Drink driving: what's the punishment?

It's probably a pint over the limit?
Think they should ban drinking and driving totally by setting a limit of 20mg.
 
VTR said:
Yep just below the threshold for a prison sentence. He was moving the car to the other side of the road out of residents parking when a neighbour called the police and held him there until they came, even though he wasn't driving or in the car when they came he still got done.
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Must be more to it then that, can't charge someone just on one member of the public watching him move a car...
 
Matt82 said:
It will also vary massively from person to person. If he had just left the pub then mouth alcohol could have skewed the results too
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Not really. We don't usually do a roadside breath test until 20mins after the last drink and then it'll be extra before you get put on an intoximenter. That's too long for mouth alcohol to skew the results.
 
Burnsy2023 said:
Yes you can. As long as the witness is reliable, there's no reason why this can't be enough for a conviction.
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What is the criteria for a reliable witness?

If for example person X has fallen out with person Y who lives opposite. Person X comes back drunk from a night at out 2am, gets dropped off by a taxi and goes inside. Person Y see's this out the window and to screw him over calls the police and claims he saw person X drive home.

Person Y is a Doctor, well known in the area.

What would happen?
 
garriec said:
Must be more to it then that, can't charge someone just on one member of the public watching him move a car...
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Being near your car with your keys means you are in charge of a motor-vehicle so if you're intoxicated you can get done. No doubt for a neighbour to have done this, he was probably regularly DDing.

Burnsy2023 said:
Not really. We don't usually do a roadside breath test until 20mins after the last drink and then it'll be extra before you get put on an intoximenter. That's too long for mouth alcohol to skew the results.
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But not too long to have your ass hauled down the station, there are not many countries that have a 0mg limit.
 
TS7 said:
What is the criteria for a reliable witness?

If for example person X has fallen out with person Y who lives opposite. Person X comes back drunk from a night at out 2am, gets dropped off by a taxi and goes inside. Person Y see's this out the window and to screw him over calls the police and claims he saw person X drive home.

Person Y is a Doctor, well known in the area.

What would happen?
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One would hope that person Y's house mysteriously burns down with them inside it.

desires said:
Being near your car with your keys means you are in charge of a motor-vehicle so if you're intoxicated you can get done. No doubt for a neighbour to have done this, he was probably regularly DDing.
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What counts as "near"? I'm probably 3m away from my car sat in my living room, keys are on the table next to me, does that mean I should go to the back of the house if I'm drinking?

What about camping, then you're not even indoors, but you'd have to be a bit special to leave your car-keys unattended in a tent.

How about if you pop out of the house to grab something from the boot of the car whilst a bit tipsy? Could you get done for that? If so, what if you sent someone who wasn't insured to drive the vehicle to grab something for you - would they get done for driving without insurance?

Whilst I think DD is a scummy thing to do and people who do it should have the book thrown at them, the fact you can be done for it just for having your car keys on you when you have no intention of driving at all seems a bit OTT.
 
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desires said:
Being near your car with your keys means you are in charge of a motor-vehicle so if you're intoxicated you can get done. No doubt for a neighbour to have done this, he was probably regularly DDing.
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He had only just got his license, they just happened to see him.
 
Burnsy2023 said:
Not really. We don't usually do a roadside breath test until 20mins after the last drink and then it'll be extra before you get put on an intoximenter. That's too long for mouth alcohol to skew the results.
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But that would rely on the copper being honest too. The drunk guy at the side of the road won't be as familiar with due processes
 
Haggisman said:
Whilst I think DD is a scummy thing to do and people who do it should have the book thrown at them, the fact you can be done for it just for having your car keys on you when you have no intention of driving at all seems a bit OTT.
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Should have mentioned that last bit. There needs to be some sort of intent to drive. On your own property you'll be fine.

VTR said:
He had only just got his license, they just happened to see him.
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Drinking noisily in the garden with loads of mates then? Nobody but he knew he was only going to park the car. This neighbour may well have been a victim of DDing in the past and decided he wasn't going to let your mate do it.
 
I got banned in 1981 for DD, 12 months ban and £200 fine. Worst cost was insurance following it. Went from a 3 litre capri to an 850 mini.
 
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