Driving in the UK is not a human right

Convicted Driver Insurance

donny

New Member
Get this straight, the ability to drive is not the’ be all and end all’, yes your job may depend on it, your family may require it, but humans got on just fine without cars for thousands of years driving a car in the UK is NOT a human right never has, never will and never should be.

I am always totally gob smacked when someone is killed by a drunk driver and under the inevitable prison sentence you read something like ‘banned for 7 years’ What!? Is that it 7 years? How about life, you went and killed someone the least you could do is hand over your green card…why the government has not enforced this is beyond me…I can understand low prison sentences, the prisons are full, it costs the tax payer money and you criminalise someone for what could have been just a minute of madness.

If you drink and drive once lose your license, if you drink and drive again lose your license for good, if you drink and drive and kill or injure someone lose your license for good…driving in the UK is not a human right…we have buses!

Why is this not being done…if anyone has the ear of either Gordon Brown, David Cameron or Nick Clegg can they pass this on!!

Read on for my drink drive story: A friend of mine was going through a bad patch and started to up his recreational drug use is life started to spiral out of control all be it slowly. After drinking and arguing with his girlfriend he got in his car lost control an ploughed straight into a young couple. The man was killed instantly, his girlfriend crushed (now permanently disabled) He and his girlfriend in the car sustained minor injure.

The result a prison sentence of 3 years and a ban for 5. He was/is my friend and I know he was/is mortified and even now racked with guilt but really shouldn’t he have at least lost his license forever?
 
My point of veiw may not count as I have a "A typical female point of view...highly subjective, zero objectivity, and an incredible lack of the 'Bigger Picture!' .............Lets thank GOD your gender do not run the World...seriously, otherwise we all would of been 'vaporised' a long time ago!!!:eek: "

Found your post while trying to delete my account

I wholeheartedly agree with you and the speeding advert may also apply in some instances to drunk drivers...seeing the body of their victim lying dead all day.

If a drunk driver is truly repentant, especially if he has killed or seriously injured himself, he may never be able to face driving again. A self imposed punishment
Not all drunk drivers however have a conscience so are likely to reoffend. The punishment for drunk driving as many other crimes against a person rarely fit the crime. For those that do not involve an injured 3rd party, the risk of re offending I am sure is greatly increased.

I am not against drinking and driving within the required limits, though I would prefer a zero limit- but am aware its not practical. Its those individuals who think the limits dont matter or apply to them.
 
I think she has. She has stated in other posts she does not drink and drive especially unlike many on here obviously have repeatedly until caught. She has an understanding of drinkers and their victims which obviously has gone way over the heads of those who have belittled her comments
There is a worrying lack of people on this forum with a negative opinion to drunk drivers,
Many obviously are worried and upset but others seem to think that they have been treated unfairly. Posts linked with hers are from the very people she seems to have problems with. She has had her say and left.

Perhaps they should have thought harder before getting into a car after drinking any amount of alcohol. IMO the fines and punishments are not serious enough
As the original post said Driving in the UK is not a human right. If you break the law then your right to drive a car is removed. In some cases it should never be returned. If they lose their job as a result of their selfish behaviour they only have to look in the morror to find the cause. Not blame the justice system.
 
Not all drunk drivers however have a conscience so are likely to reoffend.

I think you should rephrase this to 'not all PEOPLE have a conscience'. At the end of the day, nothing in life is black and white. And just because someone has been convicted of drink driving, doesent mean to say that they do not have a conscience. A lot of drink drivers become 'criminals' and are prosecuted through ignorance ie the morning after the night before, thinking they are OK to drive when they are not. I would bet money on the fact that 90% of drivers who have at some point drank alcohol to the point of being drunk have actually drove the next day either over the limit or indeed very close to it without even knowing it. The same goes for those that just have a 'couple' and think they are OK to drive. Not all drink drivers fit into this category but a lot do. I think you will also find that the majority of these drink drivers find it very hard to live with the shame and guilt afterwards and are very remorseful and conscious of what they have done and indeed and maybe more importantly what they COULD have done.

There are of course others who blatantly flout the law on a regular basis with no regard or care about the danger they know they are posing to others and themselves, I can totally understand your attitude towards these kinds of people and mine is similar and yes, I have been convicted of drinking and driving, but I can guarantee, it will NEVER happen again.

Drink driving is in a league of its own. No one is immune. Doctors, judges, nurses, magistrates, policemen, solicitors, teachers, social workers....the list goes on. All respectable professions I think you'll agree, you regularly hear of people in these professions, people who are otherwise upstanding, responsible, trustworthy and morally responsible. People who wouldnt dream of stealing, robbing and committing other crimes, actually being prosecuted for drinking and driving.

The punishment for drunk driving as many other crimes against a person rarely fit the crime. For those that do not involve an injured 3rd party, the risk of re offending I am sure is greatly increased.

For a minority maybe. You really think, for someone who abides by the law, has a responsible job and has never been in trouble in there lives, suddenly has a criminal record, loses their transport for 12 months and finds themselves suffering the shame and humiliation of appearing at court for a criminal offence. Many people lose their jobs as a result or indeed their livlihood if they are self employed as well. Im sure a lot of people would say they deserve it and have no sympathy and maybe so. But I very much doubt they will be in any rush to repeat the experience ever again just because no one was killed or injured.

I am not against drinking and driving within the required limits, though I would prefer a zero limit- but am aware its not practical.

I think rather than a zero limit, there should be zero tolerance. Maybe set the limit to 0.1mgs to take into account traces of alcohol, but making it quite clear to everyone that you wont be ok to have a 'couple' and indeed you may be over the limit with just one, so the message is loud and clear, if you have had a drink, do not drive, period.

I also think that alcohol consumptions & effects, legal BAC limits and the effects alcohol has on driving should be covered in driving tests. Educate people before the event, rather than after it.

Its those individuals who think the limits dont matter or apply to them.

People who consistently flout the law with no concern for anyone, let alone themselves, are asking for everything they get. But you cannot tar all drink drivers with the same brush.

Most repeat offenders should definitely have the book thrown at them. I think for first time offenders with low alcohol readings, punishments are not too lenient. But for repeat offenders they are too lenient, ignition interlocks should be mandatory for second time offenders. Also the police should be able to randomly breathalyse anyone who has been convicted of drinking and driving. 3 strikes and your out. Get caught a 3rd time and it should be a 10 year/lifetime ban.

Food for thought:

Have you ever broken the speed limit?
Has anyone NEVER broken the speed limit?

Speeding can kill. Do people who speed have no conscience? Are they criminals? Is driving at 80mph on the motorway on par with driving at 100mph in a 30mph zone near a school?
 
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I think you should rephrase this to 'not all PEOPLE have a conscience'. At the end of the day, nothing in life is black and white. And just because someone has been convicted of drink driving, doesent mean to say that they do not have a conscience. A lot of drink drivers become 'criminals' and are prosecuted through ignorance ie the morning after the night before, thinking they are OK to drive when they are not. I would bet money on the fact that 90% of drivers who have at some point drank alcohol to the point of being drunk have actually drove the next day either over the limit or indeed very close to it without even knowing it. The same goes for those that just have a 'couple' and think they are OK to drive. Not all drink drivers fit into this category but a lot do. I think you will also find that the majority of these drink drivers find it very hard to live with the shame and guilt afterwards and are very remorseful and conscious of what they have done and indeed and maybe more importantly what they COULD have done.

There are of course others who blatantly flout the law on a regular basis with no regard or care about the danger they know they are posing to others and themselves, I can totally understand your attitude towards these kinds of people and mine is similar and yes, I have been convicted of drinking and driving, but I can guarantee, it will NEVER happen again.

Drink driving is in a league of its own. No one is immune. Doctors, judges, nurses, magistrates, policemen, solicitors, teachers, social workers....the list goes on. All respectable professions I think you'll agree, you regularly hear of people in these professions, people who are otherwise upstanding, responsible, trustworthy and morally responsible. People who wouldnt dream of stealing, robbing and committing other crimes, actually being prosecuted for drinking and driving.



For a minority maybe. You really think, for someone who abides by the law, has a responsible job and has never been in trouble in there lives, suddenly has a criminal record, loses their transport for 12 months and finds themselves suffering the shame and humiliation of appearing at court for a criminal offence. Many people lose their jobs as a result or indeed their livlihood if they are self employed as well. Im sure a lot of people would say they deserve it and have no sympathy and maybe so. But I very much doubt they will be in any rush to repeat the experience ever again just because no one was killed or injured.



I think rather than a zero limit, there should be zero tolerance. Maybe set the limit to 0.1mgs to take into account traces of alcohol, but making it quite clear to everyone that you wont be ok to have a 'couple' and indeed you may be over the limit with just one, so the message is loud and clear, if you have had a drink, do not drive, period.

I also think that alcohol consumptions & effects, legal BAC limits and the effects alcohol has on driving should be covered in driving tests. Educate people before the event, rather than after it.



People who consistently flout the law with no concern for anyone, let alone themselves, are asking for everything they get. But you cannot tar all drink drivers with the same brush.

Most repeat offenders should definitely have the book thrown at them. I think for first time offenders with low alcohol readings, punishments are not too lenient. But for repeat offenders they are too lenient, ignition interlocks should be mandatory for second time offenders. Also the police should be able to randomly breathalyse anyone who has been convicted of drinking and driving. 3 strikes and your out. Get caught a 3rd time and it should be a 10 year/lifetime ban.

Food for thought:

Have you ever broken the speed limit?
Has anyone NEVER broken the speed limit?

Speeding can kill. Do people who speed have no conscience? Are they criminals? Is driving at 80mph on the motorway on par with driving at 100mph in a 30mph zone near a school?

i agree with you about about learning about the dangers
whilst you are taking your test not just how the long alcohol stays in the system but how it affects driving
bad vision control etcetra some people might scoff but
a lot of younger people would gain a lot of knowledge
to be honest it could be in the school criteria in last year of study
 
"If a drunk driver is truly repentant, especially if he has killed or seriously injured himself, he may never be able to face driving again"

I couldn't agree more. If I had killed myself drinking and driving I dont think I ever would have driven again.

:):p:eek:
 
Is it true that in the US, if you are convicted for DD, you will spend a week in jail, but then are free to drive again?

I have been told this, but wonder if it's rumour.
 
Is it true that in the US, if you are convicted for DD, you will spend a week in jail, but then are free to drive again?

I have been told this, but wonder if it's rumour.
My friend from US said that for a first offence you will pay a fine and get a ban, for a second imprisoment is very likely.
 
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