Interesting thread. I have just read the first page and it seems some of you do not know/understand what random D&A is all about. First off, you won't get a copper walking around looking to catch a pilot out. I bellieve they cannot just turn up at your booking on point or anywhere else for that matter, and say "breath into this....".
Random is a bit misleading in a way. We get 48 hrs notice when they want one from us. Usually a letter handed to you beforehand. The "Random" bit is your name being pulled out of the computer. I have had 4 in the last two years, some drivers have had none at all in the last 10. The only time they can do it to you otherwise is after a serious incident, whether it be your fault or not, you will be tested for drugs by means of a urine test and will be asked to blow into the bag. A signaler over East Anglia way had a child/train incident and all the bosses came out to do whatever they do. The signal box at the end of the platform was the meeting point for the police/managers etc. The signaler was asked by one of the managers if he had been drinking as his breath smelled of alchol. He was tested there and then and was over the limit. It doesnt have to directly involve you when things go wrong as this point proves and he was out of a job shortly after.
Before the random testing came in in 1993, there was a lot of people booking on over the limit. The pub outside many stations would be affectionately known as platform 9 as that was were you would find the drivers on standby. Nowdays, you really do think about what you drink and when you drink before duty. The whole situation has changed about how we value our job. Once your done for anything like that (d&a) the chances are very slim of getting a similar, well paid job anywhere else, it just isn't worth it nowdays especially as you could go to prison for doing something we used to do a long time ago.
Times change as we all know and so do attitudes. The union should have put this to a vote to you all directly involved. Ours didn't. We didn't really have a say in it. They just announced that they were behind the changes and we should be behind it too. I often wonder since it came in, how many jobs this random testing has saved since it was introduced.