Drink-driving grampy????

[mosschops30]

Not the first time this has been an issue, as dh's grampy had to be told to stop drinking a couple of Xmas's ago when he sunk a bottle of wine and still drove home.
We got together with family last night and it was mentioned that he turned up to a meal last week, not drunk but had clearly had a drink and admitted to 'his nightly red wine' then had half a beer at the meal, then drove home.

He's 85 and lost his wife last Xmas, so is now on his own pottering about in the car.

I said to family members 'dont you think you should report him, or at least have a word' and his DIL said 'well I offered to drive him home and mentioned he'd had a few but he refused, what am I supposed to do, get into a fight with him about it and take his keys'?

Er .... YES!!!!

Now its not my side of the family and I certainly wouldnt be comfortable mentioning it to grampy but I think something needs to be done, I went through this with my father, he crashed the car into parked cars and numerous other things before I spoke to his doctor and said his licence should be revoked on medical grounds (not drinking)

So WWYD?

You are right. I think your DH needs to deal with this though. Can he get an older member of the family onside and agree a strategy, like making sure Grampy has a lift to and from family events?

yes she is supposed to wrestle his keys off him.

personally if someone I knew was drinking and driving I would call the police at the time and report them . telling the police their route and their registration -no matter if they were family or not

I understand his world has fallen apart .. but that doesnt excuse him from putting others in danger. What if he crashes into me and kills my child

Its not just family events though, he probably sunk a bottle last night and then drove to the crematorium this morning!
He needs to be spoken to about drink driving but because he's of the older generation he just laughs it off in a 'you young-uns' type of way. The rest of the family just bury their heads, and my mum did the same until I said 'so how will you feel when he drives up on the kerb and mows down half a family'???

No-one thinks of that until it actually happens

Id report him myself to the police but after my attitude towards it all last night, theyd know it was me

frasersmummy I am totally with you

I'd report him to the police. It isn't something that should be taken lightly just because he's family or his age or the fact that he lost his wife. It's very sad that he did but that doesn't excuse his behaviour. If he killed someone wouldn't you feel guilty? Imagine it was your child, would you want someone to imform the police and thus saving your child from being hit by him? I think you would and I think you know what you should do.