Safe Speed Forums

Hi all, I thought I'd share an experience that's currently worrying me.

My job involves a lot of travelling, and I'm currently deployed in South Africa with a number of other young people from the UK. Now, in SA drink-driving is socially acceptable unlike in the UK.

Now, when I came out here I would have thought that the others from the UK would adopt the "social acceptability" factor of the UK and would use designated drivers on nights out. However, I was shocked to see people consume stupid amounts of alcohol and get behind the wheel of a car.

Obviously I don't drink and drive myself. So what do they do, they say to me "It's ok to drink-drive over here, just keep 50 rand in your back pocket to bribe the policeman." "Everyone over here does it, in the UK I wouldn't even have one before driving but here there's no public transport, you've got to drink and drive."

An alarming number are not too keen on drink-driving themselves, but seem satisfied to get in the car with a drunk driver (again which I wouldn't do).

Now, obviously I'm worried that they're going to have an accident. However, the direction I'd like to take the conversation in is, is this symptomatic of something wider? Is the constant "speed kills" being drilled into us diminishing the effect of other safety messages? After all if you drift over the limit then nothing happens - are all safety messages being seen as frumpy? Is the once good British attitude to motoring disappearing?

EDIT: Or, is it even symptomatic of a growing tendency to refuse to take responsibility for one's own actions into account?

Is the fact they are doing this in South Africa but not in UK down more to the perceived social acceptability of drink-driving in the two countries rather than an objective assessment of the risks of being caught?

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"Show me someone who says that they have never exceeded a speed limit, and I'll show you a liar, or a menace." (Austin Williams - Director, Transport Research Group)

Any views expressed in this post are personal opinions and may not represent the views of Safe Speed

I imagine you're right, Peter.

But they still seem to be missing the point that, whether it's socially acceptable or not, it's DANGEROUS.

It's the fact that there's a complete lack of balance as well - in the UK I would have one drink before driving, and here in SA I'd maybe have two or three (over a long period of time). But to them it seems to be all or nothing.

Yes, but it's just as dangerous in SA as in UK (possibly even more so) and therefore we have to recognise that the reasons for people not doing it are related to social attitudes and conditioning, not a rational assessment of risk.

Also, while undoubtedly it is dangerous at a population level, from the point of the view of the individual making a single trip, the risk, while much greater than if he was sober, is still extremely small.

_________________
"Show me someone who says that they have never exceeded a speed limit, and I'll show you a liar, or a menace." (Austin Williams - Director, Transport Research Group)

Any views expressed in this post are personal opinions and may not represent the views of Safe Speed

I'd say the reason for a lot of people not DD is the fear of getting caught and the resultant criminal record.

There are those who would suggest going to South Africa is dangerous in it's self.

At least if it's as common as the OP says it is then presumably pedestrians and other road users will know to expect drunk drivers and be cautious. Plus is the population is less dense over there?

Doesnt excuse the activity, but I'd guess you're less likely to kill someone doing it in SA than you are in the UK.

Personally I can spot (some) drunk drivers a mile off. They're usually the ones doing half the speed limit and overly cautious.

For some people, yes. But surely with this, as with most other things to do with traffic law, it is mostly self-enforcing.

You can ride a pushbike after six or seven pints and stand zero chance of being prosecuted, but I suspect the vast majority of cyclists never do.

Even before the breathalyser, most people would have been well aware that driving after consuming substantial quantities of alcohol was a bad idea and not have done it.

There is, of course, a caveat, that after a few drinks your perception of your own abilities is exaggerated.

However, the view that, before 1967 50%, or 33%, or 25% of male drivers were regularly driving after a skinful is nonsense.

We also as a society drink twice as much per person as we did then.

_________________
"Show me someone who says that they have never exceeded a speed limit, and I'll show you a liar, or a menace." (Austin Williams - Director, Transport Research Group)

Any views expressed in this post are personal opinions and may not represent the views of Safe Speed

Quite shocked to read this while not disputing this. And thats from someone who spent some time in the 70's merchant navy where daily hard drinking was obligatory while now healthy living and an 18 unit a week limit is enforced. Is the stats for total consumption or per capita ? Interested in your reference.

I can't actually find chapter and verse on this, but it is generally accepted that UK alcohol consumption per capita has risen substantially since the early 60s.

For example, UK beer consumption was 27.4 million barrels in 1962, and 36.3 million barrels in 2002, and the average strength of beer has also increased. On top of this, vastly more wine is drunk.

In the early 1960s there was relatively little at-home drinking, and few women drank very much.

I'm simply quoting this to support my contention that even before the breathalyser there was a strong self-regulating element in attitudes to drink-driving and it was by no means as commonplace as often claimed for people to drive after consuming large quantities of alcohol.

_________________
"Show me someone who says that they have never exceeded a speed limit, and I'll show you a liar, or a menace." (Austin Williams - Director, Transport Research Group)

Any views expressed in this post are personal opinions and may not represent the views of Safe Speed