True drunk driving story.

[Simon Mason]

Following on from the alcoholics thread, a great true story
just sprung to mind. Going to a very strict Catholic school
meant that a lot of my mates were tee total (as opposed to
the nuns and priests who stank of the stuff). This was great
when we left school and passed our driving tests and went
around all the country pubs. I had a pal that would happily
drive his 4 mates (me included) around and we would keep him
in ginger ale, or whatever stuff he was on for the night.
Perfect symbiosis.

In 1987, we went out for a few jars around the place and he
was driving us home at around 2330. Blue light appears in
mirror and Plod pulls us over. My mate opens the window and
the copper's eyes light up as a cloud of booze envelops his
head. He gets all excited about a major collar on his
patch, but first he has to go through all the formalities.

"Have you been drinking"? he says to my mate.

"Yes" he says.

And when was your last drink?

Comic pause.

"1976" !

(he had had sherry at a christening or something when his
guardian angel was distracted)

HAHAHA

On a similar note a Catholic colleague ate a bacon sarnie on
Good Friday morning shift. When I pointed this out he looked
at me in horror, until he relaxed and said "It's OK - no one
will know".
--
Simon M.

 

[Dirtylitterboxo]

>I had a pal that would happily drive his 4 mates (me
>included) around and we would keep him in ginger ale, or
>whatever stuff he was on for the night. Perfect symbiosis.

The crowd I hung out in, whoever drove, the rest of us would
keep supplied with the alcohol-free stuff all evening. I've
never had a problem not drinking & driving. As far as I'm
concerned, it's a no-no. If someone else is driving, I'll
happily consume a few glasses of the fermented juice of
grape, but I will not drink/drive or cycle/drive.

Cheers, helen s

--This is an invalid email address to avoid spam-- to get
correct one remove fame & fortune
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is switched off--

 

[Danny Colyer]

> Going to a very strict Catholic school meant that a lot of
> my mates were tee total

Having lived with a houseload of Catholics at university (I
even joined the Catholic society as a social member), the
idea of a teetotal Catholic seems quite unbelievable to me.

> (as opposed to the nuns and priests who stank of the
> stuff).

That sounds about right, though

> On a similar note a Catholic colleague ate a bacon sarnie
> on Good Friday morning shift. When I pointed this out he
> looked at me in horror, until he relaxed and said "It's OK
> - no one will know".

Why should you always invite two Methodists to a party?

If you only invite one, he'll drink all your beer.

--
Danny Colyer (the UK company has been laughed out of my
reply address)
<url:http://www.speedy5.freeserve.co.uk/danny/> "He who
dares not offend cannot be honest." - Thomas Paine

 

[Al C-F]

On 20 May 2004 16:34:05 GMT, [email protected]
(dirtylitterboxofferingstospammers) wrote:

>but I will not drink/drive or cycle/drive.

You find cycling affects your ability to drive?

 

[Rick]

"dirtylitterboxofferingstospammers" <[email protected]> wrote in
message news:[email protected]...
> >I had a pal that would happily drive his 4 mates (me
> >included) around and we would keep him in ginger ale, or
whatever
> >stuff he was on for the night. Perfect symbiosis.
>
> The crowd I hung out in, whoever drove, the rest of us
> would keep supplied
with
> the alcohol-free stuff all evening. I've never had a
> problem not drinking
&
> driving. As far as I'm concerned, it's a no-no. If
> someone else is
driving,
> I'll happily consume a few glasses of the fermented juice
> of grape, but I
will
> not drink/drive or cycle/drive.

Yes, I don't cycle/drive either. I find it's the devil's own
job to pedal while also controlling the accelerator and
brake on the car.

 

[Richard]

Simon Mason wrote:
> Following on from the alcoholics thread,

A police patrol saw a car driving just a little erratically,
and pulled it over. The policeman asked the driver, a
retired major type, when he last had a drink.

"1950," boomed the major dramatically.

The policeman apologised, and was about to let the major go,
when the major glanced at his watch and continued,

"...and it's already nearly 20:15, mustn't be late for my
nightcap."

 

[Erics]

"dirtylitterboxofferingstospammers" <[email protected]> wrote in
message news:[email protected]...
> >>but I will not drink/drive or cycle/drive.
> >
> >You find cycling affects your ability to drive?
>
> Glad you spotted my deliberate error to see if readers are
> awake ;-)
>
> Of course it should be drink/cycle
>
> Cheers, helen s
>

Is it a criminal offense to ride a bike while under the
influence of alchohol?

 

[Simon Mason]

"erics" <eric@No_SpaMthe-stannards.co.uk_Thanks> wrote in message
news:40adbd53$0$25326
>
> Is it a criminal offense to ride a bike while under the
> influence of alchohol?

It is, yes. You would though have to be falling off or
wobbling about alarmingly to get done . Whether you are
drunk is entirely subjective and up the police officer, as
no breathalyser test is allowed. You cannot have any
driving licence endorsement either. Riding whilst drunk is
obviously very silly, but I have been to the pub on my
bike, had a couple and ridden home OK, but I agree it's
best not to.
--
Simon M.

 

[Helen Deborah V]

"erics" <eric@No_SpaMthe-stannards.co.uk_Thanks>typed

> "dirtylitterboxofferingstospammers"
> <[email protected]> wrote in message news:20040521023745.28998.00000885@mb-
> m22.aol.com...
> > >>but I will not drink/drive or cycle/drive.
> > >
> > >You find cycling affects your ability to drive?
> >
> > Glad you spotted my deliberate error to see if readers
> > are awake ;-)
> >
> > Of course it should be drink/cycle
> >
> > Cheers, helen s
> >

> Is it a criminal offense to ride a bike while under the
> influence of alchohol?

It is to be *drunk* in charge of a carriage (of which a
bicycle is one). Drunk usually implies a higher level of
intoxication than the drink/drive limit.

--
Helen D. Vecht: [email protected] Edgware.

 

[Just Zis Guy]

erics wrote:

> Is it a criminal offense to ride a bike while under the
> influence of alchohol?

Yes, but:

- there is no absolute limit as for driving
- your driving licence cannot be affected by a conviction
for cycling while drunk

--
Guy
===
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after
posting. http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

Victory is ours! Down with Eric the Half A Brain!

 

[Roger Hughes]

erics wrote:

> Is it a criminal offense to ride a bike while under the
> influence of alchohol?
>

Yep, but under the pre-breathalyser road laws - the offence
is to be arbitrarily drunk, not to have a blood alcohol
level above a set amount.

(normal IANAL caveats apply)

Roger

 

[Zardoz]

Now I know a chap, who shall remain nameless but is a bit
of a black sheep and has frequented Her Majesty's
Correctional Facilities, who apparently avoided a drink
drive charge recently.

The copper had pulled him over and they were standing beside
the squad car discussing the boozy smell on his breath. I
think something must have distracted the policmen for a
second because this chap leaned into the squad car whilst
the copper wasn't looking and half-inched the breathalyser
(stuffing it up his jumper.). PC subsequently can't find the
breathalyser and lets this guy go.

I hear that he regularly breathalyses himself with said
stolen goods following a night on the tiles to see if he's
within the driving
limit. And apparently if you've eaten recently you can get
away with a good few pints and get away with it.

Scary.

 

[Davek]

helen:
> Whether it is or isn't matters not to me. Alcohol does
> adversely affect judgement, reflexes etc., and I really
> don't wnt to be drunk on a bike and wobble into the path
> of a vehicle, or pedestrian, other cyclist... tree...
> ditch... bed of nettles...

Indeed. A friend of mine once found this out while cycling
home from the pub drunk - broken arm, broken collarbone,
numerous cuts and grazes, severe concussion...

Fortunately, no other vehicles involved - just him and a
kerb that wouldn't stay in its lane.

d.

 

[Pyromancer]

Upon the miasma of midnight, a darkling spirit identified as
dirtylitterboxofferingstospammers <[email protected]> breathed:

>>I had a pal that would happily drive his 4 mates (me
>>included) around and we would keep him in ginger ale, or
>>whatever stuff he was on for the night. Perfect symbiosis.

>The crowd I hung out in, whoever drove, the rest of us
>would keep supplied with the alcohol-free stuff all
>evening. I've never had a problem not drinking & driving.
>As far as I'm concerned, it's a no-no. If someone else is
>driving, I'll happily consume a few glasses of the
>fermented juice of grape, but I will not drink/drive or
>cycle/drive.

The only thing that bugs me about not drinking is the utter
lack of choice.

Ask a pub what beers they've got and you'll get a long list
of lagers, ales, plus at least one cider (and usually a
different one in bottles).

Ask them what low alcohol drinks they've got and they'll
grunt "LA" at you, invariably some horrid lager-based thing.
Try to explain to the barperson that "LA" simply means "low
alcohol" and what you want is to know what choice of low
alcohol drinks they've actually got and you'll get the same
look you would if you ordered a deep fried ferret in fresh
badger sauce.

:-(

If only they did tomato and fruit juices at decent prices it
wouldn't be so bad, but if everyone else is drinking pints
of ale at 1.70 each, then if I can't have a low-alcohol
version of the same thing (note ale, *not* lager), I want a
pint of orange or tomato juice at the same price, not some
daft fancy version at 2 quid a (small) bottle.

A few places, including my local Goth nightclub, do orange
juice in the form of one litre supermarket UHT cartons from
which they'll merrily sell you a pint for 1.60, which is
more than reasonable, but way too many places don't.

--
- Pyromancer.
- http://www.inkubus-sukkubus.co.uk <-- Pagan Gothic Rock!
- http://www.littlematchgirl.co.uk <-- Electronic Metal!
- http://www.revival.stormshadow.com <-- The Gothic
Revival.

 

[Just Zis Guy]

Pyromancer wrote:

> Someone over the limit in charge of a motor vehicle is a
> major hazard to people other than themselves, not to
> mention their ability to damage property.

What always baffles me is that it is seen as perfectly
acceptable that the risk a drunk driver poses is such that
an automatic ban is socially acceptable, yet there is an
immediate backlash as soon as it is suggested that a similar
penalty should apply for actually killing someone or causing
serious injury (i.e. the outcome whose risk is considered so
unacceptable in the case of drink-driving).

It seems that the fact that death was an unintended
consequence is sufficient excuse. Although in the case of a
drunk the fact that they might have got home without harming
anyone is not. It is most curious.

--
Guy
===
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after
posting. http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

Victory is ours! Down with Eric the Half A Brain!

 

[Simon Mason]

"Pyromancer" <[email protected]> wrote
in message
> If only they did tomato and fruit juices at decent prices
> it wouldn't be so bad, but if everyone else is drinking
> pints of ale at 1.70 each, then if I can't have a low-
> alcohol version of the same thing (note ale, *not* lager),
> I want a pint of orange or tomato juice at the same price,
> not some daft fancy version at 2 quid a (small) bottle.

When I didn't drink alcohol, I used to ask for orange
cordial, diluted with a pint of water. Cost a hell of a lot
less than juices.

Simon M.

 

[-Lsqnot Respond]

On Fri, 21 May 2004 09:26:57 +0100, "erics"
<eric@No_SpaMthe-stannards.co.uk_Thanks> wrote:

>
>"dirtylitterboxofferingstospammers"
><[email protected]> wrote in message news:20040521023745.28998.00000885@mb-
>m22.aol.com...
>> >>but I will not drink/drive or cycle/drive.
>> >
>> >You find cycling affects your ability to drive?
>>
>> Glad you spotted my deliberate error to see if readers
>> are awake ;-)
>>
>> Of course it should be drink/cycle
>>
>> Cheers, helen s
>>
>
>Is it a criminal offense to ride a bike while under the
>influence of alchohol?
>

Not only to ride a bike but even to push a bike. Or, indeed
to stand next to a bike. The offence is "drunk in charge";
riding is not required.

However, as you won't get points on any licence, you can't
be breathalysed and you're only putting yourself at risk I
wouldn't worry too much about it.

I wonder if drunk cycling is safer than drunk walking seeing
as overall cycling is safer than walking.

Other bike/booze related fact (reference mislaid): the
average blood alcohol level of KSIs (maybe just Ks) is lower
for cyclists than for peds, car drivers and car passengers.

Gripe: ABD (and others) ducking responsibility for drivers
killing people by observing that x% of K'd peds have a blood
alcohol level greater than the limit for driving.

 

[-Lsqnot Respond]

On Fri, 21 May 2004 13:54:56 +0100, Pyromancer
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Upon the miasma of midnight, a darkling spirit identified
>as "Just zis Guy, you know?" <[email protected]>
>breathed:
>>erics wrote:
>
>>> Is it a criminal offense to ride a bike while under the
>>> influence of alchohol?
>
>>Yes, but:
>>
>>- there is no absolute limit as for driving
>>- your driving licence cannot be affected by a conviction
>> for cycling while drunk
>
>This seems mostly reasonable, as your ability to kill other
>people is rather less on a bike than in motor vehicle -
>you'd have to be going rather faster than is usually
>possible before you could wipe out a complete bus queue,
>and your ability to damage property is little greater than
>that of a pedestrian.
>
>A drunk cyclist is mostly a hazard to themselves, though
>they could be the cause of a different accident.

Er, how?

If you mean a driver might not be in full control of their
vehicle when the drunk cyclist/ped/errant dog emerges onto
the highway and their evasive action causes a 'different'
incident, I'd say it's pretty clearly the driver's fault.

>Someone over the limit in charge of a motor vehicle is a
>major hazard to people other than themselves, not to
>mention their ability to damage property.

 

[James Hodson]

On Thu, 20 May 2004 17:27:57 +0100, "Simon Mason"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Following on from the alcoholics thread, a great true
>story just sprung to mind. Going to a very strict Catholic
>school ...

Hi Simon

I've found my excuse

James

 

[Richard]

[Not Responding] wrote:
>>A drunk cyclist is mostly a hazard to themselves, though
>>they could be the cause of a different accident.
>
>
> Er, how?
>
> If you mean a driver might not be in full control of their
> vehicle when the drunk cyclist/ped/errant dog emerges onto
> the highway and their evasive action causes a 'different'
> incident, I'd say it's pretty clearly the driver's fault.

I don't know. Whilst I fully agree that when in charge of a
potentially lethal object, etc...I also find it hard to
blame any driver for, eg, being hit by a missile lobbed off
an overbridge by a drunken ******, and a subsequent crash. I
think that probably goes beyond due care and diligence.