When a friend is about to drive drunk, what do you do about it?
Posted at 5:00 AM on December 23, 2010
by Eric Ringham
(9 Comments)
Filed under: Health, Transportation
Minnesota and surrounding states have among the highest rates of drunk driving in the nation, according to a recent survey. Today's Question: When a friend is about to drive drunk, what do you do about it?
Comments (9)
Definitely take the keys away. If you're sneaky they'll probably just think they lost them. Don't try to reason with a drunk person, they are completely irrational.
Years ago we removed the distributor cap from a drunk friend's car. He staggered back in from the snow, complained his car wouldn't start, and we drove him home. The car was miraculously just fine the next morning.
Simple, if anyone has been drinking we wait some time before headed home, let it flush out of the system (couple hours)
And then of course the buddy system of he who does not drink then is the one who drives.
Generally if one is drinking among my friends has a plan on staying over or comes with people who can take them home.
We don't drink to get drunk generally.
I don’t have any friends:-)
Accept Steve the Cynic… he would get duck taped to a pole until he is sober;-)
He might even get a magic marker goatee and a Pirate eye patch.
∑
DTOM
The last time I ran into this problem I took the keys from my friend and locked them inside his car.
If I were to let a friend drive drunk and that friend were to kill someone, or get killed, I feel that would make me an accomplice to the harm. I couldn't do that.
Just hide the keys!
(Darn! You've asked a question I can't figure out how to be snarky about.)
There's only one thing to do: don't let 'em. I'd try to talk them out of it and offer a ride or a place to sleep it off. I'd insist, if they're reluctant. If worse comes to worse, I'd warn them I'll call 911 if they start driving. I'd rather alienate a friend than see my friend dead, or let my friend risk killing someone else.
High school friends of mine were killed by drunk drivers. When someone is drunk and wants to drive I offer to drive or pay for a cab. If they continue on their dangerous path I try to take their keys and lock them out of the car. Failing that I call the police with info about the car, license plate and driver's name.
My friends were wonderful, talented people intent on making society a better place for the underprivileged. Saving other lives by preventing a drunk driving is small compared to what we lost.
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