always will be. am i in favor of the new rule yes as i said before i have drove before when i shouldn't have and still was way under .08 so .05 i think is a good place to start.

 

[thegeneral]

How the hell do you know they were over the limit? Are you an expert in assessing whether persons you don't know are over the limit or not? The law is the law? Give me a break. It was once against the law for women to vote in this country, but by your simplified logic, too bad. It's the law, so too bad lady. Suck it up. If you need the government to think for you and control your every move, why don't you move to China or some other country like that because that is where you belong.

Fargineyesore,
You dont have to be an expert to see when someone is sh%tfaced. This is 2011, bringing the Right to vote issue up is just rediculous and serves only to show how simplified your logic is.
I have lost friends to drinking and driving. I do belong here in Canada. Where I am free to offer my opinion, without having someone jump all over me because they dont agree with me.
If you actually had an opinion here rather than a personal attack on mine, i'd read it and say " well he's entitled to his own opinion". but there is nothing here but useless HATE.