So much to blog, so little time to do the actual blogging. I guess that is why Twitter has become so damn popular of late. I attended the Rioja grand tasting on Tuesday and tasted some wonderful TRADITIONAL style Spanish wines. And Wednesday night, after a prolonged break, our wine group resumed our tour of Burgundy. It was the grand finale (for now) of reds – Vosne Romanee! Next up, Chablis. I will do my best to blog about them sooooon….
But I’m posting tonight simply to share an interesting tidbit I was just made aware of by Megan of Wine & Spirits Daily. Apparently, an alliance of 11 car companies are asking congress to mandate the installation of ignition interlock devices on all vehicles within 5-10 years.
In case you, like me, had no idea what an ignition interlock device was, here it is as per good old Wikipedia…
An ignition interlock device or breath alcohol ignition interlock device (IID and BIID) is a mechanism, like a breathalyzer, installed to a motor vehicle’s dashboard. Before the vehicle’s motor can be started, the driver first must exhale into the device, if the resultant breath-alcohol concentration analyzed result is greater than the programed blood alcohol concentration — usually 0.02 or 0.04 per cent, the motor will not turn over.
I’m not sure whether to applaud this as it will seemingly prevent reckless selfish drunks from entering our roadways OR freak out that big brother is coming….
Happy stay at home or get a designated driver wine tasting!
WTG
Tags: Burgundy, ignition interlock device, Rioja, Vosne Romanee, Wine & Spirits daily
Unfortunately your information is incorrect, but your concerns are spot on.
MADD and others are pushing to have a transparent alcohol detection system integrated into a vehicle starting system. Fortunately the technology necessary to achieve this goal is not now available, but will be in a few years. The Ignition Interlock Device (IID) as presently configured and used is not the system to meet those criteria. The IID not only stops the person from starting a vehicle if the breath measurement is over a prescribed level, but also requires tests while the person is driving the car, recorders all activity on the data log and must be down loaded and recalibrated every 60 days or sooner. Its primary function is to be a form of intervention and be able to report to authorizing agencies of the person activity. Obviously the IID is not the device to be used on all cars.
You are correct with your concerns of government/ bureaucracy over reaching, we don’t need it.
You should consider starting an email list. It would take your site to its potential.