Stop Those Rowdy Swiss Partyers
November 23, 2004
6:29 a.m., MT
However good the Swiss gov may be on RKBA, they stink when it comes to alcohol. From SwissInfo comes the news that the Swiss will have a tough standard for DUI come the new year:

Drivers are being told that the new 0.5 milligrams per millilitre limit equals one glass of wine or other alcoholic beverage, and that they may not exceed that level.

Police can stop cars randomly for alcohol tests ... and check out the penalties for overimbibing and driving: if the BAC is between 0.5 and 0.8 mg/ml (which is the current legal limit), a driver can get three months in jail and a fine of just under $4300 (U.S.)!!

It's for citizen safety, of course. Can't be that they want all the cash that could come rolling in under this new Prohibition program ... FYI, the article says that the 0.5 mg/ml legal limit is roughly one glass of beer or wine -- so what they really mean, apparently, is "Just Say No".

Now, just to be clear, I have no problem with being tough on individuals whose irresponsible behavior causes harm to another -- especially if the destroyer is a repeater. But coming after individuals solely for the mere presence of some molecules in the bloodstream is ridiculous -- and has only gotten more absurd, as this zero tolerance mindset regarding alcohol escalates.

Yes, I drink alcohol -- maybe a glass or two a night. Sometimes -- gasp! -- I'll have a rum and coke or a black Russian during the day. The combination of alcohol and caffeine helps my writing tremendously. But, unless I drink on a completely empty stomach, that amount of alcohol has very little effect on my driving skills. I know when I'm impaired enough not to drive, and I don't. Or, rather, I didn't. Now, of course, I don't drive if I've had anything to drink, since the JBTs are ever-vigilant against DUI. Funny thing is, if I were to take one of several decongestant medications widely available, I'd be so mentally foggy I wouldn't trust myself to do much beyond lie on my bed and watch the ceiling spin. But under this increasingly worldwide view of "good substance, bad substance", I'd be "safe" to drive.

With the anti-caffeine hysteria heating up, I wonder how long it'll be before driving while caffeinated will be outlawed ...

Sunni

Replies: 5 individuals have opined

On Thursday, November 25th, Nathan said:

Time for a quick note from a tee-totaler. Don't drink, never have, never intend to. But it is still a basic right and insanely foolish for the state to try and all but outlaw it with regards to drinking. Not only do the laws fail to eliminate (or even significantly reduce) drunk driving incidents, but they increase the cynicism and readiness to ignore even reasonable restrictions on drinking and driving, by both cops and drivers. "Why bother to try and not to?" I wish I knew of some short term fix to this problem, short of collapsing the entire system.

On Tuesday, November 23rd, Cat said:

When they come for the coffee-drinkers, I'll be behind bars permanently... I guess the NWO motto must be, "Let's give 'em something to drink about."

OTOH, I've got an odd feeling that by that time the company in jail will seem far superior to any I might find outside. Well, I guess there are worse things in life than involuntarily ending up on the receiving end of tax welfare schemes - I've done plenty of time on the involuntary giving end

Happy Thanksgiving, Sunni and all! Clink!

On Tuesday, November 23rd, Harvey said:

I'm on doctor's orders to drink a beer a day, preferably a wheat beer. 'Twas a German doctor and 'tis to prevent the recurrence of kidney stones. Of course, Germany is just as bad as the Swiss when it comes to drinking and driving.

On Tuesday, November 23rd, Sunni said:

Thanks for the links, Charley. I noticed that you were banned from there -- that puts you in some damn fine company.

My ex-husband once tried to get me to admit that I was an alcoholic -- after one night's stupidity in college (my parents didn't allow me much access to alcohol, so I experimented in the usual way -- when I got out from under their control). He failed to shame me into that admission, and I don't much care what that knowledge causes others to think of me.

On Tuesday, November 23rd, charley hardman said:

"Yes, I drink alcohol..."

sunni, i wonder if 30 years from now someone would look at that admission as some now do the cocaine habit (via needle, no less) of sherlock holmes.

i had plenty of time to think about this "drunk driving" subject last month when putting across the country and back (usually with beers somewhere in the vehicle). still haven't come up with anything to foil this classic from lew rockwell.

btw, here's my 2001 $1k challenge to one of the many idiots at fascists "r" us (later raised to $10k for another idiot in the same thread): "if we can agree to defining terms, i'll be willing to bet you $1,000 that i drive better than you with a .08% bac than you do with none. are you interested in setting this up and putting your money where your mouth is?"

quick crumble, of course -- even from the blowhard who proposed raising it to $10k.