# Drunk driving is bad... unless you live out in the sticks. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 23, 2013, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drunk-driving-is-bad-unless-you-live-out-in-the-sticks/648058 "2013-01-23T00:07:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drunk-driving-is-bad-unless-you-live-out-in-the-sticks/648058/81 "2013-01-24T13:41:07Z")
I find it amusing that anyone thinks the drunk drivers are going to obey the speed limit at all, let alone a lower limit. Note that I’m with **An Gadaí** on thinking it’s ludicrous to believe that the drinkers are going to stop imbibing after just three. ---
**Author:** ![Doughbag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Doughbag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doughbag)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drunk-driving-is-bad-unless-you-live-out-in-the-sticks/648058/82 "2013-01-24T15:26:32Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > \*\*Doughbag \*\*what I find hilarious about it is the notion that if such a permit existed that holders would all stop at three drinks. Yup, pretty much agree – however unlikely this will ever become legal anyhow. Stopping at 3 pints? That’s just the warm up after all – why stop, if you have this ridicules permit to legally DUI? There is always a way to organise a dedicated driver or to get a cab or taxi. The RSA did a brilliant job to take these drunks off the road, reducing fatalities on the roads massively and making Irish roads safer in general. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drunk-driving-is-bad-unless-you-live-out-in-the-sticks/648058/83 "2013-01-24T15:27:16Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Tried it and you are an idiot if you believe it. All I’m saying is that a .10bac me has every bit the skill and reaction times as say a sober 65yo lady. So if an old lady isn’t seen as a danger, why would the guy at .10bac be a danger? I can only argue my own case as I realise .10 means different things to different people. Some can barely feel it, while others feel like they’re going to fall off the face of the Earth. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drunk-driving-is-bad-unless-you-live-out-in-the-sticks/648058/84 "2013-01-24T15:32:27Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > I find it amusing that anyone thinks the drunk drivers are going to obey the speed limit at all, let alone a lower limit. Note that I’m with **An Gadaí** on thinking it’s ludicrous to believe that the drinkers are going to stop imbibing after just three. This is a good point. One, definitely. Two, perhaps. Three – you’re not stopping. ---
**Author:** ![Trom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@Trom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trom)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drunk-driving-is-bad-unless-you-live-out-in-the-sticks/648058/85 "2013-01-24T15:40:55Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > This is a good point. One, definitely. Two, perhaps. Three – you’re not stopping. Huh? I have 2-4 beers and call it after that on a regular basis. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drunk-driving-is-bad-unless-you-live-out-in-the-sticks/648058/86 "2013-01-24T16:10:57Z")
> [@Trom](#): > > Huh? I have 2-4 beers and call it after that on a regular basis. Are you Irish? ---
**Author:** ![Doughbag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Doughbag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doughbag)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drunk-driving-is-bad-unless-you-live-out-in-the-sticks/648058/87 "2013-01-24T16:38:08Z")
> [@Trom](#): > > Huh? I have 2-4 beers and call it after that on a regular basis. Been much in an Irish rural pub? ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drunk-driving-is-bad-unless-you-live-out-in-the-sticks/648058/88 "2013-01-24T19:28:27Z")
> [@Trom](#): > > Huh? I have 2-4 beers and call it after that on a regular basis. > [@An\_Gadai](#): > > Are you Irish? > [@Doughbag](#): > > Been much in an Irish rural pub? Shhhh! **An Gadaí** and **Doughbag** , don’t let **Fuji** hear you! He may have words for you along the lines of: > [@Fuji](#): > > Good job on cementing the stereotype of the drunken Irishman, you fucking cunts. ---
**Author:** ![Doughbag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Doughbag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doughbag)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drunk-driving-is-bad-unless-you-live-out-in-the-sticks/648058/89 "2013-01-25T12:21:06Z")
> [@bienville](#): > > Shhhh! **An Gadaí** and **Doughbag** , don’t let **Fuji** hear you! He may have words for you along the lines of: Just to clear this up: I was referring to people that are already going to the Pub anyhow. There is a huge part of the population here in Ireland that does not go to the Pub at all and does not drink alcohol whatsoever. The ones that go to the Pub and like to drink and pick up the quota for the ones not drinking. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Fuji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a9a28c/32.png) [@Fuji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuji)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drunk-driving-is-bad-unless-you-live-out-in-the-sticks/648058/90 "2013-01-25T13:56:50Z")
> [@bienville](#): > > Still no numbers provided for the proposed higher limit? > > The majority of the people posting here are accustomed to the socially accepted and legally imposed limit of .08% which is notably higher than Ireland’s .05%. > > If those of us not quite outraged by the vague and _still_ undefined “less severe drink driving regulations” are to be persuaded to see the opposing viewpoint, is it really so much to ask that numbers be provided by those frustrated that the non-outraged among us just don’t get it? I’ve already posted statistics indicating that the vast majority of fatal road accidents occur in rural areas. I see no logical reason to support any lowering of the BAL limits in the country; as such, I couldn’t give two shits what the actual numbers are. The point is, if the BAL limits were to move in any direction for rural drivers vis-a-vis urban ones it should be _downward_, not up. > [@Doughbag](#): > > Sure, you could just drink a “soft” drink or what they call here a “mineral” – Coke, water, etc – but to my father/brothers in-law it seam just not right to NOT have a proper drink when you are going to the pub – it’s like going to a peepshow with a blindfold on. **Doughbag** alludes to another point which shocked me when I first got here. Others in this thread have asked about the usage of designated drivers. In the USA, as I’m sure many of you know, it is common for groups of people in bars to be asked by their server if there is a designated driver amongst them; if so, that person is often supplied with free non-alcoholic beverages upon request. Here in Ireland (at least in County Cork, IME), not only have I never been asked this question (or observed it being asked of others), but there is also a pricing disincentive _against_ designated driving. To wit: a pint of Murphy’s will cost you €4.10, whereas a pint of Coke will cost you €5. > [@Shakes](#): > > All I’m saying is that a .10bac me has every bit the skill and reaction times as say a sober 65yo lady. > > So if an old lady isn’t seen as a danger, why would the guy at .10bac be a danger? > > I can only argue my own case as I realise .10 means different things to different people. Some can barely feel it, while others feel like they’re going to fall off the face of the Earth. How do you know the old lady is a worse driver than you? Maybe she has the same super-duper alcohol-processing genes as you - or even better. Look, when I was in college, my buddy Dan would frequently drive a VW minibus tripping his balls off on acid. He was an excellent driver when sober, and we never had any accidents (very luckily) when he was fucked up. I still don’t think it’s a good idea to allow people on hallucinogens to operate a motor vehicle, even though I have safely ridden in such a vehicle many times. > [@bienville](#): > > Shhhh! **An Gadaí** and **Doughbag** , don’t let **Fuji** hear you! He may have words for you along the lines of: Naw, no worries. I recognize that the stereotype has more than a bit of truth to it (I’ve even contributed to it myself on many occasions). I just think we can do better, is all. **Quint** - I love that video! It was a minor sensation here a couple years back. ---
**Author:** ![Doughbag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Doughbag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doughbag)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drunk-driving-is-bad-unless-you-live-out-in-the-sticks/648058/91 "2013-01-25T15:01:28Z")
> [@Fuji](#): > > Others in this thread have asked about the usage of designated drivers. In the USA, as I’m sure many of you know, it is common for groups of people in bars to be asked by their server if there is a designated driver amongst them; if so, that person is often supplied with free non-alcoholic beverages upon request. > > Here in Ireland (at least in County Cork, IME), not only have I never been asked this question (or observed it being asked of others), but there is also a pricing disincentive _against_ designated driving. To wit: a pint of Murphy’s will cost you €4.10, whereas a pint of Coke will cost you €5. The Pint: 568ml €4.10 Coke: 200ml €2.50 To get a full pint of coke it would cost around €7 – almost twice the price of a pint of beer. What you normally get, when you order a pint of coke: is a double coke (400ml coke) and the rest is ice cubes. The dedicated driver thingamajig, that person is me – since I don’t really drink, with a one or 2 exceptions per year on special occasions. To this practice of sponsoring the dedicated driver to get alcohol free drinks by the bar – it’s a big NO No. It does not happen – whatsoever. A couple of years back there was an attempt to sponsor the dedicated driver by Coca-Cola – meaning the dedicated driver goes up to the bar and gets free coke. We tried this several times, in Pubs where they actively advertised this and got refused the free drinks – it pay for the drink or don’t have a drink. As a result, normally the people I’m supposed to drive home, pay for my drinks, just to prevent in any case that I might get the notion of switching to an alcoholic drink – I don’t even get a chance to get near the bar and have 2-3 pints of coke standing in front of me at any given time – just to make sure – sure to be sure. ---
**Author:** ![eclectic\_wench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ac91a4/32.png) [@eclectic\_wench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eclectic_wench)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drunk-driving-is-bad-unless-you-live-out-in-the-sticks/648058/92 "2013-01-25T16:10:04Z")
> [@bienville](#): > > Still no numbers provided for the proposed higher limit? > > The majority of the people posting here are accustomed to the socially accepted and legally imposed limit of .08% which is notably higher than Ireland’s .05%. > > If those of us not quite outraged by the vague and _still_ undefined “less severe drink driving regulations” are to be persuaded to see the opposing viewpoint, is it really so much to ask that numbers be provided by those frustrated that the non-outraged among us just don’t get it? You - and just about everyone who’s having a thoughtful discussion in this thread - are taking this wayyyy more seriously than the people who actually passed the resolution. I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that they haven’t even suggested specific numbers, because they know there’s no way this is ever going to become reality. The point of this resolution wasn’t to start a serious, informed debate about blood-alcohol limits. It was to show the county councillors’ constitutents that they’re not letting them city boys up in Dublin push them around. ETA: The other ridiculous thing about the whole argument is the assumption that the isolated farmers aren’t going to the pub and having a few pints as things stand. Of course they are. ---
**Author:** ![Doughbag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Doughbag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doughbag)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drunk-driving-is-bad-unless-you-live-out-in-the-sticks/648058/93 "2013-01-25T16:28:52Z")
> [@eclectic\_wench](#): > > You - and just about everyone who’s having a thoughtful discussion in this thread - are taking this wayyyy more seriously than the people who actually passed the resolution. I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that they haven’t even suggested specific numbers, because they know there’s no way this is ever going to become reality. The point of this resolution wasn’t to start a serious, informed debate about blood-alcohol limits. It was to show the county councillors’ constitutents that they’re not letting them city boys up in Dublin push them around. > > ETA: The other ridiculous thing about the whole argument is the assumption that the isolated farmers aren’t going to the pub and having a few pints as things stand. Of course they are. Of cos they are … and they drive home afterwards… and having a non-alcoholic drink in a pub is somewhat a sin to them after all. And yes, you’re right, this will obviously not become a law – it’s just ridicules suggesting it: **by a politician** ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drunk-driving-is-bad-unless-you-live-out-in-the-sticks/648058/94 "2013-01-25T20:15:43Z")
> [@Doughbag](#): > > The Pint: 568ml €4.10 > Coke: 200ml €2.50 > To get a full pint of coke it would cost around €7 – almost twice the price of a pint of beer. > What you normally get, when you order a pint of coke: is a double coke (400ml coke) and the rest is ice cubes. > > The dedicated driver thingamajig, that person is me – since I don’t really drink, with a one or 2 exceptions per year on special occasions. > > To this practice of sponsoring the dedicated driver to get alcohol free drinks by the bar – it’s a big NO No. It does not happen – whatsoever. > > A couple of years back there was an attempt to sponsor the dedicated driver by Coca-Cola – meaning the dedicated driver goes up to the bar and gets free coke. > > We tried this several times, in Pubs where they actively advertised this and got refused the free drinks – it pay for the drink or don’t have a drink. > > As a result, normally the people I’m supposed to drive home, pay for my drinks, just to prevent in any case that I might get the notion of switching to an alcoholic drink – I don’t even get a chance to get near the bar and have 2-3 pints of coke standing in front of me at any given time – just to make sure – sure to be sure. That Coca-Cola thing was so convoluted though and it was for a maximum of three soft drinks. Such largesse! ☹ At least some bars have fountain or big bottle of minerals and charge way less but that’s really uncommon, especially in Dublin. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drunk-driving-is-bad-unless-you-live-out-in-the-sticks/648058/95 "2013-01-25T21:27:33Z")
Seems to have been [resolved](http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0124/364288-drink-driving-stance/). Perhaps the Kerry Council should propose courtesy vans for each pub 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Doughbag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Doughbag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doughbag)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2013, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drunk-driving-is-bad-unless-you-live-out-in-the-sticks/648058/96 "2013-01-26T11:03:29Z")
> [@jasg](#): > > Seems to have been [resolved](http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0124/364288-drink-driving-stance/). > > Perhaps the Kerry Council should propose courtesy vans for each pub 😉 Of cos, there was no way this would pass and become legal – not really the point. The idea of it and suggestion alone from the Kerry Council alone and then passing it there is ludicrous – it’s so backwards and stupid. It makes me wonder what other shit they suggest and we don’t even hear about and how much tax payers money is wasted on these idiots ideas. ---
**Author:** ![Doughbag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Doughbag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doughbag)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2013, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drunk-driving-is-bad-unless-you-live-out-in-the-sticks/648058/97 "2013-01-26T11:08:15Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > That Coca-Cola thing was so convoluted though and it was for a maximum of three soft drinks. Such largesse! ☹ At least some bars have fountain or big bottle of minerals and charge way less but that’s really uncommon, especially in Dublin. Yup, I never got a single free drink - being the dedicated driver and all. I asked a buddy of mine, who runs a pub - he said, that the free coke offer was so shitty done, that it was nothing else but a publicity stunt, that did not translate into the real work. ---
**Author:** ![Claverhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2013, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drunk-driving-is-bad-unless-you-live-out-in-the-sticks/648058/98 "2013-02-02T01:45:28Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > (I haven’t seen evidence that Irish pubs are going extinct over smoking bans either). That’s pretty damn funny. To quote something I wrote in 2007: _'The Irish were the first Europeans to ban smoking in pubs, and now each day a pub perishes in the Republic._ [BBC’](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6625687.stm) From that link: - Recent figures suggest that many rural pubs are shutting their doors, their owners selling up and moving out. One report put the figure at a pub closing every day. … In 2005, almost 440 fewer pub licences were issued. In the year up to November 2006, more than 60 pubs shut down in two of the bigger counties - 20 in Clare, 42 in Cork. \* \*One is the smoking ban which was introduced three years ago. While many, such as health campaigners, view it as a success, many pub owners say it has damaged their trade. \* So _now_ pubs are probably not going down so fast; but only because so many were discarded back then due partially to the smoking ban. Not that I care, I don’t live in Ireland particularly, but owing to the smoking ban I gave up on going to pubs completely. Or anywhere else I can’t smoke. And fuck the business of bar-owners who disallow smoking. Alcohol is trivial — smoking is the breath of life. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2013, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drunk-driving-is-bad-unless-you-live-out-in-the-sticks/648058/99 "2013-02-03T18:58:41Z")
> [@Claverhouse](#): > > So _now_ pubs are probably not going down so fast; but only because so many were discarded back then due partially to the smoking ban. I think the smoking ban was definitely a factor but other things contributed, such as the increasing taboo on drink-driving, relative expense of pub drinks versus supermarket/off-licence and a more general move away from sitting in pubs to spending time in people’s houses drinking instead because you could smoke, drink, watch what you wanted on telly, listen to what you wanted to on the stereo etc. and pass out drunk on the couch if you wanted to. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2013, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drunk-driving-is-bad-unless-you-live-out-in-the-sticks/648058/100 "2013-02-03T23:25:32Z")
> [@Fuji](#): > > Once again, may I present a [typical Kerry country road](http://www.flickr.com/photos/68617652@N00/213430522/) A Cork man, representing Kerry to the world? I think we need a more unbiased source 😛 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drunk-driving-is-bad-unless-you-live-out-in-the-sticks/648058.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drunk-driving-is-bad-unless-you-live-out-in-the-sticks/648058.md?page=6)