Drunken train driver blows past stop in Germany

[27vet]

A German train driver who blew past a scheduled stop reportedly was also found to have blown past something else – the safe alcohol limit for being behind the controls.

Police on Tuesday pulled a driver off an Intercity-Express train heading from Hamburg to Leipzig after finding out that the driver’s alcohol level was .25, according to German press.

Train operators in Germany are supposed to have no alcohol in their system while behind the controls.

The driver was supposed to stop the train at a station in Lutherstadt-Wittenberg, Saxony-Anhalt on Tuesday night, but instead barreled through and eventually came to a halt in Bitterfeld, a town about 20 miles southwest.

Police then confronted the driver there after being alerted by a concerned conductor onboard the locomotive, reports say.

It was not clear how many passengers were onboard the train, but the driver’s license has since been revoked, according to The Local. The company that owns the train says it is investigating the incident.

Fox News

[aussiesteve]

Hmm, I guess that will be one lokfuehrer looking for another occupation.
And, possibly doing time if the DB regs are as strict as other countries.
0 blood alcohol level here for rail transport workers.
Miss a stop here and it be a $100.oo fine.
And, that is with a 0 blood alcohol reading.
I remember what it was like here back in the late 1980s when random breath testing was commenced.
Some blokes continued to take the big risk.
It wasn't worth the risk, and you did save moolah by not going to the pub as was the prior tradition.
So, they did us a favour by introducing RBT.
Steve.

[hereward]

Times change, when my father worked machinery in an aircraft factory, on nights, a trolley came round with snacks and bottle beer.
A man who drank in a local pub was a night trunker for British Road Services, his lorry with a drawbar trailer would be parked outside. At closing time his wife and other customers would lift him into the cab, he was so drunk. He did this for years and never had an accident.

[Beeyar Wunby]

30mg per 100ml of blood is the max here in Blighty. If you're over that, the Polce take you away.

Drug & Alcohol tests are done after any Safety of the Line Incident, as well as randomly.

By comparison, road users get done for 80mg.

A/S - They fine you for missing stops ? Wow, that's terrible. Don't suppose they give you a bonus if you stop when you're not booked to ?

Cheers, BW.

[aussiesteve]

General motorists here are a max of 0.05 %.
P platers are 0.02% max.
But, transport workers, 0.0%.
I am not sure what that relates to in regard to mg per ml.
Motorists who blow the bag at a random test get carted to the cop shop to blow into the big machine.
Be over on the big machine and you cop fines and licence suspension and if severely over, get a night or two at HM's pleasure.
Yes, the old response to missing a stop here used to be; "I'll stop there twice tomorrow".
But, management today take a dim view of that attitude.
Didn't hafta worry about missing a stop on freighters.
Steve.

[aussiesteve]

AH, at the local library today and googling.
I have found a blood alcohol comparison web page.
So, I now constumble your method.
50 mg per 100ml being the equivalent of our 0.05%.
So, yer 30 mg per 100ml would be 0.03% is a tad more generous than it be here for railworkers.
As mentioned, we are 0.0% (well I was when I bounced around the metals).
Yer 0.08% for motorists is also a tad more generous than we are here.
Must be all of that room temperature beer that you lot guzzle.
HA!
Steve.

[27vet]

German beer has a lot more alcohol than XXXX mate

[boilersuit]

Nowt wrong wi' room-temperature beer; proper English ale is designed to be served that way...
Wouldn't want to drink Aussie stuff at room temperature – might realise how awful it is.

[aussiesteve]

Oi, like all Bananabenders, I was weaned and grew up on Castlemaine XXXX.
Being dragged up to the local pub along with the hound dog.
Perched outside with the other brats and hound dogs.
And a shandy handed out the window.
But, south of the border, I became accustomed to other aussie beers.
My favourite is Tassie Cascade Pale.
I have also sipped some bonzer Deutsch biers.
Can't afford it now days.
So, I do it the Roman way.
And guzzle el cheapo red plonk.
You would hafta be desperate to guzzle a warm aussie beer.
Ice must be attached to the glass or bottle to be acceptable here.
Steve.