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Saturday July 31, 2010

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Call to breathalyse 'drink-walkers'

Posted by: Tom Elliott for 3AW.com.au | 3 June, 2009 - 4:33 PM


In the Herald-Sun today, a father of 3 named Mike Cockburn says because Melbourne has become so violent at night a new law he calls ‘drink walking’ should be enacted.

Under this law, police would have the right to breathalyse pedestrians whom the suspect of being drunk, and if over the limit – Mr Cockburn suggests a blood alcohol level of 0.08 – then the offenders, like drink drivers, could be locked up.

Now we all know that public drunkenness and the violence that often accompanies it is a major problem. But is a form of prohibition – which is what this ‘drink walking’ idea amounts to – really the answer?

For every idiot who gets drunk and acts foolishly, there are many people who enjoy a few drinks and get themselves home without causing any problems at all.
This sensible majority should not have to pay a heavy price for the stupid actions of a few.

By all means the police should arrest and lock up drunks who behave badly in public – but breathalysing pedestrians doing nothing more than walking home is a big step in the wrong direction.

Blog comments Your Say

  • Mike - what's next, random drug testing in suburbia or on the streets? I can see you would fit in well with some sections of the Police hierarchy~! Your idea is absolute lunacy to the extreme~! My advice to you is simple - GET A LIFE~!

    Lenny Wednesday 1 July, 2009 - 11:33 AM

  • Mark, there is already sufficient ‘street offences’ legislation to cover any possible situation, as in drunk & disorderly, offensive behaviour, indecent language etc. As to giving Police MORE power, you have GOT to be joking~! Let me enlighten your ‘Pro-Police’, totally misguided limited mentality: YOU may have a selective short memory, but the rest of us still recall an event that occurred on August 7th 1994, when Vic Police ‘raided’ the Tasty night club in the city. Patrons were not only unlawfully detained for over 7 HOURS, but they were also strip and cavity searched in FULL view of other patrons, INTENTIONALLY humiliated, and in some cases brutalized by ARMED members of Victoria Police. This event had nothing to do with law & order, this was nothing more than an orchestrated attack against the gay, transgender, and some well known identities in the community, purely to satisfy homophobic individuals within senior ranks of Victoria Police~! Damages in the vicinity of 10 MILLION were awarded against Vic Police, and sections of the legal fraternity felt it would have been significantly higher, had all affected parties come forward~! The demented IDIOT who organized & directed that raid should have been INSTANTLY sacked~! Don’t talk to me about giving Police more powers, when they already abuse their existing powers~!

    Lenny Wednesday 1 July, 2009 - 10:38 AM

  • DUI is an offence for someone in a wheelchair. Why not for cyclists and pedestrians?

    JJS Thursday 11 June, 2009 - 4:17 PM

  • Lenny, where is the penalising? No one is proposing to stop you from drinking or gambling. I have every confidence that you can drink and gamble absolutely responsibly...
    You now know that being over 08 as a pedestrian is unsafe. I have references to prove it. So, why do you feel so hostile to this proposal? Aren't you interested in saving the lives of pedestrians, affected by binge drinking and alcohol fuelled violence? People over 08 are getting killed on roads and public transport daily Lenny. Kids are rotting their brains with permanent injuries because of their binge drinking. Taxpayers have to pick up a series of never ending bills for their care. Check out pedestrian08.org Lenny and read all about it.
    Mike Cockburn
    www.pedestrian08.org

    Mike Tuesday 9 June, 2009 - 1:43 PM

  • Mike, I've gotta ask - when you suddenly had this 'brilliant' thought, was there a full moon? There are people who manage to drink and gamble without any problem, so why should the rest of the population be penalised. This reminds me of the same mentality that exists in the bible belt of Southern USA, and just as insane~!

    Lenny Monday 8 June, 2009 - 1:14 PM

  • this is an ingenious idea!! if only more people thought like mr. cockburn.

    grace Saturday 6 June, 2009 - 1:33 PM

  • See pedestrian08.org for a more complete argument on this. No one is proposing prohibition. No one is passing a negative judgement on whether u drink or dont drink. Irrelevant. What matters is that at and below 08, you are safe to walk home, you are less likely to throw a punch or brawl and you dont have the scope in a social sense to get involved with Binge Drinking. All 3 issues are connected.
    Regards to all.
    Mike Cockburn
    pedestrian08.org

    Mike Thursday 4 June, 2009 - 8:45 PM

  • "For every idiot who gets drunk and acts foolishly, there are many people who enjoy a few drinks and get themselves home without causing any problems at all."

    Heard this on the radio yesterday, and the flaw in the argument seemed pretty damn blatant: what's the difference between saying what's in the quote above and saying "for every idiot who gets drunk and acts foolishly BEHIND THE WHEEL, there are many people who enjoy a few drinks and get themselves home without causing any problems at all." Not saying "drink walking" is the solution by any stretch, but your logic - or lack of - is baffling. When 9 out of 10 people drink drive OR drink walk without having any issues, it doesn't mean action need not be taken.

    Brad Thursday 4 June, 2009 - 1:41 PM

  • This person is nuts,get in the real world every person likes a good frendly drink.

    bazza Thursday 4 June, 2009 - 8:47 AM

  • Next thing we wont be able to leave our own home if you have had a few beers - ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS - dont listen to this fool

    Tony Thursday 4 June, 2009 - 8:24 AM

  • cockburn. how appropriate.

    gbh Thursday 4 June, 2009 - 12:45 AM

  • Oh please is the guy for real. I wonder does he have a drink probably not!!

    bev Thursday 4 June, 2009 - 12:21 AM

  • Yes. but maybe 1.0 to 1.5 and charge them with Drunk and Disorderly. Remember that offence (no one else seems to).

    Chris Wednesday 3 June, 2009 - 10:25 PM

  • Its suggestions like this classic moronic one that prove some people need to find some constructive use of their free time~! Since when has Victoria become a Police State? The offence of Drunk and Disorderly is quite sufficient~!

    Lenny Wednesday 3 June, 2009 - 9:04 PM

  • It's about time this happened. There are too many fools spoiling other peoples night out just because they have to get plastered.

    Mark Wednesday 3 June, 2009 - 7:57 PM

  • Here we go,

    Baby boomers trying to stop Gen Y doing what they used to do.

    In the 70's our road toll was hire than now and less cars where on the road.

    100% Discos Wednesday 3 June, 2009 - 7:09 PM

  • That's interesting, because Vic Police will have to actually get out of their Hummers and do the good old fashioned street patrols...Im all for it if it means more police on the beat!

    Maneesh Wednesday 3 June, 2009 - 6:39 PM

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