Utah Will the new laws in Utah impact your ski travel?

[TheArchitect]

I'm not much of a drinker, especially when I'm skiing the next day. That said, I'm glad I booked a room at Goldminer's for the Gathering next year. I'm more likely to have 2-3 if I'm with a group.

 

[Jilly]

Well my Ontario friends have stated our laws here. If I'm driving, it's only one and then water or coffee. One of the reasons my condo is on the mountain at Tremblant.

 

[gerathlete]

Police in Canada are allowed to stop you for no other reason than to check to make sure you have ownership and insurance in the car. Once they get to your car, they can use the old sniff test to see if they detect alcohol (or weed or whatever else you're oiled with..) and they can then do breathalyzer or impairment testing. It's a big thing here, police fight hard for it because they arrest the vast majority of drunk drivers in this fashion. RIDE checks have a very low hit rate.

In Australia, as already mentioned, the maximum blood level is 0.05 and has been for many years. The police regularly conduct random breath tests (and drug tests) and don't need any excuse like the insurance and ownership excuse as in Canada. Where we live, there is a growing push to make texting while driving an offence with serious penalties. BTW we also have mandatory helmet wearing for motorcycles and bicycles. We have skied in Utah a number of times and never found the licensing laws to be too much of a problem, although buying alcohol in SLC was a real pain, and the mandatory food purchase also a hassle. I agree that most people who go primarily for the skiing won't have a problem and will continue to visit.

 

[Tricia]

In Australia, as already mentioned, the maximum blood level is 0.05 and has been for many years.

Maybe Utah is the first of the states to start catching up with other countries.

 

[nay]

Maybe Utah is the first of the states to start catching up with other countries.

I suspect this one isn't all about driving. Sometimes one thing just happens to align with other things.

To quote Mr. Twain:

"Nothing so needs reforming as other people's habits. Fanatics will never learn that, though it be written in letters of gold across the sky. It is the prohibition that makes anything precious"

 

[TahoeCharlie]

I'll probably spend a good part of next season in SLC. For me, it's a non--issue.

SLC has been one of my favorite ski destinations since 1981. They have gone through quite a bit of changes over the years. I remember we couldn't get a drink at the bar unless we join a club and become a member for $5. The first two drinks were free and the membership expires after 7 days. At some restaurants, we have to go to the self service bar in the rear of the restaurant and buy whatever mixer we wanted (glass and stirrer included) and a mini bottle separately. We have to do the pouring ourselves. Yeah, it was tough back then.

Ah, yes, I remember those days. I think on one week long trip I ended up "joining" about seven clubs while sampling most of the restaurants in Park City. Also, as I recall, the wine selections were terrible - limited to cheap Cali wines. Glad that's in the past.

 

[Tricia]

Apparently the new law doesn't kick in until December 30, 2018, according to this article.
http://www.sltrib.com/news/5382444-155/utah-lawmaker-argues-his-005-dui

 

[KingGrump]

Does that mean we can drink up in the interim?

 

[François Pugh]

Does that mean we can drink up in the interim?

It means you can have wine (enough to accompany a good steak) with supper, but if you do, you will have to skip the port or cognac with desert, unless you have a driver.

 

[Tricia]

We'll be in Utah twice in the next 5 weeks. I know that we've tried to be conscience of our drinking and driving, just because its smart, but this conversation is likely to heighten our awareness of it.

 

[Varmintmist]

Whats funnier is that that episode is based on a true story of a radio station promotion.

http://www.cbr.com/tv-legends-was-wkrps-famous-turkey-drop-based-in-reality/

 

[Jenny]

Whats funnier is that that episode is based on a true story of a radio station promotion.

http://www.cbr.com/tv-legends-was-wkrps-famous-turkey-drop-based-in-reality/

I know! Couldn't quite believe it at first . . .