A good thing IMO.

http://bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-29750001

The closer to Zero the better.

Should just be zero tbh.

Driving the morning after becomes tricky to judge though.

I've got one of those alcosense things. Its pretty good tbf

I note that, as usual, there are no statistics to show how many fataccs are actually caused by people who have 50 to 80 Ug alcohol/100ml readings.

Does it matter what happened in the past and how many were at what ever DD level.

 

Now Police Scotland  are on a 'Talk to People' about their driving', 

& the courts are all messed up and certain Laws and Road Traffic acts have lapsed in Scotland.

 

So now on a 'Stop', and any reason to speak to drivers will lead to the probability of being Breathalysed will end up with many losing licences.

They know who and where they want to target, and they know how many currently are 'Just Under'.

 

So an easy 'Tough Stance' from the 'Scottish Government' before Alex Salmond steps down, 

& an easy increase in Prosecutions for Kenny Mc,  & increased Police Scotland publicity after a year 

of Big Events. (lots of Police Hours & Overtime, and a lack of Policing other than at Major Events.)

So all those New Vehicles can get out doing some actual Traffic Work after all the Time Off in Leu has been received by Officers.

Scotland can get back to Normal,

in 2015 just the Music Festivals and the Odd Big Golf Events, Ladies Open & Scottish Open,& the Open.  & Hogmanay obviously.

All the types of events where Drivers with alcohol in their systems can make lots of Failures on the breath test.

Average Speed Cameras from Stirling to Inverness & Prestwick to Stranraer is going to allow Traffic Cars 

to get on Policing other routes.

 

Long story short now.

If it saves lives good.

That is from a driver previously banned when younger for being over the limit.

(long time ago now, when young and stupid,  now just old and more stupid.

 

george

Edited 24 October, 201411 yr by goneoffSKi

You can't have zero, your body chemistry will naturally produce a little bit of alcohol.

 

Well a 50ug/l limit removes any idea of having even one drink. Straightforward enough, if you're driving that night or the next day don't touch the stuff.

 

Expect a lot more people to fall foul the day after or possibly even two days after a drink.

You can't have zero, your body chemistry will naturally produce a little bit of alcohol.

Well a 50ug/l limit removes any idea of having even one drink. Straightforward enough, if you're driving that night or the next day don't touch the stuff.

Expect a lot more people to fall foul the day after or possibly even two days after a drink.

Well. Just low then.

This is why i bought a breathalyser thing, just so i can be sure the next day.

Its very difficult to tell isnt it

Does this mean that folks slightly over the new limit and being pursued by Scottish constabulary will be heading for the boarder.     

It will be interesting to see whether it's actually lawful or not to have 2 different dd limits in the uk. Personally I don't drink and drive so it won't affect me, but I think it's a crock simply because the current limit isn't being enforced enough, so the hardened drink drivers who are over the limit now will continue to be so in the future, with the same low chances of being caught. All this will achieve is to criminalise even more motorists, but fail to address the real issues surrounding the hard core bunch of irresponsible idiots that continue to get behind the wheel when they're bladdered.

It will be interesting to see whether it's actually lawful or not to have 2 different dd limits in the uk. Personally I don't drink and drive so it won't affect me, but I think it's a crock simply because the current limit isn't being enforced enough, so the hardened drink drivers who are over the limit now will continue to be so in the future, with the same low chances of being caught. All this will achieve is to criminalise even more motorists, but fail to address the real issues surrounding the hard core bunch of irresponsible idiots that continue to get behind the wheel when they're bladdered.

 

This change does strike me as something politicians are doing because they can rather than it having any real benefit. The problem is changes never seem to be reassessed to see if they are causing more harm than good, more being fined and loosing licences without a measurable improvement in accident stats. As with all increasingly draconian measures you risk losing majority support form the folks the law is designed to protect. ?     

Of course it will be legal to have 2 different Drink Drive levels.  Scotland, from England/ Wales.

 

There are different Road Traffic Acts, Scottish ones often being different from England / Wales.

Speeding offences are treated differently,

then things like Drink off sales, Licencing Hours, etc etc.

& there are different Court & Law systems.

 

This week the UK Government were introducing laws in England / Wales that do not apply in 

Scotland or Northern Ireland.

Edited 25 October, 201411 yr by goneoffSKi

+1

 

I suspect this is really an 'alternative' to actually enforcing the existing/previous drink drive limits

 

eg

 

catch a few - throw the book at them - hope it sets an example through fear

 

If the authorities really wanted to cut down on drink driving related accidents a few more chucking out time patrols, down the back lanes rather than primary routes, throughout the year might be a better method than tweaking laws

When there are Police on the go in Scotland on the roads, they breathalyse, & take drivers to a station and test again, 

or have Blood Taken etc.

The Xmas Clamp down is always catching many DD's.

 

This Xmas season there is a new National Force & a New Chief Constable and a whole new road policing system on the go.

Lots of shiny new Marked & Unmarked Traffic Cars available after their spending for this years big events.

 

There are no lack of prosecutions taking place already in Scotland,

it is just that many are below the current limit,

and also the Police are spread thinly on a country that has 1/3 of the UK Landmass but only under 10% of the Population.

 

Not many Motorways, and none North of Perth,

But lots of Roads & lots of Licensed Premises.

The key change here is that it will no longer be ok to have 'just one drink' since you will fail on that. It pretty much changes the mentality that its ok to have a bit, which then turns into a bit more and then a few, which then turns into a ride in ambulance for someone.

I hope England follow, too.

Lots of chances if they are going to do this to meet potential drivers over the limit if the new lower limit comes in by the 5th December, and there is no reason why not,

as the Scottish Parliament (MSP's) is all for it.

& they will look rather stupid if they vote against it.

http://www.spf.org.uk/2014/10/herald-police-target-bad-drivers-in-stop-and-warn-clampdown

Edited 25 October, 201411 yr by goneoffSKi

I see it as a good thing. Far too many people risk it. For some people 1 drink maybe enough to put them over the limit. Especially if they are having a quick drink after work, before they've had any dinner.

 

The new level brings it down to a similar level at most of Europe anyway.

 

I would however like to see a Zero (or a very low amount) for new drivers and for HGV drivers. This is something that is seen in some other countries.

 

Personally I rarely drink now because I know I how often I drive, and don't really want to risk losing my licence over 1 drink.

Still doesnt address the fact that people are being caught over a limit, weather the limit is 80 or 50 people will still flaunt the law, you get a driving ban and a fine, a lot of these people then get behind the wheel again while banned so whats the bloody point.

There is a need for more people to 'grass' on those that are doing it.

Do their public duty.

 

That is people in, Work places, Pubs. Clubs, Hotels, Golf & Bowling Clubs, Hovels, Shebeens , Drinking Dens and Houses know 

who have been drinking and think nothing of getting in cars and driving.

 

It is not Grassing really,

but then people put up with those in the Community that sell Hooky stuff, commit crimes. sell drugs, 

rob houses and property, steal cars etc etc.

 

Many know who they are, and they are allowed to continue doing it.

 

george

This from S.P.F 

 

Thursday, October 23rd, 2014

 

The number of people killed and injured on Scotland’s roads dropped by 10% last year to the lowest level since records began.  There were 11,498 overall casualties on the country’s roads in 2013, the lowest level since 1950, according to latest figures from Transport Scotland. The number of people killed fell by 3% on the previous year to 172 while the number of serious injuries decreased by 16% to 1,672. There was also a decrease in the number of people slightly injured, which fell by 9% over the year to 9,654. The report said: “In all cases of severity, the figures were the lowest since records began.

The reductions in the numbers of accidents and casualties in recent years are notable particularly given the rise in vehicle and subsequent traffic.

 

So this new law is hardly designed to tackle an escalating problem, in fact reasonable minded folk might think it is disproportionate to the real situation. ?

 

Or perhaps it's politicians trying to earn brownie points with sections of their electorate ? 

 

http://www.spf.org.uk/2014/10/the-extra-road-casualties-lowest-since-1950/

Yes Alex Salmond MSP is standing down as FM,  Yes Keith Brown MSP is standing to be the Deputy First Minister,

Yes the Scottish Government in power want to look busy.

 

But people are dying still, 

young drivers are dying still. and people still drink then drive.

& in rural areas of Scotland people have been getting away with Drink Driving for decades,

& young drivers are dying in large numbers still, that needs addressed.

Innocent pedestrians and others in vehicles are also still being killed or maimed.

 

So really who cares if it is Politics, and really who cares what it matters what Non Drink Drivers or Drivers that Drink and drive think,

The UK Limit is out of kilter with other Countries,

so if Scotland comes in line, 

then that will leave England / Wales to decide if they stick with the current limits.

 

Police Spin on numbers being lower is Police Spin, and any death is a tragedy,

or any life changing injuries is a tragedy and a major expense to the Public Purse.

 

If the Police are out there doing the job, then let them get Drink Drivers off the road,

or let Courts get them off the roads.

 

If the License Trade really suffers, then some Major Chains might stop building Drive to Pubs & Eateries on the edge 

of Towns and Cities and on routes where only Vehicles will be visiting, because nobody walks to them.

Obviously there are Drivers that are non Alcohol Drinkers when stopping to eat.

In Scotland it looks like they will have no choice on the Matter very soon.

 

Many HGV & Professional or Business Drivers will be changing habits very soon.

 

george

Edited 26 October, 201411 yr by goneoffSKi

And talking about Brownie points here is another of Mr Macaskill's good ideas. 

 

One of MacAskill's first acts as a cabinet secretary was to lift the ban on alcohol sales at international rugby union games held at Murrayfield Stadium. 

 

n.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenny_MacAskill

Yes Alex Salmond MSP is standing down as FM,  Yes Keith Brown MSP is standing to be the Deputy First Minister,

Yes the Scottish Government in power want to look busy.

 

But people are dying still, 

you drivers are dying still. and people still drink then drive.

& in rural areas of Scotland people have been getting away with Drink Driving for decades,

& you drivers are dying in large numbers still.

 

So really who cares if it is Politics, and really who cares what it matters what Non Drink Drivers or Drivers that Drink and drive think,

The UK Limit is out of kilter with other Countries,

so if Scotland comes in line, 

then that will leave England / Wales to decide if they stick with the current limits.

 

 

I think it matters because there is no apparent science behind the decision, just a politician having a 'good idea' and letting politicians do something because they think it's a good idea has not produced a good track record ?  

Edited 26 October, 201411 yr by Laurie61

The Man Maths is Easy.

 

Numbers are lower, because numbers were horrifically high in the 50's. 60's and 70's, 

& in some areas still are.

IME its the older generation that are the big offenders. You just can't teach some old dogs new tricks. Time will be the only thing to sort them.

I'm all up for a 100% no booze when the driver, but that's just me and appreciate that this won't sit well with others.

That said, whilst we're at it, why not bring in re-evaluations for the older (driving, sight and reactions for example) we should get those off the road as they often give off no sign they shouldn't be behind the wheel until it's too late, unlike someone who is sozzled.

Scotland / UK makes lots from Alcohol in Taxes / Duty.

 

Scotland pays lots because of alcohol abuse, lower life expectancy, spending on the NHS, Public Services and Emergency Services, Courts etc

& the Scottish Government intends reducing the problems alcohol causes in Scotland.

That is in Homes, on the street and on the roads.

 

The DD changes, like Minimum Pricing is not something just thrown together in 2014.

Scotland spends lots on studies and research, just like the UK Government do,

the difference is the Scottish Government can act and does.

http://scotland.gov.uk/resource/doc/227785/0061677.pdf

Edited 26 October, 201411 yr by goneoffSKi