Drug driving

[gassafeman]

After watching an advert yesterday evening on drug-driving and the narrator stating that the penalties are the same as drunk driving (which they should be), Im questioning the process of dealing with 'drug-drivers'.

I have a few points I have probably overlooked and I hope they can be answered.

1: Drunk... you do a roadside breath test
1a: Drugs... you look at the pupils

2: Drunk... you fail a roadside breath test, get arrested and will be taken to the police station for a more accurate measurement of your breath sample. I must add I dont know what this is, but you can demand a blood test if one measurement is below 40? 40 what?
2a: Drugs... now this is where Im stumped as to what is done! A pupil check at the local police station? Blood tests?

The waste of space that is Mr P Doherty seems only to get arrested if they find evidence of drugs in the vehicle. Im sure I was stupid enough to neck a few pints and get pulled over for drunk driving, the constabulary could charge me without a 4 pack lying on the back seat!

Just wondering.

Paul

 

[Steve]

blood tests should be carried out where there is reasonable suspicion. But human rights etc mean its probably rarely done.

 

[conny]

If you haven't been drinking or taking drugs then I see no reason to claim your 'human rights' have been violated.
If you have done nothing wrong then you have nothing to fear. People who claim their rights have been violated are just trying to make a smokescreen to cover something up in my opinion.
One thing that should be mentioned is that if you take precribed drugs that can affect your concentration/balance etc and drive you can still be charged even if you claim not to know they would have that effect. It is your responibility to read the explanatory leaflet that comes with all medicines.

 

[gassafeman]

Steve,

What are they proving by blood tests? Is there a legitimate drug/blood acceptable limit. There is with alcohol. What are they testing for.... drugs cover a wide perspective of behaviour.

If I take my prescription for gout (which can leave me a bit vague) I would in no way drive any of my vehicles.

Paul

 

[gassafeman]

Conny,

I agree with you, but WHAT happens to heavy drug users that drive?

Im looking for answers here.

Paul

 

[snico]

Its pretty easy for an officer to determine whether an individual has taken drugs. A field impairment assessment is carried out on a driver, it will usually be approx 3-5 tests. They will measure the pupils usins a pupil measure and their reactions to light. They will carry out the Romberg test to assess their balance and time judgement. There are other tests like walking heel to toe and turning etc

If the officer suspects that drugs have been used then they can arrest the indivuidual and take them to a police station where a doctor will examine them and take a blood test

 

[tim west]

1a: Drugs... you look at the pupils

Do the teachers know?

 

[conny]

I believe in zero tolerance towards drink driving and should earn the culprit an immediate 3 month ban for a first offence with increasing penalties for further transgressions.

Drug drivers should be banged up for 3 months with strict segragation so they have no access to the filthy stuff.

 

[LastMagicBean]

I believe in zero tolerance towards drink driving and should earn the culprit an immediate 3 month ban for a first offence with increasing penalties for further transgressions.

Conny.....you can't be serious....

 

[libby lou lou]

1a: Drugs... you look at the pupils

Do the teachers know?

or do the teachers teacher know, we'll never know

 

[dextrous]

One way of determining whether a driver has been partaking of "soft" drugs would be for the police officer to hold up a 2-day old chinese takeaway. If the suspect wolfes it down, then he's guilty

 

[conny]

Conny.....you can't be serious....

Deadly serious!
Do a lot of site work in my job and have seen so many accidents that drinking and driving cannot possibly improve matters one iota. Also have a friend in the fire brigade who has attended crashes where drink has been a contributing factor and even though he has seen some sights at house/factory fires it is always worse at RTI's.
Innocent families devastated by the loss of someone or even whole families wiped out because some selfish moron thought he wouldn't be affected by drinking/didn't give a toss/hoped he wouldn't get caught.

Oh yes, I am deadly serious.

 

[dextrous]

Lauadable morality apart (and I'm not being sarcastic), there is another reason for not drink/drug driving.

We all know the age old argument that we "take extra special care" when driving a bit over the limit. Indeed, that may or may not be the case, but should someone who is stone cold sober crash into you whilst you have had too much to drink, and it is entirely down to their reckless driving and not yours, then it will be you that will carry the can, and most likely not the real culprit.

 

[LastMagicBean]

Conny.....you can't be serious....

Deadly serious!
Do a lot of site work in my job and have seen so many accidents that drinking and driving cannot possibly improve matters one iota. Also have a friend in the fire brigade who has attended crashes where drink has been a contributing factor and even though he has seen some sights at house/factory fires it is always worse at RTI's.
Innocent families devastated by the loss of someone or even whole families wiped out because some selfish moron thought he wouldn't be affected by drinking/didn't give a toss/hoped he wouldn't get caught.

Oh yes, I am deadly serious.

Calm down geez .....Read....what i quoted........ It was a year ...minimum years ago ....even more now.....

 

[conny]

I agree Dex, (no offence taken mate), which enforces my point that you should not put yourself in that possible position in the first place.
May I say that I am no saint. I have drank and got behind the wheel many, many years ago but then my eldest was born and I realised what I could lose through my stupidity and also what I could do to others.

There are enough 'professional' drivers around, (taxis), after a night out or get one ofyour group to agree to stay tee-total for the night. We take turns to do it this way and it works.