drink driving

[peacelily59]

can anyone clue me up on this I lost my driving licence due to drink driving and am now classed as a hro (high risk offender) I failed a medical last year and was told I have to completely abstain from alcohol for a whole year surely I can have the odd pint now and then

[Miche49uk]

Hi there,

There is a site that is dedicated to questions such as this forum.drinkdriving.org/ where you will hopefully get answers.

I know the blood test you will have had as part of your medical is a CDT test and it will pick up alcohol usage going back a few months maximum unless they've changed it.

It's not the same as ordinary liver function tests such as GGT being elevated through alcohol.

I would post there as they are really helpful.

If you have a liver problem then obviously this is the place that you will get lots of support.

Best wishes,

Michelle

[peacelily59 in reply to Miche49uk]

thanks

[Miche49uk in reply to peacelily59]

Welcome, but I do want to say that explaining the CDT blood test I certainly wouldn't want to put ideas in your head about drinking.

Richards words make a lot of sense.

All the best,

Michelle

[peacelily59 in reply to Miche49uk]

naw I don't need anybody to put ideas in my head,i am quite capable of ruining my life all by myself ha ha thanks for your concern,I want my licence back so I am going to be good cheers

[Miche49uk in reply to peacelily59]

Glad to hear it, take care.

Best wishes,

Michelle

[Hidden]

Hi there peacelily, firstly your not alone. I too have been there and I think there are two points to your question. Firstly there's the offence. I don't know how long your ban was for. But I can guess that it was for either being over the limited, or refusing to take a test in the first place. This means that you were a risk to other road users and pedestrian, and your vehicle became a potential weapon. The court imposed a ban as a punishment, and to enable you to learn from your mistake.

In my opinion, this should have been a wake-up call and made you look at your lifestyle. It sounds like your are maybe struggling to come to terms with a possible life of sobriety. If you still wish to continue to drink, then there's something wrong. I think it costs £125 to reapply for your license, and then you have to pay a further £68+ for a nominated doctor to assess you and for the compulsory Liver Function Test. Is it really worth the risk of failing to get your license back just for the sake of a few drinks. Knowing what I know now. I certainly wouldn't risk it. And it wont just stop there, even if your get your license back, you'll be known to the police and for a while you'll be stopped on a regular bases.

In order to accept my own problem, I had to take a step back and take a long hard look at my life. Every bad thing that's ever happened to me, alcohol was never far away and was the cause for every thing that had gone wrong.

Good Luck and please think on what I'm trying to say especially over the forthcoming Christmas period.

[peacelily59 in reply to Hidden]

thanks mate some sound advice , it is my 60th birthday in January which I will be celebrating after that I am chucking it and I will reapply in august thanks

[1football]

Hi

Not sure this is the site for you,alcohol has been a major part in a lot of illness for many on here so i can’t see you getting the thumbs up to have the odd pint as you put it.there is nothing wrong or to be ashamed about by completely stopping drinking! It will greatly improve not only your health but your wallet as well ,let alone being able to drive when you want with no worries regards being over the limit.

Of course it’s your decision but if you really want to drink then should you be considering applying for your licence again?

I know some of my words seem blunt but that’s me.

There is hell out there for you if you want it

Best of luck and please take care

[1football in reply to 1football]

Hell = help sorry

[scampi2122]

Unfortunately, I know rather a lot about this, the DVLA has just revoked my licence until I have been clean for over a year. This is because they have a category called 'alcohol dependent' rather that 'alcohol misuse/abuse'. I have NOt had a medical, my GP could see not problem with me applying to the DVLA. I will challenge their decision. I have not had a drink for almost 7mths I intend to try and remain abstinent for the rest of my life. As you must have been put in the 'dependent' category, I would advise you try yr best to remain abstinent, not just for your driving license, but for your health.

[peacelily59 in reply to scampi2122]

thank you for your reply , you are right I must be on the dependent category,even thougth I had only two cans of lager over seven months my gp informed dvla that I used to suffer withdrawel symptoms when I was drinking heavily so that explains it thanks again

[19581979]

Your life,your choices. They are not easy to make we all know that.

For what it's worth, if you can't imagine having Christmas and your birthday without a few drinks, you may be better off planning your life without driving. Special events will always be coming along where you will want to have a drink so you don't feel like you are missing out.

For what it's worth I do know what it is like to give up drinking. I had to do it 36 years ago due to a sinus problem. I had the odd sip, and I mean one very tiny drop, a few times over the years, to see if I could drink and I couldn't. So I know giving it up is hard.

I have been places where I could have done with a little help relaxing, the kind you get from booze, especially when others are drinking. It has meant I was often the nominated driver, but, it also meant I knew I'd be clean if I was ever stopped. I once had police see me pull out of a pub and follow me 8 miles before they stopped following me. If they had pulled me over I would not have had an alcohol issue to deal with on top of what other issue they would have pulled me over for. I am as you will have worked out about the same age as you so I have a lot to celebrate next year, without alcohol.

I'm sure you don't want to be a risk to yourself and others by drinking and driving. I'm also sure you don't want to keep being stopped by the police. I can't imagine how embarrassed I'd be if a friend or someone I was trying to impress was with me and that happened and I had to be tested.

You are also well aware that alcohol can damage liver or you wouldn't have come to this site.

So I go back to what I said, your life, your choices, oh yes, and your responsibility and accountability.

I wish you well and all the best with your choices. I know it isn't easy.

Gx

[peacelily59 in reply to 19581979]

thanks for your reply what you say makes a lot of sense, I am in control of my drinking now and would never dream of going near a car now with alcohol in me too much to lose,not just for me it could be an innocent party and I could not live with that thanks again

[19581979 in reply to peacelily59]

Good luck.

just remember it takes several hours for alcohol to get out of your system. I believe some conditions can give distorted readings of alcohol so you need to be really careful.

To help you really know you are in control of the drinking, it might not hurt to go a complete 4 weeks without any before the holiday season. You can then prove to yourself you can do it. Saying is easy, doing ain't. Especially if you are trying to stop doing it around others.

Say you are stopping for charity or something and get sponsorship, to give you an insensitive and help get others off your back and saying go on, one won't hurt.

Again good luck.

Gx

[peacelily59 in reply to 19581979]

thanks for your reply, when I get my license back I will not even have a half pint if I am driving,i have waited over five years to get my license back,and driving is my passion,so I am not going to mess up again,besides I don't really enjoy drink that much now anyway,i will have much more fun touring around Scotland ,I will try the four weeks abstinence though thanks again

[19581979 in reply to peacelily59]

You are welcome. Enjoy Scotland when you can it is a beautiful part of the U.K. .

Good luck and just remember to take care of yourself.

Gx

[Cc69]

No you need to be totally abstinent to get your license back. Blood will be tested which you will have to pay for. Then you will have to resit your whole driving license test. Good luck.