I don't mean to sound preachy here, I'm just rambling about a difference of opinion I seem to have with some people.
If I know I'm going to have a drink, I plan not to drive.
(I don't like having even a drink with dinner and then driving, but I know I'm being extra sensitive in this case.)
I'm very lucky in that I live near enough downtown that I can walk places, but in the times I'm going somewhere where I can't walk home? I either don't drink or I don't drive.
I don't understand the acquaintances I have who have a few drinks and then offer to drive me home.
I mean, I understand the offer to drive me home, it's very kind, but I don't understand why you're driving.
I guess people think they know their limits, but that's the problem with drinking. You *think* you know things, when really, you're impaired.
You think you need to speak loudly, you think everything you have to say is funny/important/interesting. And when it comes time to leave, you think you're ok to drive.
And I'm not talking "I had a glass of wine with dinner three hours ago", I'm talking, we've had two or three drinks over the last few hours and I feel fine. Plus, my car's just parked across the street so why would I take a cab?
I know a girl who knows a girl who was the designated driver at a Christmas staff party.
She was pulled over, with a car load of her co-workers and found to be over the legal limit.
This is not a designated driver!
Again, I'm lucky that I can walk home from downtown. But it's also true that in this town a taxi never really costs more than $15 or $20 and most of them will take debit if you don't have any cash on you.
I guess I think these decisions should be made *before* the alcohol is consumed and I guess I think it's better to be on the overly-cautious side when it comes down to it.
We all think we're ok to drive after a few drinks, but driving is such an overwhelmingly large amount of processing and decision making and relying on split second timing and that's when things are going well.
I don't think drinking mixes with driving, and it always baffles me somewhat when I find I'm in the minority.
4 comments:
I'm the same - if I'm driving, then I don't drink. At all.
It annoys me when people find this such a hard thing to understand. But not nearly as much as it annoyed me the time someone decided that they didn't agree with the idea & spiked my drink...
I totally agree with you. I have had, unfortunately, two friends who did not think the same way and they were killed in a car accident- no other cars were involved. They made a decision that they were ok to drive, but in reality they were not. I feel that it is needless and never needs to happen.
I'm a big fan of the "let's plan this our before we go out" kind of thing.
If I'm going out for dinner and I want to have a drink with friends, I generally plan it so we go downtown and have a pre-dinner drink, then we go for dinner, where I stop drinking, then usually follow it up with a movie and post movie coffee session.
Maybe a bit over the top? But I'd rather not risk my life, or the life of someone else just because I wanted a glass of wine. That being said its also a great excuse to keep gabbing :)
That's creepy Dominic :(
I'm sorry Stephanie. Hugs.
I totally agree The Ex!
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