alcohol limit

[Nine of Hearts]

Agreed, but it's not 8ft is it. If you're on a 70ft NB it's 78ft. What's the stopping distance, not counting the reaction time, of a 70ft NB at 4mph? I bet it's about the same as a modern car at 50mph on a dry road.

Yes, but we're talking about the effects of drink, and the reason there's a low threshold for driving is beacuse drink affects your reaction time. Even though the stopping distance for a narrowboat is what, about 10 yards on full reverse prop? This means that if you're stone-cold sober you take 10 yards to stop, if you're a little bit tiddly (1 second is quite pissed, actually), it takes you 12. It are not the same ball park. Of course, if the chap in the other boat is short-sighted and blotto, too, you've got 4 yards to account for. Cloing! Oh dear.

[Machpoint005]

Agreed, but it's not just reaction time, it's impairment of judgment that's the problem.

 

Ian

[Teadaemon]

Agreed, but it's not just reaction time, it's impairment of judgment that's the problem.

 

Ian

 

I think impairment of judgement is actually a bigger problem in this context than impairment of reaction times. After all, reaction times are only important if you decide that you need to react.

[saltysplash]

Agreed, but it's not just reaction time, it's impairment of judgment that's the problem.

 

Ian

 

all very true but, were not talking about 4mph. yes 4mph if your lucky, 3 if your doing well, down to say 1 and a half when turning tight bends? you dont have seconds to react such as on a road. you have minutes. The most dangerous spot is most certainly working locks, but there is no legislation for the worker. so whats the point in that?

 

I still maintain there isnt a problem and current legislation is already inplace to deal with any incident which endangers a vessel

[Nine of Hearts]

Agreed, but it's not just reaction time, it's impairment of judgment that's the problem.

 

Ian

There's a boat coming the other way. You've got a tiller and a throttle. You're not exactly awash with options, are you?

 

Perhaps we should legislate against piloting a craft whilst clinically dead.

 

(This is meant to be a joke, by the way, I'm having a pop at no-one)