What's the bigger issue here, being blind or drunk?

Question

Blind Frenchman Fined For Drunk Driving

NANCY, France (AFP) - A blind journalist was given a month's suspended jail sentence and fined 500 euros (750 dollars) by a French court Friday for driving while drunk and without a license.

The owner of the car, who was also drunk as he sat next to the blind man when he drove the vehicle, was given the same sentence and had his license suspended for five months by the court in the northeastern town of Nancy.

The pair were arrested on a country road in the early hours of July 25 by police who spotted their car zig-zagging suspiciously and moving at a very low speed.

The police were astounded when the 29-year-old driver informed them that he was blind, and when they breathalysed him and his passenger, a 52-year-old photographer, they found they had drunk twice the permitted level of alcohol.

"I really wanted to do it (drive the car)," the blind man told the court. "I expressed this wish. He (the owner of the car) agreed."

The owner said he saw "a lot of happiness emanating from him" as he drove, adding that he had "one hand on the handbrake and one hand on the steering wheel" as the blind journalist drove.

"I was very concentrated on the road," he said.

The judge retorted that, as he was well over the legal alcohol limit, "that didn't make you a vey reliable monitor."

The blind journalist had previously driven on a closed circuit, an experience which he had recounted in a regional newspaper in an article which was accompanied by his photographer friend who was in court with him Friday.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/francetransportoffbeat;_ylt=ArxihrcOKHKtcnKauNnS6P4DW7oF

Answer 1

I would say the bigger issue to me is more likely that he is blind! Being legally blind doesn't mean a person can't see anything (I read recently that being blind is when you can't see at 200 feet what a person with normal vision can see at 20 feet), but it doesn't mean a person is safe to drive.

I know people who can drive after drinking (not to say they're drunk, but you can have some alcohol and still be ok to drive based on what you've eaten, your tolerance, how much you drank and over what period of time, how long it's been since you drank, etc.). Granted, these men seem too intoxicated to have good judgment (obviously!) or the ability to drive safely. It's illegal and dangerous to drive without a license (I feel that, generally speaking, there's a reason a person doesn't have a license - in this case, visual impairments at least).

Regardless of which is worse (drunk or blind), combined is completely inexcusable!!!

Makes me nervous since I'm actually moving to this city soon. Eeek! :/

Answer 2

I think that being French is the biggest impediment in this story. The other things, you can live with.

Answer 3

The biggest issue, to me, is that they were both drunk.  If the guy driving had been blind and the other guy had been sober I don't think it would be as big of a deal.

Answer 4

being drunk can kill someone