Rural drink-driving
Discussion
What are the excuses for urban drink drivers?
In the rural setting the place being visited is often too far to walk, there's no public transport and no taxis. It's quite easy to see why people besides alcoholics and completa
s end up knowingly having one too many and driving.
But in an urban environment why on earth is it still going on?
In the rural setting the place being visited is often too far to walk, there's no public transport and no taxis. It's quite easy to see why people besides alcoholics and completa
s end up knowingly having one too many and driving. But in an urban environment why on earth is it still going on?
mikeswagon said:
Is it still common?
Disappointed if that's the case, and surprised to be honest, not because we're all reformed angels but certainly where I am there's hardly a country pub still open. I guess there's still the odd teuchter that ventures out...
It absolutely is still common. While driving around on a teuchter pub crawl isn't as common as it once was - plenty of people drink at each others houses and then drive home. Disappointed if that's the case, and surprised to be honest, not because we're all reformed angels but certainly where I am there's hardly a country pub still open. I guess there's still the odd teuchter that ventures out...
When the nearest taxi or police car is 30+ miles away and they're only going a few miles down a deserted road, it would be naive to think they don't.
DonkeyApple said:
What are the excuses for urban drink drivers?
In the rural setting the place being visited is often too far to walk, there's no public transport and no taxis. It's quite easy to see why people besides alcoholics and completas end up knowingly having one too many and driving.
But in an urban environment why on earth is it still going on?
The 'excuse' from my old boss, on the occasions that he did it in Boston, was that he had "no choice" if he wanted to socialise after work and be there to support his wife with the kids in the morning. In the rural setting the place being visited is often too far to walk, there's no public transport and no taxis. It's quite easy to see why people besides alcoholics and completa
s end up knowingly having one too many and driving. But in an urban environment why on earth is it still going on?
Like most US cities (barring NY and maybe Chicago), suburban public transport links are tragically poor, so driving into downtown is the most common commute for those who live in the sprawling suburbs. I've seen similar behaviour in other US cities too, so this is by no means isolated.
After a little polite education from some of his team, he conceded to booking a hotel on the odd occasion that he wanted to have more than a couple of Bud Lights after work.
Snow and Rocks said:
mikeswagon said:
Is it still common?
Disappointed if that's the case, and surprised to be honest, not because we're all reformed angels but certainly where I am there's hardly a country pub still open. I guess there's still the odd teuchter that ventures out...
It absolutely is still common. While driving around on a teuchter pub crawl isn't as common as it once was - plenty of people drink at each others houses and then drive home. Disappointed if that's the case, and surprised to be honest, not because we're all reformed angels but certainly where I am there's hardly a country pub still open. I guess there's still the odd teuchter that ventures out...
When the nearest taxi or police car is 30+ miles away and they're only going a few miles down a deserted road, it would be naive to think they don't.
On the rare occasions I venture back into the hills to visit mates, I either don't drink, or more likely it's a sesh and I'll stay there.
DonkeyApple said:
I was more thinking about the tiny island of the U.K. 
Seems to be no shortage of booze linked crashes in the suburbs or in the towns themselves.
Some of it is no doubt people driving to the pub, with the intention of leaving the car overnight and picking it up the next day. After a few drinks the realisation sinks in that you'd have to be back to pick it up before 8.30am, so as not to get a parking ticket. The subsequent lack of judgment, as a result of drinking, causes them to think "sod it, it's only a short drive home, and so I'll risk it.Seems to be no shortage of booze linked crashes in the suburbs or in the towns themselves.
Choosing not to drink and drive is about exercising good judgement and a sense of responsibility, both of which are severely impaired after a few pints.
Edited by QJumper on Friday 19th August 15:18
I lived in deepest rural Shropshire from 2000-2010 and it was rife. Locals used to laugh at me walking home (about a mile down an unlit country lane) as it was more dangerous than driving.
In 2020 my ex wife's boyfriend (and all round decent chap) was killed walking home down the same route - hit and run. So they were almost right.... very sad.
In 2020 my ex wife's boyfriend (and all round decent chap) was killed walking home down the same route - hit and run. So they were almost right.... very sad.
I haven't read the whole thread but
Location doesn't matter
If you DD you're an utter tt and you should be banned from driving for life!
If your friend DD's and you don't physically restrain them by taking their keys and you just chuckle and go "ha ha silly old Iain...." then you're part of the problem.
Location doesn't matter
If you DD you're an utter t
t and you should be banned from driving for life!If your friend DD's and you don't physically restrain them by taking their keys and you just chuckle and go "ha ha silly old Iain...." then you're part of the problem.
CarCrazyDad said:
If your friend DD's and you don't physically restrain them by taking their keys and you just chuckle and go "ha ha silly old Iain...." then you're part of the problem.
Years ago I had a chap work for me. He was a funny git, but we found out one night he had driven home drunk. So from then on we watched him like a hawk and would get his keys and bundle him in a taxi. Xmas party and he was drunk so I went to get his keys and he did a runner. So I chased him. This guy could run a 40min 10k, I was 47 mins at my best and was far from it at that stage. Knew I had a better sprint and caught him before he got too far away.
I checked him in to a hotel, guy wouldn't check him in without ID, which he didn't have. Tried to persuade him with leaving my company credit card, in the end I had to take him to one side and say if you don't give this guy a room he's going to drive home drunk. I had a set of keys but the sneaky bugger had previously had a spare and probably did that night.
Next time we went out and he had too much I took back up and we made him take a lift home. He refused at first but we reasond with him and said he can sit in the front or be bundled in the boot.
Pissed me off the amount of effort that had to go into monitoring this t
t. Thankfully he left before I could fire him. It’s totally socially unacceptable in my social circles. I’m in my mid 30’s, I don’t recall anyone in inner circles or mates driving after more than one pint.
If I drank “5 and tried to drive”, I can’t imagine I’d make it far before I ran into something. It just seems like a terrible idea to me, I don’t know how people do it.
If I drank “5 and tried to drive”, I can’t imagine I’d make it far before I ran into something. It just seems like a terrible idea to me, I don’t know how people do it.
I can only say I am delighted that your generation has made it socially unacceptable . My boomer cohort (Christ I sound like a sociologist ) generally disapproved but weren't averse to risking it now and again - and the reaction would have been 'There but for the grace of God go I... ' from most of us.
My father's generation generally regarded the breathalyser with amused disdain - I suspect living through and /or participating in WW2 - and surviving - made them not really take anything too seriously , Dad was a GP and would never touch a drop when on duty but I saw him barely able to stand after some social dos - and driving home .
The key question you need to consider is what you are doing now which would horrify the 30-somethings of 2052?
My father's generation generally regarded the breathalyser with amused disdain - I suspect living through and /or participating in WW2 - and surviving - made them not really take anything too seriously , Dad was a GP and would never touch a drop when on duty but I saw him barely able to stand after some social dos - and driving home .
The key question you need to consider is what you are doing now which would horrify the 30-somethings of 2052?
I wouldn't say it's a generational thing entirely. I was at my new local in deepest, darkest East Anglia on Thursday evening. Quite a few farm labourers and gamekeeping types in their 20s and 30s came and went via 2-3 pints while I was perched at the bar, and to a man they all drove away from the pub.
Scabutz said:
CarCrazyDad said:
If your friend DD's and you don't physically restrain them by taking their keys and you just chuckle and go "ha ha silly old Iain...." then you're part of the problem.
Years ago I had a chap work for me. He was a funny git, but we found out one night he had driven home drunk. So from then on we watched him like a hawk and would get his keys and bundle him in a taxi. Xmas party and he was drunk so I went to get his keys and he did a runner. So I chased him. This guy could run a 40min 10k, I was 47 mins at my best and was far from it at that stage. Knew I had a better sprint and caught him before he got too far away.
I checked him in to a hotel, guy wouldn't check him in without ID, which he didn't have. Tried to persuade him with leaving my company credit card, in the end I had to take him to one side and say if you don't give this guy a room he's going to drive home drunk. I had a set of keys but the sneaky bugger had previously had a spare and probably did that night.
Next time we went out and he had too much I took back up and we made him take a lift home. He refused at first but we reasond with him and said he can sit in the front or be bundled in the boot.
Pissed me off the amount of effort that had to go into monitoring this t
t. Thankfully he left before I could fire him. Some people are so dumb.
coppice said:
I can only say I am delighted that your generation has made it socially unacceptable . My boomer cohort (Christ I sound like a sociologist ) generally disapproved but weren't averse to risking it now and again - and the reaction would have been 'There but for the grace of God go I... ' from most of us.
My father's generation generally regarded the breathalyser with amused disdain - I suspect living through and /or participating in WW2 - and surviving - made them not really take anything too seriously , Dad was a GP and would never touch a drop when on duty but I saw him barely able to stand after some social dos - and driving home .
The key question you need to consider is what you are doing now which would horrify the 30-somethings of 2052?
I'm absolutely sure that you're right re the Boomers and the older generation but I grew up surrounded by parents of those two generations and they didn't drink and drive. They also had seatbelts in the back of their cars long before it was a legal requirement. These things were just basic common sense that plenty could adhere to without any need for laws, enforcement or costly TV adverts. My father's generation generally regarded the breathalyser with amused disdain - I suspect living through and /or participating in WW2 - and surviving - made them not really take anything too seriously , Dad was a GP and would never touch a drop when on duty but I saw him barely able to stand after some social dos - and driving home .
The key question you need to consider is what you are doing now which would horrify the 30-somethings of 2052?
I remember clearly the men who drank and drove home in our local area but I also remember they tended to be the gold watch brigade and moved in different circles. If you were to draw a Venn Diagram of pub letches, blokes who thought they were special, men with jewellery, men who drove big saloon cars, men who weren't particularly educated but pretended to be and men who drove pissed then the centre overlap would be a very crowded spot.
Scabutz said:
CooperS said:
In my place id hope you’d be shown the door pretty quickly if it was a work associated event.
Some people are so dumb.
I wanted to, but spineless HR dragged their feet. Useless fSome people are so dumb.
kers. s the exact same way as any person with a disability or difference when you want shot of them. The actual failure is an employment co tract that doesn't make enough behaviours sackable offences. That's what gets in the way of HR tinning a wrong un usually.
coppice said:
The key question you need to consider is what you are doing now which would horrify the 30-somethings of 2052?
Interesting point - it would be quite easy to run a campaign that made any speeding at all socially unacceptable.If only there was a machine to measure tiredness!
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