To consider calling police on inlaws next time this happens

[AlchyInlaws]

So MIL and her partner obviously have a drinking problem. They start on the wine at noon every day and often have to sleep it off in the afternoon before continuing in the evening. This isn't normally an issue as we only visit them about 3 times a year and although they're continual slurring / repeating stories are annoying it doesn't directly affect me

What concerns me a lot more is when they come to visit. They came for one night recently and polished off 3 bottles of wine between them in the evening (hubby had 2 glasses). They brought the wine with them as they know I only buy 1 bottle for when they come. They arrived about 5pm and started drinking at 7, whilst I was putting kids to bed

The next morning they said they were going out to buy a paper and came back with a bottle of wine too. They started drinking this at noon like normal, then left after lunch (about 2pm) to make the 4 hour drive home. I didn't pay attention to how much each of them were drinking but they were both having some. Apparently it was ok because they made a thermos for the journey!!

Am I right in thinking that whoever was driving would definitely be over the limit during this drive? If I called the police and they got pulled over they would probably guess that I called. However, if they had an accident on the way home and someone got hurt or killed then I would feel guilty forever!

To be honest, I didn't think of it until they left last time so didn't have their registration number. However, I'm torn as to what to do next time! Do I really risk tearing my husbands family apart?

My hubby is of the view that they must have built up such a tolerance level that 1/2 bottle of wine wouldn't impair their driving. Could this really be true?

DT X

not the point enter-whther u feel fine or not a breathlyser test will show a fail

I agree that tolerance is different to legal limit.

We got hit by a drunk driver who was 4x over the limit. She had driven ten miles before crashing and although was clearly unsteady she was a hell of a lot better than I would have been on that amount of alcohol. Police worked out how much she had drunk and it was something crazy like 8 pints. Copper said the next day she must have an alcohol problem as anyone else would have been puking/comatose. Sure enough when it came to court she said she realised she had an alcohol problem and was drinking too much, every day.

I would report.

Report them.

Yes there will be a backlash. But surely that's better than them being killed/killing someone else?

For what it's worth I reported my dads brother. After a dinner at my parents where he had 4 wines and 3 beers (that I saw) he proceeded to drive home. He's an ex copper. I took a picture of his car as he left.

Dad was furious but understood eventually . Brother furious. Never been forgiven by him for that no great loss to me he was/is a twat

I think if someone has had enough to drink that you think "No way are you getting my kids in your car" then you should report it for the other people on the road who don't get to make the choice not to be alongside them.

They would be 2 or 3 times over the limit. Please report them.

I love a glass or 3 of wine, but if I am driving I don't have anything at all.

The law should be zero units if you want to drive. This thread has shown how confused some people's understanding of alcohol is.

Is your MILs partner my dad? Haven't seen him in 16years (he lives up north and he's a waste of space!) but definitely sounds like the pair of them!!!!! Thankfully my mother is normal

Report them. I work in the emergency services. I have seen the devastation caused by drink driving. Children deprived of parents, wives of their husbands etc, due to drink drivers.

Just because they have a tolerance does NOT mean they would pass a breathalyzer test. All it means is that they would appear less drunk with say twice the legal limit in their system as you or me.

They need to be reported.
My 13yr old sister was killed by a drunk driver in a hit and run. She died in my arms. The pain it's caused my family is beyond devastating. Seeing the heartache in my mums face of losing her baby breaks my heart. Not to mention the horror I witnessed that day. It was the most horrific thing I've ever seen. It's caused me so many problems. All by one selfish act. Drink drivers r selfish bastards.
They need reporting.

Can't believe people saying report them. At least have a conversation with them about this before you shop them to the police. God.

What is the point nobility. They already know that driving over the limit is dangerous and illegal. What more is there to say?

Nobility, do you seriously believe that no-one has had that conversation with these people? The fact that OP says "Apparently it was ok because they made a thermos for the journey!!" indicates that they have.

Report them. The police won't say it was you, if positive they can just say their driving was bad/they are stopping random people.
Unfortunately caroldecker is very misguided about her advice to people here that you can drive on 4 units. I cannot drive after 1.

I'm not sure how the police would easily catch them other than by waiting for them to arrive home and test them. Or be waiting at the end of the road as they leave your home.

You should confront them about driving after all that drinking, but do call the police for advice on what you should do.

How anyone can justify drink driving is absolutely beyond me. And the some of the drivel being spouted here (you're ok to drive after 4 units. Really?!) is just dangerous.

The only safe amount of alcohol if you're driving is none.

OP, report them. You've nothing to lose, these people are inconsiderate at best.

for those of you affected by drunk drivers.

In some respects it would be easier to have a zero tolerance to any alcohol being in the system, like they do in some Eurpean Countries.
Jodie

I said you would be legal after 4 units, not safe.

But you wouldn't be legal after 4 units. Not even close to it.

Clearly your dh does consider his parents to be a risk if he won't have his children in the car with them. It's a shame he doesn't place the same value on other children's well-being.

Of course you wouldn't be legal after 4 units!

"2 “small” (medium - 175ml ) glasses of wine puts women over the safe 3 unit limit."

This morning-after.org.uk/?page_id=82 website says its 8 hours before you're safe to drive after 3 glasses of 13%wine.

I'd call.