Drinking and driving
Sir: Criticisms of my letter of 13 October show how much confusion the new law has caused—no man clearly knows whether he is breaking it or not. Indeed, the decision not to offer for sale to the general public the same breathalysers as used by the police, has made confusion twice con- founded.
What your correspondents overlook, is that the new law sets a precedent that social conduct and behaviour of the citizen is now subject to pro- scribed limits, which can be arbitrarily decreed by the whim of a minister with authoritarian powers —without further recourse to Parliament.
What none of them answer is the question as to whether the new regulations are worth while.
Predictions as to their lack of effect appear to have been borne out by the fact that road casualty admittances to London hospitals are reported to have fallen in the first week by only 2 per cent, and this a week in which the public at large were scared to drink at all!
Time I believe will prove that we have suffered a major, yet quite unnecessary, infringement of individual freedom—for a marginal saving in road accidents.
Your editorial (20 October) rightly concentrated on the principles effected by this new legislation —others appear to strain at gnats and swallow camels.
Nigel Vinson The Old Vicarage. Upton Grey, Basingstoke, Hampshire
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