So during a conversation at dinner tonight this topic came up and it got me thinking. At what point do you gang tackle a friend to keep them from driving? Do you ask them several times and then let them do it if they persist? I'll put it out there that I certainly drove the other night when I should not have, and thinking back on it, I'm kind of annoyed that no one said hey....You can't drive, ride with me, get a taxi...etc. I'm not trying to put the blame on anyone else just saying, at some point everyone has been to trashed to make rational decisions. On the flip side of that I was playing DD the other night and drove one of my friends back to my place to get her car. The whole ride back I tried to get her to sleep it off on the couch but she was dead set on driving home. I put up a pretty good fight but she drove anyway. So at what point do you let them drive? Edit before anyone gets the wrong idea, its not something that I make a habit of. I'm at the point in my life now where its worth the 50 bucks to take a taxi downtown and back. Its just not worth the chance of getting a DUI or killing someone.
The point at which they aren't close enough friends to hold it against you. Nothing against most of my friends, but there are only 2-3 people I am close enough with that we have an unspoken bond on drinking and driving. If one of us tells the other 'you're not driving' then we don't drive, plain and simple. But with most of my other friends who aren't as close I'd probably suggest it once or twice and if they still resisted then the best I can do is go bail them out of jail. I.E. not my problem, unless they are close friends. Then again, most of the people I even drink that much around, I trust to make the right decision, drunk or not. Meaning, they are big boys and wont hold it against me. Would I feel guilty if they got in a wreck and died/killed someone? Absolutely, but somewhere/some point in my life I grew cold to a lot of the 'looking out for others' point of view (with the exception of a few close friends). Cliff notes: dont expect me to stop you if you've had too much and tell me you're good.
I think that's what bothers me, is I was with people that I have that kind of close bond with and I'm annoyed about it. I'm just debating on if I'm going to say something.
I'm guilty of doing this as well but like you guys have already mentioned, it's not something I do on a consistent basis. Hell, I barely drink anyways but when/if I do, I try to do it at my own place so I don't have a far walk from my bed when I decide to pass out. Luckily, my friends are mature enough to know that once they start drinking, they aren't driving anywhere...regardless of the distance. It's just not worth the risk of a DUI and/or killing themselves or anyone else.
I don't know if it's something you can really hold against anyone but yourself Matt. Not to sound philosophical or like I'm preaching (because I'm guilty too), but you could always change the places you drink (how far from home, or away from home at all), when you drink, how much you drink, or even the people you drink with. I rarely drink with anyone other than those close friends, and don't get drunk unless I know I'm staying there or super close by.
We could always start a wrxatl taxi service. Student did it here a couple years ago (bought an old school bus) and charged students $5 for anywhere within 15 miles of the bars (all in one area here) and has a six figure business with 3 busses now.
I agree completely, it just makes me wonder if they think I would have gotten pissed, I really just want to know what the deal was. Before this I can't even remember the last time I drove when I thought I was even close to the limit. I usually do drink pretty close to home, hell I can walk from Rose and Crown. Like I said generally taxis are cheap and I'm ok with paying.
You should bring it up, I think Granted I'm actually a little buzzed right now, if your friends are that close, then they should at least bring it up a few times. If they're really that worried about your safety and such, they should have tried to do something rather than just passing it off as if it was nothing. Really, if anyone starts drinking, they should not drive. Even if you're not really close with the person, I believe you should always have some sort of care for the person, for their safety, as well as the safety of those around him. There's also the other end where you should probably request a friend's aid. You shouldn't rely on the other party to help you out completely. Maybe they thought you were alright since you didn't say anything to them? It's kind of both sided in my opinion, but considering if you're drunk, you will not make the best of decisions, as many of you guys probably know. Your friends should have said something at least.
I've argued with many a high school student this year and the past as to whether or not they should drive home. Since I'm always the sober one I tend to drive my close friends. However, whenever someone just has to drive home it is so hard to get them to budge. Usually the plan is to steal their keys are hope they aren't violent about it. I know this brings into whole subject of underage stuff but I guess it is my side of the story. I think it's stupid to drink and drive at any age. If you get pulled by the 5-0 doesn't a DUI cost like $12000 through a lifetime? No thanks. Sent from my TI-89 Titanium using Tapatalk
If you are my friend, and if u had more then 3 beers there is no way I would let you get behind the wheel.
It's a tough call. In high school I was always the DD. Granted if I got pulled over I was still going to jail, but I would never have more than one or two beers over the course of a night so I wasn't going to wreck or hurt anyone. So I never had a problem convincing my close friends to let me drive them home. I think the issue arises when it's not close friends. I've been in the situation where I've had someones keys and told them I'm calling them a cab, even pre-paid for the cab ride for them. They were not happy. Personally I'm such a control freak that if I'm out and drinking I either monitor what I drink very closely or don't drink at all. Haven't driven over the limit in a very very long time. Just not worth it to me. If I want to get shit faced I'll either do it walking distance from my place or at home.
back at fort bragg when I was a young soldier all about some drinking and nonsense. I was trying to drive god knows where and one of my buddies took the valve stems out of all 4 of my tires and took my battery sadly I dont remember any of this just the next morning freaking out about my tires.
I'm a little bit more caustic about this than most of you because I don't drink, but most of my friends do. I'm not the type to care if they don't like me anymore. If someone's judgement is skewed enough they will put others lives at risk, they're gonna get stopped if I can help it. Where inaction will lead to tragedy, I'll just be the hated guy later and I'm fine with that. If they hate me later, in the long run its better if I'm not around them anyways, because they were making poor judgements that I don't need to be around anymore.
Well if not, people make mistakes in judgement and can be forgiven ...but it becomes real obvious you're a real winner in life if you don't have the sense to plan out your transportation before you're knocking a few back. Makes one wonder what other corners in life they're cutting that they think even chancing that is okay. may not be the best friend-stock to work with anyways... :/
I'm not worried about the driver as much as the innocent people (my own family) they could kill on the way home.
In all fairness to my friends its not something that happens with them on a regular basis. The last time i was out with Justin and brett i know they took a taxi. I was dd for others that night. I wish Atlanta was more taxi friendly.
Since I have had an incident with a drunk driver I will chime in. I would make sure that if I know someone was over the limit won't drive. Being on the receiving end of it, and seeing all that it can do to both parties its not worth it. In my case I was very fortunate, but there are many that aren't. Here is how it worked for me. The police showing up at your parents house saying that your son was in an accident, and when they arrive at the hospital they take them to chapel, and say I might not make it thru the night. Spending 3 months in the hospital, 6 surgeries, half a million in dr and hospital bills. Plus loosing an eye. (3D movies are over rated anyways) Just thought I would share, and hopefully help others on making a decision when the time comes.
<3 I'm not sure where you guys have to travel back home, but I know every I drive home after midnight in cobb/paulding county I can count a minimum of 4-5 cops sitting on the side with their lights off.
cobb county police. One the other night I definitely didn't see, but the radar was going off. Finally saw him hiding where there wasn't a street light. In paulding it's gsp/sheriff
I wouldn't per say start an argument, but I'd say something. One of my friends who is a pro-am driver got too drunk one night in Arizona, put his expensive S14 into a telephone pole and long story short is lucky to be alive, let alone to walk again, or even drive. After seeing all the pain he went through, the catheter bag he always had to carry around with him, etc... I would and will always say something to friends now. I know I have never been perfect, but ever since then I'll never drive drunk. I've actually found the easiest way to convince a friend not to drive is to do a mock field sobriety test on them. They'll realize quickly they're not up to it if they're actually drunk. Had to do this to a good friend of mine a month or so back. He ended up staying at a friends and not driving home and threw up/can't remember the night. Since then he thanks me all the time for not allowing him to drive home and realized he was being stupid even though he was pissed in the moment.
kinda relevant What the heck. She was drunk.....didn't drive. Granted she probably knew he was drunk too but what if he didn't act plastered....would her judgement be such she wouldn't think he was as drunk? Personally I say she knew he drank some form/amount of alcohol so yes she just as guilty. Others say no.
keyword is "knowingly" hands your keys over. she'll get off with a competent attorney. also the prosecution is getting a little overzealous here to villianize someone also if it weren't for the mug shot I bet she is pretty hot
if guilty by association is what we've been reduced to, that's a pretty slippery slope. Hell, while there at, charge the bartender for serving her, the owner for opening the bar, the alcohol salesman who sold the bar the booze and the distillery / brewery that made the booze. Not to mention the farmers that grew the grains. At the end of the day, they all knew they were making / supplying a product that could potentially lead to something as tragic as this. I know this example is extreme, but you can see where trying to charge somebody who by all accounts did nothing wrong can lead to. Same analogy can be used across different scenarios.
we all know morals and rational decision making aren't the policies here. it's about money and putting putting in jail. jails are big business. for profit prisons is one of the most disgusting things I've ever seen. rehabilitation isn't even on the radar at these types of institutions.
wrote a paper about this very subject back in college. At the county level, jails were getting paid $32K for each prisoner per year. Add the additional profit if prisoners were contracted to other municipalities for services. Keep in mind that was last century numbers too.
They can and will go after someone that serves a person that is visibly intoxicated. We have pretty strict policies at the restaurant about it.
Know someone who was passed out in the back of his own car with keys in the ignition key on, DUI stuck. Lesson? Don't park in the middle of the street in front of your friends house who offered a couch to crash on.
In all fairness to your friends, i don't know you all that well, myself. ;p But the point that it happens at all should not go unnoticed, even if its just you filing it under the "hmph" file for later consideration when they do something dumb.
FRRRRRRRR~equently. for example, i re-read my post. Me saying that I don't know you was intended to come off as 'i'm nor judging you because i don't know you well.' Probably didn't in hindsight~
Sorry there was actually more to that post. Im not used to this Samsung note yet. Didn't mean for it to come off that way.