NationStates

So this happened a few streets away from where I live, and I don’t like it at all.

A Beaudesert man has been fined $173 by Queensland Police for drinking water from a 600ml plastic bottle at the wheel.

Brock Harris had finished a 12-hour day at work when he got into his car to drive home and found his air conditioner was not working.

"I stopped and bought a bottle of water and as I was pulling into my street I was pulled over by the police and told it was illegal to drink anything while driving,"

https://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2019-10- ... YpMADK_liw

I think it’s pretty crap and we need to allow people the chance to drink water.

This is absolutely ridiculous. Imagine fining someone for drinking water, this is too far.

We must examine what the law actually requires on this matter. Was it within the law? It is egregious either way, but the fine is justified if it is in line with the law. That being said, maybe the law ought to be reconsidered. It also might prevent distractions while driving that lead to fatalities.

Samadhi wrote:So this happened a few streets away from where I live, and I don’t like it at all.

A Beaudesert man has been fined $173 by Queensland Police for drinking water from a 600ml plastic bottle at the wheel.

Brock Harris had finished a 12-hour day at work when he got into his car to drive home and found his air conditioner was not working.

"I stopped and bought a bottle of water and as I was pulling into my street I was pulled over by the police and told it was illegal to drink anything while driving,"

https://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2019-10- ... YpMADK_liw

I think it’s pretty crap and we need to allow people the chance to drink water.

Australia is safe and cops are bored..

Samadhi wrote:So this happened a few streets away from where I live, and I don’t like it at all.

A Beaudesert man has been fined $173 by Queensland Police for drinking water from a 600ml plastic bottle at the wheel.

Brock Harris had finished a 12-hour day at work when he got into his car to drive home and found his air conditioner was not working.

"I stopped and bought a bottle of water and as I was pulling into my street I was pulled over by the police and told it was illegal to drink anything while driving,"

https://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2019-10- ... YpMADK_liw

I think it’s pretty crap and we need to allow people the chance to drink water.

There is surely no way that is gonna stick.

This is ridiculous. Water isn't going to affect someone's ability to drive.

Geneviev wrote:This is ridiculous. Water isn't going to affect someone's ability to drive.

Well, now you’re just plain wrong.

https://www.thezebra.com/distracted-driving-statistics/

So three times more likely to crash when eating or drinking while driving.

If one wants to drink/ eat: Park the car. Have a break and drink/ eat in peace.

It's the operating a vehicle while drinking part which is fined. Not the water part.

Whats really happening is that this police department is cash strapped or has some ticket quota to try to fill.

They obviously wouldn't care if they didn't see it happen. This person was basically unlucky or too careless as to get caught. This is one of those crimes that is harder to enforce because the vast majority of the time, it goes unnoticed or is ignored out of hand. One cop was basically shaking him down for money, they couldn't if whatever he was doing wasn't fineable according to the legalese of that location.

Drinks aren't all that good for driving though, you'll want to urinate more at a faster rate if you drink anything. Thats more distraction compared to not.

I've got to say, this is on the legislature's part. Somehow, somewhere, your legislature found itself a nice pile of abandoned Colombian crack cocaine, and now people are being arrested for drinking water.

Thepeopl wrote:https://www.thezebra.com/distracted-driving-statistics/

So three times more likely to crash when eating or drinking while driving.

If one wants to drink/ eat: Park the car. Have a break and drink/ eat in peace.

It's the operating a vehicle while drinking part which is fined. Not the water part.

Three times almost never is still almost never.

lmao Queensland.

You can't drink anything in the car in Australia?

Wow, that is stupid. I break that law everyday, thankfully i'm not in such a police state as Oz, though!

Samadhi wrote:

Thepeopl wrote:https://www.thezebra.com/distracted-driving-statistics/

So three times more likely to crash when eating or drinking while driving.

If one wants to drink/ eat: Park the car. Have a break and drink/ eat in peace.

It's the operating a vehicle while drinking part which is fined. Not the water part.

Three times almost never is still almost never.

Erm, no? Car crashes are not rare occurrences.

It's illegal to drink water while driving in Australia? Jeez Australia, nanny state much? Though no doubt this is coming to America sooner or later.

Back when some places banned hands free cellphone use in cars I ''joked'' to people they'll next ban talking to passengers in your car, but now I'm thinking it might not be a joke.

Kowani wrote:

Geneviev wrote:This is ridiculous. Water isn't going to affect someone's ability to drive.

Well, now you’re just plain wrong.

Yeah. If you drive and you haven’t drank any water, you would crash because you would be dead.

Salandriagado wrote:

Samadhi wrote:
Three times almost never is still almost never.

Erm, no? Car crashes are not rare occurrences.

How many you had this week

Geneviev wrote:This is ridiculous. Water isn't going to affect someone's ability to drive.

Having a bottle in your face and your head tilted back might.

Pacomia wrote:

Kowani wrote:Well, now you’re just plain wrong.

Yeah. If you drive and you haven’t drank any water, you would crash because you would be dead.

And if your car was full of water it would be pretty hard to drive.

But seriously. the issue here is distracted driving, not that it was water.

Ifreann wrote:

Geneviev wrote:This is ridiculous. Water isn't going to affect someone's ability to drive.

Having a bottle in your face and your head tilted back might.

I don't know how you drink water, but moving a bottle infrequently to my lips isn't massively going to increase my risk.

Are we going to fine people for the distraction of changing gears in a manual too?

Samadhi wrote:

Ifreann wrote:Having a bottle in your face and your head tilted back might.

I don't know how you drink water, but moving a bottle infrequently to my lips isn't massively going to increase my risk.

Are we going to fine people for the distraction of changing gears in a manual too?

I don't think driving the car constitutes a distraction from driving the car.

Geneviev wrote:This is ridiculous. Water isn't going to affect someone's ability to drive.

Driving with only one hand and distracted might.

This is ridiculous, why would they do this? The legislators responsible should be jailed and...

Notices this is Australia

Oh. Yeah not surprised.

Katganistan wrote:

Geneviev wrote:This is ridiculous. Water isn't going to affect someone's ability to drive.

Driving with only one hand and distracted might.

For a few seconds at a time.
It's literally less of a distraction than the difference between driving a manual and a automatic.

Samadhi wrote:

Katganistan wrote:Driving with only one hand and distracted might.

For a few seconds at a time.
It's literally less of a distraction than the difference between driving a manual and a automatic.

No it isn't. Changing gear in a manual car is pure muscle memory. Drinking isn't. Drinking distracts you. As to the "few seconds" comment: how many seconds, exactly, do you think it takes to fuck up and kill someone?