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Old July 22nd 05, 06:43 PM
John S.
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Ed White wrote:
> Do you think having one glass of wine is enough to impair your driving?

The level of impairment depends on a whole lot of factors such as the
sex of the person, their age, size and bodily reaction to alcohol. The
swedes are rightly taking the safe approach and not allowing anyone to
drive with any alcohol in their blood.

> And do you think that any driver that has had three beers, is a worse
> driver that every other driver on the road?


I don't know about him being worse, but I do know that his reaction
time and judgement are impaired to some level.
Why would you want to drive with that much alcohol in your blood
anyway.

>
> I think drunk driving laws (in Sweden and the US) as currently
> implemented are extremely arbitrary.


Yup, as are most laws...they are a judgement call about the best
decision given the circumstances. If we had to have the agreement of
everyone to implement a law nothing would get done. There has to be
some arbitrariness - someone or group has to make a decision that may
not be popular but will benefit all.

>
> It is not just drivers that have had three beers that have poor
> reflexes. And it is not just drivers that have had three beers that
> make bad decisions. However, drivers that have had three beers that can
> be pulled out of a car at a random road block and thrown in jail, even
> if they were driving in a safe manner.


Well, yes drunk drivers are not the only ones that have poor reflexes
or cause accidents. But if we can reduce the number of accidents
caused by self-imposed impairment then I think we are better off as a
group don't you think? At less risk anyway.
>
> I am not advocating drunk driving. However, I do think the
> anti-drinking lobby has pushed the rules further than reasonable if the
> goal is traffic safety.


Spinnning your comment around, how are we safer by allowing drivers on
the road with alcohol in their blood given that we know alcohol impairs
us all differently.

>
> No politician that wants to get re-elected is going to come out for
> relaxing drinking while driving rules no matter what the facts.


Doesn't seem to be a problem in Sweden or several other scandinavian
countries.

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