Can anyone tell me when it became acceptable to get blotto at Christmas? We have spent millions of dollars and a couple of decades convincing people that drinking and driving is wrong. The message seems to have an appendix that says “except at Christmas time”. Perhaps it is the number of parties, the social pressures or maybe even personal relief at having survived the year with a job drives us to toss intelligence to the wind.
Accidents that involve alcohol are still more prevalent than they should be. Roughly 40% of all accidents involve booze. I haven’t looked at recent numbers but historically booze related accidents were more serious than just fender benders. There are easier and less painful ways to destroy several thousand dollars of personal property. You could take a baseball bat to your vehicle or just give it to someone who needs a car.
Let’s take a look at what happens when you drink and drive. The first thing is that you are putting everything you have worked for or will work for in jeopardy. When you get caught, and you will, you face a criminal charge under the Criminal Code of Canada. When convicted, you will face a fine and possibly imprisonment. Old news, broken record, right? You hear that every time and in every commercial.
Maybe you don’t know all of the issues that go with a criminal conviction. You can kiss that Mexican vacation goodbye. You can’t get a passport with a criminal conviction and without a Passport; you can’t travel outside the country. Even if you just get a fine, you may be unemployed anyhow. Once convicted, you are no longer bondable and for many jobs that is a requirement. Here on a visa of some sort? When convicted, you can be tossed out of the country on your ear. Those are rather large consequences for one evening of fun.
On a more immediate level, if you are unlucky enough to be in an accident and are injured, the paramedics can only assess and transport you. No drugs, booze interferes with nearly everything needed to keep you alive or in a reduced amount of pain. Once in the hospital, the emergency room can do little for you until you sober up. Same reasons. If you are critically injured, you force the ER staff to take chances to keep you alive that may or may not work and it all depends on individual physiology and how much you drank. Do you really want to shoot craps with your life?
Maybe you weren’t hurt, maybe you walked away, lots of drunks do. The person you hit may not be so lucky. They could be permanently damaged mentally or physically or dead. You better get a top flight lawyer because you are now on your own. Read your insurance policy; drunks have no insurance for property or personal injury. It is rare in Canada, but a personal law suit could leave you kicking road apples down to the soup kitchen.
Now let’s shift to the relationship issues that can crop up. Make a pass at an office party, and the whole world will know. You may think it was funny, but those goofy shots of you falling all over the boss, throwing up in the waste paper basket or walking around with zippers undone may wind up on Facebook™. Lots of people look at Facebook™ and Twitter™. If they catch the eye of a superior, you can probably kiss that promotion goodbye along with your spouse. What do your kids think when you pull such stunts? By the same token what do your parents think when you come home incoherent or unconscious.
I know it is a double standard, but the most vulnerable people in this whole booze thing are women. From the old fashioned “Mickey Finn” to date rape drugs, women are vulnerable. Car interiors are often hidden from view due to frost and cars are often parked in bad poorly lighted spots in parking lots. Remember, predators come in all sizes and shapes.
Last on the list is religion. When did the celebration of Christ’s Birthday become a license to pickle your brain in alcohol? Just because sins can be forgiven, doesn’t mean you are supposed to go out and commit them.
No one will ever say don’t drink, that is your personal prerogative. All I’m saying is give my son, the Paramedic and the rest of the emergency services a reason to celebrate; don’t drink and drive. It really isn’t worth the risk.
Accidents that involve alcohol are still more prevalent than they should be. Roughly 40% of all accidents involve booze. I haven’t looked at recent numbers but historically booze related accidents were more serious than just fender benders. There are easier and less painful ways to destroy several thousand dollars of personal property. You could take a baseball bat to your vehicle or just give it to someone who needs a car.
Let’s take a look at what happens when you drink and drive. The first thing is that you are putting everything you have worked for or will work for in jeopardy. When you get caught, and you will, you face a criminal charge under the Criminal Code of Canada. When convicted, you will face a fine and possibly imprisonment. Old news, broken record, right? You hear that every time and in every commercial.
Maybe you don’t know all of the issues that go with a criminal conviction. You can kiss that Mexican vacation goodbye. You can’t get a passport with a criminal conviction and without a Passport; you can’t travel outside the country. Even if you just get a fine, you may be unemployed anyhow. Once convicted, you are no longer bondable and for many jobs that is a requirement. Here on a visa of some sort? When convicted, you can be tossed out of the country on your ear. Those are rather large consequences for one evening of fun.
On a more immediate level, if you are unlucky enough to be in an accident and are injured, the paramedics can only assess and transport you. No drugs, booze interferes with nearly everything needed to keep you alive or in a reduced amount of pain. Once in the hospital, the emergency room can do little for you until you sober up. Same reasons. If you are critically injured, you force the ER staff to take chances to keep you alive that may or may not work and it all depends on individual physiology and how much you drank. Do you really want to shoot craps with your life?
Maybe you weren’t hurt, maybe you walked away, lots of drunks do. The person you hit may not be so lucky. They could be permanently damaged mentally or physically or dead. You better get a top flight lawyer because you are now on your own. Read your insurance policy; drunks have no insurance for property or personal injury. It is rare in Canada, but a personal law suit could leave you kicking road apples down to the soup kitchen.
Now let’s shift to the relationship issues that can crop up. Make a pass at an office party, and the whole world will know. You may think it was funny, but those goofy shots of you falling all over the boss, throwing up in the waste paper basket or walking around with zippers undone may wind up on Facebook™. Lots of people look at Facebook™ and Twitter™. If they catch the eye of a superior, you can probably kiss that promotion goodbye along with your spouse. What do your kids think when you pull such stunts? By the same token what do your parents think when you come home incoherent or unconscious.
I know it is a double standard, but the most vulnerable people in this whole booze thing are women. From the old fashioned “Mickey Finn” to date rape drugs, women are vulnerable. Car interiors are often hidden from view due to frost and cars are often parked in bad poorly lighted spots in parking lots. Remember, predators come in all sizes and shapes.
Last on the list is religion. When did the celebration of Christ’s Birthday become a license to pickle your brain in alcohol? Just because sins can be forgiven, doesn’t mean you are supposed to go out and commit them.
No one will ever say don’t drink, that is your personal prerogative. All I’m saying is give my son, the Paramedic and the rest of the emergency services a reason to celebrate; don’t drink and drive. It really isn’t worth the risk.