DESPITE repeated police efforts to increase awareness on the dangers of drink driving, motorists do not seem to be getting the message, with 81 caught at the weekend.
Twenty-seven drivers were charged in the Limassol district, 18 in the Paphos district, 17 in the Nicosia district, 17 in the Famagusta district and two in the Larnaca district.
Motorists polled regarding the issue had varied views, with the majority more concerned about how to dodge police rather than the dangers of drinking driving.
Andreas Georgiou, 35, admitted that on Friday night he had had five vodkas. He then drove both himself and his girlfriend home.
“We went to about four different places and so taking a taxi would have been a hassle. Besides it would also have been cheaper to have paid the fine if I was caught than for four taxi fares if you think about it.”
Asked what sort of price he placed on a life if had he killed someone, Georgiou said: “You can’t put a price on that. God forbid it would happen though.”
Maria Andreou, 27, enjoys going out drinking with a close girlfriend of hers at the weekend. Although Andreou is fully aware of the dangers of drink driving, she still does it. She just doesn’t know why.
“I don’t know. I know it’s stupid but because my house is really near the club I go to… I drive really, really slowly when I’ve been drinking though and when you’re going slowly there’s more chance of being able to control something happening.” She also drives her friend home, who happens to be the mother of a young child.
Andreou’s friend is not the only one who entrusts her life into the hands of someone who has been drinking.
Ioanna Thomas, 32, is another one.
“I never drink drive but I refuse to take a taxi, so I catch a lift with a friend of mine,” she said.
Asked whether her designated drivers ever drank, Thomas said they did.
“They’re going to get caught by police not me. That’s why I don’t take my car. I guess it is stupid because it’s dangerous, but things are so close by here that it seems pointless to take a taxi,” she said.
Christos Yiangou said he could never be 100 per cent sure where police set up their roadblocks but was aware of the basic spots.
“You can’t ever be totally sure, but you can have an idea and so avoid them,” he said.
Yiangou, 39, said he’d actually be stopped once but had “thankfully” been able to get away without having a breathalyzer.
“I was well over the limit that time and would have been done for sure but I got away with it thank God,” he said.
Tony Michaelidou, 30, was the only one who no longer drank alcohol if he was driving and would not allow a drunk driver to take him home either.
“I just won’t risk it any more. I used to do it but it’s probably the stupidest thing I could do. Sure I sometimes feel it’s a hassle because calling for a taxi is a pain, but I’d rather that than kill someone or have myself killed,” he said.
“I was out on Saturday night and remember turning to my friend and laughing that loads of people would be booked that night because almost everyone was drinking and most of them had their cars parked outside. The thing is when I drove home I was shocked to find there were no police carrying out alcohol tests, when they could have quite easily been parked up the road from the club blocking anyone from trying to dodge them,” he added.
