drunks et al

[quk@isham-research.demon.co.uk (Phil Payne)]

In message <35A24A69.A8D76B36@bellsouth.net> Chris Woodward writes:

> I think I could drive better after a few beers than when
> in this state!

I know the remark was flippant, but I have to note disagreement.

A tired driver is dangerous, but is under no illusions as to his
ability.

A drunk driver is dangerous in many, many ways.  Not just the motor
skills and all the obvious stuff, but a whole load of stuff that only
specialist medics can tell you about.  There are at least _twelve_
different effects on vision - focus slew, binocular tracking, brightness
adjustment, etc., etc.

The really dangerous thing about a drunk driver is not all the physical
effects that it produces, but the delusion that these are unimportant.
A sober driver hit by the sort of disability that a drunk driver has
would immediately pull over, recognising they were not safe.

This is the great danger - people go into bars knowing that drunk
driving is dangerous, and come out with a skinful thinking it's really
not that awful and anyway they're not badly affected ...

In Germany, you're "drunk in charge of a motor vehicle" if you have the
keys and the papers on you.  You do not need to be anywhere near the
car.  Paragraph 218 of the BGB.

Go on - ask me how I know ...

--
 Phil Payne
 Phone: 0385 302803   Fax: 01536 723021
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