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Original poster

What time would you drive home after this amount of alcohol?

94 replies

Hollyhead · 25/12/2022 18:30

I had 1.5 glasses of champagne and a small glass of wine between 12.30pm and 2pm with lunch. What time would you drive? Have obviously had a full meal and soft drinks only since then and now feel 100% sober. I figure I’ll be completely clear of alcohol by 8pm, but a couple of people we’re with have said that it’s drink driving because it’s still the same day. I don’t think they’re right because it’s about the alcohol wearing off. Where do you all stand on this? I agree it’s shaky ground if you don’t track carefully what you’re drinking but I am certain that’s all I had.

OP posts:
SaveMeCheezus · 25/12/2022 20:33

@thelobsterquadrille I'd love to see your stats on people who had 2-3 glasses with a meal at 9pm and blew over the limit the next day.

PLENTY of people get caught over the limit in the morning, you're right (and especially at this time of year) but I would lay money on the majority of them having had more than a moderate amount with food.

FWIW a family friend was killed by a drunk driver a few days before Christmas some year ago, so by no means do I take the subject lightly but in the OPs case and assuming she is being entirely truthful about amounts and how she feels, I'd have no problem with her driving this long after lunch.

thelobsterquadrille · 25/12/2022 20:35

FurAndFeathers · 25/12/2022 20:30

Please link to case of someone being done for drunk driving the next morning after two glasses of wine the evening before.

if it happens to a lot of people there should be a lot of examples in the media etc you can show us

Show quote history

I'm not going rooting around online for proof for you 😂

But you only need to watch some of those police shows to see that people often a) drink more than they realised and b) take longer to become sober than they realise.

Original poster
Hollyhead · 25/12/2022 20:38

@thelobsterquadrille yep both true on some occasions, but not me today. I haven’t underestimated - if anything I’ve over estimatedas I’m not sure my champagne top up was half a glass, as it was a full bottle between 5 adults which really doesn’t go far and the wine was poured to about 1.5cm below the 175ml marker. I was ruthlessly tracking.

OP posts:
tigger1001 · 25/12/2022 20:38

thelobsterquadrille · 25/12/2022 20:28

If I had what I’d had at a 9pm meal, then drove to work at 6am the next morning would you consider that drink driving?

A lot of people do get caught out like that, even if they've only had what you describe as two and a half small glasses.

If I had to drive to work at 6am I probably wouldn't drink 2-3 glasses the night before, no.

Me neither.

For me personally (I'm in Scotland with a lower limit) I give it a minimum of 12 hours.

But no way would I have 2-3 drinks at 9pm and get behind a wheel at 6am. Just not worth the risk.

cakeorwine · 25/12/2022 20:39

Your body will absorb alcohol and metabolise it. I am not sure how quickly it takes to absorb alcohol - it depends on the food you have, your body and obviously the alcohol content.

So your blood alcohol level rises and your liver starts to metabolise it. The rate of metabolism depends on your liver function.

5 units - it's going to go up from when you start drinking and will rise over that time, and the metabolism will start once it's in the blood stream.

But you don't know how it is for your body, your liver and the rate of absorption during the day versus the rate of metabolism

FurAndFeathers · 25/12/2022 20:40

thelobsterquadrille · 25/12/2022 20:35

I'm not going rooting around online for proof for you 😂

But you only need to watch some of those police shows to see that people often a) drink more than they realised and b) take longer to become sober than they realise.

Show quote history

righty-ho - so you’re just going to make ludicrous scaremongering statements with no factual basis? 🤷‍♀️

Augend23 · 25/12/2022 20:42

SaveMeCheezus · 25/12/2022 20:33

@thelobsterquadrille I'd love to see your stats on people who had 2-3 glasses with a meal at 9pm and blew over the limit the next day.

PLENTY of people get caught over the limit in the morning, you're right (and especially at this time of year) but I would lay money on the majority of them having had more than a moderate amount with food.

FWIW a family friend was killed by a drunk driver a few days before Christmas some year ago, so by no means do I take the subject lightly but in the OPs case and assuming she is being entirely truthful about amounts and how she feels, I'd have no problem with her driving this long after lunch.

100% agreed with this.

thelobsterquadrille · 25/12/2022 20:44

FurAndFeathers · 25/12/2022 20:40

righty-ho - so you’re just going to make ludicrous scaremongering statements with no factual basis? 🤷‍♀️

Show quote history

I'm not scare-mongering anyone 😂

In general, people underestimate how much they've had to drink, as well as how long it takes for them to sober up. That doesn't mean OP has done those things, but it's not a risk I would feel comfortable taking. If there was an accident, I'd be kicking myself.

I'm also saying I personally wouldn't drink 2-3 glasses of wine at 9pm and drive at 6am, as I know I wouldn't sleep well and wouldn't feel safe, even if I was technically below the limit. I didn't say OP shouldn't drive if she feels safe to do so.

thelobsterquadrille · 25/12/2022 20:45

SaveMeCheezus · 25/12/2022 20:33

@thelobsterquadrille I'd love to see your stats on people who had 2-3 glasses with a meal at 9pm and blew over the limit the next day.

PLENTY of people get caught over the limit in the morning, you're right (and especially at this time of year) but I would lay money on the majority of them having had more than a moderate amount with food.

FWIW a family friend was killed by a drunk driver a few days before Christmas some year ago, so by no means do I take the subject lightly but in the OPs case and assuming she is being entirely truthful about amounts and how she feels, I'd have no problem with her driving this long after lunch.

OP can do what she likes, of course.

UsingChangeofName · 25/12/2022 23:16

You can't say you've been extremely sensible. You've drunk 3 alcoholic drinks when your planning on driving. That's the exact opposite of sensible

This.

In answer to your question "What time would you drive home after this amount of alcohol?" I wouldn't.
If it were my turn to drive, I wouldn't drink alcohol.

FurAndFeathers · 26/12/2022 00:28

UsingChangeofName · 25/12/2022 23:16

You can't say you've been extremely sensible. You've drunk 3 alcoholic drinks when your planning on driving. That's the exact opposite of sensible

This.

In answer to your question "What time would you drive home after this amount of alcohol?" I wouldn't.
If it were my turn to drive, I wouldn't drink alcohol.

I find it fascinating that so often on MN a poster will ask a pretty straightforward question and almost inevitably, there will be posters who have no intention of answering that question but only of using it to demonstrate their moral superiority by sanctimoniously telling us all what they would have done instead, and how they would be making an entirely different and much more superior decision.

ecdysis · 26/12/2022 00:30

@UsingChangeofName so when exactly would you drive again.

belowfrozen · 26/12/2022 00:32

MerryChristmasToYou · 25/12/2022 18:52

Have you considered getting help for your drink problem?

Oh dear. By 7-8pm you'll be ok

AnonWeeMouse · 26/12/2022 00:33

If you have an accident and kill someone, the police will find out how much alcohol you had that day

ecdysis · 26/12/2022 00:36

AnonWeeMouse · 26/12/2022 00:33

If you have an accident and kill someone, the police will find out how much alcohol you had that day

Even if they could it wouldn't make a difference if they were under the limit when the accident occurred.
Seriously when do you think it's OK to drive?

FurAndFeathers · 26/12/2022 00:37

AnonWeeMouse · 26/12/2022 00:33

If you have an accident and kill someone, the police will find out how much alcohol you had that day

What scaremongering nonsense is this? If the OP’s in an accident she’d be breathalysed and pass (unless she has some kind of weird metabolic problem)

Survey99 · 26/12/2022 00:40

I would not drink at lunch then count the hours until I could drive my dc ever.

So in answer to your question, overnight. And if I have been drinking until late it would be after dinner time at the earliest the next day. If I am driving I don't need to drink.

For me it falls into just the not worth the risk category.

Original poster
Hollyhead · 26/12/2022 00:56

Just to come back and say that we made it home, did the journey at 11 in the end. I’m 100% certain that I was safe to drive when I did.

OP posts:
Enterusername111333 · 26/12/2022 01:17

I just wouldn't. I don't see why you would even bother.

WineDarkNo308 · 26/12/2022 06:31

Hollyhead · 25/12/2022 19:50

I sort of agree @CarPoor that those things are to be considered, but because I knew I would need to drive home I poured my portions very carefully and used glasses that I know the capacity of etc. The two indignant people who insisted that driving on the same day was always drunk driving have been shouted down by some of the others who are here, and they even said ‘yes we’ll you’re completely sober, but you still can’t drive today’. They’re the types of people who find safety in following rules, that’s fine for them, but given I’m driving my husband and children and have been extremely sensible I resented their sanctimonious tone, I would never drive if I thought there was any chance of me being affected by what I’d drink and in normal circumstances if I was driving straight after a meal on a night out etc I wouldn’t drink at all.

Your choice of words is unusual They’re the types of people who find safety in following rules, that’s fine for them we’re discussing drink driving here so not following the rules can have quite serious consequences. but given I’m driving my husband and children and have been extremely sensible I resented their sanctimonious tone, 5 units of alcohol, hardly extremely sensible, you know that you are driving your family but cheers anyway, sorry I’m being sanctimonious. I would never drive if I thought there was any chance of me being affected by what I’d drink and in normal circumstances if I was driving straight after a meal on a night out etc I wouldn’t drink at all. so you’re asking MN of all places to validate your choice. Is it that much of a hardship to have just toasted with the half a glass of champagne/Prosecco and then not have any more alcohol? Did you make an exception because it’s Christmas rather than normal circumstances your attitude to drinking and driving is what’s wrong not the sanctimonious guests.

Soontobe60 · 26/12/2022 06:42

Hollyhead · 25/12/2022 19:50

I sort of agree @CarPoor that those things are to be considered, but because I knew I would need to drive home I poured my portions very carefully and used glasses that I know the capacity of etc. The two indignant people who insisted that driving on the same day was always drunk driving have been shouted down by some of the others who are here, and they even said ‘yes we’ll you’re completely sober, but you still can’t drive today’. They’re the types of people who find safety in following rules, that’s fine for them, but given I’m driving my husband and children and have been extremely sensible I resented their sanctimonious tone, I would never drive if I thought there was any chance of me being affected by what I’d drink and in normal circumstances if I was driving straight after a meal on a night out etc I wouldn’t drink at all.

I drove my DH, children and grandchild yesterday. So I didn’t drink any alcohol. My DD bought me some 0% gin and a bottle of 0% fizz. Her DH made me an alcohol-free cocktail.
Anyone who plays the alcohol / driving roulette game is a knob IMO.

KangarooKenny · 26/12/2022 06:44

I personally wouldn’t have driven until the next day, as I know I’d be unsafe after one drink.

Soontobe60 · 26/12/2022 06:44

Hollyhead · 26/12/2022 00:56

Just to come back and say that we made it home, did the journey at 11 in the end. I’m 100% certain that I was safe to drive when I did.

No, it means that you didn’t get stopped and breathalysed, nor did you have a crash. Neither of those means you were free of all traces of alcohol in your system.

RuthW · 26/12/2022 06:48

I wouldn't drive until morning after a full night's sleep.

Justcallmebebes · 26/12/2022 06:59

thedancingbear · 25/12/2022 18:50

Not until early 2023.

however, personally, if I consumed alcohol - and i don’t- I would not drive a road vehicle again. Ever.

A tad dramatic, no?