The world's most-read Scottish politics website

Wings Over Scotland


Another question answered

Posted on May 30, 2015 by

The Scottish Conservatives last October:

drinklimit1

And how it panned out in reality:

drinklimit2

Oddly, there seems to be no quote from the Tories on that story.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

1 Trackbacks/Pingbacks

  1. 30 05 15 11:17

    Another question answered | Speymouth
    Ignored

109 to “Another question answered”

  1. Bugger (the Panda)
    Ignored
    says:

    They probably said the same thing when it became illegal to send children up chimneys.

  2. Donald Kerr
    Ignored
    says:

    Another interesting but unanswered question: Did the reduction in income tax from 50% to 45% bring in more money (average) as the Tories said it would? There must be substantive evidence by now.

  3. bugsbunny
    Ignored
    says:

    I wonder what Nicholas Fairbairn what have thought and said?

  4. turnip_ghost
    Ignored
    says:

    Don’t hold your breath…That BBC headline will soon change to “SNP drink driving limit causes pubs to close and entire drinks industry to collapse”

  5. auldmack
    Ignored
    says:

    Rev, it is not really a surprise London has not yet got over the shock of the figures so as yet has not issued an opinion. But just give them another hour and watch the negativity erupt . Just as with the “Scotland Bill” they will need to put in a blocker/veto as is usual with Westminster.

  6. wingman 2020
    Ignored
    says:

    The only new criminals Scotland got, were the Smith Commission and the Unionist Politicians.

  7. Croompenstein
    Ignored
    says:

    Zero tolerance to drink driving, if you are going out for a drink don’t drive it’s simple. This is one of the worst cases of SNP bad there is imo.

  8. Ken500
    Ignored
    says:

    The Tories are finished in Scotland, working the public interest. How dare unelected Tories appoint another Tory working against the public interest as Advocate General for Scotland. Cash for jobs. Illegally absing public funds. The Tories are finished. Thatchers henchmen who secretly took the equivalent of £Billions out of Scotland. Cheats, liars and criminals. Lawyers and politician cheats breaking the Law and the criminal justice system. They will not get away with sanctioning the vulnerable and starving people to death. Abusing public funds to line their pockets. They are finished in Scotland.

  9. aldo_macb
    Ignored
    says:

    Will be interesting to find out if lives are being saved with less drunk drivers on our roads.

  10. Marie clark
    Ignored
    says:

    Hear Hear Wingman. I would offer a round of applause, but I’m told that’s not the done thing.

  11. stewart fae stoney
    Ignored
    says:

    Shows how out of touch the Tories are, No comment from the great election looser alec john 45stone (pictured). It would be interesting to see if there is a reduction in the number of motor accidents as a result.

  12. aldo_macb
    Ignored
    says:

    Will be interesting to find out if lives are being saved which is surely the whole point.

  13. Brussels MacGallah
    Ignored
    says:

    Speaking of which, all the Wingers going out tonight and walking or catching public transport home, how about donating the price of a single drink to the people vs Carmichael. You’ll feel better in the morning, physically and morally 😉

  14. Grizzle McPuss
    Ignored
    says:

    A BBC headline surely also to be followed up by:

    “Eleanor Bradford reports on crisis in Scottish hospital A&E departments as road traffic casualties fall. What will SNP Government do about shortage of patients and surge in empty beds?”

    Yep BBC, we know your game…good (SNP Government) news will never do, eh?

  15. Darren Docherty
    Ignored
    says:

    bugsbunny says:
    30 May, 2015 at 10:13 am
    I wonder what Nicholas Fairbairn what have thought and said?
    I say:
    Nothing. He’d be too busy molesting children

  16. Fiona
    Ignored
    says:

    Hmmm. I gather they are to criminalise “legal highs” and impose draconian sentences for any use of “psychoactive substances”. Which presumably includes alcohol imbibed when NOT driving.

    Wonder where the headlines complaining about the criminalisation of “hard working”, “Law abiding” citizens are now?

  17. ScottieDog
    Ignored
    says:

    Its the Tory mantra. Why do I want to be inconvenienced to save lives?

  18. Darren Docherty
    Ignored
    says:

    bugsbunny says:
    30 May, 2015 at 10:13 am
    I wonder what Nicholas Fairbairn what have thought and said?
    I say:
    He’d say nothing. He’d be far too busy molesting children

  19. Tim
    Ignored
    says:

    Welcome to the Australian drink-driving limit. We changed down to 0.05% 20+ years ago when the evidence showed that above that level where accidents started to rise. It’s hard to understand how such a sensible measure from the Scottish government could be in the least bit controversial

  20. Bob Mack
    Ignored
    says:

    Having been knocked down and badly injured by a drunk driver some years ago I have no doubt that you do not get behind the wheel of a car with any alcohol in your system.
    The phrase “hard working” used by these politicians continues to irritate me as lt ls seemingly used to gauge the worth of an individual. As far as I have researched, Peter Sutcliffe and Fred West were both hard working individuals.Hard work is not the measure of anyone ,but sincerity, honesty,and a sense of decency may well be.Some qualities that most of these elected members lack in themselves as we have recently been witness to , but they continue to push this line forward to make political point scoring possible.
    We should be rid of their like.

  21. Fiona
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Tim.

    But …but….SNP BAD!

  22. Wulls
    Ignored
    says:

    What we need to do now is reduce the politician lies limit.
    If we could get that down to say 20 untrue words per day it would be a vast improvement.

  23. Fiona
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Bob Mack.

    We should get rid of an approach to politics which is based on advertising jingles. It is an insult to our intelligence that they refuse to engage, but rather repeat stupid slogans of this sort. Clearly they think it works. Well it works if your aim is to make people turn off, that is apparently the aim. Then you can blame voter “apathy” but do what you like with the seats that you win because of disengagement.

    That is a major difference between SNP and the rest. We see the results

  24. FraserP
    Ignored
    says:

    Funnily enough they did exactly the same thing here in New Zealand recently. Exactly the same result. Who’d have thunk it?

  25. Macart
    Ignored
    says:

    You’d think the party of law and order (sarc) would be happy? Apparently no.

    On criminals? Wingman nails it. We’ve got plenty to choose from in that big hoose on the Thames. I doubt there’s a crime that isn’t currently under some form of investigation or inquiry concerning its inhabitants, so take your pick there’s plenty to choose from.

  26. Fiona
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Macart

    Jings, you people!

    You want to go about criminalising hard working, law abiding MP’s now?

    Well you can’t! They make the laws so that what they do just isn’t illegal, no matter how it is for other people. It’s only fair cos they are special

  27. Dr P
    Ignored
    says:

    @aldo_macb
    I looked this up at the time the new limit was enacted. The statistical evidence from countries which have previously made this change shows a dramatic reduction in road deaths in the first year (about 10%). IIRC, further smaller falls from that lower level can be expected in years 2 and 3 after the change.

    Sorry, I didn’t keep a note of my sources but there is plenty of solid statistical material out there and I’d suggest anyone interested should google for reports from Sweden, New Zealand and Australia to start with.

  28. Macart
    Ignored
    says:

    @Fiona

    Ah know! What are like?

    Next thing you know your average Jock and Jeanie public will be taking them to court. 🙂

  29. ArtyHetty
    Ignored
    says:

    Ah, from the party of free speech, freedom and equality, they really do take the biscuit these people. I read somewhere recently, if my memeory serves me right, it might even have been in the book 1984, that we are all criminals just simply by existing. Oh now I remember, it was cameron who came out with that just a couple of weeks ago.

  30. Lollysmum
    Ignored
    says:

    Macart
    Well they’re not investigating child abuse within WM ranks that’s for sure. Teresa May says so so there!

  31. Albaman
    Ignored
    says:

    Anyone read the ” Courier” editorial today?, if ever a papers overall political view was set by one man, theres the evidence!!, ( Have a look Rev, basically he’s saying as long as a politician apologises for lies, he or she should continue to represent thier consituants.)

  32. DeilTakTheHindmaist
    Ignored
    says:

    It’s a shame we don’t hear much from Jim Murphy any more these days:

    “This legislation unfairly persecutes men who want to have a quiet drink (of 24 cans of Tennents) while they stream the Old Firm game on their mobile, simultaneously speeding along the M8 and singing about Ireland in the 17th century. It really is the nanny state writ large.”

  33. wingman 2020
    Ignored
    says:

    The ONLY question that needs answered is, why do the people in Scotland tolerate the Tories, Westminster, the BBC and being part of this accursed Union.

  34. Graeme
    Ignored
    says:

    I’ll probably get flamed for this but I don’t entirely disagree, people drink and people drive, we all know we shouldn’t take the car for a drink but the problem I see with lowering the limit to almost zero is more people are gonna get caught driving to their work or elsewhere next morning oblivious to the fact their breaking the law

    I agree there there’s no excuse for drinking and driving but there has to be some tolerance with this otherwise we might as well make drinking alcohol illegal full stop

  35. Fiona
    Ignored
    says:

    @ DeilTakTheHindmaist
    OT
    Not hearing from Jim Murphy, but relax: we can still hear about him. There is this very, very funny parody piece today, for example

    https://medium.com/@chrisdeerin/bayoneting-the-wounded-c7a0d4599424

  36. DerekM
    Ignored
    says:

    Wow who would have thought the problem was the old law,i have to put my hand up and say i thought this new law was a bit draconian,but i am pleased to find out i was totally wrong 🙂

    Dear Tories this is one policy we do not mind if you pinch from us,now get this rolled out all over the UK that is what we pay you for and dont worry we will not make political capital over it,as it is the right thing to do and we like the right thing, we might even give you a round of applause for it lol

  37. Chic McGregor
    Ignored
    says:

    Now all they need to do is create more criminals by bringing out a perjury-like law for elected representatives caught lying in any public forum.

  38. John D aka Nkosi
    Ignored
    says:

    politicians lies. 20 words per day is 0.000005%

  39. Fiona
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Chris McGregor

    It would be vetoed, probably: and replaced with a defamation-like law for people caught accusing elected representatives of lying in any public forum

  40. Dah Huil
    Ignored
    says:

    Anyone ken when the next bucket-load of ennobled numpties is announced?

  41. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    What have the SNP ever done for us! the ranting red and blue tory press monstering everything SNP for next 5 years. Well that and the BBC widdling on anything Scots.gov.

  42. Yoda
    Ignored
    says:

    This was a good policy by the SNP which made our roads safer.

  43. Dr Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    How come we voted the Tories out of Scotland
    We voted Labour out of Scotland
    We voted the Liberal Democrats out of Scotland

    But they want to try again

    Surely we’ve had that vote and it’s the settled will of the people for at least a generation
    Why won’t these Wingeing Unionists just get over it and move on

  44. crazycat
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Fiona

    I’ve just followed the link you provided at 11.28, and I don’t think the article I then read is a parody!

  45. Iain More
    Ignored
    says:

    My own view borne out of bitter experience is that if you are going to drive then drink absolutely zero alcohol, the car is a WMD even when you are totally sober. I lost a family member and a very good friend to an over the limit driver.

    The Brit Nat Press and Media with its SNP bad SNP evil hysteria on this issue is another issue where it is utterly out of touch with ordinary Scots. It is another reason why such a Press and Media disgusts me.

    So you can take it from what I have said that I support the reduction in the drink drive limits, I think it is long overdue and that doesn’t make me a Scot Nat, it makes me a human being who cares for the health and welfare of his fellow beings.

  46. Effijy
    Ignored
    says:

    Read someone else’s “Scottish” Daily Mail today.

    What a pathetic Rag this thing is.

    Almost every story end up SNP Bad: Alex Salmond Proven Liar on Andrew Neil show, he wasn’t incidentally, but who needs the truth in a Westminster Rag, SNP Ruin Scottish Education, etc, etc.

    Only story or journalist who didn’t end SNP bad, was the lower drink driving incidents saving lives, but as it was on the later pages, I think they wore out the S, N, and P Keys on their PCs.

    Horrible nasty procession of so called journalists vying to see who can out hate their colleagues when it comes to SNP/Nationalist.

  47. Alex Waugh
    Ignored
    says:

    This: “…criminalise…people who are currently hard-working, law-abiding citizens.” (ie save lives and reduce insurance costs), from the same people who gave you: (paraphrase) “…it is not enough to leave people alone just because they have not broken the law.” (ie criminalise people who are currently hard-working, law-abiding citizens)

    Oh dear God, let my people go!

  48. Fiona
    Ignored
    says:

    @crazycat.

    It is, but the author doesn’t know it is, I think 🙂

    Made me laugh, anyway

  49. cearc
    Ignored
    says:

    I’ve just been catching up on some maiden speeches.

    It occurs to me that if the 56 achieve nothing else they may at least embarass the other MPs into actually attending the odd debate.

    Time for England to start asking their MPs why they are not there? (C’mon Lollysmum!)

  50. Finlay
    Ignored
    says:

    “Don’t hold your breath…That BBC headline will soon change to “SNP drink driving limit causes pubs to close and entire drinks industry to collapse” turnip_ghost, there is an easy retort should they dare. Who will be the first to point them to the Brewdog success generating +£25m investment in a new Brewery plus the other Beverage industry success stories.

    Bugger (the Panda) “They probably said the same thing when it became illegal to send children up chimneys.” Really we all know that was the decline of the Coal industry that save those poor wee mites!

  51. Chic McGregor
    Ignored
    says:

    Fiona
    In the event of such a law coming into force,it would be the police who would prosecute the miscreant. Members of the public may, of course, bring the incident to their attention, but it would be for the police and the procurator to decide if there were sufficient evidence for a charge.

  52. Joemcg
    Ignored
    says:

    Looks like one of those vile nationalists in yon photie above.

  53. Chic McGregor
    Ignored
    says:

    @crazycat. Fiona

    I read it and if it is a spoof it is very well disguised.

    If it is not, then it is an extreme example of projection IMV.

  54. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    The EBC: “SNP bad”

    Despite winning the referendum, they still don’t permit any comments. Comments get a big BBC welcome in England and Wales but not a chance in their Scotland region.

  55. Fiona
    Ignored
    says:

    Sorry, Chic and crazycat

    It was my little joke. I found the article very funny, is all. It is not a spoof, but it ought to be.

    It is an example of Poe’s law

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poe%27s_law

  56. Dave the Squirrel
    Ignored
    says:

    I don’t want drunk people driving near me. They’re really, really bad at it.

  57. crazycat
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Fiona / Chic

    When I saw the name of the author I expected delusional SNP-bad; when I read the first couple of paragraphs I thought he’d suddenly gained a sense of humour; when I got a bit further I decided he really meant it.

    Who knows? It’s good if it made people laugh, especially since I really don’t think that was the intention 🙂

  58. handclapping
    Ignored
    says:

    @Chic
    Another expert 🙁 Telling us that Scotophobia is the same as scotophobia and even if it was, he is scotophobic as we are the impending “darkness” in his view.

    The other thing that gets my goat is that they can criticise us as that is freedom of speech but we cannot call Murphy a red tory as that is not. Duplicitous bustard.

  59. Tom MacGregor
    Ignored
    says:

    The only new criminal in Scotland is one Alistair Carmichael

  60. crazycat
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Fiona

    Cross-posted! Thanks for the link to Poe’s Law; I vaguely knew there was such a thing but had either forgotten or never known what it was called.

  61. Fiona
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Tom MacGregor.

    If he had said he was drunk when he did it and permanently drunk from then till the admission, I would have more sympathy. I’d still take his license to represent people off him, though

  62. ronnie anderson
    Ignored
    says:

    Sos Rev for going O/T but wee update on Carmichiael

    theorkneyvole.com/2015/05/30/what-happens-now-carmichaelmustgo/

  63. Dr Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    Chris Deerin article…Spoof? NO..

    If that’s disguised I don’t know who he’s disguising it from
    Maybe it’s me but I’ve read it twice to make sure

    This man means every word in there I’m quite sure or I’m very slow
    Hate filled bile start to end he manages to imply Nazis on every line without actually saying it

    Jealousy’s a terrible burden for the losing side to cope with when they believe that they in fact are the superior race
    That’s why the Nazi references always are used or implied
    it’s all they’ve got

    Journalists love using the freedom of speech nonsense to support the drivel and hatred they write but when they’re answered back they instantly become offended little kittens
    who are only trying to do their job and everybody’s being bad to them…. Aah Bless.. poor little sensitive things

  64. Ken ord
    Ignored
    says:

    Ken 500 spot on.

  65. Croompenstein
    Ignored
    says:

    Fiona’s linked article seems to be by Chris Deerin of the Daily Mail a doyen of unionist batshittery who also makes an appearance on wings zoomer patrol so not a spoof.

    @Graeme – I agree there there’s no excuse for drinking and driving but there has to be some tolerance with this otherwise we might as well make drinking alcohol illegal full stop

    I can’t agree Graeme, if you know you are going to be driving early in the morning don’t get pished the night before.

  66. SOG
    Ignored
    says:

    “suggested Scottish businesses saw bar sales drop by up to 60%”…

    … reported the beeb. The two Scottish pubs I recently visited might have offered alcohol-free beer for the driver (me). They didn’t, maybe they will start to someday.

  67. No no no...Yes
    Ignored
    says:

    The Tories are targeting their core voters, which actually dropped in the General Election, giving them their worst performance. Despite that Ruth Davidson still seems to be held in high regard by her party and most of the MSM. Is that because Murdo Fraser is is too feart to challenge or is it because Ruth has her backers? With regard to the latter Louise Mensch’s, a former Tory MP is suggesting that Ruth should be a candidate for Prime Minister!

    The Scottish Government, regardless of political hue, needs a strong opposition voice. At the moment the SNP is riding high. Given Labour’s lurch to the right, implosion by the Libems and Ruth’s stagnation, none of the Unionist parties can really offer that. Will their come a time, after Holyrood 2016 when there is a single anti-independence, pro-unionist party?

  68. Bob Mack
    Ignored
    says:

    @Graeme,
    Consider yourself flamed.
    Most people do not understand that even the next mornig after a heavy drinking session,they are still technically intoxicated.They may feel pretty good,but masses of research has shown that their reaction times are still incredibly diminished.The difference to their braking reactions at 40 mph are as much as 50 yards between being absolutely sober and being “hung over”.
    That could be the difference between life and death for someone.
    Remember,the average family car can weigh over a ton,sometimes even heavier.
    Like trying to chop down a tree with a chainsaw wearing a blindfold.

  69. Croompenstein
    Ignored
    says:

    This caught my eye from the link that icy put on at 11:32, it was a piece about the 1915 FA Cup Final..

    Although the game became known as the Khaki Cup Final, due to the presence of so many wounded and on-leave soldiers, the Manchester Guardian reported that a large proportion of the crowd were “young men of military age and not conspicuously unfit for service”.

    Following the game, the 17th Earl of Derby presented the trophy and told the 50,000 fans that anyone not yet in uniform should now play “a sterner game for England”

    For England and Glory…

  70. gerry.parker
    Ignored
    says:

    @Effijy

    I read one too.

    Did you see the notice on Page 5?

    “Do you have a scandal for us to investigate?
    Contact the Mail investigations unit at
    investigations@dailymail.co.uk

    Now isn’t that tempting?

    🙂

  71. Helena Brown
    Ignored
    says:

    If you go into the likes of Asda ( I know they are off the list for shopping, but I still go in to buy clothes, not many other places her in Sunny Dunny), well they have a great range of low and non alcohol wines. My favourite is their New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc which retails presently at £1.71 or it could be £1.17. You will not notice the lack of alcohol it tastes the same as the normal one it is though 5.5% alcohol.
    I think the reduction in the Drink Drive Limit is an excellent thing as people will now no longer risk it. I worked with HGV Drivers, who should have known better, one man I knew was at a wedding and should not have driven but asked to get something for Mum in Law went off in the car and was stopped. He was very fortunate that he managed to keep his job, if he had not had a previously unblemished record he would not have

  72. Clootie
    Ignored
    says:

    When I consider the general drive of SNP legislation it is clear that it is about building a better, fairer society and one in which people come ahead of profit.

    If we applied the logic of keeping the higher drink drive level, to protect companies and their profit, accepting a few deaths along the way. Then should we move backwards on previous legislative change and accept the risk of asbestos / coal dust / high numbers of deaths in industry. I’m sure that this would cut business overheads and boost profit.

    Should we abandon free education, bus passes and prescriptions?

    Should we stop the mitigation of the bedroom tax.

    Should we embrace WMD and accept foodbanks as a worthwhile price.

    Why tackle the sectarian divide or the drink culture of Scotland.

    The early deaths of Scottish pensioners helps support the pensions of those living much longer in the South of England.

    None of the shades of Tories wish to see progress as it may become infectious across the UK.

    The elite have always ensured that the “Scots” who kept their fellow citizens in check are well rewarded. They know that this type of control is failing now and are desperate to hold the ground in the hope nationalism will go away.

    Scots are now aware of what could be if we unite instead of looking back to religious bigotry.

    The confidence is growing that we could build a far, far better society than the obscene mockery of democracy presented by Westminster.

    I don’t want more devolution because regardless of the powers the direction of travel will always be dictated by the greedy private club of London.

    Sorry for the rant but the insulting dilution in delivery of the “Vow” infuriated me and proved (once again) they cannot be trusted.

    The Civic Nationalism growing in Scotland is refreshing and energising – keep fighting 🙂

  73. AdamH
    Ignored
    says:

    The old limit was about the highest in Europe and encouraged drivers to think 1 drink (or maybe 2) would be OK. Now everyone agrees it needs to be none. Just sensible really.

  74. DerekM
    Ignored
    says:

    who would have thought a big part of the problem was the old law,well someone in the SNP did,clever people 🙂

    Chris Deerin`s article is a prime example of just how much they do not understand us,a few years ago i would have been raging at this but now i just laugh at their ignorance as they scratch their heads trying to figure out just what happened.

    Well since i am in a good mood today i will give Mr Deerin some advice go take a look in the mirror and ask yourself where did my journalistic integrity go and when did i become the very thing my profession should be fighting against,until you can answer that Mr Deerin then you are just another stooge for the establishment.

    Though i did like your bit about us being infamous cybernats it made me feel all proud,i always wanted to be infamous roflmao

    Thanks for the link Fiona 🙂

  75. Macart
    Ignored
    says:

    @Lollysmum

    Teresa May the doyenne diva of Conservative moral rightness, marigolds and border patrols.

    Yeah, we’ve been telt apparently. Nuthin’ to see here plebs, move along. Says it all about that hoose on the Thames really.

  76. Robert Peffers
    Ignored
    says:

    I’m a Scot who had to nurse a badly disabled wife for many years before her untimely death. I was badly injured myself and still suffer the consequences to this day and all due to a drunk driver.

    Does anyone really need my opinion on this matter?

  77. Midgehunter
    Ignored
    says:

    Here in Germany the drink limit is 0.8% and doesn’t really bother anyone anymore. It’s accepted and in general abided to. If your over the limit it’s a ban, points and a fine.

    However if you do drink something and get involved in an accident AND have more than 0.5% alcohol in your blood, then you can expect the insurance companies to compensate less than they would if you’d been sober. It’s partial responsibility.

    Drinking and driving is pretty much seen as a no-go nowadays.

    Just about every pub, club, restaurant etc has a good selection of alcohol-free beers etc. on offer. They look good, taste good without the intoxicating effects.

    So you don’t need to be pi***d to have a good time.

  78. John D aka Nkosi
    Ignored
    says:

    First thing I ask for if I happen to go into a pub for lunch and I am driving is alcohol free beer. Most seem to have one even although all major breweries now supply them in varying brand names. Some pubs still don’t. I like my beer, but so much I will risk my driving licence for one.

  79. John D aka Nkosi
    Ignored
    says:

    I meant not so much I will risk my driving licence for one. (edit button please)

  80. Macart
    Ignored
    says:

    @Robert Peffers

    Well said Robert.

  81. Chic McGregor
    Ignored
    says:

    I think the unionist political hive and their UMSM lackeys have a real problem with the SNP . Whereas lying is the norm for them (see Bruce this week) they have, as yet, been unable to find any genuine instances of SNP politicians lying.

    This flummoxes and frustrates them no end, to the point where they have resorted to completely fabricating SNP ‘lies’.

    The three main attempts so far have been:

    Swinney admitting in secret that pensions would be adversely effected by independence.
    Not true. The document was NOT secret and all Swinney was doing was very sensibly looking at the possibility of them not being able to carry out all their intended pension improvement plans if oil revenue dropped.

    Salmond lied about legal advice on the European issue.
    Not true. The law officer who gave the advice came forward and confirmed that advice existed.

    Sturgeon lied to the Scottish people about not wanting a Tory government.
    Not true. Irrespective of the notion that the SNP would prefer a Tory government rather than influence on a Labour minority government, which is of course preposterous on every conceivable level, the alleged parties involved have categorically denied any such conversation took place. A denial even accepted by Carmichael.
    Still doesn’t stop the more rabid of the UMSM continuing to push the mendacity myth in the hope there are still some out there gullible enough to swallow it.

    Long may their desperation go on. (Well not too long)

  82. Piemonteis
    Ignored
    says:

    “SNP risks creating criminals with new drink-driving limit”

    Even BBC Scotlandshire would have struggled to come up with so good a story.

  83. Grouse Beater
    Ignored
    says:

    For your weekend amusement: http://wp.me/p4fd9j-1mv

  84. Robert Peffers
    Ignored
    says:

    @cearc says: 30 May, 2015 at 12:09 pm:

    ” … Time for England to start asking their MPs why they are not there?”

    To be fair these SNP MPs have not yet settled down to work and a major part of that work is in their constituencies. They need time to set up constituency offices and someone to mam/woman them.

    Mind you they do have some advantage over the Englanders who have no separate Parliament of England and thus cannot hive off, or share, (Ahem!),constituency work and workers with Members of the, (Ahem!),Parliament of England and who are also kept busy with Westminster/England only matters.

    Well they did make that story up all by themselves.

  85. Tackety Beets
    Ignored
    says:

    I feel many MSM folk missed the true impact of the amendment to Drink Level.

    IMO , there was a wee element of ” ach it only a wee dram ” ie a percentage of people may have had a drink or maybe 2 , THINKING they were under limit . Likewise some would be up and off in the morning still reekin !

    The beauty of the new limit suddenly made many of the above naive types stop and take notice .
    They were breaking the law previously but now they had to change their ways and reconsider .

    I do have sympathy for Alchohol Establishments. They too will have to change their ways and perhalps promote NON Alchoholic beverage or soft drinks for drivers etc .

    The health issue and road deaths are a major plus for us all to celebrate .

  86. Willie John
    Ignored
    says:

    @ midgehunter at 4:44pm

    I was in Germany 82/85 with BAOR. On British Forces TV they used to show German road safety adverts. One that Really hit home was showing a driver in a simulation car driving down a road of a town whilst stone cold sober. Various hazards were shown such as a child playing with a ball, a mother pushing a pram about to cross the road, passengers alighting from a bus. Drivers on this site will be well aware of the kind of hazards there are.

    The first time he ‘drove’ down that road he noted the hazards, and reacted accordingly. He was then given one drink and did the run again. This time he missed a couple of possible incidents but what was very noticeable was that his focus had narrowed to what was in front of him.

    By the time he had his fourth drink all he was concentrating on was what could be seen immediately in front of his bonnet. I decided then that I would never, ever, drive after even one drink and I actually advocate a zero limit.

  87. Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    I had to laugh on reading a link on the BBC web page about what those on the anglo/Scottish border thought about the lower alcohol limit in Scotland.

    It goes on to quote the licencee of the Gretna chase hotel saying that when the ban on smoking in public places came into effect in Scotland a year before England, it resulted in drivers from places such as Galashiels and Stranraer travelling to the hotel to enjoy a cigarette.

    WTF; who in their right mind would travel 97 Mile or 55 mile to have a cigarette in fricking hotel? I call bullshit! Gave me a laugh anyway.

  88. TheWealthOfNations
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Bob Mack

    For the record, AFAIK, reaction time impairment is not the reason drink driving is illegal.

    The original study that led to the ban found that a bus driver with a dozen shots of whiskey in him could slip his bus through a gap only 4 inches wider than the vehicle with just as much skill as when he was sober.

    What he could not do was judge whether the gap was 4 inches wider than the bus or 4 inches narrower.

    Substantially impaired judgement rather than impaired driving skill or reaction times is the dominating factor in making drink driving dangerous.

    It is exactly this sort of spurious logic driving political debate in the MSM is what this site exists to combat.

    [All the usual caveats apply. I may be wrong, I often am, happy to look at the evidence etc, etc. The point being that it should be the evidence that leads us all, as a community, to a more perfect understanding of the truth.]

  89. Caroline Corfield
    Ignored
    says:

    My best friend was killed on a zebra crossing by a drunk driver. He got a fine. Many objects can kill accidentally and alcohol impairs judgement in all cases. No drink and driving. End of.

    As for psycho-active substances you’ll all be happy to learn that caffeine, alcohol and tobacco are excluded specifically. As is food. If you starve yourself you will hallucinate- you see rings and geometric patterns and it’s what they think happened to create some rock art around the world ( possibly as some rite of passage). Too much water is also psycho-active.

    Sensible government rather than make vague laws in an attempt to keep up with drug manufacturers, would instead legalise all substances and cover the manufacturing process in HSE and tax. At least then there would be clinical trials, proper warnings, consistency of product and income.

    But no, let’s protect our pals in business creating an atmosphere of hypocrisy which then legitimises sharp practice by organised criminals to the detriment of our populace.

  90. Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    The lowering of the alcohol limit is a start but should ultimately be reduced to zero; surely it is not too much to ask that people totally refrain from drinking alcohol when they are going to be driving the next day.

    If this also helps to partly address the so-called drinking culture of Scots then so much the better; drinks companies, pubs, clubs, retaraunts and hotels will just have to take it on the chin for the greater good.

    Also, it would be interesting to see alongside the 17% reduction in cases of drink driving, the concurrent fall in serious accidents and fatalities.

  91. Scott Arnott
    Ignored
    says:

    Gotta say I think the law is great. Visited friends a couple of months back and got totally pished. Woke up the next morn and went on my friends electronic Breathelyser. I was over twice the limit. 1 1/2 hours later ( plus a cooked breakfast & 2 cups of tea ) and I was under the limit and safe to drive. I never usually drink that heavily so cannot understand why anyone needs to risk doing it.

  92. Rob James
    Ignored
    says:

    I was once asked by a French person why we, (I presume she was referring to people from our islands), needed to get drunk to have a good time. Unfortunately, in a high percentage of our population, that appears to be true. Hopefully that culture is changing.

    If the pubs are struggling, they need to diversify, as all other types of business must do, in order to remain viable. Our whole attitude to alcohol as a nation, is totally alien to countries such as France and Italy. The reduction in the legal drink drive limit not only saves lives, but is a step in the right direction towards a less alcohol dependant culture.

    Meanwhile I’m off to the pub to get hammered.

  93. proudscot
    Ignored
    says:

    If that is Tory MSP Alec Johnston in your picture at the head of this article, is he not the person who has yet to apologise to the Weirs for accusing them of being duped by the SNP into donating £1 million to them from their lottery winnings of £160? I also note that the Weirs have effectively flipped him “the finger” by recently donating ANOTHER £1 million to their favoured SNP.

    Meanwhile I have donated £10 from my own relatively meagre financial resources to the “get rid of Liar Carmichael” legal fund. Please do likewise if you haven’t already done so. It’ll be money well spent, even if we don’t succeed, because of the damage it will do to the lying reprobate’s chances of a future career in politics.

  94. Aidan
    Ignored
    says:

    Read this today and consider the 17% fall a massive positive for ScotGov.
    Road accidents are a terrible thing so despite some concerns (Morning-after-night-before) has created more responsible driving attitudes.
    Remember the other political parties backbiting about this on introduction.
    Not surprised they’re “quiet as sheep” now.

  95. StevieMcB
    Ignored
    says:

    McTernans revenge.how sad have Slab become?
    https://twitter.com/traquir/status/604664064870998016

  96. Albaman
    Ignored
    says:

    Twitter?!, canna make sense of it!, so cannot read the “messages.

  97. Rock
    Ignored
    says:

    It is in the Establishment’s interests to keep the plebs drunk and ignorant.

  98. K1
    Ignored
    says:

    Albaman, not sure what you mean when you say you canna make sense of twitter, but if you want to ‘follow’ the Rev, then here is a link that takes you to his twitter feed.

    He has conversations with others and tweets links to interesting articles, and advertises new articles on Wings and other indy sites. It’s quite good as it lets you stay up to date with things that are relevant to our outlook. He also tweets about football matches that he watches too…I have never in ma life been so informed about football as I am since following his twitter feed! (He is actually quite funny though, like a dug in the sea when he’s following matches he’s enjoying, each to their own!) 🙂

    https://twitter.com/WingsScotland

  99. Croompenstein
    Ignored
    says:

    @StevieMcB – Unbeleivable, they can’t even get their rivals party name correct. I wonder if they are hunting down the batshit zoomstation of the Pouters as they had a lot of Labour Party members advocating tactical voting..

    McTernan, as edifying as a wildebeest being bitten on the lip by a lion, hardly Montezuma’s revenge.. dobcat

  100. John D aka Nkosi
    Ignored
    says:

    Labour: wunch of bankers

  101. Pentlander
    Ignored
    says:

    Decades ago, when wearing of seatbelts became compulsory, a shortage of organs for transplant resulted. Will the same happen because of the lowering of the drink-drive limit?

  102. James Dow
    Ignored
    says:

    I live in Australia there are a lot more people walking around because we reduced the limit to .05 And like Scotland Australia has always had a hard drinking culture everybody adapted to the change well. The benefits are obvious, less dead citizens.

  103. Croompenstein
    Ignored
    says:

    Dunno Pentlander but maybe the shortage of folk being mown down or smashed in to by selfish drink driving fuckers will balance out the need for an organ transplant FFS

  104. tombee
    Ignored
    says:

    Instead of supporting a policy to enhance safety on our roads, the Tories choose to display negativity. They promoted the view that numbers of convictions would increase. The general public appear to have taken the view that they did not wish to be convicted, and sensibly refrained from taking the risk of such a conviction, by conforming to the new regulation drink limit.
    The Tories once again behind the eight ball. Or perhaps they have no balls at all.

  105. MaxxMacc
    Ignored
    says:

    To be honest, this piece of legislation is punishing the average joe/jill who likes a pint in the evening or a glass of wine. Pub takings are 30% down in rural areas because people are afraid to have a few drinks of an evening if they are working the next day. I don’t remember people voting for this.

  106. Croompenstein
    Ignored
    says:

    @MaxxMacc – That’s comforting for the families of people affected by drink drivers who have killed or injured their loved ones that you can’t remember voting for it, the victims of these drivers who ‘thought they were awrite’ will never get the chance to vote on anything again.

  107. Gary
    Ignored
    says:

    Jeez, who knew? Most people are law abiding!!



Comment - please read this page for comment rules. HTML tags like <i> and <b> are permitted. Use paragraph breaks in long comments. DO NOT SIGN YOUR COMMENTS, either with a name or a slogan. If your comment does not appear immediately, DO NOT REPOST IT. Ignore these rules and I WILL KILL YOU WITH HAMMERS.




↑ Top