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Original poster

To think it's really not hard to NOT drink and drive.

73 replies

Catchingbentcoppers · 14/04/2019 18:08

Fuck sake. My cousin has just been done for drink driving. With her 3 year old in the car. Apparently it's not her fault, she only had a 'couple' and, get this, 'thinks the breathalyser machine thingy was wrong'.

I'm so fucking angry I can't even respond to her message just now. I don't think I want to respond at all other than to tell her I think she's a fucking disgrace for putting her son and god knows how many other people in danger. Fucking shameful. I don't know why I put this in AIBU as I know I'm not.

OP posts:

starzig · 14/04/2019 20:48

Silene: off I had 2 glasses of wine with dinner I would be groggy next morning. I may be within the 'limit' but certainly wouldn't be fit to drive. I drink regular too so I am not oversensitive to alcohol so this could very well be the same for a lot of people.

starzig · 14/04/2019 20:48

**if i had (not off i had)

MrsAmaretto · 14/04/2019 20:49

Sounds like someone knew she’d been drinking and has phoned the police. Good for them!

I’d be responding to her text with a “wtf?? You were drinking driving with your child in the car, never mind the risk to other innocent people? You’re complaining about being caught? Give your head a wobble. I’m disgusted with your selfishness and stupidity”.

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Driving & parking

BarbieJellyBabyBrain · 14/04/2019 20:54

Need to educate people more and encourage no driving for 24hr after ANY alcoholic drink.

What, so if you had one small glass of wine with dinner, no driving to work the next morning? I'm not a 'glass of wine with dinner' type, i never really drink in the week, but that is ridiculous and unnecessary.

chatnicknameyousuggested · 14/04/2019 20:55

I live in a country of drink drivers. It's only in the last 5 years that police have taken a real interest. Now they breathalyse many people on a notorious stretch of road, regardless of how you drive.
Not saying that is the case here. It's an awful thing to do.

JockTamsonsBairns · 14/04/2019 20:57

I live very rurally too, and it's most certainly the norm here (particularly amongst middle aged/older people) to drink and drive. I guess it's how rural country pubs retain their livelihoods.
My FIL's friend drove himself into a ditch on the way home from the pub at 11pm after six pints. He was breathalysed, and the police warned him to "be more careful in future". There are barely any police around these parts, I guess it would take a nasty accident before they look to do anything about it.
It disgusts me.

letsdolunch321 · 14/04/2019 20:59

Why do people do it..... surely you can go out, if you are driving have a soft drink then have a drink once everyone is home safely.

Bloody stupid to lose your licence for the sake of one or two drinks.

OP what happened to the toddler in this situation ?

haverhill · 14/04/2019 20:59

I completely agree with what everyone has said. However, I remember a thing on Fifth Gear where the presenters drank enough booze to be tipsy and then drove (on a track). Weirdly, their reaction times and driving skills were unaltered until they were really hammered. I am absolutely NOT condoning drunk driving, it was just an interesting thing to watch.

Wolfiefan · 14/04/2019 21:00

I wouldn’t drink heavily and then drive the next morning. (Don’t drink heavily anyway!)
I wouldn’t have a glass or two then head off at 4am. But a glass of wine at 9pm then drive at 9am? Would be fine by me.

TerribleTwosPhase · 14/04/2019 21:05

Having lost someone close to me through a drink driving accident (he wasn't the driver but I accept he chose to get in the car too) this totally makes me rage
I have no idea why people think it's acceptable to do this. I also live in a rural area and the roads are bad enough never mind after a glass or two of wine!
She should be totally ashamed of drink driving with her child in the car, bad enough with yourself but there is never an excuse with a child in the car.

starzig · 14/04/2019 21:21

No, I wouldnt Barbie.

stucknoue · 14/04/2019 21:42

A single drink (large wine or pint of beer) is quite lot of alcohol - would never have more than one, and even then, I would always wait at least an hour, usually 2 before driving.

plominoagain · 14/04/2019 21:52

I still have the pins in each leg from the 'just two drinks ' driver who overtook a line of traffic that had stopped at a zebra crossing for me . I no longer have my 13 year old best friend , because although he smashed both my legs , he killed her. At 3.35 on. Thursday afternoon.

No one NEEDS to drink and drive . No one .

Oldraver · 14/04/2019 21:52

I don't think I want to respond at all other than to tell her I think she's a fucking disgrace for putting her son and god knows how many other people in danger.

Then do, she needs to be told

ssd · 14/04/2019 21:56

Does anyone know if you lose your licence immediately if you are caught drink driving a second time?

BarbieJellyBabyBrain · 14/04/2019 22:01

No, I wouldnt Barbie.

That's your personal choice, but your post seemed to be talking on a more general level, about everyone. No driving for 24hrs after one drink is unnecessary.

JockTamsonsBairns · 14/04/2019 22:05

plomino that's truly awful . I'm so sorry.

Fjfs · 14/04/2019 22:11

I was 'done' for drink driving. My dd was staying with her grandmother and I was out for a few drinks - this would have been a Saturday. About 7pm I get a text from my mother saying that they were in the hospital but that dd seemed fine. After a bit of questioning, I found out that she brought MY dd to the hospital at 2pm that day but hadn't thought to contact me. I said to my friend, I have to go, dd is in hospital. He said ' you can't you've had about 4 drinks!' I replied that I didn't care, I was fine to drive - my child is in hospital!!! I have to get there (no public transport) - Stupid I know.

Get to the hospital, and as I'm turning in left, a massive 4x4 hits off my tire (except they said I hit off their tire ). They call police to a traffic accident, police arrest me as I was over the limit. Police doctor couldn't get blood from me, though breathalyser had found me over the limit.

For some unknown reason I was never charged with anything and nothing ever came to court . The police officer on duty called my Dad to come and collect me as he said I was distressed and a police station wasn't the place for me.

I haven't forgiven my mother and I have never driven with alcohol in my system since - nor before for that matter.

I know I should have paid the £130 return taxi to get to the hospital, but when your child is sick, you don't think straight.

Fjfs · 14/04/2019 22:14

That should be tyre not tire.

greathat · 14/04/2019 22:15

I won't drink anything if I'm driving so no chance of it here

GreigLaidlawsbarofsoap · 14/04/2019 22:17

plomino you are one of several people I think of when this topic comes up. I remember you telling your story on another thread quite a while ago and the tragedy of it has always stayed with me. I'm so sorry.

OP - don't hold back. Tell her what you do really think. The numb of brain NEED this spelt out to them - what she did was dangerous, selfish, stupid and risky. Hopefully it will sink in.

Fjfs · 14/04/2019 22:19

I actually don't drive anymore. Because I'm terrified that I might be tempted to drive after drinking. So I don't have a car.

Lantern92 · 14/04/2019 22:22

My fiance got hit head on by someone 3 times over the limit at the end of November. His car was nearly a write off and he only got it back the other day after 4 months. Fiance was in a new hatchback which has all sorts of tech and rang the police for him etc. The lad that hit him was in a VW van. I honestly believe if he had been in an older car he would be dead. The guy got out with a can of lager in his hand and ran off. Luckily police caught him. I was about 6 weeks pregnant at the time at home in bed asleep, my phone was on silent, he came in at about 2am in shock and it broke my heart I had missed his calls, I've never felt anything like it, couldn't believe the words coming out of his mouth. It ruins lives!

Fjfs · 14/04/2019 22:32

There was a horrific accident where I'm from where all that was reported at the time was "woman in horror crash killing two children".

What had actually happened apparently is the the woman and her female friend with their children (3 between them), had all been drinking in a local bar all day long. They then went to leave at about 10/11pm at night and the owner of the bar tried to get the keys off them but didn't succeed. It's reported that the woman drove like a lunatic down the road at speed. The thing is, that the roads had changed, so there were bollards at the end of the road and a slip road leading onto the current road, but she didn't either know that or was too fucking drunk to see what was up ahead. So she drove at high speed straight into a load of bollards killing her own child and her friend's child. Both her and the passenger survived and something tells me there was another child in the car who survived.

I remember that day as I was late getting to work, but my boss was too as we had the same commute.

When some details were released, I was so sympathetic to the woman.

She was jailed.
She got out after maybe 3 years and guess what? She was caught drink driving again and put back into jail!

She was utter scum.

I don't understand that. Do you have that little care for anyone?

Worriedmum201 · 14/04/2019 22:37

I posted about this yesterday: my exp was arrested after being caught drink driving with my ds in the car

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