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Ploughing one's way through the dross in the papers today, concerning a middle-aged Englishman on business in SA and how he got back to his hotel, one finds an interesting statement. The lady who gave this chap a lift home had "drunk about 8 or so beers and then switched to white wine". If somebody is being investigated for some sort of alleged assault, shouldn't somebody else be investigated for drunken driving or isn't it against the law in SA?
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Ploughing one's way through the dross in the papers today, concerning a middle-aged Englishman on business in SA and how he got back to his hotel, one finds an interesting statement. The lady who gave this chap a lift home had "drunk about 8 or so beers and then switched to white wine". If somebody is being investigated for some sort of alleged assault, shouldn't somebody else be investigated for drunken driving or isn't it against the law in SA?
Yes it is.
Do they stop people? Very rarely these days...
As it happens, I know the "accuser's" fiance - Ebden - who is a git of the first order. Not a great Man U fan, but Sir A doesn't deserve this cr@p.
Man U could be keen NOT to invest money is S africa, after this incident.
Total loss to SA football - immense.
Total money received by the accuser 75K (from the Mirror)
Who loses out?
(rant over)
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I read in one newspaper that this incident wasn't reported until some 7 hours later.
According to the rule of bogush then no problem as she was sober?
Nice to get it from Ian on the spot.
DVD
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On the spot indeed!
By profession, I'm a football writer, so the phone has been ringing off the bl**dy hook all weekend ...
>>I read in one newspaper that this incident wasn't reported until some 7 hours later
Yep, true. After the shyster had spoken to Sir A, and had asked for an apology (go figure...)
Next thing he's on the blower to The Mirror...
And her boyfriend Brian Ebden, a key player in the alleged groping affair, is allegedly experiencing financial difficulties after the collapse of his advertising business.
On Sunday liquidator Bernard Gutman confirmed that ACMP Advertising, a company owned by Ebden, had been placed under liquidation.
Reports suggest that Abrahams and Ebden sold the story of the alleged groping to a British tabloid for as much as R1,2-million (75k in GBP!), and that the negotiations were handled by Ebden.
The Directorate of Public Prosecutions has declined to proceed with charges of indecent assault against Ferguson, saying it was a waste of time.
Director of Public Prosecutions is a guy named Frank Kahn. He is very respected, and is well known for sticking up for the underdog, and also for his strong stand against violence/exploitation of women.
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Thanks for your input Ian - glad to see you are back on the posting scene!
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There are signs in parts of Thailand that read, "If you drink and drive... be careful!" Apparantly drink driving is perfectly acceptable over there and you'll only get prosecuted if you cause some form of accident because, obviously, you weren't being careful.
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Do they stop people? Very rarely these days... On my many visits to the cape I have only been stopped once to enquire if I had been drinking. No hassle then just waved on my way.
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Apologies to the moderatotrs for dragging up this old bit of tat!
However ...
Mr Ebden and his bride did rather well out of the arrangement with certain tabloid papers at the time...
2002 - Brian Ebden and Nadia Abrahams - the couple at the centre of the groping allegations against Manchester United soccer boss Sir Alex Ferguson last month - are driving around Cape Town in flashy new cars.
Ebden has been seen driving a top-of-the-range black BMW X5 four-wheel-drive while 21-year-old Abrahams has been seen cruising in a yellow MG convertible.
... Ebden... refused to entertain questions about the ownership of the vehicles or whether the cars were bought with the money the couple reportedly received from a British tabloid for the exclusive rights to their story. Ok - that's the motoring link!!!!
So, there you go. Make your OWN mind up!
However, if you wish to see MORE of what happened to this delightful couple, read here....
www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_i...3
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Drunk driving is illegal in many countries, but not socially unacceptable in all of them. (I am very thankful that in England, where I live, it's considered socially unacceptable!)
In Spain, for example, the drink drive limit is quite a bit lower than in England, and I believe in principle the penalties are worse, but it's considered socially acceptable and if you get caught it's just "bad luck, don't get caught next time". It's quite frightening when you go out over there (not in tourist holiday spots, but areas/places where the locals go) because (pretty much) everyone driving has been drinking, often quite heavily.
The Police cannot possibly police everyone, so for something not to happen it has to be socially unacceptable.
Speeding is illegal over here (no I'm not comparing speeding to drunk driving), but it's considered (by many/most) to be socailly acceptable, so it happens.
-Mark
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Repeating my post of some time ago: the land of Oz introduced random breath testing long ago. Was there in '88 and our taxi driver was one of many who got the wave to pull up in a layby. He said he had lost count of the number of times he had been through the procedure.
It has apparently concentrate drivers' minds somewhat as the offending rate went down drastically.
I can't remember the breath or blood limits are, but penalties are severe.
As far as I know offenders are regarded as pariahs as in the UK.
Do any other countries have random testing?
Oz (as was)
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Local law enforcement boys (we have THREE sets! National police, the traffic enforcement police, and the City Police) have the right to stop, search, breathylyse, check car for roadworthiness, tax, check you have a drivers license (photocard - which you have to carry on you at all times).
The fact that they rarely do it is beside the point - they have the RIGHT to do it.
Around Xmas time, when everybody is on holiday, they'll put up roadblocks and everyone gets stopped. Any suspicion, the blow-in-here-sir routine, and it's off to the caravan on the side of the road, where you are blood-tested and charged straight away if Over The Limit.
And as mentioned in other threads - you do NOT want to be arrested and put in a local holding cell overnight ...
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hey it could be worse!
"the penalties dished out here in Cairns, Queensland, are nothing compared to some other places around the world. In Bulgaria, if a person is caught drink driving for a second time they are executed. In El Salvador, South America, your first offence is your last courtesy of a firing squad. Malaysian authorities jail the driver and his wife if he is married. And in Japan, expect a hefty fine or 3 months to 2 years imprisonment with hard labour. "
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