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Old 13th August 2010, 06:59   #121
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Alcohol on the roads...

I feel compelled to post this after reading 4 trip reports on 3 different forums where alcohol consumption has become the high point of the report!

Many of us on a forum like this love to head out on the open roads, head out into the hills and beyond. Putting the windshield down, flooring the throttles and feeling the wind on our face gives us a high! I am no tee-totaller but do we really need to add alcohol and drugs to this mix?

So alright, we have a few drinks and maybe some other barely legal intoxicants! After a hard days ride, alcohol may help relax the mind a little bit and help us get some sleep so we are ready in the morning for another day. But can we atleast promote a culture of safe riding/driving and responsible drinking?

Many bike clubs, especially those with *ahem* "bigger bikes" in particular, seem to promote a culture of this kind of unsafe behavior. Maybe not openly but more subtly by making consumption of alcohol and drugs seem like the cool macho thing to do. Despite publicly professing a responsible position, forum signatures like "A real rider should have no blood in his alcohol stream" (or something to that effect) and organising night-rides/drives where the consumption of alcohol and drugs seems to be the raison-de-etre of the ride make the claims of being responsible rather hollow sounding. The typical "night-ride" goes something like this: ride out towards Tamhini Ghat after 9 pm, sit at a chosen location with some fantastic views and then... pull out the booze and polish off a large quantity of alcohol before riding back the 65 odd kms in the wee hours of the morning. I have been on some rides like these and have been deeply uncomfortable about the situation. A night-ride to Tamhini is a lot of fun, especially on a full moon night. But do we need to add alcohol and hash to the mix to make it enjoyable? Is this responsible? The first gift i received on my birthday from the club was a hip-flask! And atleast one such bike club actually has a separate thread running on its yahoo-group on arranging for alcohol before the "Independence Day ride" which happens to be a dry day! Without going into naming and shaming, there was this bunch of RX riders, some of them members of this forum, going out for a round of rubber burning near Bandra-Kurla complex after a drinks session. I can never forget being cornered on a TV show (NDTV) while trying to unsuccessfully defend the biker community after this shameful incident. I mean where are we getting to people? What is this culture we are promoting?

But its not just bikers on "big bikes" being irresponsible. It applies to many 4-wheeler drivers as well. I have earlier posted about an experience where a Silver colored Scorpio with TBHP stickers swerving to the extreme left on the expressway and throwing out an empty beer bottle! The dudes inside were clearly drinking but by throwing an empty beer bottle they put others at risk as well. It could have hit the vehicle coming from behind!

Then again, I have been on so many OTR's where after a hard days work on Saturday evening, we head out for an OTR session. The idea behind leaving on Sat is to maximise the amount of time available for the OTR on sunday. Instead we find people drinking through the night getting little or no sleep whatsoever, and then heading out for a punishing OTR session in the morning! Consider the situation: Heading out for a physically and mentally challenging OTR session having had little or no rest in the past 24 hours and having consumed alcohol barely 3 hours before! I have seen some people, while heading back from one such OTR swerving wildly from side to side on the expressway trying to fight off fatigue and alcohol induced sleep! Is this safe?

Like everything else in life, alcohol is best enjoyed in moderation. There is nothing "macho" about drinking and driving/riding or punishing our bodies by sleep denial. On this Independence Day, let us resolve as a forum to desist from promoting such irresponsible behavior and instead promote a culture of safe driving/riding. Let us resolve to keep needless references to alcohol out of our trip logs. While on OTR's/Rides, let us actively promote safe riding/driving practices.

Thank you.

Last edited by COUGAR : 13th August 2010 at 07:13.
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Old 13th August 2010, 07:46   #122
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I wholeheartedly agree. I feel his particular problem arises because it combines three sought after things we like- Driving, location and freedom from supervision. The last two inadvertently points to liquor to which they add lack of self control.

Why are we so desperate that we want to resort to escapism at every opportunity?
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Old 13th August 2010, 09:02   #123
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Please peel off your Team-Bhp stickers once you sell off your Car/Motorcycle.
You never know in which hands shall they land in.
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Old 13th August 2010, 10:14   #124
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Much needed thread, COUGAR.
Entirely agree with you. I totally abstain from alcohol on any long highway trip.
I think we need a team-bhp sticker that advises against drunken driving too!
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Old 13th August 2010, 10:30   #125
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Some people are born irresponsible. Education or any sort of moral values doesn't deter them from doing what they wish.
Regardless of whether being a T-Bhpian or a member of any other community/club/group, they never ever bother to follow the rules and nevertheless pose a threat to others life too.
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Old 13th August 2010, 10:44   #126
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hvkumar View Post
Much needed thread, COUGAR.
Entirely agree with you. I totally abstain from alcohol on any long highway trip.
I think we need a team-bhp sticker that advises against drunken driving too!
I second this opinion. not only drinkin & driving, but drinking before driving is also a serious offense, considering the safety of others on road.

Its time people realized this fact, i see another thread running on team-bhp, where our member's bro got involved in a bike accident while DUI !
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Old 13th August 2010, 10:56   #127
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kri$hna View Post
I second this opinion. not only drinkin & driving, but drinking before driving is also a serious offense, considering the safety of others on road.

Its time people realized this fact, i see another thread running on team-bhp, where our member's bro got involved in a bike accident while DUI !
Kri$hna, drinking and driving doesn't mean drinking and driving at the same time!

We need a "No Alcohol" added to TBHP stickers.
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Old 13th August 2010, 11:20   #128
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Well said COUGAR!!

I was shocked when my 23 year old cousin, who is having a bullet and they have a group in South, told that they had a get together, seniors served "Grass" and then went for a ride!! Though my cousin told he didn't take it, but agreed that he had few pegs before riding. I really felt sorry for him and shame on me for such a person riding his vehicle. Don't know, may be I am getting older to accept all these things. Stay away, at least when you are driving!!

With thanks and regards
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Old 13th August 2010, 11:25   #129
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We need something like this gadget, but a complete fool proof system
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/intern...k-driving.html
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/intern...ated-road.html

But then what about other vehicles such as motorcycles? Automotive industry has grown up several folds in last century, but its little embarassing to see the technology hasn't served the purpose on detecting alcohol.

Last evening I was at a workshop that was in between TASMAC & a fast food outlet. Actually its not even worth mentioning here, but still, every single soul in that entire region has a small of alcohol when they spoke; most of them were speaking with sense even with that & some of them even were riding their motorcycles after that.

My point - Cops could've easily come over there every evening to mint some money from these guys who ride after their evening drink. Why didn't they do?

Last edited by aargee : 13th August 2010 at 11:31.
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Old 13th August 2010, 11:33   #130
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When i was returning from Chalakudy via Adhirapalli to Valparai, i could see numerous WagonRs, Santro's parked in the road sides, blaring music(hatch door open), having a -OH party by the roadside. One subhuman moron was too excited and he was dancing in the middle of the road with a bottle, and when i horned, he started showing faces and then his friends pacified him.
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Old 13th August 2010, 18:10   #131
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I always make it a point to not drive after drinking. Apart from a couple of occasions (when I had no more than a pint or two), my family and friends have always helped me maintain this abstinence.

But yeah, as COUGAR said... Bulleteers who think drinking and riding is cool are the lamest guys around.

Last edited by GTO : 24th September 2010 at 16:53. Reason: Removing line on friends drinking in the car. Lets avoid please
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Old 23rd September 2010, 18:15   #132
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I am no saint and openly admit that i have consumed a few pints and driven back. That was a long time ago, as a youngster in college. 5 years down the line, i trust MERU cabs! Bangalore has become strict too on this clamp down. Besides, on a weekend after mid night, the roads are full of maniacs and road rage is high. Why risk all that, let the cabbie take me home
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Old 10th December 2010, 13:37   #133
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Re: Drink and drive? Go straight to JAIL!

Well, now if you drive drunk, you will also be PHOTOGRAPHED at the time of offense. Reason : An enterprising businessman, who was caught driving drunk, had his employee appear in court and sit out the Jail sentence. The poor employee was diabetic, and couldn't sustain the conditions in jail. Result? He died!!!

Your photograph will be produced in court to ascertain the right identity.

Source : TOI.
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Old 11th December 2010, 14:35   #134
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Re: Drink and drive? Go straight to JAIL!

Further to the previous post, there's another update : Drink and Drive? Get your photograph taken, go to Jail and pay a 6,000 rupee fine! Yup, proposal for hike in the fine has been approved.

Source : Today's edition of the Times of India
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Old 11th December 2010, 15:01   #135
 
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Re: Drink and drive? Go straight to JAIL!

GOOD! That is exactly what should be done! I hate people who drink and drive. And I dont use the word Hate that often!!!
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