Thursday, February 04, 2010

Drinking and Driving


Grey area? Depends on what and how much you drink?

Taboo topic? Makes you uncomfortable?

Consuming alcohol and then driving. People do it all the time. Yet the lorry and cab drivers -- poor souls (moneywise) are the ones who get into trouble the maximum. The others do get into trouble IF they are caught. Else, they think it's OK.

It is shocking if you stop and think about it.

Am completely non-judgemental about the drinking and being merry of course, but driving after? That's often not up for comment. I know people personally, who do drink and drive. They think they can handle it.

Can they? Is it really worth it? That's all I ask.

If they stopped for a minute to consider what will happen if they were to hit someone or something (even an animal) and worse, injure, maim or kill the soul when you have had 1,2,3 drinks and taken the car out...?? Ok, so MAYBE you won't get caught and the poor sould can be written off with a hit-and-run stamp. But are YOU OK to live with yourself after that? Really?

If they say yes, they are real sickos.

If not, maybe they could think about it and plan for the next time they drink -- hire a car or have a teetotaller drive. Bars and pubs do give some importance to designated drivers but no matter, it makes no sense if people roam around saying 'It's OK, I can handle it'.

The truth is, you cannot estimate how potent your drink is, because there are too many variable factors that control your body's and mind's functioning. Often, these, which you really cannot recognise properly, will decide how big an impact the alcohol will have on you for the day. So, it's safe to say that it is a big risk.

Worse, arguments about it being only beer, or only wine, or only one or two drinks, etc. It's rubbish. Alcohol lowers inhibitions. This means it can cause you to not be in control or be controlled. However you understand it.

I do realise there are people who drink and drive because they think they can and are terribly confident about themselves. But it just takes one slip to change your life...and sadly it may change others' lives for the worse.

Absolutely 'decent' people do it. So-called literate, educated, classy, rich, famous, successful, young, old, middle-aged confidence supremos, etc. do it.

What will it take to change this is what I am wondering...

3 comments:

Trendsetters said...

Some ppl learn from theory...some from practise..As far as this topic is concerned, ppl only learn from practise....I wish more ppl think about drinking n driving and dont
do it.

Kamini said...

What an excellent piece! I know several people who pride themselves on how well they can hold their drinks, and this pride extends to their driving ability, which they say remains unimpaired by the alcohol. The machismo and idiotic self-grandery make me MAD. It is FAR more macho to have the strength to say NO - to either drinking or driving, than to risk so much with this swagging around.
(Nice blog, by the way - I came here via Shyam's).

Kamini said...

What an excellent piece! I know several people who pride themselves on how well they can hold their drinks, and this pride extends to their driving ability, which they say remains unimpaired by the alcohol. The machismo and idiotic self-grandery make me MAD. It is FAR more macho to have the strength to say NO - to either drinking or driving, than to risk so much with this swagging around.
(Nice blog, by the way - I came here via Shyam's).