Drink driving in the 70's was it normal?
Discussion
Saw the latest article of the Morgan Plus 4 today and the photos of the car on it's alloys evoked memories of period Morgans in the 1970's.
Someone mentioned that it is the perfect car for cruising to the pub and whilst I am a child of the 70's, I was too young to consume alcohol or drive at the time, but I have strong memories of sitting in pub gardens with the family and friends and anyone driving would sink a good few pints and think nothing of driving everyone home afterwards.
So for anyone who was driving during this time, did you drink and drive? did you even give it a second thought? and what made you change your behaviour?
Someone mentioned that it is the perfect car for cruising to the pub and whilst I am a child of the 70's, I was too young to consume alcohol or drive at the time, but I have strong memories of sitting in pub gardens with the family and friends and anyone driving would sink a good few pints and think nothing of driving everyone home afterwards.
So for anyone who was driving during this time, did you drink and drive? did you even give it a second thought? and what made you change your behaviour?
I am too young aswell to remember drinking and driving although when I was a child (80's) it certainly wasn't as scorned as it is now.
The designated driver therefore used to have a few drinks, rather than loads of drinks.
My Father in Law however tells me of several occasions in the 70's where he would drive home (relatively slowly) using the grass verge to bounce off and keep the car in a straight line
If you were ever pulled over by the Police, the officer would just give you a bit of a talking to, tell you to take it easier next time and be careful on your way......
It was only the advent of breathalysers and threat of licence removal that turned it to where it is now.
The designated driver therefore used to have a few drinks, rather than loads of drinks.
My Father in Law however tells me of several occasions in the 70's where he would drive home (relatively slowly) using the grass verge to bounce off and keep the car in a straight line
If you were ever pulled over by the Police, the officer would just give you a bit of a talking to, tell you to take it easier next time and be careful on your way......
It was only the advent of breathalysers and threat of licence removal that turned it to where it is now.
Drink driving was most certainly considered both normal and acceptable in the 1980s. I should know, I worked in an out-of-town pub when I was a student. Most people drove there, and drove home. Several of our regulars were middle-aged senior police officers who would routInely drive home after three or four pints. They never got stopped. Funny, that...
Muzzer79 said:
My Father in Law however tells me of several occasions in the 70's where he would drive home (relatively slowly) using the grass
I remember an occasion as a child late at night after a wedding reception, my father having to follow the white lines in the middle of the road to get us home. The biggest concern at the time seemed to be getting a tug from plod rather than the safety of those in the car or anyone around us.emperorburger said:
Saw the latest article of the Morgan Plus 4 today and the photos of the car on it's alloys evoked memories of period Morgans in the 1970's.
Someone mentioned that it is the perfect car for cruising to the pub and whilst I am a child of the 70's, I was too young to consume alcohol or drive at the time, but I have strong memories of sitting in pub gardens with the family and friends and anyone driving would sink a good few pints and think nothing of driving everyone home afterwards.
So for anyone who was driving during this time, did you drink and drive? did you even give it a second thought? and what made you change your behaviour?
It was almost compulsory.Someone mentioned that it is the perfect car for cruising to the pub and whilst I am a child of the 70's, I was too young to consume alcohol or drive at the time, but I have strong memories of sitting in pub gardens with the family and friends and anyone driving would sink a good few pints and think nothing of driving everyone home afterwards.
So for anyone who was driving during this time, did you drink and drive? did you even give it a second thought? and what made you change your behaviour?
Back then there were fewer cameras to see who may have been driving.emperorburger said:
Muzzer79 said:
My Father in Law however tells me of several occasions in the 70's where he would drive home (relatively slowly) using the grass
I remember an occasion as a child late at night after a wedding reception, my father having to follow the white lines in the middle of the road to get us home. The biggest concern at the time seemed to be getting a tug from plod rather than the safety of those in the car or anyone around us.TorqueVR said:
emperorburger said:
Muzzer79 said:
My Father in Law however tells me of several occasions in the 70's where he would drive home (relatively slowly) using the grass
I remember an occasion as a child late at night after a wedding reception, my father having to follow the white lines in the middle of the road to get us home. The biggest concern at the time seemed to be getting a tug from plod rather than the safety of those in the car or anyone around us.Too pissed to walk, drive.
Driving home through London on New Years Day in the 60's I stopped in a traffic queue and felt a gentle bump from the car behind. He was completely off his trolley and using me as a brake! Got out of there as fast as i could.
Drunk driving was illegal even then but was more tolerated. Traffic flows were much lighter so the chances of an accident between pub and home were much lower, though many roads were still in the horse and cart age so easy even for the sober to come a cropper on a sharp bend.
Drunk driving was illegal even then but was more tolerated. Traffic flows were much lighter so the chances of an accident between pub and home were much lower, though many roads were still in the horse and cart age so easy even for the sober to come a cropper on a sharp bend.
In the late 90s I went to watch my Dad play in his Hockey club's league final. He was a goalie, it went to penalties, and they won. Everyone wanted to buy him a drink.
He had a proper look of disappointment as I took whatever pint was being offered and drank it myself instead. It occurred to me that 20 years prior he probably would have happily accepted the drinks and drove home tiddly. He's a law-abiding retired teacher who doesn't actually drink that much. But I guess when he started driving in the late 60s it would have been reasonable to have a few and drive home.
Of course, the silly sod could have just put me on his insurance or had me drive him there in Mum's car which I was insured to drive!
He had a proper look of disappointment as I took whatever pint was being offered and drank it myself instead. It occurred to me that 20 years prior he probably would have happily accepted the drinks and drove home tiddly. He's a law-abiding retired teacher who doesn't actually drink that much. But I guess when he started driving in the late 60s it would have been reasonable to have a few and drive home.
Of course, the silly sod could have just put me on his insurance or had me drive him there in Mum's car which I was insured to drive!
You’ll find that drink driving is still pretty common in rural areas. It’s generally a certain age group and demographic doing it as well.
When my father was a senior magistrate in Nottingham he’d have a long list of habitual ‘regulars’ who rinsed and repeated their bans and fines.... only to be pulled a couple of weeks later over the limit. It was the one section of scummery that made him the most angry.
When my father was a senior magistrate in Nottingham he’d have a long list of habitual ‘regulars’ who rinsed and repeated their bans and fines.... only to be pulled a couple of weeks later over the limit. It was the one section of scummery that made him the most angry.
Muzzer79 said:
My Father in Law however tells me of several occasions in the 70's where he would drive home (relatively slowly) using the grass verge to bounce off and keep the car in a straight line
If you were ever pulled over by the Police, the officer would just give you a bit of a talking to, tell you to take it easier next time and be careful on your way......
It was only the advent of breathalysers and threat of licence removal that turned it to where it is now.
Roadside breathalysers were introduced in the late 60's. I started driving in 74 and I can't recall stories of people bouncing off grass verges. What did happen is that Police seemed reluctant to bag drivers unless they were pretty sure - I guess by the time they got to the station to do a blood test (the drill was to ask for one as it could take a while to get a doc) then there's a good chance you'd be under.If you were ever pulled over by the Police, the officer would just give you a bit of a talking to, tell you to take it easier next time and be careful on your way......
It was only the advent of breathalysers and threat of licence removal that turned it to where it is now.
People drinking at lunchtime was a big thing - when I started on the road in the mid 80's it was still routine to take a buyer out and he'd have 5 pints, driving themselves on days no sales rep was taking them. I knew a few who got caught though.
My mum lived in rural Wiltshire, after a trip to the big town swindon she tells stories of her friend leaning over to steer and said it was a god send when they started to paint lines so they could keep on the correct side.
Wouldn’t touch a drop and drive at all now
I suspect in the future even thinking about a mobile phone or speeding will be frowned upon like drink driving is now
Wouldn’t touch a drop and drive at all now
I suspect in the future even thinking about a mobile phone or speeding will be frowned upon like drink driving is now
That's my memory of it. Even in the 80s you were seen as a bit of a wimp if left the car in the Pub and walked home.
I remember driving with my Parents in the early 80s, we'd travel down the same bit of B road and most weekends you'd see the back of one car or other poking out of a hedge and my Dad would laugh saying they'd had one too many to drive.
As far as I can remember if the Police stopped you and smelt you'd been drinking they were more likely to tell you to be careful and take it easy than ask you to "blow into this bag please sir".
I think they got serious about it in the late 80s.
For the record I've driven whilst drunk once. I was on an Island off the coast of Queensland and our Landcruiser was about to be washed away by the sea. I really don't know if it was legal or not, but the only people for many miles were in the truck with me and it was the lessor evil at the time. I have to admit, it was pretty fun trying to find a gap to get off the beach with waves hitting the screen and my mate hanging out of the passenger window giving directions.
I remember driving with my Parents in the early 80s, we'd travel down the same bit of B road and most weekends you'd see the back of one car or other poking out of a hedge and my Dad would laugh saying they'd had one too many to drive.
As far as I can remember if the Police stopped you and smelt you'd been drinking they were more likely to tell you to be careful and take it easy than ask you to "blow into this bag please sir".
I think they got serious about it in the late 80s.
For the record I've driven whilst drunk once. I was on an Island off the coast of Queensland and our Landcruiser was about to be washed away by the sea. I really don't know if it was legal or not, but the only people for many miles were in the truck with me and it was the lessor evil at the time. I have to admit, it was pretty fun trying to find a gap to get off the beach with waves hitting the screen and my mate hanging out of the passenger window giving directions.
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