Drinking and driving: Still a big problem in the US
@JamesHxstatic (29258)
Eugene, Oregon
February 27, 2017 12:06pm CST
We all know that is true, but I was reminded this morning when I read that 23 people were arrested locally between Thursday night and Sunday morning for drunk driving. Oregon's legal alcohol limit is .08%. The people caught averaged .16%.
I can only imagine what the number of people caught in a city the size of Los Angeles or even Portland, Oregon would be. About half of those arrested were between ages 21 to 24, the rest were from 29 to 60.
Coincidentally, I heard about a drug that basically, takes away the "feel-good" aspects of alcohol. The first drink tastes fine, maybe that slight buzz, but after that, this drug, Naltrexone, tempers the pleasure, the high, that people get from alcohol. The odd thing is that this drug has been around for over 20 years, is proven effective and safe, but is not often prescribed.
I am wondering if the problem is as big in England, France, Australia and India or other countries where myLotters live as it is in the US?
22 people like this
19 responses
@LadyDuck (459122)
• Switzerland
1 Mar 17
@JamesHxstatic Italians are not very good in respecting the rules, the cell phones are not helping.
@JamesHxstatic (29258)
• Eugene, Oregon
28 Feb 17
Texting is a big problem here as well. Drinking and texting is a bad combination.
1 person likes this
@ayushman899 (57)
• Nagpur, India
27 Feb 17
It's a problem everywhere.I don't think any country supports it.
4 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29258)
• Eugene, Oregon
28 Feb 17
No, there is no country that supports it, but not enough is done to stop it.
1 person likes this
@marguicha (215807)
• Chile
27 Feb 17
In my country there are so big problems if they catch you drinking and driving (including not giving you a driving certificate again) that most peopple that go to party hire taxis to safelly go back home.
2 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29258)
• Eugene, Oregon
27 Feb 17
They are trying to get people to do that here as well.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (73715)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
27 Feb 17
Over here in Riga we have idiots who don't know when to stop. Not only do they have to deal with traffic in the city but also with buses, taxis and trams. We have such idiots who slam their cars into the side of trams and then say they didn't see the tram. Yeah it is much bigger than a bread box and the drunken idiot is glad that he is alive and not broken up too much. Here's a photo of another idiot who had one too many and forgot to remember that buses stop more often than cars.
2 people like this
@RasmaSandra (73715)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
3 Mar 17
@JamesHxstatic around here they are now putting them in jail and depending on how drunk they were and what they did while driving their licenses get take away for at least a year.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29258)
• Eugene, Oregon
3 Mar 17
@RasmaSandra Licenses are suspended here as well. A woman I know has a husband on his third conviction. He has to work on the road litter crew every weekend and lost his license.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29258)
• Eugene, Oregon
28 Feb 17
How awful that is. Is there any enforcement action going on?
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
27 Feb 17
Booze has been around forever and this problem is likely to never end. However, that's why young people love the prospect of self driving cars: they can get drunk and wasted to their heart's content and not be the "driver."
2 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29258)
• Eugene, Oregon
27 Feb 17
I wonder though if that will take the human in charge off the hook?
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
27 Feb 17
@JamesHxstatic A serious question that will one day be debated.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29258)
• Eugene, Oregon
28 Feb 17
It is far to common here too. Distracted driving is as bad as drunk driving.
1 person likes this
@KrauseHome (36448)
• United States
28 Feb 17
I have no idea what the percentages are around here, but I am sure they are quite high. When I lived in Eastern WA the AA was full of people coming there due to judge sent them because of driving while drunk convictions. It is not a pretty picture, and ruins their driving record, etc.
2 people like this
@allknowing (130092)
• India
28 Feb 17
Driving in the US is a must for everyone and that having said I wonder how one can manage a drinkless state as drinking is also a must (lol)
1 person likes this
@allknowing (130092)
• India
28 Feb 17
@JamesHxstatic Drinking for some is like drinking water. (lol)
@JamesHxstatic (29258)
• Eugene, Oregon
28 Feb 17
@allknowing Make mine a double!
1 person likes this
@PatZAnthony (14752)
• Charlotte, North Carolina
28 Feb 17
It seems to be a big issue everywhere. The pill would only help if someone actually took it. Those who really need to do so might not cooperate.
2 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29258)
• Eugene, Oregon
28 Feb 17
True, they have to have a real desire to back off excessive drinking for it to work.
@JamesHxstatic (29258)
• Eugene, Oregon
28 Feb 17
Yes, I wonder if that pill works on pot too?
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29258)
• Eugene, Oregon
28 Feb 17
Yes, that is quite low for sure.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29258)
• Eugene, Oregon
27 Feb 17
Really? I see that a tough new law was passed there in 2013. I hope it is working.
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
11 Mar 17
I just cannot get my head around anyone here in the'US '
=who will get in a car drunk as a skunk and drive anywhere
usually on the freeway and bars that let people leave and
drive. after all they are also in on it. they should take the
keys away from drunks and phone the cops.
s
@teamfreak16 (43419)
• Denver, Colorado
28 Feb 17
They set DUI checkpoints all over here during holidays. I recall one July 4th weekend they caught around 700 statewide.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29258)
• Eugene, Oregon
28 Feb 17
What a huge number to catch! They do some checkpoints here too.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40246)
• United States
28 Feb 17
I think drunk driving should have much stricter penalties than it currently does. You're gambling with other people's lives not just yours.
@destinykst (251)
•
28 Feb 17
Its a big problem in India causing accidents and deaths of innocent people.
1 person likes this
