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Scoop Letters to the Editor

Published: Fri 3 Jan 2003 03:55 PM
Scoop Letters to the Editor
Its time to think
Dear editor - Everyone should be very wary before lending or muttering any support to the Government’s recent announcement that they intend lowering the permissible alcohol levels for driving.
Be warned there is something very sinister in what they are up to, the reality is, that driving drunk is, no worse a crime and can result in no more possible mayhem and damage, to your loved ones, than the damage done by someone driving very tired, and yet they cant measure “tiredness” for the “tax gathering exercise” that driving with alcohol clearly is, my proof?
Before that, let me state, that this letter should not be read as me condoning in any way shape or form, irresponsible people who drive while their reaction times can be affected by alcohol or by tiredness.
Our son spent 7 weeks in a coma with sever brain injuries just last year, while he was in the coma we were told five times that he was not going to survive, however beyond all predictions he has survived and is making a recovery that is still defying a lot of what we were told to expect.
This was after a horrific head-on crash in late March, the driver of the other car had a blood alcohol level twice over the legal limit, the drunk’s head lights and driving were on full beam, plus it was clear from the probable impact position of the crash on the road, that he was also not driving on the road where he was legally supposed to be and yet he was not charged for “causing” nor even contributing, in any way, to the “cause” of the crash, why not?
The police told us that unless it was “virtually indisputable” that the “drunks’ driving” “caused” the crash, then all he could be charged for was “driving with twice the permissible alcohol level”, this obviously begs the question; Why have drink driving laws in the first place, if it means that there MUST be factors “other than alcohol” to prove the “cause” of any crash.
Naturally we were shocked and horrified to learn this, especially after all the hype and propaganda about getting tough on drunk driving, so we lodged formal complaints over the Police handling of the aftermath of the crash, with the Commander of BOP Police and with the Police Complaints Authority and yet our complaint was basically dismissed on the grounds the Police “did their job, according to the law”.
As strange as it may now seem, I now realise and accept that, in this regard, the law is very good, ie the law is basically saying “alcohol” ie the level of alcohol in the blood, on its own cannot physically “cause” a crash, the actions of the driver eg falling asleep even perhaps because of being drunk or being overworked for that matter do, so it’s the physical fact of the “state of unconsciousness”, or the drivers actions and NOT the “alcohol”, that causes some crashes.
So think about this, why should “alcohol” be treated any different to “hard work”, because both alcohol and tiredness can and both do result in the state of “unconsciousness while driving”, plus mechanical failure, losing control, adverse road conditions, inexperience, factors of the other driver etc etc can only ever logically and legally be regarded as “causes” of crashes, but not “alcohol”.
This means that in reality, drink-driving laws are in point of fact, nothing other than “fines for being drunk” because “drunkenness” can not legally nor logically be used as a “factual cause” of any crash and we pay enough tax already I reckon, so don’t let them fool you, this lowering of the permissible alcohol level is nothing more than another tax gathering scam.
Michael Gordge
Tauranga
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My God (Editor’s Note: unabridged)
I think it was wrong for you people to laugh at my God, an alian.
There is a lot of proof, that people as in you deny UFO's and the concept that they may be our creator.
Can you proove they arn't.
The imaculate conception is real celibrated on 12-08.
How do we know what that was, we don't. But, UFO's have or people have said that they looked into peoples bodys, they are real.
My believse are they maybe god from a different demention, silly as it seems, it could be true. As in the newest clones, it is wrong to do gods works, God can govern this, not us!
Brian Partello
Scoop Feedback
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