Alcohol service on ferries outrageous
The proposal to sell alcohol beverages with your buffet meals is outrageous, for a one hour and 35 minute ferry ride.
ICBC and B.C. Ferries are both taxpayer-owned Crown corporations. ICBC spends mega dollars in counter attack driving programs and B.C. Ferries is promoting the opposite in more alcohol sales.
A person’s blood alcohol level is the result of a complex interaction of weight, gender, alcohol consumed, and time. Stats taken from the National Highway Traffic System Administration shows a 100 pound man is impaired after one drink. After two drinks a 100 pound man is legally intoxicated. Men weighing between 120 and 200 pounds are impaired after two drinks. In women, weighing between 100 and 120 pounds are impaired after one drink. After two drinks, they are legally intoxicated. Women weighing between 140 to 240 pounds are impaired after two drinks.
B.C. Ferries says that everyone who buys the alcohol drinks will be limited to two drinks only. How is this going to be monitored? Why? An example is a husband and wife both buy their food and pay for two drinks each. The wife might not feel up to finishing her drinks, so her husband finishes the drinks instead. The husband has now consumed four drinks, and when the ferry docks, will be driving off the ferry after consuming four drinks.
Also we all know that people that take medical medications also take occasional alcohol drinks. Medication and alcohol do not co-operate with each other. Everyone reacts differently to alcohol consumption. Remember impaired driving is anything under 0.8 per cent alcohol blood content and 0.8 per cent and up is legally intoxicated.
In summary, two taxpayer-owned corporations doing the opposite to each other is just plain Mickey Mouse. Road blocks can happen at anytime. If ferry drivers meet a road block in their travels, are they going to lie to the police officer when asked have you had anything to drink? I don’t think so. Canada wide law now in effect allows the police officers to obtain a breathalyzer test from drivers at any time they so wish. Unbelievable!
Joe Sawchuk
Duncan