A new law which takes effect in France this spring will require drivers to carry a breathalyser kit in their car in an attempt to cut road deaths, kits are available at around €2 and those caught without could face a fine of around €17.
Do you think this will help cut alcohol related road accidents?
Visionary as usual Zoe.
they'll leave us till March to buy them, then repeal the rule, because we've all bought them, and the company's made their money.
I like the sound of 50cc moped riders being exempt, I foresee swarms of the things back on the roads. Now if only theyd repeal the ludicrous helmet rule Ill be first in the queue to get one.
Surprise, surprise! Not surprised at all actually...
I agree I think those tests won't make a difference. The best answer Neil is what you said. Don't drink and drive.
She lost control of her car and ended up hitting a tree. No other car involed. Two years of therapy to walk again. Three operations, leg, hand, face. When my sister went to the hospital to see her she fainted.
Cops said that if she had warn a seat belt she would have been dead. But the fact is she ended up in the back seat.
Accident photos always look bad because the car has done what it was engineered to do-deformation is due to the energy being absorbed by the structure rather than the people inside. Can't see how this will alter people's actions, by the time they think they might need to take the test they will probably be incapable of doing it! If I am driveing I don't drink - simple and effective. Got stopped by the Gendarmes last August at 4am and had to take 3 tests as they refused to believe that their machine was registering zero.
Those are nasty pics, but to be fair was the accident attributed to her or the other driver?
My neice had an accident with a drink or two. It's a mircle she survived. If anyone wants to see the car, let me know.
On Friday night we had the voeux de la nouvelle annee with Mr Maire et el. We live in a very rural village comprised of 3 small hamlets. My husband won the toss for drinking and I was the nominated driver. We had our two 11 year olds with us. I had one glass of the Champagne punch (heavily laced with some spirit) and then declined everytime I was offered another glass. Each time I said 'no thank you I am driving' the reply was 'mais c'est pas loin'. Probably 10 different people said this to me, several whilst I was chatting to a lady gendarme!!
The most shocking thing about this was that 3 days before Xmas tragically a 16 yr old boy who lived in our road was knocked over and killed by a car on his way home from his driving lesson. The accident was not alcohol related but still a huge tragedy and shock to the whole village. When I mentioned, to those that were trying to get me to drink, Kevin's death and they all replied that it was not due to drink driving.
Breathalyser kits should not be needed as we shouldn't drink and drive and even need to check whether we are over the limit, it is as simple as that. Yes it is a pain when we live in the country and can't have a good drink and then get a taxi home. I was very miffed on NYE when I was still sober at 3.00am and everyone else was dancing on the tables. But I will not endanger my family's lives or those of others. I just drink at home!!
i was fully aware of DIC back in 1970 when on my motorbike, and a friend was caught DIC 1972,with a grand fine and year ban(he did like 7 light and bitters per eve) and the message has been hammered home relentlessly since.. education isn't that lacking.. taking heed is the problem? we all know half bottle of merlot and drive home is DIC, but we still take the chance,, "it's only a little over" or "i drive better after a glass or two". would having the gizmo readily to hand make us think differently.. probably not! we know better than that stupid device.. don't we???
I know individuals with new lagunas, range rovers and other recent well maintained vehicles, all 60+ and all regularly take the risk. I think the device onboard may jog people to consider or not!
@ Richard - absolutely. I remember there was a tiny little woman in the programme who was nothing like as affected as some of the larger males which really surprised me.
Anyway, let's have some sympathy for those of us who can't drink and operate 'moving equipment' - i.e.crutches...!!
no its not law and may well never be. Sarko is being clever though as to vote against is, ipso facto in his PR teams eyes, to be FOR drunk driving. Bit like guns in UK. If you dare to suggest that maybe not all gun owners are nutters, they just like the sport of target shooting, you end up being ' shot down' yourself.
The idea that you either drink or you drive doesn't work so well when you live in the country. The french country plod are pretty pragmatic it seems to me. If you roll your own car into a ditch and no one else is hurt then meurgh and a shrug. If they banned all the drunk drivers the economy would come to halt because who would do the farming? And as someone said, the rural nepotism helps. You arent going to nick someone with klout or who went to school with your dad. Ive seen some severe scoldings handed out but thats normally the end of it.
AFAIK they don’t deal with one car one driver DIC’s. I ‘found’ one in the ditch a while ago. I had to climb onto the side of his car to let him out… On lifting the door, the stench of stale booze hit me. I helped the old fellah out and phoned the Gendarmes, despite his pleas. They confirmed one vehicle only no passengers and said "we don"t come out to one vehicles one occupant DIC’s!!! A few moments later the local farmer arrived, towed out the wreck with his tractor and took the old boy home.
we have a new speed camera and shrine in memory of a local who rolled it while DD.. his family are wrecked now because he was!! it won't stop the hardcore, but those with a social conscience may chose to blow before they go.. duty of care to yourself and others? A burb in the bag gets you a second blow for free.. and yes, i'm guilty of driving after a bevvy or two..if i have the device and ignore it.. they can throw the book at me..what excuse can i give? also wait til they slap culpable homicide on anyone causing death while DUI
Good point Catharine. Firstly I tend not to drink because I take antacid tablets for my hiatus hernia. Secondly, the hh, being above the stomach, 'stores' some food that tends to ferment a bit and give the effect of alcohol. So I eat a yoghourt but no booze then can be breathalysed and appear full of alcohol then properly tested and show nothing, so even if I do not drink a drop... Then there is the brigade you mention who can drink like fish and come out clear even though their legs are clearly walking off, each to its own choosing. From that point of view, and they have medical advisers surely, why? Or are people with what I have supposed to give up eating everything that ferments, given that there are many of us in any population then at least the roads would be quite empty.
