75ZT Community

... A reduction in blood alcohol drive limit to be introduced in Scotland.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-18226813

This is in line with most, though not all, of western Europe, I think.

What did surprise me however, is the comment about Eire having what appears to be a quite arbitrary lower limit for "learner drivers, newly qualified drivers and professional drivers".

I wonder what the logic was behind that decision, and how, in the middle group at least, it is interpreted.

One particular scenario comes to mind:-

Driver in his car pulled over by the Garda one evening and produces a 35mg reading, at which point he is allowed to move on, when suddenly the Policeman recognises him as the local milkman, a professional driver, and arrests him.

Does this mean that those outwith the groups specified are likely to be affected less given a certain level of alcohol in their blood? Maybe the limit for MPs ought to be higher perhaps? Say 250mg/100ml?

Perhaps it's my age. I just don't get it. I don't understand the absolute grinding necessity of allegedly intelligent people, with someone else apparently forcing their free arm right up their back, gargling their way through what they know full well might cause them to at best lose their licence, and at worst.... well, what's the point? I like neck oil as much as anybody else, but it's not compulsory! There's no shame in declining an alchoholic drink if you expect to be driving. No loss of machismo or manliness, no resultant embarrassment. And you'll live longer (yes I know it only seems longer!). In my view the limit should be zero. One is too many....

Sometimes after I have had a few drinks I have thought to myself 'I would be OK to drive'. Now, I am only reporting my thoughts, I would not dream of driving.

The point I am making is that the alcohol can affect how we think. After all, how many of us think we are making a fool of ourselves after a skinful instead of how funny we are being.

Any forum member from Eire who can comment on how the apparently arbitrary rules work in practise please?