- TIME WARP HITS
FORMBY!
- Report and photographs by Patrick Trollope.
- FORMBY Dickensian celebrations brought a remarkable sense of community spirit to the centre of Formby as hundreds of local people joined the festivities on December 7.
Residents, shop keepers, shop staff and entertainers dressed for the part in typical Dickensian raiment as Chapel lane was filled with charity stalls and visitors, who flocked from all over the North west of England to see
it.
The event which is in its fourth year, has been raising funds for charitable causes in which the Mayor of Formby and MP Claire Curtis
Thomas attended the day and declared it as a great success with a remarkable strength of community spirit.
KNOW YOUR GEAR
WHEN IT COMES TO DRUGS
AND
DRIVING
FACT:-
One in five drivers killed in road accidents have traces of drugs in their bloodstream.
This Christmas
THINK, it could save your life!
Although drink driving seems to be falling, the scale of illegal drug amongst people killed in road accidents has increased over the last ten years.
It's pretty safe to say that most people take drugs of some sort whether they are:- Alcohol, Caffeine, Cigarettes and Over the counter Medicines
Alcohol: The legal limit for driving is 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood. There is no fail safe guide as to how much you can drink and stay under the legal limit. The amount and type of drink, your weight, sex, age, and metabolic rate all play their part.
If you're buying over the counter remedies or have a prescription from the Doctor, check whether they will affect your ability to drive.
These illegal drugs alter the state of your mind and body and may reduce your ability to drive.
- DRUGS CAN AFFECT PEOPLE IN DIFFERENT WAYS
- STIMULANTS like SPEED, ECSTASY and COCAINE may make the user feel more alert, over-confident and full of energy. This can cause a breakdown in concentration levels and may reduce the user's ability to think logically.
DEPRESSANTS (ALCOHOL, CANNABIS, BARBITURATES etc) and SEDATIVES (TRANQUILLISERS) may make the user feel relaxed, reducing the ability to act quickly.
When taking HALLUCINOGENS, such as LSD and MAGIC MUSHROOMS, users often experience visual and sound distortions which could make it extremely dangerous to attempt to drive. There is the added danger of 'flashbacks' when users feel that they are re-living previous trips.
AFTER EFFECTS:- Most drugs (including alcohol) may also affect your concentration,
judgment and ability to react quickly for sometime after the effects have worn off.
THE LAW:- It is an offence to be in charge of, or drive, a motor vehicle on a road or public place whilst unfit through drugs.
(Road Traffic Act 1972)
If the police suspect that you are impaired by either alcohol or drugs, they can stop and search.
If you have been involved in an accident, you will be required to take a breath test. If this proves negative and the officer suspects that you are under the influence of drugs, you can be arrested and taken to the police station for further medical examinations.
Drug use is detectable for longer than alcohol:-
Alcohol:- Up to 24 hours... LSD:- Up to 3 days... Amphetamines (speed):- Up to 4 days...
Cannabis:- Up to 30 days
This does not mean that the drug will affect you for this long, it is just possible to detect previous use.
-
- ROADSIDE TESTING
- The Department of Transport is considering introducing roadside drug tests.
Police have already begun voluntary screening trails. Roadside drug testing is already in use in Germany.
A Police Officer CAN arrest a person if suspected of drug taking.
KNOW YOUR GEAR
- Don't drive whilst under the influence of drink or drugs. You could lose a lot more than your
license!
-
- MORE INFORMATION
CALL THE NATIONAL DRUGS HELPLINE:- 0800 77 66 00
RELEASE THE NATIONAL DRUGS AND LEGAL 24 HOUR HELPLINE:- 0171 603 8654
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