Pawian
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Post by Pawian on Jan 8, 2006 9:56:37 GMT -7
The problem of drunk driving in Poland has never been more acute than nowadays. Every weekend, every day, every week the police stop hundreds, thousands of drunken drivers. Just today a member of the Parliament was stopped, by traffic wardens who called the police. The member is from Samoobrona Party (SelfDefence), but it doesn`t really matter here. Many members of all parties, both left and right, have been stopped by the police so far.
Not only MPs are stopped. Also people who work in law, e.g. policemen themselves, prosecutors, even judges. All professions are represented in these infamous statistics.
The law about drunk driving was made stricter 2 years ago. Before, drunk drivers only lost their licence for 2 or 3 years and had to pay some high fine. Two years ago the change of law allowed to sentence drivers to prison terms (up to two years). However, it didn`t help because the courts treat it as a slight transgression of law and practically never use the prison punishments.
There are so many drunk drivers not only because courts are lenient and close an eye. It is also the society which is tolerant. Drunken drivers are not prevented from driving by their families or friends, quite the opposite, drunk driving and avoiding the police is considered as something heroic. People (males, of course) boast of such driving and they find curious listeners who admire them. It is so crazy.
As long as Poles treat drunk driving as a bit risky, but nevertheless heroic adventure on the road, the problem will never stop.
Now, a new law is being discussed, namely drunk drivers will lose their cars. For ever.
PS. There is one positive aspect in all this. The Polish police is said to be corrupted but I hope not so much as in other countries in the East. They catch these drivers and don`t let them off for bribes. And when big shots are caught sometimes, they always expect the police to let them off because they are too important to be punished. The police corrects their great expectations.
PS2. I have never driven a car after drinking, not even after a small beer.
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nancy
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Post by nancy on Jan 8, 2006 14:11:53 GMT -7
Pawian,
Are there many deaths caused by these drunk drivers? AS those deaths climb in numbers, society will begin ot view these idiots differently.
But - it is still a problem here, even after many years of trying to educate people, and organizations such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).
Even if drunks have their licenses pulled, some of them still find a car and will drive anyway. Often this results in another death.
I agree - one rule for myself that I have never violated (since I made the rule, anyway ) is that I will not drive after having even a small glass of wine or a drink. I could not live with myself if I ever hurt someone while driving with impaired reflexes/judgement.
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Post by Jaga on Jan 8, 2006 17:45:50 GMT -7
I think the problem is also - there are just too many cars on the roads and not too many roads. But I still remember we were on the trip somewhere outside Krakow and we saw the cars with the guys standing next to the restaurants with alcohols, beers... during weekends and then these guys were driving away after drinking too much. But the problem of driving and drinking is not only Polish problems, but the problem in Poland at least 20 years ago, people were drinking strong alcohols like vodka. French drink a lot of vine and I guess, they can drive after drinking a bit (even in America you can drik just a little bit) and if they had to stop drinking vine they would undergo another French revolution
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piwo
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Post by piwo on Jan 8, 2006 21:39:00 GMT -7
The village I stayed in while on the family farm was about 10 kilometers from Augustów. My daughter went out in the evenings with her cousins and their friends, ranging in age from 22 - 18 years old. Never did they go to a pub (pubie) without a designated driver. This driver NEVER, EVER took even a sip of booze. When in Augustów, the police waited outside the bars looking for people who appeared "under the influence", and these kids took it quite seriously, so perhaps all is not lost. Of course, when driving the gravel roads where the village was actually located, they were less concerned. But if their vehicle was to touch pavement, they always had someone drinking "Coke" all night long.
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Post by Jaga on Jan 8, 2006 22:33:21 GMT -7
I think Pawian's message is also related to the fact that one or more of the member of Polish parliament were drunk but they refused to be tested. Now they cannot do it anymore. At least one of such politicians have to resign recently
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Pawian
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Post by Pawian on Jan 9, 2006 3:03:33 GMT -7
Pawian, Are there many deaths caused by these drunk drivers? AS those deaths climb in numbers, society will begin ot view these idiots differently. I don`t know about deaths but accidents caused by drunken drivers make 11%.
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Pawian
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Post by Pawian on Jan 9, 2006 3:06:17 GMT -7
and these kids took it quite seriously, so perhaps all is not lost. I am afraid the younsters were simply afraid of the police. Without the police presence there would have been heavy drinking and driving, I suppose.
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piwo
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Post by piwo on Jan 9, 2006 8:00:45 GMT -7
and these kids took it quite seriously, so perhaps all is not lost. I am afraid the younsters were simply afraid of the police. Without the police presence there would have been heavy drinking and driving, I suppose. I don't think that was it at all. They were afraid of the repercussions of getting caught, whether the police were visible or not: they were afraid of the consequences. There were nights they went into pubs not in town, and they saw no cops. They went to a "bonfire" in the woods one night, without law enforcement as well. They still had a designated driver who didn't partake in drinking. They took the law about this seriously. Perhaps the politician mentioned above didn't take it seriously because he was a politician, and universally they feel "above the law".
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Post by suzanne on Jan 9, 2006 10:00:05 GMT -7
Is much of the drunk driving in Poland done by teenagers, or is it mainly an adult problem? I don't know the statistics for the U.S., but I'd guess that a significant portion of drunk-driving fatal car accidents here are committed by teenagers.
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Pawian
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Post by Pawian on Jan 9, 2006 13:25:00 GMT -7
I think Pawian's message is also related to the fact that one or more of the member of Polish parliament were drunk but they refused to be tested. Now they cannot do it anymore. At least one of such politicians have to resign recently Yes, this guy was unlucky to be the first guinea pig on whom the new law was tested. Before, Polish MPs could just refuse to undergo a blood test and wave the police good-bye. Now, there is no excuse and the police may use force to make a VIP breathe or have a blood test.
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Pawian
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Post by Pawian on Jan 9, 2006 13:44:30 GMT -7
That is really something new. And promising. He isn`t only a politician. His name is Jerzy Wójcik, he once was a coach of the Polish national soccer team. He spent that night at the official ball for some sports celebrities. He admitted having drunk a few glasses of wine and champagne. It was 5 am when they stopped him. He refused to have an alcohol test, then the police probably threatened to use force. At 10 or 11 am he agreed to have a test and it still showed 1.5 % level of alcohol in blood.
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Pawian
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Post by Pawian on Jan 9, 2006 13:58:15 GMT -7
Is much of the drunk driving in Poland done by teenagers, or is it mainly an adult problem? I don't know the statistics for the U.S., but I'd guess that a significant portion of drunk-driving fatal car accidents here are committed by teenagers. I suppose it is mainly adults who drink and drive. They do it after nameday, birthday and wedding parties. The problem with teenage drivers, again boys, is different - they drive too fast, ignoring the fact their ability to drive safely is still very low. One can drive fast and still safely if you know the car, the road and have spent 10 or more years at the steering wheel. The youngsters know nothing. That is why, now and then, there is such news: "4 killed in a tragic car accident. The cause of the accident was speeding. The teenage driver was returning from a disco, carrying 3 friends when he hit a tree after he had lost control of his car on a sharp curve." That is why, drivers between 18 and 25 years of age have to pay a much higher insurance.
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Post by varsovian on Jan 10, 2006 5:48:22 GMT -7
I've got 2 things to say about drink-driving in rural Poland: i) the police always sit outside wedding parties until they are paid off with vodka (I know, believe me!) ii) my wife's uncle was unlucky when stopped for drunk driving - the policeman wanted a 500 zlot bribe, but he didn't have it on him
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piwo
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Post by piwo on Jan 10, 2006 12:03:07 GMT -7
I've got 2 things to say about drink-driving in rural Poland: i) the police always sit outside wedding parties until they are paid off with vodka (I know, believe me!) ii) my wife's uncle was unlucky when stopped for drunk driving - the policeman wanted a 500 zlot bribe, but he didn't have it on him You have jogged my memory! My daughter said that at one Pub they were at (rural), there was a wedding celebration in the adjoining room and outside as it was quite warm, even in the evening. There were police watching this bar! It was in rural area, but still on "blacktop" road. On the last night there, I asked my cousins son to go to the little liquor store to buy a few Piwa as we drank all of their's, and well, that's how it's done. My cousin didn't know we had left, and we got a frantic call on my cell phone, which Marek asked for his son. There was a local man driving his tractor on the gravel road (barely wide enough for the tractor) and he was quite drunk and driving erratically. His dad wanted us to back up and clear the road before he came by, which he did in about 2 minute. Oddly enough, it was right across from the "Pamiątki" below, which sat about 3 feet off the gravel road.
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Post by Eric on Jan 11, 2006 4:57:40 GMT -7
Drunk driving is a problem in Russia, too. Of course, in Russia, so long as you carry enough cash with you, you can get away with anything. Also, if you have a particular license plate, you can drive backwards on the sidewalk and the traffic police not only will let you pass, but they'll clear all the people off the sidewalk for you!
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