I made a healthy choice,

And your advice to me was right,
The party finally ended,
And the kids drove out of sight.

I got into my car,

Sure to get home in one piece,
I never knew what was coming, Mum
Something I expected least.

Now I'm lying on the pavement,

And I hear the policeman say,
The kid that caused this wreck was drunk,
Mum, his voice seems far away.

My own blood's all around me,

As I try hard not to cry.
I can hear the paramedic say,
This girl is going to die.

I'm sure the guy had no idea,

While he was flying high,
Because he chose to drink and drive,
Now I would have to die.

So why do people do it, Mum

Knowing that it ruins lives?
And now the pain is cutting me,
Like a hundred stabbing knives.

Someone should have taught him,
That it's wrong to drink and drive.
Maybe if his parents had,
I'd still be alive.

My breath is getting shorter, Mum

I'm getting really scared.
These are my final moments,
And I'm so unprepared.

I wish that you could hold me Mum,

As I lie here and die.
I wish that I could say, 'I love you, Mum!'
So I love you and good-bye.

452 drink-drivers over Christmas. The message isnt getting through.its time to start a zero tollerance two strikes and you loose the right to drive for life.END OF STORY. and if you get caught drink driving you have to re-sit your test .No excuses.

I went to a party,

And remembered what you said.
You told me not to drink, Mum
So I had a Sprite instead.

I felt proud of myself,

The way you said I would,
That I didn't drink and drive,
Though some friends said I should.

I made a healthy choice,

And your advice to me was right,
The party finally ended,
And the kids drove out of sight.

I got into my car,

Sure to get home in one piece,
I never knew what was coming, Mum
Something I expected least.

Now I'm lying on the pavement,

And I hear the policeman say,
The kid that caused this wreck was drunk,
Mum, his voice seems far away.

My own blood's all around me,

As I try hard not to cry.
I can hear the paramedic say,
This girl is going to die.

I'm sure the guy had no idea,

While he was flying high,
Because he chose to drink and drive,
Now I would have to die.

So why do people do it, Mum

Knowing that it ruins lives?
And now the pain is cutting me,
Like a hundred stabbing knives.

Someone should have taught him,
That it's wrong to drink and drive.
Maybe if his parents had,
I'd still be alive.

My breath is getting shorter, Mum

I'm getting really scared.
These are my final moments,
And I'm so unprepared.

I wish that you could hold me Mum,

As I lie here and die.
I wish that I could say, 'I love you, Mum!'
So I love you and good-bye.

MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Drivers) IS HOPING TO GET 5,000 SIGNATURES ON THIS,

Just arrogant drivers who are a selfish bunch no thoughts or care for anyone but themselves Ace you spot on mate but there is one flaw the scumbags that drink and drive would hide behind the human rights act.

There was once a sign posted that Said "Last year the police caught 18000 speeding drivers" and someone added underneath "Burglars Caught 0", why are they bragging about doing their own job, i finshed my filing back log last week can i have a mention.

I forgot to mention, just remember if you kill someone whilst driving all you have to say is that you fainted at the wheel and they dont even take away your license.

I went to a party,

And remembered what you said.
You told me not to drink, Mum
So I had a Sprite instead.

I felt proud of myself,

The way you said I would,
That I didn't drink and drive,
Though some friends said I should.

I made a healthy choice,

And your advice to me was right,
The party finally ended,
And the kids drove out of sight.

I got into my car,

Sure to get home in one piece,
I never knew what was coming, Mum
Something I expected least.

Now I'm lying on the pavement,

And I hear the policeman say,
The kid that caused this wreck was drunk,
Mum, his voice seems far away.

My own blood's all around me,

As I try hard not to cry.
I can hear the paramedic say,
This girl is going to die.

I'm sure the guy had no idea,

While he was flying high,
Because he chose to drink and drive,
Now I would have to die.

So why do people do it, Mum

Knowing that it ruins lives?
And now the pain is cutting me,
Like a hundred stabbing knives.

Someone should have taught him,
That it's wrong to drink and drive.
Maybe if his parents had,
I'd still be alive.

My breath is getting shorter, Mum

I'm getting really scared.
These are my final moments,
And I'm so unprepared.

I wish that you could hold me Mum,

As I lie here and die.
I wish that I could say, 'I love you, Mum!'
So I love you and good-bye.

Do they publish figures to show the division between those blatant drivers who got caught on the way home from the pub and those very unfortunate people who got caught the wrong side of borderline the morning after?

Far too many peopel in my book.

The police should also clamp down on cyclists who ride drunk in the dark with no lights whilst wearing ipods causing buses to swerve violently as the cut in front.

Whilst I don't wish to diminish the fact that drink-driving is evil and should be prosecuted to the fullest extent, isn't it shameful how the police target their "crime-fighting" abilities at motorists, rather than tackling the fact that my Grandmother cannot go out after dark because of the marauding gangs of thugs, and that I can't stop the cretins down the road from throwing stones at my car and other cars because the police aren't interested in doing anything.

The Monkey at Bolton i love the poem, and how true it is, any one how decides that they should drive whilst under the influence of booze should be shot, all the lives that could of been lost because of their selfishness, is just not worth thinking about so do your time.

Defo think the police look for a lot more Drug Drivers !!!

Reduce the traffic cops and the detection rate will FALL again. I should have a university degree.

Were the drivers caught by police patrols or caught after an accident.
Any idea of the percentage?
Come on GMP give us the %

to the point, bury: a very good point. Hardly good old fashioned coppering when the drunken bums crash and wait to be arrested.

Ace - why twice? Should just be the once. Gte caught over the limit (which should be zero in my view) and lose your licence for life end of line.

chillbill: "Gte caught over the limit (which should be zero in my view) and lose your licence for life end of line."

As everybody has some residual level of alcohol in their blood stream, you would be banning driving completely.

That's a little excessive in my view.

chillbill, oldham: a good sound bite but thinking more practically, at what time the day after a drink the night before can one be certain one has no alcohol in the blood. Also what about certain foodstuffs, medicines etc that have include alcohol.

All very well to say zero but what does that actually mean?

Well here we go.

Current UK Legal limit is 80mg per 100ml of blood.

Without clarfing with the Home Office/Ministry of Justice if this includes alcohol produced by the human body already.

I do believe that if you taking medication, certain medication states that you should not drink or drive or operatre machinery. As many many years ago I was under such medication heeding such advice. If in doubt consult your doctor.

Blackflag- I am aware of bodily produced alchol. Simply re-classifiy the breath machines both hand held and at the station to calbriate and factor in the said natually producing alcohol as Im not a GP I am unaware if levels varfy between male to male female to female

Brass tacks time. Lets be frank - you know what I mean by a zero limit - I've just asked in my place of work as to the drink drive limit - and everyone i asked, we need our licences to work by the way, that no drinking is the safe limit. If you drink then take a taxi or public transport.

As for how long alcohol stays in your bloodstream a quick internet search can yield answers. Now you can believe me or not, but if I am out celebrating I do not drive for at least 24 hours has passed. And I never drink during the working week (monday -friday) for me and only then when I am celebrating do I drink at weekends and never to excess. As if I know if ever caught for drink driving I will lose my job, house everything.

Drink driving kills, and makes you lose everything.

Its simple really, if you are driving then don't even have one drink; or if you are going somewhere where you know that you are going to want a drink then don't drive, get a taxi or walk!!

People who do drink and drive are just selfish idiots and should be banned from driving for life if they are caught.

chillbill: "Lets be frank - you know what I mean by a zero limit"

When someones says zero limit, I take it that they mean zero limit, not a little bit over zero by some unspecified amount.

"and everyone i asked, we need our licences to work by the way, that no drinking is the safe limit."

That sounds like the same meaningless platitude as "zero limit." I suspect that by "no drinking" you don't mean restricting driving to non-drinkers, so the question is then, how long before you drive does the "no drinking" rule have to apply before you reach the safe limit?

I see no evidence that having the kind of stringent limit you want would do anything to improve the situation. In fact, I suspect it would make it worse.

You just have to look at the article - 15 people rang Crimestoppers about drink driver/drug drivers such is the aborrance/stigma of drink driving.

chillbill, oldham

Your life sounds miserable, and you live in Oldham! Why don't you move and start using pubic transport? You'd be happier and more secure I think.

And how would having a zero alochol limit (barring naturally occuring alchohol) make things worse? Anmd yes xero limit means no addtional amount to what is in the bloodstream already.

Black flag - dont twist my post- you first mentioned the naturally occuring alcohol - and I explained some possible solutions to take that into account and how to find out if it was already taking into account alchohol produced by a human body.

As for this comment by you :

'how long before you drive does the "no drinking" rule have to apply before you reach the safe limit?'

Not sure what you mean. Ive been driving since I was 18 (when I passed my test) and I have always thought the same no drink before driving. No additonnal alchohol introduced to what is already present before driving. Or do you mean how long after I have had an alchololic bevearage do I drive. Depends on how many units I drink. Considering I have stated I only drink very moderately, a half or two for the record then its 24 hours minimum.

And I am perfectly happy- why the concern about my happiness in a drink driving thread?