• Quick note - the problem with Youtube videos not embedding on the forum appears to have been fixed, thanks to ZiprHead. If you do still see problems let me know.

"Travellers"

lionking

In the Peanut Gallery
lionking
Joined
Jan 23, 2007
Messages
58,017
Location
Melbourne
I thought I would have an eye-catching title.

In Aussie speak, "travellers" refers to the beer you get at a drive through to drink as you drive home, to a party, whatever. It's a time honoured tradition, and has been quite legal as long as you don't get over the legal blood alcohol limit of 0.05%. The government is now making it illegal:

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news/travellers-told-to-hit-the-road-as-drink-driving-ban-pushed-through/story-fn7x8me2-1226215799111

"To allow people to sit behind the wheel and drink while driving undermines the message that drinking and driving don't mix.''

Police will have the power to hand out fines or send offenders to court where the maximum penalty will be $1221.
Click to expand...

Now what gets me is that it is quite legal to drink a coke while driving. It's also legal to drive after drinking provided you are under 0.05%. Why on earth should it be illegal to have a beer while driving? (and for the purposes of full disclosure, yes, I've done it). If it distracts you, fine, ban coke as well.

Stupid, sanctimonious government. Thoughts?
 
While I have mixed thoughts on this, I see the sense in it.

What sort of message is sent when we say "don't drink and drive", but it's OK to drive and drink?

There are other laws too:

Cannabis, ice etc are illegal - but here is a shop where you can buy an implement used to smoke them - and they are proudly on display.
 
I don't think it's legal to drink anything while at the wheel of a vehicle, in the same way it's illegal to use a mobile phone. Both hands must be on the wheel at all times unless changing gears afaik. I would be interested to know the specific wording of the law on that though. Being a carless wonder I'm sketchy on traffic law.

Tme honoured tradition is a terrible reason to do it though.
 
nvidiot said:
Tme honoured tradition is a terrible reason to do it though.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I agree with that, but I can assure you it has been legal, at least in Victoria. I really can't see the difference with drinking a coke, which will remain legal.
 
Yeah I wouldn't quote me on it, like I said I don't drive. But I do recall that being mentioned, something about being in full control of a vehicle at all times.
 
I agree with you about being in full control, which is the rationale for the ban on mobile phones. But drinking a coke (or a beer) is akin to changing the radio station, in my opinion.
 
I always wonder how a slightly tipsy person is supposed to know when they go that 0.01% too far.

When I drove, I never ended up drinking any of the drinks I brought with me. Of course, I was just learning how to drive.
 
I think that one of the main reasons for this law is that consumption of "travellers" is in the main a bogan (working class) practice frowned upon by the very proper, conservative government in Victoria. If there is a road safety reason, I haven't seen it.
 
I know man, here in the states they have these crazy laws against walking around town naked. I bathe and use deodorant every day, what gives?
 
In the UK drinking a Coke can lead to a conviction. You can be charged with not being in proper control or Driving without Due Care and Attention.

Mobile Phone use was causing a lot of problems so a specific law was enacted to prohibit using a hand held phone while driving. You can still use one hands free.

Who the heck would want to drnik alcohol while they were driving anyway?
 
Redtail said:
...Both hands on the wheel? Really?
Click to expand...

Over here we've had people prosecuted for eating a chocolate biscuit while driving on the grounds that he wasn't in full control of the vehicle while he was doing so.

It caused considerable surprise, but they prosecuted anyway (and won).

Different country, I know.
 
lionking said:
I think that one of the main reasons for this law is that consumption of "travellers" is in the main a bogan (working class) practice frowned upon by the very proper, conservative government in Victoria. If there is a road safety reason, I haven't seen it.
Click to expand...

While it would have made more sense to prohibit consumption of all drinks while driving because of the distraction of attention, I think prohibiting the consumption of drinks containing a substance which has been shown to impair one's ability to drive safely (even at levels well below the legal limit) while driving is a reasonable step in changing people's attitudes about drink-driving.

Having an alcoholic drink and then getting in a car shortly afterwards to drive it is irresponsible. Drinking an alcoholic drink while driving is taking the piss.
 
Ivor the Engineer said:
Having an alcoholic drink and then getting in a car shortly afterwards to drive it is irresponsible.
Click to expand...

Why? It's legal if you are under a certain limit. I was at a work function last night where I had two beers in two hours and drove home, certainly under the limit. Was I irresponsible? Where is the evidence of irresponsibility please.
 
lionking said:
Why? It's legal if you are under a certain limit. I was at a work function last night where I had two beers in two hours and drove home, certainly under the limit. Was I irresponsible? Where is the evidence of irresponsibility please.
Click to expand...

Legal and responsible are two different things.

We have longstanding and widespread alcohol issues in this country, (like many others) and only through long and hard education and legal sanctions have we changed the abominable death rates from drunk driving to merely reprehensible ones.

Being "under the limit" isn't the point.

Would anyone have issues with me smoking a joint before driving? Or during? Ignore the legality of the question of cannabis, if I felt I was safe to drive after consumption, and then drove home, would it be a "responsible" thing to do?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom