Problem
You are going to a party on Saturday night. But you are driving to your destination on Sunday. Does this mean you cannot drink on Saturday night?
Answer
I was in that situation two years running. I was going to a Writers Circle party on the Saturday night. On the Sunday I was driving to a Writing Holiday.
No To Drunk Driving
Knowledge has increased. I remember my shock on learning that you could still be over the limit the morning after.
Clearly, if you drink at midnight, and drive home at one in the morning, you are over the limit. But if you drink to two in the morning and drive at eight in the morning, you may still be over the limit. I was at a party starting at about eight in the evening and ending about eleven in the evening.
I decided that I could not have even one drink, because one drink could lead to two. Because if a policeman or doctor asked me if I had had anything to drink, I did not want to find myself hesitating, stammering, saying, "Well, er, it was only, um ..."
More importantly, I wanted my wits about me when driving, or protecting myself and property at motorway stops and in unfamiliar situations and places.
Drunk Pedestrians
We have all seen drunk pedestrians staggering out of pubs or veering along the pavement, even sitting on the curb, using it as a seat, or falling over the drop, or lurching into the road without looking. In the UK, USA and Australia official bodies have released figures about the numbers of pedestrian accidents involving drink. If you want a quick check, references are compiled by Wikipedia.
Self Monitoring and Family
You can monitor yourself. You can ensure you don't get into a vehicle driven by somebody who you think is incapacitated.
You can monitor or warn those you know - your family who want you to drive them home. You can monitor strangers in the street, at parties, at pubs. You can monitor employees and put notices in pubs and places of work. I have seen warning on restaurant menus and by wash basins in pubs and restaurants and on the back of doors of toilet cubicles.
Monitoring Friends and Family
We see signs on medication warning that side effects could be drowsiness and not to operate machinery nor to drive while under the influence of the medication. If you take the medicine every four hours, you might assume that for at least four hours after taking medicine you must be careful.
A first step is to find out how many accidents and injuries involve drink, drugs or medication.
in 2011 Australia saw the start of a campaign: Never let a mate walk home drunk.
In the UK I was alarmed at reports of people who disappeared after drinking in pubs and walking home by canals and across bridges. I don't need to tell you ... But I will. After extensive searches, in some cases q quick result, in others nothing found until long afterwards.
The next question arises, did they fall or were they pushed? Water in the lungs shows they were alive and breathing when they went into the water. The question still arises, did they fall or were they pushed. Either way, drinking made them vulnerable.
Monitoring Customers
So, we all know that
1 It is dangerous to drive home drunk. Pubs have signs about designated drivers.
2 It is dangerous to drink at night and drive next morning. My local newspaper reported a case where a 'drunk', or over the limit driver killed a pedestrian. The driver had drunk the night before.
3 I have seen signs warning that it is dangerous to walk home when drunk, because of the danger of traffic accidents.
4 Now I learn that travel insurance can be invalidated if you are drunk and fall over.
Useful Websites
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-42878841# (Article about drinking and insurance claims)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drunk_drivers
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/08/05/drunk-pedestrian-fatalities/2621673/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drunk_walking
You are going to a party on Saturday night. But you are driving to your destination on Sunday. Does this mean you cannot drink on Saturday night?
Answer
I was in that situation two years running. I was going to a Writers Circle party on the Saturday night. On the Sunday I was driving to a Writing Holiday.
No To Drunk Driving
Knowledge has increased. I remember my shock on learning that you could still be over the limit the morning after.
Clearly, if you drink at midnight, and drive home at one in the morning, you are over the limit. But if you drink to two in the morning and drive at eight in the morning, you may still be over the limit. I was at a party starting at about eight in the evening and ending about eleven in the evening.
I decided that I could not have even one drink, because one drink could lead to two. Because if a policeman or doctor asked me if I had had anything to drink, I did not want to find myself hesitating, stammering, saying, "Well, er, it was only, um ..."
More importantly, I wanted my wits about me when driving, or protecting myself and property at motorway stops and in unfamiliar situations and places.
Drunk Pedestrians
We have all seen drunk pedestrians staggering out of pubs or veering along the pavement, even sitting on the curb, using it as a seat, or falling over the drop, or lurching into the road without looking. In the UK, USA and Australia official bodies have released figures about the numbers of pedestrian accidents involving drink. If you want a quick check, references are compiled by Wikipedia.
Self Monitoring and Family
You can monitor yourself. You can ensure you don't get into a vehicle driven by somebody who you think is incapacitated.
You can monitor or warn those you know - your family who want you to drive them home. You can monitor strangers in the street, at parties, at pubs. You can monitor employees and put notices in pubs and places of work. I have seen warning on restaurant menus and by wash basins in pubs and restaurants and on the back of doors of toilet cubicles.
Monitoring Friends and Family
We see signs on medication warning that side effects could be drowsiness and not to operate machinery nor to drive while under the influence of the medication. If you take the medicine every four hours, you might assume that for at least four hours after taking medicine you must be careful.
A first step is to find out how many accidents and injuries involve drink, drugs or medication.
in 2011 Australia saw the start of a campaign: Never let a mate walk home drunk.
In the UK I was alarmed at reports of people who disappeared after drinking in pubs and walking home by canals and across bridges. I don't need to tell you ... But I will. After extensive searches, in some cases q quick result, in others nothing found until long afterwards.
The next question arises, did they fall or were they pushed? Water in the lungs shows they were alive and breathing when they went into the water. The question still arises, did they fall or were they pushed. Either way, drinking made them vulnerable.
Monitoring Customers
So, we all know that
1 It is dangerous to drive home drunk. Pubs have signs about designated drivers.
2 It is dangerous to drink at night and drive next morning. My local newspaper reported a case where a 'drunk', or over the limit driver killed a pedestrian. The driver had drunk the night before.
3 I have seen signs warning that it is dangerous to walk home when drunk, because of the danger of traffic accidents.
4 Now I learn that travel insurance can be invalidated if you are drunk and fall over.
Useful Websites
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-42878841# (Article about drinking and insurance claims)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drunk_drivers
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/08/05/drunk-pedestrian-fatalities/2621673/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drunk_walking
Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
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