Blood Alcohol Limits

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blizzard
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Blood Alcohol Limits

#1 Postby blizzard » Thu Feb 12, 2004 8:24 pm

Minnesota Senate passed a measure to reduce legal blood alcohol limit from .10 to .08. This was done in reaction to the Federal mandate to do so by 2007 or lose $51 million in Federal Highway money.

Highway safety facts, which show most fatal alcohol-related accidents involve drivers with blood-alcohol contents at 0.10 percent or higher, also were argued.

So, does the lowering of the limit actually help save lives, or is the State Senate doing this for the money only. Some Senators admit that they are against the change, but voted for it just to get the money.

Personally, I think that it is a form of blackmail from the Fed. to bully states into law changes.

"I have to sit and listen to people who said we want to leave the bars open until 2 a.m. now say lower the content," Day said. "Leave the bars open longer, and lower the content down. Then we can trap them all into $2,000 fines. I don't think I have to show how that's like a bait and switch."


The Senate also just recently passed legislation allowing bars to stay open until 2:00, which is later than in the past. The above quote says it all.

What are your thoughts on this, hopefully it doesn't turn into a brawl. Just good, clean debate.


FYI...I am against drinking and driving. Just thought I'd add that too.
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firefighter16

#2 Postby firefighter16 » Thu Feb 12, 2004 8:39 pm

I've seen some bad things because of drinking and driving. I don't think them changing the law will change the way people act. People think there amune to things until there laying in a ditch looking at the pretty lights. If I sound angry maybe I am.
Senseless is called senseless for a reason.
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ColdFront77

#3 Postby ColdFront77 » Thu Feb 12, 2004 9:02 pm

I am against drinking, period, so having the blood alcohol limits lowered as much as possible is best.
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#4 Postby Pburgh » Thu Feb 12, 2004 9:46 pm

firefighter, I don't think it will change some people, they will drink, drive and hope they won't get caught no matter what the law is. But I think that lowering the level will have an overall effect of detering those social drinkers who occasionally have a bit too much and then drive. They'll think twice before having that second glass of wine. Me included. Drinking no matter how little is like playing with fire only sometimes other people get burned.
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#5 Postby weatherluvr » Thu Feb 12, 2004 9:53 pm

The problem is that not everyone has the same tolerance levels for alcohol. Someone could have have a 0.10 and be almost normal, while the next person could have a 0.05 and be in a near stupor. Since there's no way to subjectively test people's tolerance levels, I'm in favor of lowering the legal limit to 0.08.
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firefighter16

#6 Postby firefighter16 » Thu Feb 12, 2004 10:46 pm

I don't understand why the Feds had to threaten the States.
It's the right thing to do, just do it.
If lower levels will save lives then there should be no questions about it.
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#7 Postby Guest » Thu Feb 12, 2004 10:56 pm

Drunk people are stupid - perhaps with the level lowered to .08 they aren't as drunk or as stupid. I have never met a smart drunk. What better ways to get states to do something then shake the proverbial money carrott and threaten to take it away......
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#8 Postby GalvestonDuck » Fri Feb 13, 2004 9:08 am

I saw enough of the effects of drinking and driving when I worked in the ER. I'm all for lowering it to .08.

And since the states are getting federal money for the highways, I think it's fine for the federal government to stipulate conditions like that. It's reasonable.
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#9 Postby deb_in_nc » Fri Feb 13, 2004 9:25 am

I'm all for it. I'm not a drinker myself. Even the smell of beer or wine makes me sick. I'm with ticka. I haven't seen a smart drunk, either. I can see me now totally wasted with a .01 or less. :lol:
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#10 Postby Lindaloo » Fri Feb 13, 2004 9:37 am

Statistics show that most drunk drivers have a blood alcohol content of .20 or higher. Which means that they should not be on the road period. Lowering the limit will bring about more felony convictions thus getting them off the streets for good.
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#11 Postby breeze » Fri Feb 13, 2004 8:37 pm

It may have an effect on teenagers, but, the
alcoholics are STILL going to drink and drive,
period. They have no care what the legal limit
is. They have to drink.

I speak as a nurse, AND, from living with one!
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#12 Postby Pburgh » Fri Feb 13, 2004 9:25 pm

I agree with you breeze.
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#13 Postby wx247 » Fri Feb 13, 2004 9:29 pm

.08 limit is a good thing.
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#14 Postby Lindaloo » Fri Feb 13, 2004 9:30 pm

breeze wrote:It may have an effect on teenagers, but, the
alcoholics are STILL going to drink and drive,
period. They have no care what the legal limit
is. They have to drink.

I speak as a nurse, AND, from living with one!


Good point.
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#15 Postby wx247 » Fri Feb 13, 2004 9:31 pm

What lowering the .08 limit does is allow law enforcement officials to get those off the street when they couldn't when the limit was .10.
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#16 Postby Derek Ortt » Fri Feb 13, 2004 9:57 pm

Just do what I do and use a designated driver. You can get up to .40 and still be OK if someone else is driving
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#17 Postby GalvestonDuck » Sun Feb 15, 2004 9:37 am

.40?

If you're at .40, your designated driver had better be getting you to the hospital! :o
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#18 Postby Lindaloo » Sun Feb 15, 2004 10:28 am

wx247 wrote:What lowering the .08 limit does is allow law enforcement officials to get those off the street when they couldn't when the limit was .10.


I was just fixing to post this. lol. Glad I read through this thread. You are 100% correct. :D
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#19 Postby Lindaloo » Sun Feb 15, 2004 10:29 am

.40? Would have to be a huge person to survive that high level. Ever heard of alcohol poisoning? People who have died from alcohol poisoning have had .35 or higher alcohol in their systems.
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#20 Postby wx247 » Sun Feb 15, 2004 10:33 am

Lindaloo wrote:.40? Would have to be a huge person to survive that high level. Ever heard of alcohol poisoning? People who have died from alcohol poisoning have had .35 or higher alcohol in their systems.


In some worlds... it is okay to have 1.00 blood alcohol levels!!! :o
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