To report for drink driving?

[StillNoClue]

Work in a office with a guy who's about 40 ish. I don't sit next to him, but work on the same department. Our paths cross for about an hour or so most days. Whenever I go anywhere close to him he stinks of drink (4/5pm). I don't know him that well, but having grown up with a functional alcoholic I sort of recognise the signs of drinking. He's very shakey and whenever he comes of his break, he smells strongly of alcohol. I only see him for a few hours late afternoon, so can't comment on the state of him during the morning. Some days he smells very strongly of drink, other times I don't notice it (which makes me question it)

I couldn't care less if he drinks in the loos (non customer facing) so I wouldn't report it to work. But, he does drive home, which is the thing i would report him for.

On the basis I don't KNOW he's drinking, but just suspect it, do I report him (and how). I know which his car is and roughly what direction and time he finishes work each day. So theoretically could say to the police park on x road at x and he will drive past you.

[Inbedbyeight]

Definitely. If you know he is driving home and suspect drink driving, imagine how bad you would feel if something happened and you didn't report it. Or equally, could you speak to the person he works beside/his boss.

[Cacti]

Could he be diabetic? Diabetes can cause strong smell of alcohol in breath.

Does anyone else in the office notice?

[CuriousaboutSamphire]

Most countty police pages have notes about ringing 999, 101 or Crimestoppers with full details if you suspect someone of drink driving.

I have used it, it wasn't pleasant, but they caught up with her as she drove into her road and watched as she fell out of the car and crawled up her drive. She still insists she wasn't drunk - she was so far over the limit she got every penalty thrown at her: prison, fine and banned. but she still says it was a police error!

I'd report her again if I thought she was still doing it, but she walks everywhere now !

[Redglitter]

Phone 101 maybe an hour before he finishes work. Explain your concerns. Give as much info as you can. Make model colour and reg number of car. Where it's parked and the immediate route he takes when he leaves the car park.

We get calls like this at work regularly and always do our best to get a patrol car to park up nearby. If he's not been drinking fair enough but better safe than sorry

[NobodysChild]

Yes, report. Don't wait until he kills someone. Get him off the roads right now!

[StillNoClue]

Cacti - no idea if he's diabetic. I hardly know him.

I'm slightly cautious about asking anyone else on the team if they can smell it, partly because I have no issue with him being drunk at work (I assume he would lose his job if caught), and everyone else on the team is a bigger gossiper than me, so it would be all over the place if I said anything.

[WhiteWalkerWife]

Report. If he is diabetic and struggling then it should push work to support him. If he has been drinking he could hurt or kill someone, including himself.

[ivykaty44]

If he killed a child whilst driving home tonight & then produced a positive breat test - how would you feel?

[greendale17]

Phone 101 maybe an hour before he finishes work. Explain your concerns. Give as much info as you can. Make model colour and reg number of car. Where it's parked and the immediate route he takes when he leaves the car park.

^Do this

[nikkylou]

You may still want to report it to work as they may know more about him. My current work certainly knows my registration and could bring it up if they were that way inclined. As you said, you don't know he's drinking, although it does sound likely.

While you may have no issue with him being drunk at work, his boss might, and he'll likely be found out for his newly acquired criminal record after you report him. Not saying at all this is a reason to avoid reporting as it would be totally his fault.

Is this a recent thing, could he have issues at home? I would speak with HR or his boss and share your concerns. They may be able to offer him the support he may need.

As for gossip, someone else has probably clocked it and is spreading something, or being a gossip, is already aware of the personal problems / condition that entails his current state.

[OutofTyme]

YANBU - about most things I say don't report but he's putting peoples lives at risk if he's drink driving.

[Rednailsandnaeknickers]

Yes please do report him with as much detail about his car/route as you can. I lost an innocent relative to a drunk driver. Our wider family still feels the repercussions of that day many years on. If he's diabetic, it may give him the push he needs to seek better treatment but if he's drinking and putting lives at risk, that's unforgivable.

[Snowysky20009]

May be an honest explanation like diabetes. But there may not.

Better to report and you are wrong, than not report and you find he's lost his life or taken the life of others.

[disahsterdahling]

Could you say something like "gosh there's a strong smell of alcohol somewhere, are some of you hiding the beer" in a jokey way and see if he or anyone else reacts? He might not want people to know if he's diabetic but actually his near colleague should know so that they know what to do if he has a problem. When I was a first aider we were told about someone in the building with epilepsy.

[Lizzie48]

Yes, report. If you're wrong and he's diabetic then when he's breathalysed it will come up negative and no harm will have been done.

Whereas if you don't report him and he then goes on to kill someone, you'll never be able to forgive yourself.

[OliviaBenson]

I think you should go to your manager and HR about this in addition to reporting for drink driving.

[DianaPrincessOfThemyscira]

I wouldn’t bother with work. If his boss is taking so little interest they don’t know he stinks of booze then I can’t see telling them will make much difference.

I do however think you should report to the police. As people say - if he’s diabetic then no worries, but it sounds like he’s drunk. My understanding of diabetes is that if they’re acting drunk then the diabetes is poorly controlled and probably shouldn’t be driving anyway? (Rather than just a smell I mean)

[TokyoSushi]

Yes report. I wouldn't bother with work either and if it's a gossipy office I wouldn't mention it there either.

But definitely report to the police, it's the right thing to do, if it is something other than alcohol and he gets pulled over and he's all clear, then no harm done.