Being DD

[blas87]

I thank you all for your kind words and support, and especially to Boozy....to the hundreth degree, YES. That's the absolute least that you can do. If someone is nice enough to deal with your stupid drunkness all night, for the love of all that is nice and good, DO NOT yell at or argue with the DD.

[crazylegs]

As and when I'm DD I don't drink at all, not a drop of alcohol will pass my lips - if I know I'm driving later that day I won't drink during the day (point in hand - at a celebration on Saturday when toasting someone happy birthday I wouldn't have a mouthful of Champagne because I would be driving 4 hours later).

Perhaps it's a little of an over reaction on my part but that's just me, I've seen too many accidents caused by someone having 'just one or two' and they've been well over the limit. I have no idea how well my liver functions so I don't want to find out the hard way.

I'm generally DD anyhow as I don't tend to drink much when I'm out when I'm not DD, so it's not much of a hardship for me.

[insertNameHere]

In college my fraternity had a sober brother (SB) program on weekends from 11pm-3am, two people couldn't drink and had to be on call to pick up drunks and take them home. We were all supposed to take turns which someone people tried getting out of. We also had those wonderful brothers who would call at 2:55am demanding a ride home when at 2:30am you were there and offered them the open spot in the car and they refused to leave early. And depending on where the party was that night, usually the SB would be there anyways and expected to act as a bouncer, not really the point of program.

I agree that being a DD is over looked and under appreciated. It really sucks when nobody is willing to be the DD. Also, I live far enough out in the country that I have to crash where I intend on drinking because getting a ride not going to happen. Miss college where you could hit the bar at at most with was 2-3 mile walk home with friends. Along with the university had buses and a shuttle depending on where you needed to go and when.

[Greenday]

As and when I'm DD I don't drink at all, not a drop of alcohol will pass my lips - if I know I'm driving later that day I won't drink during the day (point in hand - at a celebration on Saturday when toasting someone happy birthday I wouldn't have a mouthful of Champagne because I would be driving 4 hours later).

Perhaps it's a little of an over reaction on my part but that's just me, I've seen too many accidents caused by someone having 'just one or two' and they've been well over the limit. I have no idea how well my liver functions so I don't want to find out the hard way.

I'm generally DD anyhow as I don't tend to drink much when I'm out when I'm not DD, so it's not much of a hardship for me.

Unless you are REALLY small and chug two drinks down, you won't be impaired. Hell, you won't even be over the legal limit. People just claim "one or two drinks" because they are douchebags and refuse to own up to what they did. If it only took one or two drinks to seriously impair you, you'd probably see dozens of car wrecks per town each night.

[XCashier]

If I VOLUNTEER to take you guys out, then I expect that we will leave when we first agreed that we'd leave. We will NOT stay until bar close, and you will not with your drunken stupidity yell at me and call me a bitch and a "square" for telling you that I want to leave. I'm sick of being called both of those names and being called a "spoil sport" because I want to leave. I hate being yelled at for volunteering when I was supposed to "know" that they'd get so drunk they wouldn't want to leave.

I wonder if it would be possible to bring a video camera with you. Film them when they start getting stupid, keep filming them when they throw the namecalling and verbal abuse at you. Then when they're sober, show them the video and show them what assholes they're being to someone who is doing them a favor (i.e., you for being Designated Driver). They should be ashamed of themselves, and they owe you major apologies for their behavior.

I am sorry you've gone through this, and they keep putting you through this.

[crazylegs]

Unless you are REALLY small and chug two drinks down, you won't be impaired. Hell, you won't even be over the legal limit.

Really?

Two pints of the cider I drink is over 6 units. That's enough to make quite a few people over the legal limit (in the UK).

[Lace Neil Singer]

I don't drink beer. I drink vodka, and alcopops. Besides, I find it hard to stop at two, so it's best not to have any. And like I said, on two wheels you have to be more careful.

[Nyoibo]

Really?

Two pints of the cider I drink is over 6 units. That's enough to make quite a few people over the legal limit (in the UK).

Yes really a pint is not a standard drink, 2 standard drinks will not put you over the limit.

[Wingates_Hellsing]

Wouldn't it be nice if you could buy your own breathalyzer so you can check yourself before driving or to find out what your limits are?

[Nyoibo]

Um, I thought you could?

[crazylegs]

Yes really a pint is not a standard drink, 2 standard drinks will not put you over the limit.

Over here a pint is a standard measure.

[Rapscallion]

I wonder if it would be possible to bring a video camera with you. Film them when they start getting stupid, keep filming them when they throw the namecalling and verbal abuse at you. Then when they're sober, show them the video and show them what assholes they're being to someone who is doing them a favor (i.e., you for being Designated Driver). They should be ashamed of themselves, and they owe you major apologies for their behavior.

I suspect the presence of a filming device of any sort will be to encourage the behaviour.

Rapscallion

[Lace Neil Singer]

And also encourage more and worse bad behaviour... O.o

[Boozy]

Unless you are REALLY small and chug two drinks down, you won't be impaired. Hell, you won't even be over the legal limit. People just claim "one or two drinks" because they are douchebags and refuse to own up to what they did. If it only took one or two drinks to seriously impair you, you'd probably see dozens of car wrecks per town each night.

Impairment is not measured by whether or not you crash the car. It's measured in slower reaction times and poor judgement, which increase your chances of a crash.

Neither I nor my husband would be able to have two drinks in a few hours and feel safe to drive. You don't have to feel drunk to be impaired.

[elsporko]

A few drinks over the course of a few hours isn't any worse then driving while tired, on the phone, or singing along with Lady Gaga on the radio. When I go out I drink as much as I want and drive home without any problems. If you're a good driver its not that big of a deal.