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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think drink driving and speeding are morally equivalent

162 replies

Highdaysandholidaze · 21/01/2022 11:03

One gets treated as unforgivable, the other as a peccadillo. The sort of thing we all do, so it can’t be that bad.

But drink driving isn’t bad in and of itself. If someone wants to down a bottle of gin and drive round a deserted island then good luck to them. Drink driving is bad because it increases the risk of hurting or killing other people.

Speeding’s the same, isn’t it? It increases your odds of hurting or killing someone.

Does it make it worse if you kill someone with your car because you’re half cut rather than if you’re over the limit?

One defence people seem to have is that their speeding wasn’t dangerous. They’ll say that the speed limit was silly in that area, or that there wasn’t anyone else on the road.

But people used to say the same sort of stuff about drink driving. And tbh Lewis Hamilton will have better reflexes after four beers than I do sober.

So, AIBU?

OP posts:
Agrudge · 21/01/2022 12:24

@Ovenaffray

I got slaughtered on a thread yesterday for saying I am law abiding and don’t break the speed limit and if I do I’m mortified and ashamed.

For me, they’re the same. As is any law. And I obey the law.

I have an eye on my speed all the time and stay 2mph under the limit as much as I can. If I see my speed creep to the limit I immediately correct myself.

I can’t, of course, say I have never gone a mile or two over - yes, very occasionally for a very short period of time of a few seconds. But I correct it as soon as I can.

I never drive if I’ve had any alcohol at all. Every drink increase your risk of crashing.

I feel its safer to focus more on the road(and surroundings) instead of monitoring your speed constantly.

But that's me

Ovenaffray · 21/01/2022 12:27

You can do both. I have the speed front and. I have routine of watching the road, flicking eyes to speed briefly (it’s right in front of me it takes milliseconds). Back to watching road.

I have a max speed limiter thing on my car. I use it. What’s wrong with that? Why wouldn’t I use a system designed to help me not break the law?

IllManneredBitch · 21/01/2022 12:30

I find phrases like 'completely in control' and 'perfectly safe' indicative of a very arrogant attitude that puts everyone on the road at risk. You aren't ever in control of all the variables and the slower you drive, the more time you have to react and the shorter your stopping distance. (Obviously I understand that driving too slowly for the conditions is also dangerous so I'm not advocating staying significantly under the limit in normal conditions either).

Driving is dangerous, a lot of people are killed and injured every day on the roads. Good, careful drivers can still make a mistake. It's never just your own life you're gambling. I take my responsibilities really seriously when it comes to being in charge of a car and I try never to lose sight of the terrible consequences a little lapse could have. I don't want to endanger anyone, go to prison, be fined or jeopardise my licence. I agree speeding deliberately is as bad as drink driving. I don't think anyone is immune to a slight drift or missing a sign occasionally and that isn't as bad as drink driving.

Agrudge · 21/01/2022 12:32

@Ovenaffray

You can do both. I have the speed front and. I have routine of watching the road, flicking eyes to speed briefly (it’s right in front of me it takes milliseconds). Back to watching road.

I have a max speed limiter thing on my car. I use it. What’s wrong with that? Why wouldn’t I use a system designed to help me not break the law?

Just curious how does that work? I havent driven a car with a limiter on it. It's like the new gps based system that new cars have ?
girlmom21 · 21/01/2022 12:33

@Agrudge with a speed limiter you set the speed limit and your car just won't go any faster no matter how much you press the accelerator

Ovenaffray · 21/01/2022 12:35

No it’s an actual limit I set on my car @Agrudge. In a 30 I set it to 28, for example, and even if I sink the boot to the floor the car will not go past 28.

Agrudge · 21/01/2022 12:35

[quote girlmom21]@Agrudge with a speed limiter you set the speed limit and your car just won't go any faster no matter how much you press the accelerator [/quote]
To me that can also be dangerous. What if you need the extra speed to get out of a situation

Ovenaffray · 21/01/2022 12:35

It’s easy to turn off

Hrpuffnstuff1 · 21/01/2022 12:36

@Ovenaffray

You can do both. I have the speed front and. I have routine of watching the road, flicking eyes to speed briefly (it’s right in front of me it takes milliseconds). Back to watching road.

I have a max speed limiter thing on my car. I use it. What’s wrong with that? Why wouldn’t I use a system designed to help me not break the law?

What have you set the limiter to?Grin 5mph.
Ovenaffray · 21/01/2022 12:37

You literally press a button to turn it off.

I’ve never felt in danger from it ever.

But if it’s not something you feel you would be happy to have, you don’t need to use it.

Ovenaffray · 21/01/2022 12:37

I’ve already explained I set the limit 2mph below the speed limit.

Wnkingawalrus · 21/01/2022 12:38

@JuergenSchwarzwald

They are not remotely comparable.

If you drink alcohol and drive, you know you are not in control of the car.

I can easily do 40 in a 30 limit and be in perfect control of the car and certainly at night, be no risk to anyone.

Of course doing something like 100 on a motorway is unacceptable, or 50 past a school where loads of kids are coming out, but that is a different point. Context matters (from a moral if not legal perspective).

When drinking and driving, there is no such thing as an acceptable context.

This.

And context is everything. I don’t believe for a second that I pose as much danger doing 75 on a quiet motorway during a dry day as I do if I’m driving over the limit.

Ididanamechange · 21/01/2022 12:38

Based on your title i was going to say YABU but after reading your OP you made a really valid point and made me question my original response. I have never driven a car after drinking alcohol, even a small amount because I know what effect even a small amount has on me and I won't take the chance. I have driven over the speed limit on many occasions in my driving history. I'm not a racer and I drive to the speed of the road or under if its safer the vast majority of the time, and always when in built up areas. But id be lying if I said I've never put my foot down on a motorway or duel carriage way in the 15 years of driving.
Maybe that's the different, doing 80 or 90 on a quiet motorway whilst sober isn't as dangerous as doing 70 whilst drunk or on drugs

APileofLogs · 21/01/2022 12:38

I can easily do 40 in a 30 limit and be in perfect control of the car and certainly at night, be no risk to anyone.

People used to say this sort of thing about drink driving- I can easily drink 3 pints and drive home perfectly safely etc etc.

Attitudes to drink driving were hugely changed by government advertising. Wish we had the same for speeding- this sort of thing

Agrudge · 21/01/2022 12:40

@Ovenaffray

It’s easy to turn off
Fair enough.

Surprisingly I dont actually disagree with the gps based limiters new car will more likely be fitted with. Mainly as you can push past them should you need to

girlmom21 · 21/01/2022 12:44

@Ovenaffray

I’ve already explained I set the limit 2mph below the speed limit.
Why don't you just set it as the limit if you're using a limiter?
Ifailed · 21/01/2022 12:45

50 years ago, drink driving (amongst men) was routine, and getting caught was seen to be 'bad luck'. Since then things have moved on, helped by government campaigns, to the point that most people would see it as reprehensible (although I know several men in the late 60s/70s who still persist).
Speeding is routine by many drivers, men and women, and getting caught is seen as 'bad luck', with speed cameras labelled as unfair and a 'tax' on drivers. Plenty of people think themselves above the law, and believe their driving skills are so superior that they can ignore speed limits. Is it going to take another government campaign to change this?

Ovenaffray · 21/01/2022 12:45

To allow for tolerance in the limiter.

etulosba · 21/01/2022 12:45

I never drive if I’ve had any alcohol at all. Every drink increase your risk of crashing.

Every drive increases your risk of crashing. Best not to use the car at all.

girlmom21 · 21/01/2022 12:45

@Agrudge mines not linked to GPS - it's a switch next to the gear stick. You can flick it forward for cruise control or back for the speed limiter then there's a paddle behind the indicator to increase or reduce the maximum speed.

Ovenaffray · 21/01/2022 12:46

I only drive when I absolutely have to. I don’t drive if I don’t need to.

Ovenaffray · 21/01/2022 12:47

Mines not linked to gps either. It’s literally a button and switches on the steering wheel to set the speed. Pressing the button again turns it off.

Ovenaffray · 21/01/2022 12:48

*Mine’s

girlmom21 · 21/01/2022 12:48

@Ovenaffray

To allow for tolerance in the limiter.
That's already built in to your speedometer so if it says 28 you're probably doing 26, just so you're aware.

I like to use the speed limiter when I'm driving through average speed cameras on the motorway

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