Drink Driving

adrian1963

adrian1963

Well-Known Member
I know some people may get upset by this thread but please be understanding as no disrespect is ment to any person injured or killed by one.
How many animals are killed by drink drivers every year, how many animals are injured by drink drivers every year?
How many children are driven to zoo's or Safari parks every year by drink drivers?
How many children are taken to school by drink drivers every year?
how many drink drivers drive to work the next day?

I made a choice 30 years ago to drink instead of learning to drive I am so glad I did because I ended up having a drinking problem and still do.
My problem is that once I start to drink I don't know when to stop and if I had been driving at the time then I don't know what would have happened because most mornings I used to wake up and couldn't remember what I had done the night before.
I still went to work the next day if I had been driving I think I wouldn't be here today. I now no longer go out to drink but have a couple of cans in the house every now and then but because I do this I feel I cannot be trusted to drive.

Hense my question to you all

If I had gone to the pub or work the next day in my car and been involved in a incident where someone was injured or killed why should I be treated differently then someone going out with a gun to kill someone, on both counts the person in charge of the weapon (car, gun or knife) knows what they are doing?

Guilty or Not Guilty
 
Driving under influence is a serious offense, so you should have faced a heavy penalty for injuring/killing someone, equal to someone who deliberately injures someone with a knife, gun etc. That's my opinion about the matter.

I admire your choice ( but have you ever considered to find help?), when I am driving I never drink, only non-alcoholic beverages, this way I easily avoid drinking too much for safe driving.
 
Johnny I only drink when at home and then only a couple of cans now as I have changed my lifestyle completely round.
I have also packed in smoking it's been 5 years since my last one.
Back on to my old drinking problems I was blaming everyone and everything for my problems until I sat down with an ex drinker and listened to what she had to say and how the drink had ruined her life (unfortunatly she died this year with an illness caused by drink) I've had 2 years now where I have seen the difference between being drunk and being sober 24 hours a day and I will always choose to be sober now.
As for help the only person who can help you when you are like I was is yourself you can seek advice which I did but help is very rare unless you do it yourself.
 
I don't know how many animals are killed by drunk drivers, per se, but thousands of animals are killed by drivers, drunk or not. At Saguaro National Park, which is on the outskirts of Tucson, they did a formal survey of this a few years ago and were shocked at how much higher the roadkill number was than what they expected. I ride a bicycle in town most of the time and I ride by roadkill animals all the time. In a speeding car, you usually don't notice them.

As for people driving to or from a zoo drunk, I find it odd that some zoos serve alcohol in their cafe (although most here in America do not). A couple summers ago, I don't know if they still do this, the San Diego Wild Animal Park actually had a cart on a main pathway just for selling beer. Seemed very inapropriate to me.

As for drinking at any time, I very thankful that I can't stand the taste (or smell) of alcohol and have never had a glass in my life. It is good that you don't drive since you know you have a drinking problem, but it would be even better to seek help to overcome the problem.
 
How come posters are urging adrian1963 to get help for a problem that, if you read his posts, he has already both gotten help for and worked hard to change? It seems like he has taken responsibility for his decisions. What's our problem with him then?

And, adrian1963, as to your original question:
guilty
 
You're guilty as hell if you drive while drunk and kill or injure someone, in my view.

Drinking culture is different between countries. I don't want to offend any countries, but France and some other European countries may be the best. I haven't been to many French zoos but I think you can buy wine there and people consume it as part of their day with ease and without harrassing animals and people as a result. As to Dudley Zoo, I understand it has or had a pub on the zoo grounds. Frankly, I'm not sure what to think of it, but I don't know if it has resulted in any incidents over the years. But then, I think that in all or most European zoos you can buy light beer in the zoo restaurants as part of your meal.

Arizona Docent: I like your attitude and lifestyle! I'm going to the USA this autumn for a month and the money this will cost me is less than many here are spending yearly on alcohol and cigarettes!
 
Arizona Docent said:
As for people driving to or from a zoo drunk, I find it odd that some zoos serve alcohol in their cafe (although most here in America do not). A couple summers ago, I don't know if they still do this, the San Diego Wild Animal Park actually had a cart on a main pathway just for selling beer. Seemed very inapropriate to me.
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It's hard to imagine anyone arriving by car drunk at a zoo.

Most larger UK zoos have one or two places you can get a beer or a glass of wine. European zoos often sell booze at all catering venues. I've never seen anyone drunk in a zoo (even in Britain where we're not always great at moderated drinking!). To be honest, if you're not driving (or are having one drink with a meal and not driving for a few hours) I don't see a problem. It can be quite refreshing to get a frothing Stein of lager part way round some grand Germanic zoological institution - or just a crafty Guinness in the Acorn pub at Chester. ;)



Arizona Docent said:
As for drinking at any time, I very thankful that I can't stand the taste (or smell) of alcohol and have never had a glass in my life. It is good that you don't drive since you know you have a drinking problem, but it would be even better to seek help to overcome the problem.
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Nothing wrong with alcohol in moderation, but those last two words are important. Most weeks (mental maths!) I will consume around 9-10 units over two or three nights. If there's a party or a big night out or I'm on holiday, that would increase, but that's the exception rather than the rule.

I am continually amazed by American rules regarding drink. 21?? Seriously? But I'm getting off-topic now!
 
Baldur said:
As to Dudley Zoo, I understand it has or had a pub on the zoo grounds. Frankly, I'm not sure what to think of it, but I don't know if it has resulted in any incidents over the years.
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I've never heard of it causing problems. It's a nice little place in the walls of the castle - the Grey Lady. Chester has the Acorn.

It's important to remember that a British/Irish pub is not, as a rule, just for drinking (in the way that a city-centre bar would be) - but a light restaurant as well, generally (and certainly within a zoo) family-friendly.
 
plus not everyone visiting a zoo is driving, i have seen people drunk at blackbrook and we dont even sell alcohol if they want to people will just bring there own
 
The incident at the San Francisco Zoo two years ago where young men taunted a tiger until it escaped and mauled them (killing one) was fueled by the alcohol and marijuana that the guys brought to the zoo.

... And yes, they drove to the zoo

So in some sense the death was a suicide perhaps
 
Maguari said:
It's important to remember that a British/Irish pub is not, as a rule, just for drinking (in the way that a city-centre bar would be) - but a light restaurant as well, generally (and certainly within a zoo) family-friendly.
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True, and I'll be happy to admit that we Icelanders have nothing we can call a drinking culture.
 
What are the punishments for drink driving in other countries? I know one person who has lost their licence for 5 years because they were caught. Fortunatley they didn't harm anyone but I still think the punishment should be greater.
 
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