Have you driven drunk? Answer honestly...

[BrickJames]

I'm just gonna leave this lying here:

Extensive research has shown that talking on a cell phone while driving produces a statistically equal level of impairment as driving with a BAC of .08.  Texting while driving is more impairing than that. 

Discuss!

Plus, BAC only means so much.  Some people act like idiots when "buzzed", others don't.

Drunk driving is bad...if you're drunk.  But so is a lot of other stuff (talking on cell, texting, sleepy, medicated, etc. etc.).  Just not as stigmatized because you don't have to be a certain age to do those things when not driving.

[Chris]

I'm just gonna leave this lying here:

Extensive research has shown that talking on a cell phone while driving produces a statistically equal level of impairment as driving with a BAC of .08.  Texting while driving is more impairing than that. 

Discuss!

Plus, BAC only means so much.  Some people act like idiots when "buzzed", others don't.

Drunk driving is bad...if you're drunk.  But so is a lot of other stuff (talking on cell, texting, sleepy, medicated, etc. etc.).  Just not as stigmatized because you don't have to be a certain age to do those things when not driving.

I think this is something people don't quite grasp though.  The reason you should not drink and drive is not because you are acting like an idiot (although that certainly doesn't help), it is because alcohol significantly impairs motor skills. 

Yes, there is some variability in the level of functioning people have based on their BAC...however, since extensive research has shown that people are not able to differentiate between when they are being impaired, and are not, things like BAC are important. 

To anyone who says that they know they are OK to drink to a certain point without it effecting them, I would argue that the research  shows that you are likely wrong.  You may feel OK, but that doesn't mean your motor and cognitive functioning is not incredibly impaired.

[MattG12]

First time I ever drove an SUV... A few girls picked me up on the side of the road handed me a bottle of bacardi razz and the keys on a windy road in the middle of the woods...

annndddd 15 at someones birthday party... as well as some other substance, and then i drove home. It was 3 AM so luckily nobody was on the road and my house was a half mile away. I had to open up work at 7 AM the next day too... bad idea.

That is the only two times I ever did it both were like 2 years ago.

After that I just started walking home from parties if I was too drunk to drive... until I got alcohol poisoning last year and quit drinking.

[ma11l]

Drivng drunk is awful, but after a few yrs on celticsblog this question must be addressed as well-                                                                                            Have you posted on CelticsBlog drunk? Answer honestly... 

Haha very good question.  I know that I sure have.  I was posting on the game thread the night that we won number 17 until about 6 in the morning.  There was a lot of champagne and beer flowing in the system at that point.

[KevinGamble]

absolutely.

fist of all, I am all growd up and certainly thank the lord no one was hurt for my mistakes from my idiotic college days,


but now that that is out of the way.

This actually could have been an excellent book title, bloggers, with the chapters of stories people could come up with (after all, alcoholism is the only disease that people love to laugh at.)

I'll give you #3.  There was this time that for no good reason half my face was exploding and puffy (picture two face with one face like "the cuppy-cake boy") from some sort of tooth thing.  Being to young and stupid to go to a doctor, I thought it would be smart to kill the pain by driving 40 minutes to where my roomate grew up and kill the pain with some zimas.  (I told you this was a long time ago.)  I had a lot of pain, and drank a lot more than I thought i would and I got drunk.  After a while, my roomate was high and didn't want to drive at all... until he saw my cartoonish attempt at driving that is.  "dude, pull over your scaring me."  The good part was that I was able to sleep because the pain was down thanks to all the Zimas. 

I learned a lot that day.

Remember to talk to kids about drinking and driving and feel free to refer to this story.

[nickagneta]

absolutely.

fist of all, I am all growd up and certainly thank the lord no one was hurt for my mistakes from my idiotic college days,


but now that that is out of the way.

This actually could have been an excellent book title, bloggers, with the chapters of stories people could come up with (after all, alcoholism is the only disease that people love to laugh at.)

I'll give you #3.  There was this time that for no good reason half my face was exploding and puffy (picture two face with one face like "the cuppy-cake boy") from some sort of tooth thing.  Being to young and stupid to go to a doctor, I thought it would be smart to kill the pain by driving 40 minutes to where my roomate grew up and kill the pain with some zimas.  (I told you this was a long time ago.)  I had a lot of pain, and drank a lot more than I thought i would and I got drunk.  After a while, my roomate was high and didn't want to drive at all... until he saw my cartoonish attempt at driving that is.  "dude, pull over your scaring me."  The good part was that I was able to sleep because the pain was down thanks to all the Zimas. 

I learned a lot that day.

Remember to talk to kids about drinking and driving and feel free to refer to this story.

Yeah, like never drink Zimas, they suck.

[CoachBo]

Good point.

I do talk to my kids every year before the season. They understand, quite clearly, what drinking and driving is and what the ramifications are for ignoring my prohibition against alcohol - immediate and permanent dismissal from the squad, no questions asked.

I'll give second chances for a lot of things as a coach: Grades slip? Fine. Get them up. Blow a practice? Don't do it again. But there are no second chances for drinking. I will not have a user of alcohol on any of my squads, and I've dismissed several for it.

If I were into rationalizations, maybe I'd dismiss a kid for driving while talking on a cell phone.

But I'm not - and I find the comparison in this thread laughable to the point of absurdity.

[dark_lord]

im honestly amazed, and a bit humored, by the utmost ignorance of some actually attempting to justify their stance or deflect this issue of driving after drinking.  im fearful something bad will have to happen for some to see the significance of this action.


is it really that hard to get a ride or call a cab when someone decides to drink?

[indeedproceed]

im honestly amazed, and a bit humored, by the utmost ignorance of some actually attempting to justify their stance or deflect this issue of driving after drinking.  im fearful something bad will have to happen for some to see the significance of this action.


is it really that hard to get a ride or call a cab when someone decides to drink?

I was dumb in my youth, Im not so dumb anymore. I was lucky enough not to get caught or hit someone to figure out to stop doing it.

[dark_lord]

im honestly amazed, and a bit humored, by the utmost ignorance of some actually attempting to justify their stance or deflect this issue of driving after drinking.  im fearful something bad will have to happen for some to see the significance of this action.


is it really that hard to get a ride or call a cab when someone decides to drink?

I was dumb in my youth, Im not so dumb anymore. I was lucky enough not to get caught or hit someone to figure out to stop doing it.

lots of people make dumb decisions in their youth and im glad u know the significant risk of the situation and improved on that.  my post was about people who continue to defend their actions of driving after drinking in this thread.

[ChampKind]

im honestly amazed, and a bit humored, by the utmost ignorance of some actually attempting to justify their stance or deflect this issue of driving after drinking.  im fearful something bad will have to happen for some to see the significance of this action.


is it really that hard to get a ride or call a cab when someone decides to drink?

I was dumb in my youth, Im not so dumb anymore. I was lucky enough not to get caught or hit someone to figure out to stop doing it.

lots of people make dumb decisions in their youth and im glad u know the significant risk of the situation and improved on that.  my post was about people who continue to defend their actions of driving after drinking in this thread.

Not that I'm in any way defending drunk driving, but I think that, as someone who has never drank, you may be misunderstanding some of the arguments here. It is coming off as very judgmental without much background as your experience in the field is so limited.  I would be much more affected by the advice and discussion from someone who has been there before, but as a non-drinker, I think that your input on this subject is limited - with all due respect. 

I'm not trying to put you down or judge you in any way, nor am I saying that I disagree with you. While it's admirable that you have never made any mistakes with alcohol, even in your youth, I feel like that may also disqualify you from providing counsel on the topic - and in this case it makes all the non-drinkers seem very judgmental. 

[dark_lord]

im honestly amazed, and a bit humored, by the utmost ignorance of some actually attempting to justify their stance or deflect this issue of driving after drinking.  im fearful something bad will have to happen for some to see the significance of this action.


is it really that hard to get a ride or call a cab when someone decides to drink?

I was dumb in my youth, Im not so dumb anymore. I was lucky enough not to get caught or hit someone to figure out to stop doing it.

lots of people make dumb decisions in their youth and im glad u know the significant risk of the situation and improved on that.  my post was about people who continue to defend their actions of driving after drinking in this thread.

Not that I'm in any way defending drunk driving, but I think that, as someone who has never drank, you may be misunderstanding some of the arguments here. It is coming off as very judgmental without much background as your experience in the field is so limited.  I would be much more affected by the advice and discussion from someone who has been there before, but as a non-drinker, I think that your input on this subject is limited - with all due respect. 

I'm not trying to put you down or judge you in any way, nor am I saying that I disagree with you. While it's admirable that you have never made any mistakes with alcohol, even in your youth, I feel like that may also disqualify you from providing counsel on the topic - and in this case it makes all the non-drinkers seem very judgmental. 

champ, i appreciate your tone and respect in that post.  its always nice to discuss differences of opinions when it is done with respect, like you have shown.

i understand your sentiments, however, as a driver, i believe i have every right to voice my opinion and provide my stance and supporting reason for it. we all share the same roads, and when lives of innocent people are at risk due to the decisions of others, the innocent have every right to voice their opinion.

if someone wants to drink, thats perfectly fine.  im not against people consuming alcohol in any way.  however, when they get behind the wheel after doing so, i strongly object.

[ChampKind]

im honestly amazed, and a bit humored, by the utmost ignorance of some actually attempting to justify their stance or deflect this issue of driving after drinking.  im fearful something bad will have to happen for some to see the significance of this action.


is it really that hard to get a ride or call a cab when someone decides to drink?

I was dumb in my youth, Im not so dumb anymore. I was lucky enough not to get caught or hit someone to figure out to stop doing it.

lots of people make dumb decisions in their youth and im glad u know the significant risk of the situation and improved on that.  my post was about people who continue to defend their actions of driving after drinking in this thread.

Not that I'm in any way defending drunk driving, but I think that, as someone who has never drank, you may be misunderstanding some of the arguments here. It is coming off as very judgmental without much background as your experience in the field is so limited.  I would be much more affected by the advice and discussion from someone who has been there before, but as a non-drinker, I think that your input on this subject is limited - with all due respect. 

I'm not trying to put you down or judge you in any way, nor am I saying that I disagree with you. While it's admirable that you have never made any mistakes with alcohol, even in your youth, I feel like that may also disqualify you from providing counsel on the topic - and in this case it makes all the non-drinkers seem very judgmental. 

champ, i appreciate your tone and respect in that post.  its always nice to discuss differences of opinions when it is done with respect, like you have shown.

i understand your sentiments, however, as a driver, i believe i have every right to voice my opinion and provide my stance and supporting reason for it. we all share the same roads, and when lives of innocent people are at risk due to the decisions of others, the innocent have every right to voice their opinion.

if someone wants to drink, thats perfectly fine.  im not against people consuming alcohol in any way.  however, when they get behind the wheel after doing so, i strongly object.

Well that is an excellent point, and as a driver that is your absolute right to be p---ed off.  And I agree that drunk driving is a serious (and generally inexcusable) offense, as are all forms of impaired driving (why we're arguing over which is worse when they're all dangerous is...confusing).

However, I just think that a non-drinker calling out someone who is defending himself as "ignorant" will fail to be effective. Rather than coming off as advice that can be learned from, it appears to be more scorn than anything.  While I may have jumped the gun on calling your posts out as judgmental (you do clearly state that you empathize with those you have owned up to their mistakes and learned from them), I feel like calling out the impaired drivers in this case will only add fuel to the fire rather than get them to think differently. 

Although, to be fair, this is a discussion board, and we all like a good topic, so maybe that's a good thing.   

[Chris]

Well that is an excellent point, and as a driver that is your absolute right to be ****ed off.  And I agree that drunk driving is a serious (and generally inexcusable) offense, as are all forms of impaired driving (why we're arguing over which is worse when they're all dangerous is...confusing).

However, I just think that a non-drinker calling out someone who is defending himself as "ignorant" will fail to be effective. Rather than coming off as advice that can be learned from, it appears to be more scorn than anything.  While I may have jumped the gun on calling your posts out as judgmental (you do clearly state that you empathize with those you have owned up to their mistakes and learned from them), I feel like calling out the impaired drivers in this case will only add fuel to the fire rather than get them to think differently. 

Although, to be fair, this is a discussion board, and we all like a good topic, so maybe that's a good thing.   

While I agree, that someone who has not had to learn the "hard way", and therefore may not be able to "relate" to others, that their advice would be taken...I think this is a subject where there is nothing wrong with showing scorn. 

Its one thing if we are talking about alcoholism, or a drug problem, which really does (in a vaccuum anyways) only affect that person, and those close to them, wreckless driving in general (I am going to lump all of the things brought up in this thread together) affects everyone else who chooses to leave their house, because it puts everyone in significantly more danger than if people were being responsible.  That makes it everyone's business, and opens everyone up to scorn.

[nickagneta]

Just to chime in here a bit. DL, you know you're my sith, right? I think what Champ was trying to say and why Schupac got so defensive is that, yes, you have every right to your opinion, and, after a rather stupid occurence in my youth that made me reflect on what I was doing, I agree with your opinion, but the way that you and some others voiced their opinions was a bit harsh and condescending. Just a bit.

Now, you have every right to your opinion and the right to voice it. But given the way in which you voiced that opinion and some of the words you and others used, like ignorant, selfish and pathetic, it instantly put Schupac and maybe another person here and there on the defensive because they took those words as insults on their person. Perhaps it was meant that the decision was ignorant, selfish and pathetic and not the person but I can see how someone might instantly get defensive.

As I said in an earlier post, Schupac is young and possibly not as informed on the subject as he could be. And he has a point. Alcohol doesn't impair all people equally after consuming an equal amount of liquor. But the government has to work within the realm of doing what's right for the greater good not what's right for every individual. Therefore, after studies the .08 level was determined to be of the level at which going above was dangerous for the greater good. But I think he got very defensive after perceiving that he was being judged personally and being insulted. Again, just his perception, I'm not saying that's what was happening. And, in defending himself, he may have dug himself a deeper hole.

I will state that drinking and driving is a bad choice. But good people sometimes make bad decisions. Schupac is probably one of those people. But the choice itself, of driving after drinking, even if it is after just 2 beers having been drank within the last 90 minutes, is a dangerous, risky, irresponsible, inconsiderate, stupid decision. Schupac and others will someday, maybe soon, probably learn this and hopefully never make that choice again.

Just thought I'd look at it from afar and say what I was seeing. Hope that helps.