To be sick of people saying "One won't hurt" or "You can have one!" to the designated driver.

100% agree, me and DH have not been bothered about drinking for a while now. We never drink and drive anyway.

We’ve been to three parties so far over the Christmas period and we’ve said no thanks several times but people push it…”oh I’ll do you a shandy instead” “I’ll do you a spritzer” but they free pour it etc. Had a slight fall out with a friends husband who decided to try and give my husband Vodka and Coke…he thought he’d topped it up enough to not taste it but DH is good with taste. He took him to one side and said to him what do you not understand about a simple no thanks, I won’t trust you with drinks again his friend was like oh you’ll mop that up with all the food no problem it’s only a little more than a single shot…DH just poured it down the sink and got his own drink.

Friends wife went ballistic at her husband as he said to her oh my DH is more fun when drunk. We had the kids with us too and we prefer not be drunk in front of them. It’s just odd that there seems to be this air of you can’t have a good time without alcohol. I don’t know if it’s because of more pressure with money and less luxuries being available but just feels that there’s a shift in attitudes. We’ve declined a New Years Party this year as the host wanted to make it a “messy one and let loose after a tough year”.

Thank you so much for this post.

I thought it was just me, when driving I have always had a firm zero alcohol approach. Over the years numerous people have said, one drink will be fine or the alcohol will have worn off by the end of the night etc etc. It always really pissed me off.

This annoys me too having witnessed it so many times. What particularly irritates me is people saying 'You can have 1 pint beer/one shot spirits/1 glass of wine if you're driving'. One drink will affect people differently. While obe person could drink a pint of beer and still be under the limit for driving,another person could end up over it. It depends on your sex,your build,how much body fat you have and your tolerance to alcohol. It's not a 'One size fits all' rule.

It's not ok.

I find a "nah, I'm not drinking tonight, but I'd love some ice/slice of lemon" whatever slightly high maintenance but manageable request satisfies the offers need to "be generous" or put themselves out.

Totally agree . It's awful behaviour.
And not just when they say it to designated drivers but in general when people turn down alcohol they shouldn't be pressured to change their minds

YANBU

I can’t bear people who try and persuade other people to drink alcohol when they are choosing not to do so, for whatever reason

English drink drive limits are, astonishingly, amongst the highest in the world - for now. However, I believe that a consultation is currently underway to reduce it to that of Scotland and will almost certainly become law in 2027 - and that cannot come soon enough as it effectively means that even one drink would be enough to put many people at, or very near, the drink drive limit. We all know that ANY alcohol impairs judgement, slows reaction times and reduces cogniscence, so an effective 'nil' limit might just stop the twats who insist that driving after even just one drink is acceptable or try to pressurise one into the fallacy that "go on, one won't hurt you"

We're almost in 2026 and some people are still doing this? Madness.

Yes I get this from my cousin. I got so sick of it that I stopped being polite. I told her I wasn't boring, I was responsible, not stupid like her, risking hers and her family's life by drinking and driving.
There was a bit of a shocked silence in the room then my auntie said Well you can have a wine.

I give up.

Two questions anyone needs to ask themselves

Would it be legal for me to drive
Do I feel confident in my safety to drive

Some people thats a couple if pints over the evening, for thers just a half, for others its nothing. For some even "alcohol free" versions are out. And that decision is completely personal and no one should question that.

YANBU. I say I've been driving for 35 years and never had even one before I drove. I hardly drink at all in any circumstances now. People who encourage others to drink and drive are morons.

Same here. I think you need better friends.

I was an er nurse in a trauma center. I think the stats were that 90% of MVA’s were alcohol involved. I can’t understand how someone would want to risk taking someone’s life.

I'd find anyone mithering me to have a drink annoying, whether I was driving or not.

Quite, nobody I socialise with does this
I was at a party xmas Eve and was driving and when anyon offered me a drink I just said no thanks I'm driving and that was that.

exceptionally annoying OP. Stand your ground.

scotland here, so limit is basically zero. has been for many years.

we live in a very rural farm. Someone always drives, even up the tracks. never had a drink. Just not worth it.

Have a drink and tell them to get a cab...maybe the cost will put them off doing it again 🤞

Driver or not why cant people ever accept the first no, if other people have alcohol issues and need people to drink that is on them, no means no

I'm very much all or nothing.

I agree. People should stop forcing the sober designated driver to have "just the one".

It's more than rude.

It's none of their business.

Anyone who trie to make someone drink boils my piss.

I can't see the point of having a drink if you are driving. Why take the risk? I never have any alcohol if I'm going to be driving and I can't see any reason to change that.

Reminds me of being a kid in the 70's. I rarely choose to be designated driver as I like a drink but if I had to be the driver I just have soft drinks. When I was pregnant everyone (including DH) assumed I would be. Did it once and they all spoke such bollocks I refused to do it ever again. I know my dad would have been over the limit in the 70's with his 'only had three pints- fine!' shit. Also very hot on drinking the night before- seen people arrive at work clearly shitfaced from the night before (this was 20 yrs ago - thankfully less common these days

‘I don’t drink and drive ‘

Paddington hard stare.