Drinking and Driving...

[VXIRONwoMAN]

Since Mark started one about seat belts, I have to chime in with mine on drinking.

Working as a bartender I see how many people drink and drive everyday. Even all of my co-workers get into their cars after having a few, or more than a few. From personal experience about 90% of the people who go out don't call a cab or have a designated driver. It's disgusting. We live in Chicago, there are cabs everywhere. Even worse, my co-workers get completely blasted and drive home and can't even recall how they got into their home. It's a serious matter that the majority doesn't take seriously.

This link is really gory and is not suitable for the kiddos or the squeamish...

http://www.eatnineghost.com/do-not-drink-and-drive/

[crotchrocket]

I'm with you! I haven't ever drank and driven and don't understand those that do. If i drive after 1 pint (UK Limit) i don't enjoy it at all. However i now live in London and theres no need to drink and drive at all!!!!

[BigSwede]

My buddy got a DWI recently, had 4 drinks in 3 hours. Based on what he experienced, many of us may be over the limit even when we think we are "fine". He was totally shocked he failed...this is a guy who would never knowingly break the law.

I am seriously considering getting a breathalyzer just so I can find out when I am actually at risk of a DWI.

[VX crazy]

My ex husband got a DUI when he was a detective just a couple years ago....needless to say he can never work in law enforcement again. Its not worth it, they sell those little handy devices that you can breath into to see if your over the limit, maybe I will find mine before moab!

[circmand]

The only problem is only 25% of the accidents on the road are caused by drunks. That means 75% are caused by sober people. We need to not let teens drive at all they cause a lot of accidents, studies show using a cell phone is as dangerous as drunk driving people who use cell phones when driving should be arrest and fined just like drunk drivers, also old farts have you seen them? They drive cars 3 miles long and cant see over the steering wheel. They drive half the speed limit and shouldnt be allowed to driveeither. And dont get me started when they get behind the wheel of RVs. As long as we are working at this have you seen these women who put make up on and get dressed while they are driving? Off to jail with them to. Dont think I am forgetting the guys but their list is too long too mention as well. And finally some people just cant drive but are given licenses anyhow.

One should not drink and drive but that is just one of the many things drivers are doing that is dangerous but the one every one likes to pick that they think would solve the worlds driving problems.

[Mile High VX]

Just realize that between 3% and 4% of alcohol related crashes result in a fatality, while only 1/2 to 3/4 of 1% of non-alcohol related crashes result in fatalities.

It's also important to note that all alcohol related accidents do not involve a drunk driver. If a drunk non-occupant (a pedestrian) steps in front of a car the accident is reported as an alcohol related incident.

I agree that more measures need to be taken to eliminate other types of distracted/impared driving so that we can all be safer on the road.

[circmand]

Just realize that between 3% and 4% of alcohol related crashes result in a fatality, while only 1/2 to 3/4 of 1% of non-alcohol related crased restult in fatalities.

It's also important to note that all alcohol related accidents do not involve a drunk driver. If a drunk non-occupant (a pedestrian) steps in front of a car the accident is reported as an alcohol related incident.

I agree that more measures need to be taken to eliminate other types of distracted/impared driving so that we can all be safer on the road.

After posting I was afraid my ranting may come off a tad offensive and people would think I condoned Drunk driving I do not.

[Mile High VX]

No offense taken here.

I think you did a nice job of making us all aware of other harmful behaviors that make our roads equally unsafe...

[Cobrajet]

32 years ago, at the age of 23, I realized had a choice to make; keep drinking and driving and lose my precious Cobra, my TS/SBI clearance, my career, and possibly my life, or quit drinking and have a safe (boring) life. I'm still here, so you know which choice I made. Cold turkey! It can be done!

(My cars make up for my otherwise boring existence. )

[VXIRONwoMAN]

...chicks painting their nails (one killed a mutual biker friend), guys shaving, people reading, texting they all are forms of distracted driving and are no doubt dangerous.

The worst one for me beside the drinking and driving goes out to the government, for giving the driving test in foreign languages when all of our signs are in English.

[VX crazy]

Great point Cece! Many years ago I was driving down a highway that had a cross street that had a stop sign, very clear large sign below said, cross traffic does not stop, well a non american woman that could not speak or read english ran this stop sign with her 5 children beside her in her pickup as I T boned her almost killing each and every one of them. I wrote letters to the state, I was pissed that the state of Texas gave her a drivers license when she could not read the sign!!

[RickOKC]

A couple years ago a friend from work got a DUI. He wasn't a regular drinker, but a group of us had got in the habit of dropping by the pool hall around the corner after work on Fridays and he joined in a few times. On the way home one night, he got pulled over, arrested, car impounded, driving classes, 6 months of parole meetings, court mandated AA Meetings, over $5,000 in fees & fines, court dates, a breathalyzer installed in car and a lot of time missed from work. He went from being a happy-go-lucky, on-top-of-the-world type to being somber, depressed and near-suicidal ever since.

One day at lunch our friend said something that struck a nerve with all of us. "Everybody knows that a 0.08% alcohol level is a DUI. Some people know a 0.05% is a DWI. But NOBODY knows how that actually relates to THEM. One of the first things to go when you're drinking is your sense of good judgment."

He was right on the money - do you KNOW your alcohol level after 1 drink? 2? 3? How can you KNOW without some kind of measurement?

After thinking about that statement, a few of us got together and chipped in a few bucks to buy a consumer version of a breath test machine. Each person got it for two weeks then passed it on to the next person. I now have a better understanding of the shame, embarrassment and regret our depressed friend has been experiencing (ditto for everybody else in our group.) We realized we had been SO lucky that we didn't go through the same thing or worse.

Again, like he said, "The first thing to is your sense of good judgment." All this took place years after I watched a girl die on the highway due to drunk driving. I saw her weaving as she was coming up from behind my car so I moved over a couple lanes to get out of her way. As she passed me, I looked over and saw her red cheeks and bleary, dull stare. I can still see her face. A few minutes later, she hit a steel & concrete guardrail on an overpass head on. Her car seemed to explode in a ball of metal, dirt & dust. It took a second for it to register that the thing I saw fly up (looked like it went as high as the streetlight) was her body. I watched her land in the left lane. That was about 10 years ago and I can still picture every second in my mind as if it happened 5 minutes ago.

I had nightmares about that for months, yet years later I would still have a few beers after work and drive home.

I BEG you… if you drink at all, get one of those breath test gizmos from your local drugstore and LEARN firsthand about your personal alcohol level. Take your pick- $50 voluntarily, or $5,000 in fines or prison or death. It sure woke me up.

With an overwhelming sense of shame for what I've done in the past,
--Rick

[VCrossfan]

...chicks painting their nails (one killed a mutual biker friend), guys shaving, people reading, texting they all are forms of distracted driving and are no doubt dangerous.

The worst one for me beside the drinking and driving goes out to the government, for giving the driving test in foreign languages when all of our signs are in English.

I haven't drank a drop of any alcohol since a small sip of Sake during a toast in Tokyo on a business trip in 96 and before that it was 4 to 5 years. No bad or terrible thing that made me stop (I was just a community drinker before), I just realized driving was way to important in my life than having a couple and getting pulled over and losing it all. One of the Best choices in life I ever made.


And on the DMV's they need to give the Driving test class room and road in English only, you don't pass you don't drive. That might help make English stay the #1 language in the USA.

[pbkid]

My buddy got a DWI recently, had 4 drinks in 3 hours. Based on what he experienced, many of us may be over the limit even when we think we are "fine". He was totally shocked he failed...this is a guy who would never knowingly break the law.

hmm... interesting you say that.. because... as many of you know, i have first hand experience with this.
basically what you explained here steve is exactly me. i never was a heavy drinker, and i never drove when i had any feeling of even tipsyness...
well, as many of you have heard, i went to a friend of mines wedding... had a few drinks spread over a few hours..lost track of how many i had. so i stopped drinking, waited until i felt sober, then waited another hour, then ate.... came up with a .1 BAC.
i was also shocked when i failed.... i definately thought that he was going to test me, and on my way home with a 'be safe'....instead, 8 months later, im about 8k down and have definately lost a feeling of self pride through this ordeal. its been a long trip, and i just recently (last friday) came off of supervised probation.

i immediately stopped drinking after my DUI for 4 months, it has severely affected my personal confidence, my friend base has become completely nothing, and my career is going to be changed significantly due to me going to school to be in law enforcement.
before my DUI i was expecting to probably move directly out of college into a federal level job. i now am waiting a minimum of 5 years before i can even APPLY, much less have a chance of getting a job.

drinking and driving is absolutely not worth the consequences.

and on a side note of those who do choose to drink heavily. it takes alcohol 12 hours after your last drink to clear from your system. many people who get DUI's get them in the morning.
i currently have a breathilizer in my car, and i can attest to the fact that if you drink heavily and try to drive within 12 hours, you absolutely WILL get a DUI if you are pulled over... keep that in the back of your mind...

[VX KAT]

Very moving and thanks to those courageous enough to share your stories. Dave & I "usually" "try" to pick one of us to be the designated driver when we go out to dinner. BUT, it's so easy to have a beer or two anyway. Always "thought" because I'm a "big" girl, I must be able to handle more, and certainly 1 or 2 beers can't possibly put ME over the DUI limit, right? Wrong! Actually, have no idea what my BA level would be after 1 or 2 beers, heck, don't even know what my state's limit is! Ignorance is no excuse.

This, and the seat belt thread, have been a very important reality check.

And Jack, I have to say again, I respect you on how maturely you handled your situation.

Life is good, very good. Let's all keep it that way!