As bars gear up for big crowds on St. Patrick's Day Thursday, area law enforcement agencies say they will use grant money to fund additional patrols for drunk drivers.
In fact, the Ohio State Highway Patrol will dispatch additional troopers and will be working with the City of Toledo to crack down on drunk driving within in city limits. Oregon Police and the Wood County Sheriff will also have extra patrols.
Ohio State Highway Patrol Lt. John Altman encourages people to plan ahead before going out and drinking. He says he wants folks to plan ahead and use common sense on Saint Patrick's Day.
Area bars are doing their part to keep people from drinking and driving.
Ed Beczynski, who owns the Blarney in downtown Toledo, said his bartenders are trained to know when to cut someone off.
"We want them to come here and have a great time, but we need to get them home safe, so they can get here again," said Beczynski.
The Irish Pub is working with the Black and White Cab to have a taxi stand in front of the building for anyone who cannot or should not drive.
SOURCE
Showing posts with label Bars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bars. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Ex-baseball player to be sentenced in drunk driving case
Former Yankee and World Series hero Jim Leyritz will be sentenced Thursday afternoon for a drunk driving conviction.
A south Florida jury found Leyritz guilty of driving drunk in November but he was acquitted of a more serious charge of manslaughter.
The ex-baseball player could still face a maximum of six months in prison, but that's far short of the 15 years he could have faced for hitting and killing 30-year-old Freida Veitch while driving drunk.
Leyritz was emotional when the verdict was read on November 20. After hearing the verdict he walked over and thanked jurors.
According to court documents, the incident began as a 2007 nighttime celebration for Leyritz, who was ringing in his 44th birthday with friends in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, bars.
While driving a friend home shortly after 3 a.m. on December 28, 2007, his red 2006 Ford Expedition hit Veitch's vehicle. She was thrown from her dark green 2000 Mitsubishi Montero.
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A south Florida jury found Leyritz guilty of driving drunk in November but he was acquitted of a more serious charge of manslaughter.
The ex-baseball player could still face a maximum of six months in prison, but that's far short of the 15 years he could have faced for hitting and killing 30-year-old Freida Veitch while driving drunk.
Leyritz was emotional when the verdict was read on November 20. After hearing the verdict he walked over and thanked jurors.
According to court documents, the incident began as a 2007 nighttime celebration for Leyritz, who was ringing in his 44th birthday with friends in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, bars.
While driving a friend home shortly after 3 a.m. on December 28, 2007, his red 2006 Ford Expedition hit Veitch's vehicle. She was thrown from her dark green 2000 Mitsubishi Montero.
READ MORE
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Alco-Buddy Tool Helps Prevent Halloween Drunk Driving Tragedies
Holbrook, NY—Halloween is fast becoming one of the most scary and deadliest holidays on U.S. highways. With millions of Americans making plans to attend Halloween parties this week, a New York company urges partygoers who plan to drink to take a simple test before they get behind the wheel. Alco-Buddy, a patented breathalyzer with a accuracy rate of +/- .01, allows bar patrons to test their blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level and prevent them from hitting the roads and endangering others.
“People are gearing up this week for Halloween parties at their local bars. Alco-Buddy is a simple and affordable test that gives patrons the information they need to make a responsible decision about driving if they’ve had too much to drink.” says John Berlingieri of Alco-Buddy.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) survey estimates 1 in 5 Americans admit they have driven drunk. The statistics for Halloween drunk driving are frightening. According to NHTSA, nearly 60% of all Halloween highway fatalities across the country involved a driver with a BAC of .08.
Berlingieri added, “Prevention is key. Drunk driving is a serious problem in this country and can not only lead to tragedy but also jail time, loss of your license and increased insurance rates. Alco-Buddy can help prevent drunk driving by providing patrons with accurate information quickly so they can make a responsible decision, stay off the roads and find another way home.”
Alco-Buddy.com
“People are gearing up this week for Halloween parties at their local bars. Alco-Buddy is a simple and affordable test that gives patrons the information they need to make a responsible decision about driving if they’ve had too much to drink.” says John Berlingieri of Alco-Buddy.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) survey estimates 1 in 5 Americans admit they have driven drunk. The statistics for Halloween drunk driving are frightening. According to NHTSA, nearly 60% of all Halloween highway fatalities across the country involved a driver with a BAC of .08.
Berlingieri added, “Prevention is key. Drunk driving is a serious problem in this country and can not only lead to tragedy but also jail time, loss of your license and increased insurance rates. Alco-Buddy can help prevent drunk driving by providing patrons with accurate information quickly so they can make a responsible decision, stay off the roads and find another way home.”
Alco-Buddy.com
Monday, October 25, 2010
Bars and Restaurants get hit hard because of Tougher Dunk Driving Laws
Business down ‘dramatically’as drivers fear going over limit
By KIM PEMBERTON, Vancouver Sun
Bar patrons are drinking less, or not at all.
Drinking establishments are reporting business is down “dramatically” — anywhere from 10 to 40 per cent since British Columbia’s tougher anti-drinking laws went into effect last week.
The general feeling is “people are being very cautious,” fearing if they go over the .05 per cent blood alcohol level they risk having their car impounded, said Ian Tostenson, president of the B.C. Restaurant and Food Association.
“People are scared. They don’t know what it takes for them to reach .05, so while they might go out they won’t drink or certainly not as much. It’s impacting restaurants in terms of sales,” said Tostenson, adding that how much revenue is down as a result of the new law won’t be known for another month.
To try to deal with a drop in business, some pubs and restaurants are either offering a shuttle service or considering it.
Woody’s on Brunette Pub in Coquitlam is considering a pilot project to provide a shuttle service after seeing business drop 10 per cent in the first week, said owner Gordon Cartwright.
“It’s definitely impacted our business. We’ve noticed a slowdown in our day business and after work business [as a result of the new anti-drinking laws],” he said.
“The public is just trying to figure out how much they can drink without worrying about it — knowing their limits.”
At Fox’s Reach Pub and Grill, owner Todd Arbuthnot said he plans to buy two vans for his pubs in Ladner and Maple Ridge to drive people home after they have been drinking.
“It’s especially needed in Maple Ridge because there isn’t much housing there so we don’t get walk-in traffic. People are having to drive 15 to 20 minutes home. It’s frustrating because no one knows where they stand. It seems everyone knows a friend who had their licence suspended after two beers,” he said.
Arbuthnot said he noticed a “dramatic” drop in alcohol consumption of about 30 per cent a day since the new law took effect.
“People aren’t ordering [alcohol] any more. They won’t take the chance because in Maple Ridge everyone needs to be able to drive to work or to get their kids to school.”
Attorney-General Mike de Jong said the threshold of .05 has been in place for more than three decades — it’s the penalties that have changed.
New penalties start with a three-day driving ban and $200 fine for anyone caught with a blood alcohol concentration of more than .05 — up from the previous 24-hour suspension.
Those who blow more than .08 face a 90-day driving ban, a $500 fine and mandatory installation of an ignition interlock device — regardless of criminal charges that may be laid.
Repeat offenders can expect heavier fines and longer suspensions.
“Two weeks ago, if you drove a car after drinking and had an alcohol level over .05, you could be issued a temporary suspension. What’s new is the seriousness of the penalty, no doubt about it,” said de Jong.
The attorney-general added that “it’s clear that people are talking about this. The potential loss of your vehicle and loss of your licence has registered with the public — and that is what was intended. Too many people have been getting behind the wheel of a car after consuming too much alcohol.”
In Port Moody at the Golden Spike Pub, managerial partner Cheryl Semenuik said she especially noticed the decline on week nights when sports teams stopped coming in for a drink after their games and the after work crowd stopped coming as well.
“It’s been rough across the board in the industry. We’ve seen our liquor consumption down 30 to 40 per cent,” she said.
“It’s a big cut. People are scared. Everyone has a story. We heard of one neighbourhood pub where 22 people were arrested on a weekend right after closing. A guy in our sports pool said his secretary had one glass of wine with a salad at lunch and she got pulled over after doing a U-turn. They made her blow and she lost her car [for a three-day impoundment].”
She said at her pub she’s noticed the parking lot is now two-thirds full first thing in the morning because patrons are opting to go home by taxi and pick up their vehicles later.
And while the Golden Spike Pub always offers a shuttle service on New Year’s Eve, they too are considering purchasing a full-time shuttle van to try to encourage patrons to start drinking more again.
At the St. James’s Well in Port Moody, general manager Mike Read said while he hasn’t noticed a dramatic drop in business, because most of their regular patrons live within walking distance, he has a 20 per cent drop in “people just popping in for one or two after work.”
“I might have had one beer after work myself but even I won’t do that any more because I don’t know where I sit in terms of 0.5 per cent,” he said.
Read said while he appreciates the new law makes people think more about how much alcohol they’ve consumed before driving, he called it “a little draconian.”
“It’s almost saying zero tolerance,” he said. “There’s a perception that there’s a certain percentage of people who will be over 0.5 per cent with a single drink.”
Shark Club, in downtown Vancouver, hasn’t seen a decrease in business because their patrons are generally coming in after a game downtown.
Assistant general manager Christine Cairns said they’ve already made arrangements to get home safely after driving or taking the SkyTrain, which is nearby their restaurant.
“There’s a lot of buzz in the industry and it’s something to be aware of that one drink could put you over the limit if you’re not eating. “We’re a full service restaurant so the majority of people are having a good meal,” she said.
Her concern is the province has to continue SkyTrain service after 1 a.m. considering most places serving liquor in downtown Vancouver stay open until 2 a.m. and on Granville until 3 a.m.
Source
Small Business Owners Protect your business and make more money today. Learn how with Alco-Buddy: www.alcobuddy.com
By KIM PEMBERTON, Vancouver Sun
Bar patrons are drinking less, or not at all.
Drinking establishments are reporting business is down “dramatically” — anywhere from 10 to 40 per cent since British Columbia’s tougher anti-drinking laws went into effect last week.
The general feeling is “people are being very cautious,” fearing if they go over the .05 per cent blood alcohol level they risk having their car impounded, said Ian Tostenson, president of the B.C. Restaurant and Food Association.
“People are scared. They don’t know what it takes for them to reach .05, so while they might go out they won’t drink or certainly not as much. It’s impacting restaurants in terms of sales,” said Tostenson, adding that how much revenue is down as a result of the new law won’t be known for another month.
To try to deal with a drop in business, some pubs and restaurants are either offering a shuttle service or considering it.
Woody’s on Brunette Pub in Coquitlam is considering a pilot project to provide a shuttle service after seeing business drop 10 per cent in the first week, said owner Gordon Cartwright.
“It’s definitely impacted our business. We’ve noticed a slowdown in our day business and after work business [as a result of the new anti-drinking laws],” he said.
“The public is just trying to figure out how much they can drink without worrying about it — knowing their limits.”
At Fox’s Reach Pub and Grill, owner Todd Arbuthnot said he plans to buy two vans for his pubs in Ladner and Maple Ridge to drive people home after they have been drinking.
“It’s especially needed in Maple Ridge because there isn’t much housing there so we don’t get walk-in traffic. People are having to drive 15 to 20 minutes home. It’s frustrating because no one knows where they stand. It seems everyone knows a friend who had their licence suspended after two beers,” he said.
Arbuthnot said he noticed a “dramatic” drop in alcohol consumption of about 30 per cent a day since the new law took effect.
“People aren’t ordering [alcohol] any more. They won’t take the chance because in Maple Ridge everyone needs to be able to drive to work or to get their kids to school.”
Attorney-General Mike de Jong said the threshold of .05 has been in place for more than three decades — it’s the penalties that have changed.
New penalties start with a three-day driving ban and $200 fine for anyone caught with a blood alcohol concentration of more than .05 — up from the previous 24-hour suspension.
Those who blow more than .08 face a 90-day driving ban, a $500 fine and mandatory installation of an ignition interlock device — regardless of criminal charges that may be laid.
Repeat offenders can expect heavier fines and longer suspensions.
“Two weeks ago, if you drove a car after drinking and had an alcohol level over .05, you could be issued a temporary suspension. What’s new is the seriousness of the penalty, no doubt about it,” said de Jong.
The attorney-general added that “it’s clear that people are talking about this. The potential loss of your vehicle and loss of your licence has registered with the public — and that is what was intended. Too many people have been getting behind the wheel of a car after consuming too much alcohol.”
In Port Moody at the Golden Spike Pub, managerial partner Cheryl Semenuik said she especially noticed the decline on week nights when sports teams stopped coming in for a drink after their games and the after work crowd stopped coming as well.
“It’s been rough across the board in the industry. We’ve seen our liquor consumption down 30 to 40 per cent,” she said.
“It’s a big cut. People are scared. Everyone has a story. We heard of one neighbourhood pub where 22 people were arrested on a weekend right after closing. A guy in our sports pool said his secretary had one glass of wine with a salad at lunch and she got pulled over after doing a U-turn. They made her blow and she lost her car [for a three-day impoundment].”
She said at her pub she’s noticed the parking lot is now two-thirds full first thing in the morning because patrons are opting to go home by taxi and pick up their vehicles later.
And while the Golden Spike Pub always offers a shuttle service on New Year’s Eve, they too are considering purchasing a full-time shuttle van to try to encourage patrons to start drinking more again.
At the St. James’s Well in Port Moody, general manager Mike Read said while he hasn’t noticed a dramatic drop in business, because most of their regular patrons live within walking distance, he has a 20 per cent drop in “people just popping in for one or two after work.”
“I might have had one beer after work myself but even I won’t do that any more because I don’t know where I sit in terms of 0.5 per cent,” he said.
Read said while he appreciates the new law makes people think more about how much alcohol they’ve consumed before driving, he called it “a little draconian.”
“It’s almost saying zero tolerance,” he said. “There’s a perception that there’s a certain percentage of people who will be over 0.5 per cent with a single drink.”
Shark Club, in downtown Vancouver, hasn’t seen a decrease in business because their patrons are generally coming in after a game downtown.
Assistant general manager Christine Cairns said they’ve already made arrangements to get home safely after driving or taking the SkyTrain, which is nearby their restaurant.
“There’s a lot of buzz in the industry and it’s something to be aware of that one drink could put you over the limit if you’re not eating. “We’re a full service restaurant so the majority of people are having a good meal,” she said.
Her concern is the province has to continue SkyTrain service after 1 a.m. considering most places serving liquor in downtown Vancouver stay open until 2 a.m. and on Granville until 3 a.m.
Source
Small Business Owners Protect your business and make more money today. Learn how with Alco-Buddy: www.alcobuddy.com
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