Should we be Naming & Shaming Drunk Drivers?

ToxicBunny said:
I dunno about naming and shaming this kind of thing....

Sex criminals yes, without a doubt.
People who cause accidents whilst drunk, maybe...
Drunk drivers... hell the list will get very long very very quickly in this country.
Click to expand...

So does that mean you're for it, or against it, or just don't care?

Apathetic people don't get laid, dude.
 
I've only lived here for three years, but I've witnessed first hand the flagrant disregard for drink driving laws in SA.

In my native UK its now a taboo to drive after a few drinks. One drink may be OK, but even your best friend will call the police in the UK if you're in a condition where you're having trouble just opening the car door!

The standard of driving in SA in general leaves a lot to be desired, this and alcohol is a recipe for carnage!
 
JimM said:
I've only lived here for three years, but I've witnessed first hand the flagrant disregard for drink driving laws in SA.

In my native UK its now a taboo to drive after a few drinks. One drink may be OK, but even your best friend will call the police in the UK if you're in a condition where you're having trouble just opening the car door!

The standard of driving in SA in general leaves a lot to be desired, this and alcohol is a recipe for carnage!
Click to expand...

I think that's the biggest problem, that its still socially acceptable. Until that changes its a losing battle.
 
Syndyre said:
It just irritates me the government seems to be more worried about traffic offences than more serious crimes.
Click to expand...

It's the newspaper's decision - why do you want to blame the govt?

If you mean the actual stopping and prosecution of the drivers, I have no problem with the police pulling drunk drivers off the roads.
 
chiskop said:
It's the newspaper's decision - why do you want to blame the govt?

If you mean the actual stopping and prosecution of the drivers, I have no problem with the police pulling drunk drivers off the roads.
Click to expand...

I have no problem with that either. The reason I "blamed" the government was it seemed to be the result of a government campaign:

A total of 73 drivers were arrested at roadblocks for drunk driving this weekend in the Western Cape, the provincial department of community safety said on Monday.

As part of its wider campaign against drunk driving, the department also released the names of 43 convicted Western Cape drivers with the highest blood alcohol levels recorded this year.
Click to expand...
 
What really gets me is that all those drunks are still allowed to drive. :mad:
 
bwana said:
What really gets me is that all those drunks are still allowed to drive. :mad:
Click to expand...

Yeah.

But South Africa also needs a safe, reliable and affordable public transport system that operates "after hours", thus allowing people to actually enjoy themselves when they go out, without jeopardizing the safety of others on the road.
 
Why single out drunk drivers - though I have no problem with them being named ?

Surely this is some kind of discrimination that they could legally object to...

If someone drives recklessly and injures another driver or pedestrian they don't get named ( and debatedly shamed ). Why not ?
 
.geek said:
Yeah.

But South Africa also needs a safe, reliable and affordable public transport system that operates "after hours", thus allowing people to actually enjoy themselves when they go out, without jeopardizing the safety of others on the road.
Click to expand...
Balls - I spent nearly a decade in rural UK with no public transportation and people managed to act responsibility. There's simply no real deterrent to driving drunk here.
 
Last edited:
Syndyre said:
Yeah it does seem rather ridiculous. Maybe that'll change when they finally introduce the points system.
Click to expand...

The points system will only work if there is a traffic policing system that resembles something interested in promoting traffic safety rather than being a cash cow to the local authorities.

Driving from GT to Cape Town requires that one budgets at least R500 for speed fines while travelling through the small Karroo towns. The cops there know that nobody will go spend time or money travelling back to the town, and contesting the speed fine.
 
bwana said:
Balls - I spend nearly a decade in rural UK with no public transportation and people managed to act responsibility. There's simply no real deterrent to driving drunk here.
Click to expand...

Sure, and there's absolutely no excuse or mitigating circumstances. If you can't make an alternative plan to get home, you shouldn't be drinking. But, if there was a good, safe, reliable, available public transport system, it would help.
 
Cathryn said:
Sure, and there's absolutely no excuse or mitigating circumstances. If you can't make an alternative plan to get home, you shouldn't be drinking. But, if there was a good, safe, reliable, available public transport system, it would help.
Click to expand...
Yeah - we certainly need a decent public transportation system anyway.
 
.geek said:
Yeah.

But South Africa also needs a safe, reliable and affordable public transport system that operates "after hours", thus allowing people to actually enjoy themselves when they go out, without jeopardizing the safety of others on the road.
Click to expand...

Can you not enjoy yourself without getting drunk?
 
.geek said:
Yeah.

But South Africa also needs a safe, reliable and affordable public transport system that operates "after hours", thus allowing people to actually enjoy themselves when they go out, without jeopardizing the safety of others on the road.
Click to expand...

While I agree, I think that for now there's nothing wrong with appointing a designated driver for the evening. There's no excuse really for drinking and driving.
 
JimM said:
In my native UK its now a taboo to drive after a few drinks. One drink may be OK, but even your best friend will call the police in the UK if you're in a condition where you're having trouble just opening the car door!
Click to expand...
I think it took a long time to change attitudes. It needs more than just law enforcement.
 
noxibox said:
I think it took a long time to change attitudes. It needs more than just law enforcement.
Click to expand...
No, all it took was a lot of people losing their licenses.

No and, ifs, ors or buts - if you got caught you knew you would lose it.
 
I regularly drive intoxicated and this list wouldn't shame me, I would brag like I am doing now...:p
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X