(Some!) older peoples attitudes to drink driving.

[CocoDeMoll]

I suppose I’m not being unreasonable but I worry this time of year. Where I used to live I barely drive at all because it was a city but now I’m driving every day with my 2 dc it worries me. I often do the same evening journey with them and the amount of times I’ve been behind a car that’s obviously weaving a bit and not indicating etc. There is a big generational divide on the ‘I’ve only had a few’ attitude. My own dad is the worst and Im surprised he’s never been stopped for it. I’m ashamed to say I let him drive me and my dcs earlier this year newborn in my arms and dd on someone’s lap thinking he wasn’t over the limit (till he mounted the curb twice and it became clear). I used to work in a gastro pub and people of a certain age would happily down a skinful with food and think it was then ok to drive. I want to stress that NAOPALT but there’s definetly a diffeeence in attitude.

Do you think a campaign is needed especially this time of year aimed at 60+ year olds? Just want to stress for the third time that I know not all but from what I’ve seen many do have a different attitude to it.

"Whereas for my parents (now in their mid-50s) there seems to be more of a 'well it's only 3 pints' attitude"

No, your parents are dickheads. My peers (50s and 60s) deplore drink driving.

Anything else you'd like us over 50s to take responsibility for?

The ageism from the teenagers on this thread is depressing

Anything else you'd like us over 50s to take responsibility for?

^^This

No-one I know of my age group and older drinks and drives.

Does that help?

The current generation of 50 somethings were very young children when the drink drive laws came in. I certainly grew up with that message long before I was old enough to learn to drive - it was a total no-no for us too.

The most common age for drink driving offenders was mid 20s last I looked although the most common group was young men in their early 20s. Those would be last year's figures though. I suppose its possible
all the 50 somethings have gone on a group binge this year and change the stats.

as our driving limit is just a quarter of the UK's.

There isn't one limit for the UK. Scotland's is stricter than the other parts of the UK and in line with many other European countries, though less strict than some.

Yanbu!

My grandfather is in his 80s and will consistently come over for Sunday lunch, drink far too much red wine and insist on driving home. He insists he’s fine, and to be fair he is never seems drunk but he must be over the limit. Nobody ever says anything but I’d refuse to get in the car with him.

A 19 year old was convicted of drunk driving in our village last week. And a 30 year old friend of mine was last Christmas. Proof positive that it's younger people who need educating about drinking and driving. Oh, hang on a minute-no it doesn't-it proves absolutely nothing.

Nobody ever says anything but I’d refuse to get in the car with him.

Why does no one ever say anything? Don’t you care about him killing himself or someone else?

Well, I'd take his keys away and if he persisted, report him to the police. But I'm over 50 so what do I know?

In my view, letting someone drive while drunk is worse than driving while drunk.

I've confiscated car keys off a drunk friend before now. He drove for a living too. He was livid. He's not a friend any more.

"In my view, letting someone drive while drunk is worse than driving while drunk."

I reported one of my neighbours for drink driving.