Vatican: Thou Shalt Not... Drink Drive
Wednesday, 20 June 2007 17:23
Thou shall not drive under the influence of alcohol. Thou shall respect speed limits. Thou shall not consider a car an object of personal glorification or use it as a place of sin.
The Vatican took a break from strictly theological matters to issue its own rules of the road, a compendium of do's and don't's on the moral aspects of driving and motoring.
A 36-page document called 'Guidelines for the Pastoral Care of the Road' (read the complete guidelines here) contains 10 Commandments covering everything from road rage, respecting pedestrians, keeping a car in good shape and avoiding rude gestures while behind the wheel.
'Cars tend to bring out the 'primitive' side of human beings, thereby producing rather unpleasant results', the document says.
It appeals to what it called the 'noble tendencies' of the human spirit, urging responsibility and self-control to prevent the 'psychological regression' often associated with driving.
- Morning Ireland: David Willey of the BBC outlines the main points of the new booklet
