thequest

As a society are we inadvertently manufacturing alcoholics by offering people rides from where ever they have been drinking. On one hand it's a good policy, keep drunks off the roads and everyone is safe. But wouldn't a young drinker come to expect someone will always be offering them a ride and/or arranging it for them. What happens when they can't get a ride. Some will drink and drive anyway. But by making drinking easier early in one's drinking career does that not help manufacturer a future alcoholic?

The alcoholic must realize they are responsible for travel to and from their drinking activities. They are responsible period. Now were back to protecting society from them. But by 'protecting' society have inadvertently manufactured the future alcoholics some of whom will wind up drinking and driving anyway.

suki44883

So, what is your solution? I believe protecting the public is more important. Offering rides does not create an alcoholic. That is an inside job, just as is recovery. In the meantime, do what is necessary to protect innocent lives.

nez

No.

Did prohibition cut down on the number of alcoholics?

trailmix

I don't drink and drive and never have but I have always managed to get myself home.

Drinking and driving should never be an option, it just isn't. So alternative means of getting home should always be planned for.

If you drink and drive that's not about drinking or driving, that's about poor decision making.

thequest

I respectfully differ in that if it becomes a pain in the butt to get to someone's house or bar as a casual or occasional drinker wouldn't they eventually give it up or start paying their own way.

It's anecdotal but as a occasional drinker when the local store went through renovations I wouldn't travel the extra 5-10 minutes for alcohol. Cut my yearly drinking down to almost nothing. Point is make it inconvenient or expensive the fence sitters might not become alcoholics.

I see parents playing helicopter parents to their young adult children ordering taxis, ubers or actually driving to a place/event with alcohol. This is weekly, not for a holiday this for hanging out with their friends. How long can they keep it up but again the point is make inconvenient for the younger adult drinkers and literally make them think and/or pay if they want to travel to drink. I get the older alcoholics are going to do what whatever but it's the younger generation where this could have an effect. If the young drinker is forced to make choices like money for a taxi or meal they might cut down on traveling to drink if nothing else.

SparkleKitty

An addict will always find a way to feed their addiction. I have trouble buying into the theory that someone can avoid alcoholism because maintaining the lifestyle is inconvenient or impractical.

suki44883

Nope. Again, alcoholism is an inside job. Difficulty of getting alcohol doesn't keep one from becoming an alcoholic.

BlownOne

I was an active alcoholic for many years. There isn't a single thing society as a whole or any individual could have done to prevent my alcoholism other than drop me on a desert island with no booze. Even that may not have worked. (Alcoholics are geniuses when it comes to getting what they want). Ppl who really want to drink are going to find a way to drink.

thequest

Yes alcoholics are manipulative and scamming. The older alcoholic will find a way to drink. Might not be able to travel to drink. The substance is what they need , not the setting. If they can talk somebody into giving them a ride it's on that person. I look at it as many wanting their cake and eat it to. Do they want to drink OR go to a concert or sporting event? Why is it so critical they get to certain bar?

I'm starting to see a younger generation including young adults in their mid 20s being catered to when it comes to drinking and being driven around to parties, bars, events etc like a child to soccer practice. Wouldn't just the offer validate excessive drinking to a young adult? Now that being said 'guaranteeing a ride' could help reinforce the message don't drink a drive with younger adults.

But where is the responsibility for travel. And those being driven need to realize there is cost and time with a ride because of their drinking. They need to understand their social life/life in general is not a third party's responsibility. One can drink all they want just keep me and others out of it.

FallenAngelina

This is exactly how I see most people using Ubers for safe travel after drinking. Do you know how easy it is to have the app and call an Uber? There is no "catering to" at all - it's all about independence. If anything, drinkers are less dependent on others and take more responsibility for their and others' safety because of the increasing prevalence of rider services.

The availability of safe travel does not manufacture alcoholics. Perhaps you misunderstand what all is involved in the complexity of addiction.

velma929

As a society are we inadvertently manufacturing alcoholics by offering people rides from where ever they have been drinking.

I'm inferring from this that you're referencing the rides offered to celebrants on New Year's Eve. Many places offered those, sometimes free of charge, on the holiday. I suspect most that accept the offer are occasional drinkers, not used to getting drunk, and not necessarily problem drinkers. Many alcoholics are in denial about their problem, and continue to drive themselves around. In fact, continuing to drive is the way they re-assure themselves there isn't a problem. The folks who take taxis or now Uber or Lyft are being responsible, about travel, whether they're problem drinkers or not.

Other half says many will spend the last of their money at the bar, and not have money for a taxi. I guess that means a gf/bf/drinking buddy will drive him or her home.

Mango212

It doesn't seem to be a problem regarding alcoholism, as that's a beast unto itself; perhaps inadvertently creating an expanding safety zone for recreational alcohol & drug abuse/usage.

One day at a time. Recovery communities are also strong and I experience many places that are naturally clean, sober and family friendly.

Mango212

There is a lot of good in the world.

Thank you for posting. Food for thought.

Safe roads are important. How we keep having this improved remains to be seen.

thequest

Using Uber or a taxi voluntarily and paying for it is different than third parties offering to pay. That's where there's more potential for problems. The biggest example I'm referring to are the helicopter parents driving their adult children to and from drinking locations. The helicopter parenting adult children is bad enough. What happens when they aren't there for that ride. Were not talking big events just another night at the bar.

I also see around the holidays many people offer free rides. Being the holiday I understand that a little more. But I've also seen those pub crawl buses(sponsored by local bars) on St Patties day halted around here because there were too many problems. So private charter buses took over. Those parties took responsibility for their transportation. Like many other things if one does not have to directly pay for it abuse issues can arise.

Hawkeye13

Young drinkers often exercise bad judgement about their ability to drive while impaired.

If one person is not killed by them as a result of “third party help” I’m all for it.
Why should innocent people be put at risk?

The problem needs a bigger frame Quest.

Bethany57

Personally I have never know any parents that drive their kids around to get drunk at bars. I'm sure there may be some but I bet few. Simple fact is Uber saves lives. In the city I live drunk driving incidents went down 40% because of Uber and Lyft.

Derringer

Try reading the first 4 chapters of the AA big book.

The Drs Opinion, Bills Story, There is a Solution and More about Alcoholism.

Probably about 50 pages or so.

That should give you a better idea of what alcoholism actually looks like and how it manifests in those who have it.



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wehav2day

In my (alcoholic) experience, a combination of things make an alcoholic. Childhood trauma, alcoholism in the family, lack of knowledge on appropriate coping skills are all common.

Giving rides to people isn’t one of these factors. Giving rides on New Years or other “drinking holidays” is a good idea. Most of the folks needing rides are are drinking outside of their normal habits. Getting a ride isn’t going to make them flip a switch to alcoholism, that comes from the inside if it does happen. The occasional ride home isn’t protecting someone from their consequences, it’s helping ensure that innocent people don’t have consequences from the irresponsibility of others.

velma929

The occasional ride home isn’t protecting someone from their consequences,

I'd agree. My husband wouldn't have spent the extra money to be part of a pub crawl / beer tasting / wine tasting when he could have spent the same amount to get really trashed at a bar or even better, at home. Most alcoholics aren't spending a premium to tour craft breweries.

Seren

I suppose "helicopter parents" is another way to define co-dependent and controlling behavior. The truth of the situation, however, is that we have no more control over a co-dependent person than we do an active alcoholic/addict.

I wish that not providing an alcoholc rides would keep them from drinking--but my stepson has borrowed bicycles and I've read that some alcoholics will resort to riding lawn mowers, etc.

It could be argued that making alcoholics pay for their transportation (Uber, taxis, buses, etc.) would keep them from or cut down on their drinking, but somehow there is always money to drink.

I don't have an answer, but I do know several families who have suffered terrible losses due to drunk drivers--so I'm all for whatever will keep a drunk person from getting behind the wheel.