Kerry Drink Driving Permit

[johnneycool]

If this goes through there would be a few hidden costs involved that these councilors may not have fully thought through

1 -  they should insist on is having a flashing beacon on top of the car or tractor to let every other road user know that they are on the drink drive permits. who pays for these beacons?

9 - wellies

Kill two birds (a rather unfortunate phrase for this debate) with one stone with these babies;

[Syferus]

Leave poor Zig and Zag out of it.

[theticklemister]

Leave poor Zig and Zag out of it.

Whatever happened the lads anyway?

[Eamonnca1]

Great. The news story has gone viral and now all my yank friends are getting another reinforcement of the drunk paddy stereotype.  This is embarrassing on so many levels I hardly know where to start.

1 - If you live in the country, it's going to be inconvenient to get around. If you have any issues with that, move to a built-up area.  But if you insist on living in the country then you have to put up with the costs that it entails, and that includes taxi fares to get to the pub. Suck it up.

2 - Are you really so socially inept that the only way you meet other people is at a pub?  Have you no hobbies? Are you not a member of some club, like a GAA club or something? I hear there's no shortage of them in rural Ireland. "Looking at four walls" my ass. There's plenty of social outlets that don't involve booze if you have enough imagination to get out and look for them.

3 - Alcohol is a depressant. Giving people better access to it is hardly a winning suicide-prevention strategy.

4 - If you really want to meet your mates at the pub, is anybody putting a gun to your head and forcing you to drink?  Are you really so socially inept that you can't have a good time without getting wasted?

5 - "I can drive fine with a few drinks in me" are the famous last words of manys a man who either got killed or killed himself.  Rules are f***ing rules. There's a maximum you're allowed to drink before you can drive, and there should be no exceptions.  If I had my way the limit would be zero.  Any alcohol in your blood and the keys should be taken off you. Letting people drive while their judgment's impaired is just stupid stupid stupid. I can't believe I even have to spell this out.

6 - If publicans want people to come to the pub, let them run a free or dirt-cheap shuttle service then.  You're still going to come out ahead. It's like the hotel that I stay in in Chicago out in the wilds near Gaelic Park.  There's nothing within walking distance of that hotel, so they run a complimentary shuttle bus service to wherever you want to go in the local area. Wanna go to Gaelic Park, the airport, or your favourite pub?  They'll take you, and they'll pick you up later when you ring them. Free. Gratis. For nothing. All you have to do is tip the driver.  They run a fleet of about three shuttle buses which are constantly on the road.  And they still come out ahead because that's a hugely popular hotel. People flock to it because of the good service, and they know they're not going to be stranded.  It's not rocket science.

Jesus Christ! 

[ApresMatch]

Sitting in a cafe near Coventry with a crowd of English ones today and this story came on the radio, with Jeremy Vine of Panarama interviewing someone from Kerry, coulda been Darcy. Have to say I was embarrassed, the callers ringing in were going ballistic about drink driving deaths, visiting A & Es etc. Those arguing for it havent a leg to stand-on ffs!!

[Puckoon]

That's a fair bit of pontificating there Eamonn. I'd wager some of your American friends are no stranger to getting behind the wheel after a couple of jars, so even if they are dumb enough to believe this "reinforcement of the drunk paddy stereotype" - they'd be being very hypocritical. There's a very casual drinking and driving culture in the USA.

Are you really going to let a silly story like this cause you 6 paragraphs of embarrassment and umbrage?

What would be more embarrassing IMHO would be the lads coming over and getting absolutely plastered, obnoxious and really inforcing the drunk paddy stereotype.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

[armaghniac]

Have to say I was embarrassed, the callers ringing in were going ballistic about drink driving deaths, visiting A & Es etc.

I hope you said that the proposal was to raise the level to that which exists for everyone in England? 

[muppet]

The Healy-Raes don't have it all to themselves.

http://www.thisiskent.co.uk/Road-safety-role-disgraced-Canterbury-councillor/story-17947879-detail/story.html

Tory Drunk Driver put in charge of Road Safety.

[Tony Baloney]

[Maguire01]

There's a lot of nonsense on this thread about about "it's never acceptable to drink and drive". I'm sorry to tell you folks, that stance does not help anyone. It happens, and will continue to happen. The best we can do is make it all more transparent.

What ridiculous logic. What other criminal activities could we apply this to? What about domestic violence? It happens and "will continue to happen". Does that mean we relax the law?

[Maguire01]

Have to say I was embarrassed, the callers ringing in were going ballistic about drink driving deaths, visiting A & Es etc.

I hope you said that the proposal was to raise the level to that which exists for everyone in England? 

Really? Do elaborate.

[magpie seanie]

Great. The news story has gone viral and now all my yank friends are getting another reinforcement of the drunk paddy stereotype.  This is embarrassing on so many levels I hardly know where to start.

1 - If you live in the country, it's going to be inconvenient to get around. If you have any issues with that, move to a built-up area.  But if you insist on living in the country then you have to put up with the costs that it entails, and that includes taxi fares to get to the pub. Suck it up.

2 - Are you really so socially inept that the only way you meet other people is at a pub?  Have you no hobbies? Are you not a member of some club, like a GAA club or something? I hear there's no shortage of them in rural Ireland. "Looking at four walls" my ass. There's plenty of social outlets that don't involve booze if you have enough imagination to get out and look for them.

3 - Alcohol is a depressant. Giving people better access to it is hardly a winning suicide-prevention strategy.

4 - If you really want to meet your mates at the pub, is anybody putting a gun to your head and forcing you to drink?  Are you really so socially inept that you can't have a good time without getting wasted?

5 - "I can drive fine with a few drinks in me" are the famous last words of manys a man who either got killed or killed himself.  Rules are f***ing rules. There's a maximum you're allowed to drink before you can drive, and there should be no exceptions.  If I had my way the limit would be zero.  Any alcohol in your blood and the keys should be taken off you. Letting people drive while their judgment's impaired is just stupid stupid stupid. I can't believe I even have to spell this out.

6 - If publicans want people to come to the pub, let them run a free or dirt-cheap shuttle service then.  You're still going to come out ahead. It's like the hotel that I stay in in Chicago out in the wilds near Gaelic Park.  There's nothing within walking distance of that hotel, so they run a complimentary shuttle bus service to wherever you want to go in the local area. Wanna go to Gaelic Park, the airport, or your favourite pub?  They'll take you, and they'll pick you up later when you ring them. Free. Gratis. For nothing. All you have to do is tip the driver.  They run a fleet of about three shuttle buses which are constantly on the road.  And they still come out ahead because that's a hugely popular hotel. People flock to it because of the good service, and they know they're not going to be stranded.  It's not rocket science.

Jesus Christ! 

Eamonn, I think you've been in the US too long!

1) A bit ridiculous really. Lets get all the farmers to move into the cities and have no-one in the countryside - a reasonable solution!!!

2) Not much GAA activity at 11pm most evenings. Tell us of all the other social outlets in rural areas? I'll settle for one reasonable social outlet a guy could go to a few times a week.

3) We have places called supermarkets and off-licences where alcohol can be purchased. Like your "Liquor stores". Alcohol consumption and mental health are a seperate, serious issue.

4) Having 3 or 4 pints isn't "getting wasted" for most of the people I'd be talking about.

5) Plenty of people driving around (or in the US for example, carrying guns) have impaired judgement when sober. Some people here have never passed even the joke that is the driving test.

6) Who will pull the pints when Mick wants a spin home? Most rural pubs surprisingly wouldn't have the budget/turnover of a Chicago hotel.

No-one is talking about letting guys get loaded and drive. To be honest this is now a generational thing and it won't be an issue in 20 odd years time cos younger people are used to it and can adapt better.

[armaghniac]

To be honest this is now a generational thing and it won't be an issue in 20 odd years time cos younger people are used to it and can adapt better.

It comes down to an increased risk on the road for so that people can maintain a habit, which isn't exactly convincing.

[Eamonnca1]

That's a fair bit of pontificating there Eamonn.

Thank you. I've been doing it for years so I'd like to think I'm reasonably good at it by now.

I'd wager some of your American friends are no stranger to getting behind the wheel after a couple of jars, so even if they are dumb enough to believe this "reinforcement of the drunk paddy stereotype" - they'd be being very hypocritical. There's a very casual drinking and driving culture in the USA.

When some redneck American county council decides to legalize drunk driving while condemning the Kerry business then I'll concede the point on hypocrisy.

Are you really going to let a silly story like this cause you 6 paragraphs of embarrassment and umbrage?

Yes.

What would be more embarrassing IMHO would be the lads coming over and getting absolutely plastered, obnoxious and really inforcing the drunk paddy stereotype.

That happens too. And it's just as embarrassing.