Worldwide stats report the same - alcohol and drugs don't mix well with driving. Its simple - we are different from animals in having a frontal lobe that regulates rage, fear and instincts (imagine living on these three alone). Alcohol takes out the frontal lobe (our CEO) and what is left is 'an animal within us - aka wild horse without reins'.

Every country has restrictions in some form, these change with time (and not just due to morals - it can be economics as tax on booze rakes in money for many).

I have seen the dark side of this all. Broken skulls, amputed limbs, dead bodies brought to hospitals (on hat-gadi). In the West we also see young women abused and the aftermath of it.

Restrictions if anything protect freedom. Its a tool to ensure that freedom is not abused. Its not about one individual's right taken away to make merry beyond 2330 (or what ever time it may be in other cities), its about safe gaurding majority of the populations freedom and right to be safe.

Finally, its not an adminstrative problem at all. Its a peoples problem, a social one solved by people. If inadequate road networks, a virtually non-existant public transport system, inadequate police force, and poor law enforcement especially on the road was the root of the problem - Western Countries like UK would not have as many deaths, accidents et al at all. In fact alcohol is one of the lergest contrbutors to anti-social acts of random violence, thefts, accidents in Western society which have best of infrastructures.

After a hard days work (which I am sure everyone on this forum has) we all want to unwind, and booze may well play its role, but rules-regulations-restrictions cannot be not respected. Its simple, if you plan to booze, take a rickshaw (driving because public transport is not there is no excuse) or a lift from someone who has not been drinking.

ASJ

Curb on Bangalore nightlife slows businesses ndtv Restrictions on Bangalore's nightlife, is hitting the business of partying very hard. Earnings have dipped as live music, dancing and even loud recorded music is not allowed to mix with drinking. Shankar Bidari, police commissioner said, "There are 1 crore people in Bangalore city. Their welfare has to be looked into." Looking after the safety and welfare of Bangaloreans means to authorities early lights out - a strict ban ending the city's nightlife at 11:30 pm. As Page Three people head out of the city to Mysore and Manipal, business in Bangalore seems to be at an all time low. Currently the law says: * Music can only be played softly and in the background. * Music cannot be played loudly in a place that serves alcohol. But with no thumping music to dance to and nothing to drink along, party-goers are staying away from nightspots. Ashish Kothare, president Association of Pubs and Restaurants, Bars and Hotels said, "Business has been down close to 70-80 per cent. First we will have to stop advertising, slowly we will have to stop hiring and then the worst we will have to start laying off people." The dance ban has also directly affected Bangaloreans like Rohit Barker, a DJ at some of the most popular watering holes in the city. Barker says he has not had a single gig in the recent past. Bangaloreans who are trying to make a living out of the rapidly disappearing nightlife are fighting back in a campaign called Bengaluru Bleeding but authorities are firm that they will have to earn their money some other way.

Most young guy says we want night life in Bangalore as with the western life. The new commissioner has become a 'villain' on their part. But, I believe the cons are more than the pros.

I was about to become victim to a guy who had his 'nightlife' and driving a Santro on empty road in full josh was about to hit me from back when I was walking on the roadside. I was feeling at that time why Government is not controlling this since I was on the receiving part of it.

Do we think that a person who drinks will not drive ? They show their josh only in driving. Can a person in the group go as a driver to the pub with his friends and do not have drink.

There are many who are living with low income and the main person in that family become addicted to this night life and spend all the income on the nightlife, what will be his family's fate?

In the name of the night life, 'other illegal activities' are also carried out. Example is the recent catching hold of people taking drugs in a pub.

One person, a BPO worker of Mphasis in TV9 interview was suggesting the Government should give transportation to those who go for nightlife!!. Our Government is unable to give good transportation for the office goers, for nightlife do we need transporation offered by Government to enjoy 'night life'?

Rich of Bangalore is quoting different reasons for the need of night life and saying they cannot live without it. Roti, Khapda,Makhan aur Nightlife?

This whole night life is blown out of prop! I dont see it as such a big problem. Whose stopping people from partying at home or in a friends flat? The deadline has been extended to 1 AM in many places - do we really need drunk idiots walking down MG road at 3 AM? Drinking and driving is still taken too lightly. Most offenders get away with 2-3 K as a fine and continue going home driving. That is NOT enough. They have to be jailed for the night, and put on remand! There are two kinds of night party goers, those who dont Drink and Drive and others who say "My tolerance level is higher, and I can drive." The latter is the biggest danger. And one cannot stop them without stopping the other. So better stop both. Regarding transport for Nightlife Goers - it sounds absurd! Is it the cities duty to make sure they leave you at your doorstep if your drunk? Try a Cab for Gods SAKE! Lastly, rules cant apply to sections of society. Maybe the high paying, page 3 crowd can get home in a chauffer driven car, but the offendors are more likely to be from smaller local pubs and bars. You cant allow some people to party and some not too!

Vasanth

For starters, why some of us need 'nightlife' and what we gain from it - are not questions we must answer in a free country. However, to prove a point, let's try and extend your reasoning a bit:

• Why do we need any form of entertainment at all? Why not just ban all cinema? Most of the movies produced are flopsand together lose 100s of Crores of Rupees which could be utilized better.
• Similarly, why not ban theatre? Sports events? TV? (apart from direct costs to 'consumers', so much of potentially productive time is wasted).
• Let's ban all premium products (using your logic - 8,000 rupees - the cost of a pair of Levi's jeans - can fund education of a child for ~8 months. And why should anyone be free to spend Rs. 1 lakh on an LCD TV?)

I could go on and on with the above extrapolation, but I hope it's not necessary. The point is this - as citizen of a free country, we should be free to make our own choices, as long as it does not hurt others. So, if I choose to go to a leisure establishment late at night, and do not break any laws, I believe that choice should be quitely tolerated, if not respected by others. Nobody has a right to question why I'm doing it, or to pass any kind of moral judgment. That's what 'freedom' means.

Secondly, I've got the impression from many of the comments here - that you all believe that people seeking nightlife or pub/party culture are stupid, irresponsible, dangerous and few in number. Case in point being your suggestion that 'we question ourselves and what we gain' - a question that reeks of a patronizing attitude and shows no respect for our intelligence. This is blatantly unfair, and based on many assumptions that I can tell you, having seen the reality, are simply wrong.

Also, I'm extremely annoyed by the repeated assumption that 'only a few want nightlife'. That's just not correct. Please take a reality check - A 1-minute net search will tell you how many leisure establishments we are talking about. And one vist will show you how many visitors each of them has (and also show you that calling them 'horses without reins' is very unfair).

More than 5,000 on any single night is definitely NOT a few, given that only some of the people who want 'nightlife' would be out on any single night. Are we living in a country where such a sizeable group can be denied their freedom to be entertained? Are we living in a country where a majority wants to deny that such a sizeable group even exits?

My father risked his life in battle in Kargil. I have degress from IIT and IIM, and am among the few of my peers to stay back in India. I also do my bit to support the education of underpriviledged children, and any other social cause I find worthwhile. I am deeply hurt and disappointed - to the extent of questioning my beliefs and dreams of 'India' - when I come across the kind of regressive and narrow-minded attitudes I've seen many times on this forum.

I know it's probably a lost cause - but let me try again to clear some of your misconceptions. Most of the people who can afford, and feel a desire, to visit legitimate 'nightclubs', are financially secure, well-educated and professionally successful. Most of us are responsible citizens. But if you still can't believe we would behave ourselves, think about this, from a purely selfish viewpoint: we have worked hard to reach where we have and we would not just throw it away in a drunken bout, nor risk a jail-term, or our own life-and-limb (and vehicle) by driving when we aren't in control.

The legit nightclubs also have their reputations to maintain, and employ bouncers and managers to ensure there is no serious misbehaviour. Cops should, and mostly do, monitor these establishments and the roads around them when people leave at the end of their evening-out. And if someone had issues at home because of an alcoholic habit, I don't see how the 1130 deadline - on expensive establishments - can really change that.

Admittedly, allowing people to drink and party till late does offer some law-and-order challenges. But solutions must be found in terms of better administration and effective enforcement of reasonable rules and laws. I made a couple of suggestions in this regard in my earlier post, and some of my suggestions do not even involve the police (if we must accept their corruption/incompetence being beyond repair).

A step in the Taliban direction is definitely NOT the solution.