America and drink driving in films

[proff]

Is it not such a big deal there? I seem to watch so many films where it's implied that people drink and drive.

Watched The Big Sick and Moonlight recently where people drink and then drive. I find it really weird!

I go once or twice a year to the USA. Most of the people I know drink and drive to some degree. In my experience it isn't as taboo as here - but their laws are also different and it's a huge country with a lot of variation.

State laws are variable - some states only ban for 90 days on a first offence and limits are generally higher.

Also in some states you can still be allowed to drive to work if otherwise banned since in a lot of places there would be no other practical way to keep working.

I am not defending it - just another area (like guns) where we are very different and where there is a lot of variation across the USA.

“In my experience it isn't as taboo as here”

That’s interesting because I’m Aussie and I’ve found the attitude to drink driving much more relaxed over here!

That’s interesting because I’m Aussie and I’ve found the attitude to drink driving much more relaxed over here

Really? I don't think it's relaxed at all, the judgement you'd face if caught drink driving is massive here.

Thanks @frankchickens that is interesting. I guess they have so many places with little public transport or taxis....

In LA everyone drives even after a few drinks.

It's a different world, I have a lot of friends in the south and they will have 4 or 5 drinks and drive without even thinking twice. I know someone who has been caught drink driving 3 times but never been banned from driving. In some states they can't even breathalise you without your permission, they have to wait for a doctor to do a blood test which normally takes several hours.

I live in Massachusetts and everyone I know thinks nothing of having 3 drinks (or more) over an evening out and driving home. DH and I are seen as very uptight to refuse to drink at all (or only 1 glass) and drive.

I've never been to the states but I do watch a ridiculous amount of movies/telly and this has always intrigued/bugged me.

One of my favourite shows is Gilmore Girls. Lorelai frequently has multiple martinis and then wine at Friday night dinner and then drives home . I love a martini but bloody hell, it's a glass of neat alcohol!

I live in the US and am quite shocked st the levels of drink driving. There are lots of little breweries where we are, some of which are in the middle of nowhere and taxis are rare. We’ll go and have one drink, but I know that lots of people are spending the afternoon/evening there and driving home.

The last time H and I were there in the evening, the owner came round to warn us all that the police were parked across the main road and we should make sure to drive home via the back road.

On a very sociable business trip to the US (admittedly a fair few years ago) I was very struck by their relaxed approach to drinking and driving. Mind you as a Londoner nobody would ever think of driving home in the evening anyway, so my views are skewed the other way.

It's interesting. I am also in Massachusetts and don't notice the drink driving too much (friends aren't big drinkers and nearly every couple I know has a non-drinker in it) but now that I think of it friends would definitely have 2 glasses of wine with dinner and drive home. I would never do that.

DS is now legally able to drink and looked a bit surprised when I explained to him that one drink isn't ok to drive - that zero drinks is what should pass his lips if he is the driver. That is what I was taught but now that you say it I think it is not taught the same way here.

That’s interesting because I’m Aussie and I’ve found the attitude to drink driving much more relaxed over here!

I think the Aussie enforcement regime is tougher - not sure about the views "on the street" as I haven't spent as much time in Aus.

It's not common for the Police here (UK) to set up a roadblock and blanket test everyone as I understand they do in some parts of Aus (I think it's theoretically technically not legal here - but in any case wouldn't happen).

I don't know many people with much sympathy for drink driving though - take a look at the Ant (of Ant and Dec) threads and socail media to get a flavour for that.

I've noticed it a lot on TV shows such as Greys anatomy and am always about it.

In my job it is an automatic job loser to be convicted of drink driving, so I wouldn't even chance driving with one drink.

For a bit of trivia, do you know that the reason why the drink drive limit isn't zero alcohol is not because the Government are happy to let you have one drink - it is because some people, particularly type 1 diabetics, can naturally ferment blood sugars into alcohol blood sugars.

Hmm, dunno I lived in LA for 10 years and never noticed that. At our work parties you were only allowed one drink (you were given a token that you took to the bar).

Pressed send too soon and no one ever drank at lunchtimes!

My (US) employers (I've had 3) have all been keen to emphasise corporate responsibility (no doubt not least at risk of being sued in the litigious culture that exists), so lay on buses etc for company events in the USA where alcohol is served (I have been to a good few of these).

Plenty of employees however ignore this and drive themselves home after a varying number of drinks in my experience.

Also in a social setting it seems quite normal to drink and drive for quite a lot of people.

TBH from watching British TV shows apparently everyone drinks and drives there too.

I think that attitudes in the Uk have changed massively in the 20 years I’ve been driving. If we go out in s group and there is s driver it would be completely frowned upon by all if they had a drink, it just wouldn’t be seen as acceptable and commented upon.

20 years ago it would have been normal to have maybe a couple at most though.

The drink driving campaign has really helped to change social attitudes to drink driving.

TBH from watching British TV shows apparently everyone drinks and drives there too.

Really? Examples?

It bugs me so much in Gilmore Girls and Grace and Frankie. I find it really odd because they have a more puritanical attitude towards alcohol and its regulation.
Like in the Gilmore Girls I just watched there is a gag around Dean asking for a beer at Emily and Richard's as if a 16 yo having a drink is on a par with asking them for crack. But Lorelai drives home post cocktail and wine.

You do know films are not real?

I've noticed this too! Plus I'm a big fan of country music and there's references in an awful lot of those songs about drinking then driving, like it's normal?
That said, nowhere could be as chilled about drink driving as New Zealand ime. DP and I did a few seasons over there (agriculture) and were shocked at how blasé everyone is about driving whilst clearly pissed!

Driving in London traffic is very different from driving home a few miles on a wide stretch of Mid-Western US quiet back road.

I have trouble believing, that even in the UK, driving after having 2 glasses of wine (4 units) over the course of a three hour party is what causes accidents. Your body processes about 1 unit an hour and you are not over the limit with one unit of alcohol in your system, so if you drink 2 units, wait an hour, have another 2 units, and drive home 2 hours later, you are fine. I know that lots of people disagree with this, and will probably jump on me for saying this.

Ive often wondered about this. I also wonder about using phones whilst driving in America. I watch Teen Mom a fair bit and they are ALWAYS talking on the phone whilst driving. Is it seen as more normal/acceptable over there? Is it even illegal since they all do it and don't seem concerned about the cameras seeing it...

Using a phone is only illegal in some states.