to think the binge drinking culture is a national disgrace?

[Carrierpenguin]

I don't go on many nights out but when I do I see grown adults vomiting in the streets, last week I saw an adult man vomit over himself and the platform whilst staggering for a 9pm train, his also drunk friend laughed I find all this behaviour disgusting and unacceptable, someone has to clear up after these people (poor cleaner) and I read on BBC website it costs £21 billion per year to emergency services and a&e.

So someone with a heart attack should have to compete with a drunken fool on a night out? Qualified doctors have to treat people who chose to drink a litre of vodka for a laugh after work with their friends? Police have to break up drunken street fights whilst someone else gets burgled?

I don't have the answer, but I find the binge drinking culture disgusting, perhaps there could be another advertising campaign to show how revolting and antisocial it is (I think there was one a few years ago). As a society we seem to be too accepting of this irresponsible behaviour?

[elQuintoConyo]

Spanish youths are the same with cheap beer at €1.50 a litre. They'll take their cars to the beach or out of town place, or just sit in a park, in their hundreds sometimes, and get rat arsed. It's called a 'botellon', but kids grow out of it.

Spaniards take more coke than anyone in EU, apparently

I have the unbelievable good fortune to live near Salou. The British university kids out for the Saloufest near Easter is legendary in its sheer awefulness. Countless young people drowning in the sea, falling to their deaths after jumping from one balcony to another.

Idiots.

[fatlazymummy]

It has got worse lately. I don't know why. The government does need to tackle this problem, in the same way they tackled smoking.
Smoking is now seen as anti social, against the norm whereas even 20 years ago it was pretty normal. As a result smoking rates have been cut by half.
Alcohol consumption (not just binge drinking) really needs to be looked at.

[Mrsstarlord]

YANBU - that is all

[Hatespiders]

elQuinto, I'm sad to hear that. Madrid was absolutely beautiful, and we were there until about 2am. We wandered about (my hosts lived there and knew all the interesting places) all over the centre. Lots of tapas bars and restaurants, people eating outdoors in the pavement cafes, no sign of anybody being horribly drunk. What a shame the young Spaniards get drunk too.

I'm actually ashamed of the Brits' reputation in Europe as a bunch of troublesome drunkards. But I've heard the Germans aren't far behind.

[IvanOsokin]

Antisocial behaviour is antisocial behaviour, whether drunken or not, and it's horrible to be around.

It seems to me that there's a real culture of heavy drinking among Brits and, as an almost non-drinker (maybe a total of a small glass a week), I'm often asked why I'm not drinking, as though drinking alcohol is the norm.

I have nothing against people who like to drink but I don't want them clogging up A&E departments, picking fights, puking in public etc. I don't think I'm a killjoy for feeling this way but I get the impression I'm expected to put up with it as otherwise I'm no fun.

I have ex-friends whose idea of a good night out is to get as pissed as possible. Not my idea of a good time, I'm afraid, and if that makes me a killjoy, so be it.

[IvanOsokin]

Oh, and YANBU!

[specialsubject]

I think a lot of our problem is that being drunk is seen as mitigation for revolting behaviour. Other places see it as aggravating circumstances.

you can eat without pigging until you throw up. You can enjoy alcohol without swilling so much that you get disgusting. I don't know anyone this brainless but there are plenty of them.

unfortunately the 'drunk tank' idea may catch those whose drinks have been spiked - otherwise I'd be all for it. Extra pay for the staff in there whose job is to stop the drunks choking on their vomit, but otherwise leave them in their filth. Provide water and nothing else. Let them crawl home covered in their muck.

There is no other reason that A and E are so busy on Friday and Saturday nights.

[BackOnlyBriefly]

I think people used to be embarrassed about it the next day. Maybe that's what changed. Now it's seen as 'normal' to lie in the gutter.

I don't know how to change that back. Even if the police named and shamed people on a site I bet people would link to it on their facebook page with pride.

[Namechangeyetagaintohide]

I don't have any Problem with drinking or pre drinking. I spent many a night as a student pissed.

But being arrested, ending up in hospital or loosing control of bodily functions in public - no thanks.

I did once throw up as I was getting out of a taxi but it was in my student days and only happened the once.

[Chandon]

Just read the Sunday Telegraph.

Two oh so middleclass columnists boasting about getting pissed.

As if it is a clever and witty thing to do.

I blame BridgetJones

[Cherriesandapples]

According to Public Health Wales surveys show that 45% of people report drinking excessively but drink sales suggest 75% of people drink excessively. It's not just young binge drinkers, older middle class women drinking at home etc... The UK has lost the plot regarding drinking! I blame Tony Blair, he got everyone pissed so he could wreak havoc....

[motleymop]

It is beyond horrendous and seems to be an epidemic. I agree that some intervention needs to occur, but I don't know what, quite. I like a drink but the behaviour of these people is totally repellent. I suffer with emetophobia and the vomit factor petrifies me.

[PiperIsTerrysChoclateOrange]

I know I should not drink, it makes my reflux worse and I always end up being sick because of this.

I know the feeling so take myself off to the toilet.when out I don't get drunk.

[Ketchuphidestheburntbits]

OP, YADNBU

[railwayworker]

It's utterly disgusting what I see at work on a Friday and Saturday night, and the way people treat me and others. It is disgraceful. I say that as someone who has had many big nights out. I did once become nearly incapable of walking when young and have never been so bad since, it frightened me. I love a drink and to get tipsy and have a laugh but I never get aggressive, rude or out of control.

I don't know what it is in our culture that causes people to tip over from having a good time to being drunken idiots.

I don't think people should be charged for medical assistance required by excessive alcohol consumption though. You'd open the door to charging drug addicts, smokers, sports players and a whole host of others whose requirement for medical treatment could be argued to be self inflicted.

[Aeroflotgirl]

It is disgusting, yes it is a National disgrace, on a Friday/Saturday night in most Towns and Cities in the UK you will normally find this.

[chrome100]

I went to University in France back in the early 2000s and can assure you that French students drink themselves sick as much as the English. The main difference is they tend to drink at home until midnight ish before going out. But yes - le binge drinking was (and presumably still is,) alive and well there too. It's not unique to the UK.

I guess the main difference as far as I can tell is the number of older adults engaging in that kind of behaviour which seems to be a more British thing.

[MoominKoalaAndMiniMoom]

I'll hold my hands up and say that on the rare occasions I do go out (I'm a uni student and parent so I book into a hotel with friends and go out very occasionally for student night), I pre-drink with friends, I do shots, I've vomited (in private), I've shouted and sang in the street and done numerous daft (but all legal) things while drunk.

I don't think I'm a disgraceful person... you can't tar everyone who occasionally or semi-regularly drinks to excess with the same brush.

Charging for medical treatment isn't a good idea. It opens up the door to charging people for various conditions that could be seen as self-inflicted - car crashes, sports accidents etc. And also, how can you tell if an injury is caused by drinking? Say someone dislocates their shoulder while drunk - by this reasoning, they should be charged. What if the person is hypermobile and dislocates their shoulder on a regular basis? What do we define as 'drunk'? It just wouldn't work.

[HamperNoShow]

Yanbu!

[HelenaDove]

Im 41 and have never been drunk. Ive drunk wine in the past and things like vodka and lemonade/vodka and orange but have never been drunk. When i tell people this i am treated like an oddity.

Im teetotal now as drinking has never really appealed to me. I see nothing wrong with ppl having a glass of wine with dinner or ppl drinking on a night out but to the point of throwing up and acting like a twunt....Ridiculous.

[NowBringUsSomeFuzzpiggyPudding]

YANBU

[Titsalinabumsquash]

I agree with the OP, I hate the drinking culture here, I hate that we go on package holidays specifically to absorb the free bar, weddings are only great if there's alcohol flowing, parties are the same.
I say this as someone who has an occasional drink, I'm not anti alcohol by any means but I don't see the fun in going out (or staying in) and drinking until you can't remember anything.

My last house was directly behind a university, freshers week in particular was a fucking nightmare, we had houses full of students opposite and one morning I awoke to one woman laying on her front garden, she had got so drunk she'd soiled herself, in every way.
I had my son with me, I didn't enjoy explaining that one tbh, the parties were out of control, people were doing everything from screaming, howling and shrieking until all hours to the more extreme, shagging, puking and once I called an ambulance after a lad got bottled.

It's embarrassing to watch and to say that I come from a country where this is normal and seen as ok.

[Kareninthetardis]

DS is 19 and doing an apprenticeship, while most of his old school/college friends are in their first year of uni. He went to stay with a few at their different universities last term for the weekend and was shocked at what was acceptable in university clubs as opposed to our local ones. He goes out around once a week at home and drinks, but has never come home out-of-control drunk. Many of his friends at university go out 4-5 nights a week and seem to spend a scary amount doing so.

[timetoplay]

It is terrible. I have been really drunk before but not out of my own house and not to the extent where I can't remember or can't function. The idea freaks me out. I agree with AskBasil4StuffingRecipe post though, says what I feel about charging.

I have been one of those people who needed help for what looked like excessive alcohol consumption though so I would have been very upset to be put in a drunk tank especially given the embarrassment i already felt. I had been drinking only one bottle of alcopop the rest was soft. My mistake was leaving someone I trusted in charge of my drink while I went to the toilet. That was a mistake, they wandered off and then back while I was in the toilet and my drink was spiked- along with several other womens that night. I looked like a drunked but it was actually the drug, really scary and embarrassing night since everyone in the club thought there were a bunch of us being terrible in the place. Luckily my friend was friends with the bouncer and he knew I'd barely been in there and was drinking soft.

[Bunbaker]

How can young people afford to get drunk when out in town?

OH and I drink, but we will share a bottle of wine between us at home. I hate being drunk. It just makes me feel sick and gives me a migraine.