Holiday Drunk Drivers

[DancingLady]

Do people who get pulled over for drunk driving usually know they have had too much and are driving anyway, or are they seem to not realize they are legally drunk?

 

[Patrick]

I'd say most drink drivers are aware that they are driving under the influence, but they overestimate their driving capability. It is such a selfish and dangerous mentality that needs to be curbed.

 

[Gelsemium]

There are lots of police officers on the streets in the holidays because a lot of people are seeing their families, I hope no one is drinking too much, dangerous enough already as it is.

 

[DancingLady]

Do you think people overestimate their driving abilities because of the influence of the alcohol, or do you think they were overconfident in the first place and it just carried over?

 

[shilpa123]

I believe that the people who are actually drunk do not usually know much about what is happening as they are too wary in their own world. I hope that all these people are equally punished for all their doings.*

 

[primalclaws1974]

I got busted for drinking and driving 14 years ago. I will speak for myself in saying that I had done it several times before, without getting caught. For me, when I was sober, it was something I was against. I have heard way too many stories of innocents getting killed by someone who should not have been behind the wheel to begin with. But when you start to get buzzed your convictions slide. I usually only drove for "important" reasons, like getting home, but someone still could have died. I knew what I was doing, I knew that if I got pulled over I was going to jail. It's not like it's a mental handicap. You know what's going on.

 

[milyjohnson]

I wonder if they know what they are doing when they are drunk too. I think they do overestimate their ability to drive which is why they get in the car in the first place. I agree that it is a selfish thing to do putting other people at risk because they don't want to take a cab or find someone to take them home.

 

[laurelbell85]

I'm not a police officer, but I believe they know they are driving under the influence. In Orlando, we are thankful to have AAA give free tows home on New Years Eve, or a taxi company will give a discounted cab ride home. I believe last year cab companies did free rides, you just tipped them. I think it is so irresponsible. As a mother to a 5 year old, it scares me every time we get in the car.

 

[hayrake]

Do people who get pulled over for drunk driving usually know they have had too much and are driving anyway, or are they seem to not realize they are legally drunk?

I'm not a police officer, but I'm pretty sure people usually know when they've had too much. I'll even go further than that and say that most times they know before they take the first drink that they're going to be legally drunk if not completely snockered before they are through. Whether or not they'll admit it (even to themselves) is another question entirely.

 

[laurelbell85]

I'm not a police officer, but I'm pretty sure people usually know when they've had too much. I'll even go further than that and say that most times they know before they take the first drink that they're going to be legally drunk if not completely snockered before they are through. Whether or not they'll admit it (even to themselves) is another question entirely.

I'll never forget...one night I begged someone else to drive me home because I could barely walk...my friend (who didn't have a DL but was sober) refused....so I slept in my car for an hour or so to sober up. I don't see why people are so irresponsible when it comes to this kind of thing. Ever since then, I will have 1 MAYBE 2 drinks the entire time I am out. Better to be safe than sorry.

 

[hayrake]

Oh, was that ever a bad situation. How did you end up drunk with a friend who was sober but had no DL? Had your friend had a DUI?

Anyway, it was a good effort on your part. A good decision to put off driving at that point, but if you really couldn't walk and you put off driving for only an hour or so, you might likely have been still legally drunk. Lucky for you, you didn't get stopped.

It was a responsible decision on your part to make yourself stick to a 1-2 drink limit thereafter; but I'm betting there are far more irresponsible drinkers than not. And then there are the people (We probably all know one) who can toss drinks down like water, still be able to walk and they go out and drive without a thought to the fact that they are way over the limit.

 

[LitoLawless]

I think that drunk driving is a problem any time of the year but it seems to be a REAL big problem during the holidays. I think that this is the time of the year that the cops should really be on the lookout for drunk drivers. People will be getting more drunk than usual.

 

[c9h2ua]

Last year in Canada, there were actually police checking Drunk drivers in the parking lot outside the mall.
I hope they are going to do that again this year!!

 

[Popcorn365]

I agree. Everyone knows they have been drinking because they made the conscious decision to drink; however, I don't think a lot of people realize how the alcohol has affected their senses and they think they are fine. My husband and I don't drink very often but we do indulge more around the holidays and both of us always think we are find to be driving BUT anytime there will be any sort of driving involved we agree before hand which one of us will be drinking when we go out. It is a one or the other deal and never the both of us. Usually it's me that isn't drinking because I'm still up with my six month old multiple times a night for feedings and I need to be clear headed.