Monday, November 8, 2010

One For the Road

My trips into the big smoke, living in a small town, the contrast is amazing, we have no taxis and no bus service, the nearest bar is a 25 kiliometer round trip, as such I rarely drink except at home with company or on my little boat on a nice day........

But my trips into big medicine town is a little different, nothing more pleasurable than running rocks on the felt or tipping a glass over a barbecued sockeye and yorkshire pudding(thanks Neil) at friends, so now bring on this new drinking driving law, as a large person, 6 feet and 235lbs I could easiliy consume several without blowing anywhere near 0.5  But in my distant past,  my generation, it was different, it was wrongly accepted, the police would pull you over and say slow down and drive safe, as long as you weren`t staggering and falling down you were told to carry on, .......

Bars like the Eldorado, the American hotel, the Admiral, Lougheed hotel, the Biltmore, strip bars with large full parking lots, bikes and trucks and beaters galore, you weren`t drunk if you could pay your bill and still walk out, sometimes crawl out, my generation took full advantage, 10 cents for a glass of beer, terry towel table cloth covers and order em by the 10s....Yee haw, let`s go cruising, I was lucky, no accidents, I could drive straight as an arrow with ease, an acquired gift, a knack, no, high tolerance to alcohol, but that was a long time ago, decades ago, crowded roads and too much road carnage for that same reality to exist today, ......It`s not easy for my generation, we had no facebook or internet, we didn`t tweet or even phone each other, we got together for human contact, the booze joints, the pool hall, the Kegs and Sir loiners, the legions and neighborhood pubs, ......Times change.....Times must change.....

We had an olympic party, tens of thousands of drunks making asses of themselves partying in the street, no one drove drunk, well almost no one, the BC Liberal MLA Jane Thornthwaite drove while plowed over....

So the hst shit hits the fan, restaurants and food joints take a hit, bring in the new booze law, 0.5 and you get big fines, lose your car, a huge headache of hoops to jump through, the public pulled back big time, worse than the hst, this new booze law was cutting into the gravy of the food industry, there are empty bars, barren eateries, lonely parking lots, two things are happening simultaneously, people are going for food only, dine and dash with no booze, instead of a few glasses of wine and cocktails its dinner with water, booze is consumed at final destinations, the blow to the industry is crushing........

So to my amazement John Les(The disgraced one) was on Bill Good today promoting the HST when he blurted out that the Government was going to re-look at the new drinking driving penalties, John Les talked of police officers playing choose me, choose me game and be more selective with impoundments and road side suspensions....

I was flabbergasted, which cars that have drivers at 0.5 and 0.6 and 0.7 does he let carry on down the highway, when is law subject to discretion, .......The law can`t work, drivers, ladies, men, seasoned drivers, empty stomachs, wet roads, dark damp icy streets, which drivers, who wins the lottery, who drives head long into the obit column.......

So on my trips into the big smoke, I pick up a few beers and a little irish creme(I have a sweet tooth)....We eat drink and be merry, we talk, argue and live life, good food, good friends and the latest news stories and political gossip, we don`t drive, we walk, we taxi, we have a designated straight driver(s), and you know what, all my friends are doing it, the public is ready for the new law, my friends have more money, lots more money, no bars no Keno, no texas hold-em, no pull tabs, no huddling out on a sidewalk having a smoke, yes I have many friends who smoke, my generation smoked too....

So my group doesn`t drink and drive, their saving money, keno is on the computer, I will never give the mounties money for seat belts, cell phone use, speeding, drinking, I  toe the line....That genie can`t be put back in the bottle, I was amazed by John Les talking, he`s not even a minister, but later today Solictor General Rich Coleman confirmed what John Les said....The B.C. government is squirming to find an exit stategy from this one, ....

Rich Coleman talked about a couple to a few glasses of wine with dinner, Coleman talked about education, what Coleman was talking about is hogwash....Like I said earlier, some people can drive like pros while gassed, other petite ladies could be bombed on one glass of wine, an empty stomach, someone who like me drinks rarely, once a month, what about liquor reacting to medications, there is no hard and fast guideline but one...Blow 0.5 and above and pay dearly, the gall of Coleman to suggest police officers pick and choose who pays and who doesn`t......

The B.C. Liberals are getting heavy pressure from the elites of the world, from the bar and restaurant owners, the head of the restaurant association was on with Christy Clark today, he asked the Province(BC Government) to return to the old drinking driving rules...I was shocked, the same day Carole Berner was in court hearing impact statements from crushed family members Rich Coleman/ Christy Clark/ John Les/John Macolm and the restaurant association are howling for the removal of these new penalties and a return to casual drinking and driving laws of yore......

Carole Berner is exactly the type of person the restuarant industry want back, in the sting operation against Carole Berner on hidden camera she admitted to having three glasses of wine before driving, a rural road, driving too fast, a little girl, a grandmother, a horse and horrific tragedy, a couple of glasses of wine and one for the road, what will Coleman do, announce we are returning to the lax drinking driving laws, the old laws, political suicide, can you picture the restaurant ad campaign, have a few drinks at lunch, do it for the economy!

It`s too late for that, no Government can undo that law, suck it up restaurant industry, you supported Campbell, you rallied to keep minimum wage frozen, I cry you no river, the law will not be reversed, the public will never return to that level of drinking and driving, the public have learned to enjoy a meal without the cheap booze and heavy bill, your food and price will have to draw your customers, casinos, BC lotteries, bars, restaurants will all get hammered, and we get to blame it all on the HST....

One for the road, the first thing to go is judgement, two to good friends, three turns to four and five turns upside down in the ditch...My ex lost her parents at age 5 to a drunk driver, I lost several friends and relatives to sauced up drivers, time to move on, any BC Liberal wannabe leader who flip flops on the new drinking penalties will seal their fate in history.....One death is too many, whose daughter won`t make it home tonight, what paramedic will have to scrape brain matter off the windshield.......Who will receive that phone call at 4:00AM

The Straight Goods

Cheers-Eyes Wide Open

18 comments:

lumberron said...

I agree that you can't go back now.I'm pretty sure that sales are way down in the government liquor stores as well as bars and resturants.Why would anyone bring in this kind of law without knowing that it's going to kill the bottom line.I know that we don't go out nearly as much because we don't have much for cab service and I won't pack an air matress and sleeping bag if I plan on having a a few.I mean getting firewood,golfing,watching football,any yard work,house repairs,fishing.I could go on and on about the things that go hand and hand with beer.(camping)I guess after marching they should score pretty good tomorrow if they park outside a few Legions.This law was nothing but a cash grab.Why weren't the cops handing out over.05s all along.I mean that's always been the law.To late now and I don't feel sorry for any industry that has been happy to keep the minimun wage so low.Get used to it and suck it up butter cups

Evil Eye said...

And now the REAL story.

Gordo steps down and contenders for the brass (some say gold) ring are looking for campaign money. One of their favourite taps is the food and beverage folks, but not now, there is no extra coins in the till due to the HST and D&D regulations.

So here is the deal, "give us money" say good Liberals "and we will look at changing the legislation".

The trick is, the Libs will look at at the law, but not change it. If I was in the restaurant or bar associations, I would say, "change the law and then you get some dough".

Who believes what a Liberal says?

Anonymous said...

Campbell has resigned, but, he's not going anywhere. The resignation, was just another dirty tactic, to stall for time. Because of Campbell's DUI, he can't drink, nor can anyone else enjoy wine with their dinner out. Of course, this is going to hurt restaurants and bars even more. Hopefully, they will support the recall. The BC Liberal party, needs to be obliterated, right out of this province. That S.O.B. staying on as premier until spring, will give him time, to destroy what's left of BC.

Anonymous said...

The only change that should be made is if a person blows a warn or a fail the person should have the option of taking a second test on a desktop calibrated breathalizer machine. How does temperature, humidity,age, or even dropped on the ground effect the accuracy of the hand held devices?

Evil Eye said...

The "Eye" believes the law was crafted to fail a Supreme Court test, but events overtook the legislation, with restaurants and bars are going begging for income.

Grant G said...

Evil Eye....The law may well be overturned by a supreme court and I can live with that on a fundamental level..

But that won`t happen for over a year, or more, the province would have to open the legislature to change the law...The legislature won`t open until early spring...

But with recall campaigns going on, multiple bi-elections happening, Fraserview,Caribou,Oak Bay, Comox valley, Kamloops, leadership contests, reducing the law will be very low on their agenda,,,

The move back-fired on Campbell(politically)....But it may be the best law he brought in....

2600 car impoundments so far, 2600 drivers who blew over 0.5 off the road....The people will save money and who knows, it might become "cool" to stay sober...

The designated drivers, man`s new best friend!

istvan said...

I agree with the'eye'.

Anonymous said...

And so they should Evil,may they also go begging for food with the others this uncaring bunch have sent to the food banks,shameful self serving assholes,since when has a political party for I do not consider them as a government because they are not they are alliance,cons and socreds and they are surely acting as red as the former comrades in russia by ruling by decree we are a democracy none of what they've done should have been allowed are you surprised as to what james has done at elections B.C.I'm not I saw the writing on the wall what a shame sending in the jackboots to investigate canvassers lol can you believe that shit there is nothing these pricks will do to subvert the will of the peeps.

Anonymous said...

.05 is the new rule. every one will have to figure out how much that entails for them, just as we figured out what .08 was for each of us. If .05 results in fewer deaths than it is a good thing. How do you measure some one's profit against some one's life.
We are a car orientated society so being deprived of our vehicles while drinking maybe a shock to some to others its just about time. People will learn to drink closer to home and walk or take a cab, etc.
If the government goes back on the .05 then they are saying it is o.k. to kill people while drinking and driving. If you can afford the bar bill you can afford the cab home or check into a hotel.

Evil Eye said...

Just a question - do so-called neighborhood pubs have to be 1 a minimum of 1 mile from the next pub? Is this archaic rule still in effect?

Anonymous said...

The simple answer is 0 alcohol tolerance while driving.....

Henri

Anonymous said...

I have three words for colemans it's ok to have a couple of drinks comment,THAT'S REALLY RICH!!!!!

istvan said...

Do you want some cop to be judge jury and executioner?Wake-up people,the impaired limit is .08 in law. .05 is a reasonable threshold for a 24 hr suspention. You could lose your car,licence or job without ever going to court! No appeal and a huge cost without actualy breaking the law.

kootcoot said...

Of course Rickyboy Coleman could probably down twenty four beers in fifteen minutes and only register .03, if that, for obvious reasons!

Crankypants said...

The way I see it, the old penalty of a 24 hour suspension for blowing between .05 and .08 was sufficient. This was designed as a wakeup call, and I suspect that a majority of those that got nailed learned their lesson. The new penalties are just over the top, when one considers that no one in government or elsewhere have been able to provide evidence that people driving within this range are causing carnage on the streets. I also disagree with the police having the power to administer these new penalties without having to prove their case before a judge. They do not have to provide one shred of evidence to anyone, and that is just plain wrong.

That being said, there is something that does stick in my craw. That is the lengths of sentences that are dealt for various crimes. There were two high profile cases where the accused and convicted were to be sentenced yesterday. One was the case where a homophobe struck a gay guy in a bar and the crown was asking for a 6-7 year sentence, based on the facts that it was ruled a hate crime and I suspect the fact that the victim suffered brain damage when his head hit the floor. The other was the case where Carole Berner ran over and killed Alexa Midlaar and injured her aunt, and all the crown asks for is a 3-5 year sentence. Both crimes are distasteful, but as far as I can see, the penalties sought by the crown make no sense. We do not yet know what the judge will impose on Mrs. Berner, which could be more than the crown is seeking, but it seems that taking a life is not as heinous as being a bigot in the eyes of our crown prosecutors. What's wrong with this picture?

Cam

Anonymous said...

The LIbs back tracking on this is so funny! What makes them backtrack? Well the ire of the restaurant industry. They are mad as hell and ain't gonna take it anymore. Even die hard Lib supporters are jumping ship. They should have known that Campbell was only in this for his friends and insiders. He uses you to get him there with his promises of comfort and love, then yanks it away when he knows he has you. Like a pimp with his whore, Gordo will promise anything to you.

When will people learn....

Anonymous said...

This is just another, BC Liberal dirty tactic. Just another Campbell vendetta. All because, restaurants and bars, oppose the HST, which is killing their businesses. This is how Campbell controls. Any bad press regarding Campbell, no more government ads for their newspapers. If judges defy Campbell, they will lose their jobs. The RCMP get no contract, with the province. The list is far too long, but, you get the gist. The BC Liberals, don't have one honest bone, in the lot of them. They are full of, hate, spite and malice. They don't work with the people, they work against them.

Anonymous said...

Well, the next time Campbell and Thornthwaite get drunk, they had better call their limo service, to roll them home. God knows, how many people they could have injured or killed. A few years back, we did the designated driver thing. None of us wanted to kill or injure anyone. That worked great, we took turns being designated drivers.