To say it's time we stopped being soft on drunken yobs.

[seaviewer]

I just wonder how long we're going to allow drunken yobs to tie up police resources, ambulance crews and hospital casualty departments. Why can't the government listen to police chiefs and toughen up. I don't know the answer, some police chiefs have said we should have drunk tanks. Whatever happens SOMETHING should be done.

Town centers at weekends are now often like the Wild West a no go area with people who just can't handle their drink, they cost the country fortunes. I just don't understand why it's being allowed to continue. What do you all think?

...and of course they are then their to handle when something happens

sooty of course drunken people in their homes might need an ambulance. There are loads of scenarios where we need an ambulance. I'm talking about town centers at weekends.

comejoin yes something has happened and I'm very angry, as most people would be.

This is a tricky one OP - I have seen some horrifying sights both on TV and real life. I feel I am too old and vulnerable to risk venturing into our nearest local cities on weekend nights, and I resent not just the tax that's being swallowed up, but also the casual abuse that Police, Health and other workers are all getting. On the other hand, I also resent the expenditure on stitching people up who have hurt themselves and others by driving stupidly.

In the end I guess I have to accept that in a free society people will do things I wouldn't do and don't especially like. Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be much of will for this (stupid drinking, dangerous driving) to change drastically.

We have buses which provide first line care to 'drunken yobs'. Sick bowls, beds, somewhere safe to go if you get lost, nurses, minor injury care, the use of a phone to call a safe number.

See, I think this is just an extension of helicopter parenting and protecting people from the natural consequences of their actions.

Whatever happened to personal responsibility?

The problem is, so many people would die, or suffer serious consequences if we removed this support now that we've backed ourselves into a corner as a society.

The occasional tragedy would act as a deterrent to others. By trying to sanitise life, we've actually created a situation in which more and more people are relying on others, rather than making judgements about their own welfare.

I live in a city with a huge drinking culture and popular for hen/stag DP's, I've been in a&e some weekends where there are a large number of people with alcohol related admissions and security being needed in the waiting area which is never acceptable. Charging people is an interesting idea but where do you draw the line for self inflicted injury?
Drunk tanks not sure about those alcohol can kill and if there are a large amount of people in a drunk tank then they might not be noticed they are unwell, and with a large amount of drunk people together you'd be looking at the risk of violence? Plus the cost of single sex drunk tanks?

I'm going out tonight, I'm not a "drunken yob" by any stretch of the imagination but I plan to have several drinks. Violence doesn't cross my mind, do people actually go out with that intention of being violent? Rather then being drunk and reacting to a situation?

There is a risk I could end up in hospital which would be classed as an alcohol related admission because I have a medical condition where by if someone knocks into me there is a real risk of something dislocation and then hospital treatment being needed, same if I fall over, which would take up hospital time and NHS money would it be fair to charge me? I have a diagnosed condition but my actions by being out and drinking might contribute to my injury?

I don't think there is an easy answer to this problem as alcohol is such a big part of U.K. Culture

Perhaps you missed my reference to dependent drinkers and substance misusers. I assume use of police and NHS resources to treat intoxication only matters in public places then?

There's an awful lot of complacency though isn't there wasonthelist, if some of the comments on here are anything to go by, either that or people just like to argue for the sake of it.

Why do you rarely see older people out at night in the UK like you do in many European countries? I believe a lot of it is to do with antisocial behaviour and a lot of people (of all ages) don't feel comfortable around out of control drunks. Surely there is already a law about being drunk and disorderly? It should be enforced.

A drunk tank for every town, complete with a nurse. Charge £200 for taxi, bed and breakfast, more if they puked, were aggressive, required extra assistance.

sooty my thread is about people causing mayhem in public places and the abuse they give to police, ambulance and casualty, on top of all that they cost a fortune. The people you're referring to probably aren't causing mayhem and making town centers a no go area after midnight. So yes I'm talking about public places not drug users and dependant drinkers in their own homes. Separate issue sorry and not what I'm talking about.

You mentioned the cost of ambulances and treatment of hospital staff. Obviously as these are applicable wherever the drunkenness occurs you are not just talking about town centre behaviour.
If you are you should confine your ranting to issues only relevant to public intoxication.

paxillan I think drunk tanks are a good idea, don't think they'll like it on here though, amazingly they don't think there's a problem.

I would venture to suggest that many perfectly ordinary people have gone out at the weekend and got bladdered on occasion.

Depends what you mean by bladdered. I never get so drunk that I am likely to throw up in the street or embarrass myself. Nor do my friends. It just isn't something we would do. And I am fond enough of a drink or two!

And the taxi drivers, takeaways, bar staff who all have jobs because of the drinkers.....

I think pubs and clubs should follow the law and refuse to serve intoxicated people.

seaviewer and Bailey

From the disproportional amount of newspaper reports a lot of these drunken yobs seem to be student students, so they bring a huge amount of money to the areas in which they live, there are many areas around the country which 'die off' during non uni terms.

With regards to NHS resources being used for people who are drunk, do you reserve the same venom for people who use NHS resources for other "self inflicted" conditions? Being overweight? Sports related injuries?

You are coming across as very narrow minded and DM.

sooty I'm talking about public places, domestic incidents don't usually use up as many resources. If you speak to any nursing staff on casualty duty they would tell you that they dread Friday and Saturday nights when the clubs close. They have to deal with the carnage. No need to keep nitpicking my posts. Or do you deny it happens?

Of course I'm not denying it happens.

Obviously you know very little about the resources taken up by addiction though (as you so blithely dismiss intoxication and overdose in the home resulting in police welfare visits and crisis intervention as "domestic incidents" )

Oh the old classic solution for "bad behaviour" - just fine them. You do know that issuing and collecting fines usually costs more than said fine in he first place and who arbitrates over who and for what people are fined? Of course practicalities never mattered for people who believe in Daily Mail type solutions.

ilovesooty - but that's not the point of this post. It's not JUST about the money, it's about our city centres becoming so unpleasant for everyone. Why should antisocial behaviour be allowed in a PUBLIC space? Why shouldn't everyone feel comfortable there? It didn't used to be so extreme.

What on earth have overweight and sports loving people have to do with it? Do you have a problem with them being treated? No sorry I'm only bothered about some of the brawling drunken yobs that our nhs an police have to deal with.
boney students bringing money into the area is an excuse for some of the stuff I'm on about.? Unbelievable.

My mum was unfortunate enough to need A & E on a Friday night not too long ago. It was chaos - fighting, people throwing up - really unpleasant. One of the older doctors said that 30 years ago he used to love working the weekend nights as it was so quiet - everyone was out enjoying themselves. Now they drink to eccess and end up injured. I used to work in probation and community services - so many assaults were commited by people who are drunk. Why do we put up with what is essentially illegal and antisocial behaviour?

Who are you defining as a "yob"? Would you class the 50+yo woman who slapped DS2's arse (he works in a bar) then puked all over the stairs because she was so drunk as a "yob"? Or is it just young people?