WWYD Drinking while driving.

[Pea-n-Me]

While drinking and driving is not cool at any level. I'm not sure I would say anything. Here in CT there is no open container law so passengers in your vehicle are allowed to drink as long is it is not the driver.

Also, I find it no different then what tons of people do here including myself. I commute to NYC, by train, everyday and on Fridays I will have a beer on the train and then after consuming the beer drive home from the train station. I have never checked but I am pretty sure I'm not over the limit but non the less I just consumed a beer (empty stomach) and now I am driving. So the only issue would have to be is where the beer is being consumed.

That is the issue. If you enjoy a beer on the train on the ride home and your blood alcohol level is below the legal limit for where you're driving, then you're good.

States with Open Container Laws do make the distinction of a driver who is working, like a limo or taxi driver, being exempt from the law, and types of vehicles like a motor home with open containers being ok in the living area. And police officers can generally tell if a can is fresh or old, and whether a driver is intoxicated, etc.

But nobody can have an open container in a regular car, otherwise. If you were to take a bottle of wine home from a restaurant, say, it would either need to be in the trunk, or in the case of an SUV, way in the back, re-corked and bagged, with receipt showing, from the restaurant.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2010/01/17/clarifying_what_constitutes_an_open_container/

 

[marmalade]

I find it interesting that it is LEGAL in the state of Mississippi for the driver to drink alcohol while driving as long as they stay under the 0.08% BAC.

As far as the carpooling, I would drive myself to work after that.

 

[MarkF0wle]

I read the first post in this thread & immediately KNEW what I would do in that situation. Continued to read the thread & I have to say that logically if this was the only alcoholic drink that this guy had consumed that day then it's no worse than somebody who has 1 beer at a pub then drives home - here in the UK he would be below the legal limit in all probability.

However, I have a personal absolutely no alcohol whilst driving rule & in this situation this guy would be donezo, I'd half consider asking them to stop the car & let me make my own way home depending on the surroundings. It's an irresponsible thing to do & purely emotionally it would be a long while before I allowed this person to drive me anywhere again.

 

[Kogo Shuko]

He did offer my DH one, my DH told him no and he's stupid for having one. The guy is like 6'6" over 300 lbs so one drink probably wouldn't put him over. If your BAC is over .04 you will get your car impounded and lose your liscence.
They do have open alcohol laws here but I can't find anything that says something about being a passenger. My DH is going to drive from now on and the guy can choose to catch a ride without drinking or not, his choice. I would be more than angry if we couldn't get into the States to go to Disney because of charges my DH could possibly get.

Sounds like this guy has watched too much Trailer Park Boys.

While I wouldn't be worried about his ability to drive if it was only one beer, I would still not carpool with him. Having open alcohol in the vehicle is illegal in Canada, and that's that. Although, to be honest, I'm pretty sure only the driver would get charged, unless it was CLEAR that your husband was the one drinking the beer.

 

[Kalliope]

OP--I think your husband has the right approach! Thanks for the update.


I haven't seen the cards myself to know if they make it clear what a full stomach is or not (on the card or in the presentation). My point was really about how it IS recognized that having a full stomach versus an empty one does in fact change how great the effect of alcohol is. You seemed to be saying it really doesn't make much difference and using those cards your family received years ago as some kind of proof, so I pointed out that cards being handed out today, in Colorado, DO take it into account.

I do know, both based on what was presented to us parents and on what DD told me that the way it is presented to the incoming students is that they are not legally allowed to drink, nor is it allowed per campus rules, BUT we also know that college students tend to drink anyway, and while the best is not to drink at all, if you do drink here is the information you need to be safe (the cards were not handed out to show legality, but so kids have a better idea of how fast it ca hit them and when it becomes dangerous from an alcohol poisoning standpoint).

Both the parent and student presentations started with showing the trailer to "Hazing" which is about the death of Gordie Bailey from alcohol poisoning 3 weeks into his freshman year at CU-Boulder (about an hour from her campus).

Personally I like the university's approach--I don't really think "abstinence only" education works well in sex ed OR drinking/drugs--kids needs more and better information to make good decisions (including, possibly, the decision to abstain--I thinking knowing realistic reasons why helps them to that even).

Unless the card also has a graph by a person's weight, the full stomach vs empty is meaningless.

 

[Pamlur]

I've skimmed all the previous answers, so maybe I missed it somewhere. But these two people have been riding together for some time, apparently; is this the first time the guy ever opened a beer? If so, maybe it was just an impulse and not a habit of any kind.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

Seeing that the driver had no problem continuing to drink after your husband told him that it was illegal, I wouldn't continue carpooling with him anymore. I don't think people should change their habits because of me, but at the same time, I don't need to subject myself to those habits.

 

[Mizzoufan]

If it was me the minute he opened the beer, I would ask him to drop me off I would find another way home.

 

[Micca]

People do illegal things in their cars all the time, driving over the speed limit, for instance. One beer is not a big deal to me, but accidents happen. I sure wouldn't want to be in a situation where I had a crash and there was an open container in the car. I'd probably wait to see if it was going to be a regular thing, but I wouldn't blow up on my friend, I'd just say I'm making other arrangements, please be careful.

 

[NHdisneylover]

Unless the card also has a graph by a person's weight, the full stomach vs empty is meaningless.

Yep, it is a chart with weight, gender and full and empty stomach and number of drinks (and what constitutes a "drink" is on the top). At least, that is how the campus PO explained it to us parents.
Again, the idea was to help students who have little experience with drinking see where it might become dangerous and how not eating, or being smaller, etc means they might be in danger with the same number of drinks that a bigger person who just ate a meal might not be as intoxicated by.

 

[DVC-Don]

I don't care what the local law says, in my vehicle no drinking alcohol period. End of carpool effective now.

 

[LittleMissMagic]

Both the parent and student presentations started with showing the trailer to "Hazing" which is about the death of Gordie Bailey from alcohol poisoning 3 weeks into his freshman year at CU-Boulder (about an hour from her campus).

Personally I like the university's approach--I don't really think "abstinence only" education works well in sex ed OR drinking/drugs--kids needs more and better information to make good decisions (including, possibly, the decision to abstain--I thinking knowing realistic reasons why helps them to that even).

Oh my goodness, what a way to start orientation! "Welcome to our university! Now watch this video about the death of a college student. Don't let this be youuuuuuuuu!"

I agree with you. Most college students are going to drink.... many are going to be underage. Rather than tell them that alcohol is a big no-no, let's teach them how to be safe when consuming alcohol. Hopefully, they'll wait until they are legal. But if they choose to disobey the law, at least they have a better understanding of how alcohol will impair them.

As for marijuana... yeah, it's illegal in a lot of states, but really it's not nearly as dangerous as alcohol. So I think a reminder that it is illegal is probably all that they can or need to do there.

 

[LittleMissMagic]

I've skimmed all the previous answers, so maybe I missed it somewhere. But these two people have been riding together for some time, apparently; is this the first time the guy ever opened a beer? If so, maybe it was just an impulse and not a habit of any kind.

Good point. So my guess is that the OP's husband actually doesn't like this guy and wants an excuse not to carpool with him anymore. Because no guy is going to tell his wife about how his buddy cracked open a beer before driving home. That's a big no-no in bro code.

 

[Poohforyou]

While drinking and driving is not cool at any level. I'm not sure I would say anything. Here in CT there is no open container law so passengers in your vehicle are allowed to drink as long is it is not the driver.
Also, I find it no different then what tons of people do here including myself. I commute to NYC, by train, everyday and on Fridays I will have a beer on the train and then after consuming the beer drive home from the train station. I have never checked but I am pretty sure I'm not over the limit but non the less I just consumed a beer (empty stomach) and now I am driving. So the only issue would have to be is where the beer is being consumed.

I was thinking the same thing about the train or about happy hour after work. No, I don't like the idea of someone drinking while driving but I don't think it's a sign of bigger issues.

 

[mom2rtk]

I'm curious where one comes up with a beer to crack open on the trip home? Did he bring it in a cooler? Did he stop at a convenience store to get one?

 

[DawnM]

I would never get in his car again. Period.

 

[Nennie]

Good point. So my guess is that the OP's husband actually doesn't like this guy and wants an excuse not to carpool with him anymore. Because no guy is going to tell his wife about how his buddy cracked open a beer before driving home. That's a big no-no in bro code.

Then my husband is getting kicked out of bro-ville b/c he would totally tell me something like this. He tells me dumb stuff his friends do all the time!

 

[unhinged]

My DH and another guy have been car pooling to a job site together. Well actually my DH would drive he would throw in for gas. This guy just got a new truck this week so now they switch off everyday. Tonight while the guy was driving he cracked open a beer. My DH was like what are you doing? You can't do that. The guy downed the drink and was like it's fine.
It's really hard to find what would happen to the passenger in this scenario if they were pulled over.
My DH is telling him tomorrow if he can't waite an hour to get home to have a drink they will no longer be driving together.
So WWYD?

That would be the last time I carpooled with him. If he is that comfortable drinking while driving, as others have said, I would be concerned with how many he may have had before he got into the car.

 

[unhinged]

Would one beer put him over the legal limit? What are the open container laws in your area?

If it makes your husband uncomfortable, he should say so and be prepared to start doing all the driving. Not sure I would bring the lrgal aspects into the conversation unless I knew it is, in fact, illegal. Nor would I assume he has a drinking problem over one beer.

Personally, I don't condone any drinking and driving, period. There is so much that can make even one beer have more affect than intended. Like being overly tired or medication. So that is exactly what I would say and leave all the rest out of it.

There are not many states where it is legal for the driver to be drinking an alcoholic beverage while driving. I agree that one beer usually (note usually) won't impair a driver. My concern would be the need of a beer so badly the driver is willing to break laws and put his passenger in danger. If the driver can't even wait till he drops his passenger off, I would have some serious concerns of a deeper problem.

 

[LittleMissMagic]

This thread really has me thinking.... so many people are saying, "No more carpooling. Don't get in a car with him again." And many are saying that yeah, it might be just one beer, but who knows what else he has had to drink because if he can't wait until he gets home to crack open a beer, he might have a serious problem.

And you guys are right... cracking open a beer before (or while??) driving is alcoholic behavior. ***I am not saying this man is an alcoholic. This one scenario does not automatically make him as an alcoholic.***

If that is the case and he is an alcoholic, I don't think the answer is to leave him high and dry. Because in that scenario, this man is still driving (while consuming alcohol?). He is on the road, and he is a danger to others. Not only that, but he is a danger to himself. And if I were in OP's husband's shoes and felt like this man might have a problem, I would feel responsible to help him get the help he needs.