# Who should be the DD? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 20, 2016, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-the-dd/760431 "2016-07-20T17:07:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![GunnarFranz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/da6949/32.png) [@GunnarFranz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GunnarFranz)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-the-dd/760431/1 "2016-07-20T17:07:24Z")
I have a Summer Soiree coming up on Friday and wanted to know if it is typical for the employee or their significant other to be the designated driver at an employer function. Is this is a societal norm I am clueless about? Does gender have any influence? Please report if in the wrong forum, thank you. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-the-dd/760431/2 "2016-07-20T17:14:31Z")
Who is going to bitch the least about not being able to drink? That’s your DD. I don’t recall there being any norm involved. Or you could just both not drink and have something to talk about on the ride home. ---
**Author:** ![GunnarFranz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/da6949/32.png) [@GunnarFranz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GunnarFranz)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-the-dd/760431/3 "2016-07-20T17:16:01Z")
I don’t think either of us particularly care, nor will either get sloshed. Just gauging my naiveté. Thanks for the response. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-the-dd/760431/4 "2016-07-20T17:31:38Z")
With my wife and myself it’s usually me as the DD since I don’t drink much. If I wanted to drink more then we’d alternate or come up with another equitable arrangement. I don’t think there are gender norms for this. ---
**Author:** ![edwards\_beard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@edwards\_beard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwards_beard)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-the-dd/760431/5 "2016-07-20T17:35:48Z")
As an employee, I would be very careful about drinking too much at an event put on by the employer. You never know who’s watching, who’s listening, and who can be offended. ---
**Author:** ![GunnarFranz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/da6949/32.png) [@GunnarFranz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GunnarFranz)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-the-dd/760431/6 "2016-07-20T18:40:36Z")
> [@edwards\_beard](#): > > As an employee, I would be very careful about drinking too much at an event put on by the employer. You never know who’s watching, who’s listening, and who can be offended. On one hand I see this thinking, but I also see being a square as equally antagonistic. I don’t work in a Mad Men-esque environment but parts of the culture are certainly archaic. I think the term social drinking would apply. I think, given the responses, I’m leaning towards myself being the DD just holding onto the same one drink for the evening. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-the-dd/760431/7 "2016-07-20T18:47:43Z")
> [@edwards\_beard](#): > > As an employee, I would be very careful about drinking too much at an event put on by the employer. You never know who’s watching, who’s listening, and who can be offended. Oh yes. It amazes me the amount of people who happily get drunk at company events. There should be no need for a DD! ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-the-dd/760431/8 "2016-07-20T19:25:54Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > Oh yes. It amazes me the amount of people who happily get drunk at company events. There should be no need for a DD! If I have more than 2 drinks in an evening I don’t drive. I’m not close to drunk but I consider it safer to not drive after consuming even that limited number of drinks. I’m not in danger of behaving badly with the work crowd, but I’d still prefer to have a DD for the trip home. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-the-dd/760431/9 "2016-07-20T19:28:39Z")
I don’t think Norm was ever the DD. He usually walked home from the bar. At company functions, I generally order one drink (gin or vodka on the rocks) and then keep refilling the glass from a handy water pitcher, or the drinking fountain if I have to. And occasionally get a little fresh ice from the bartender. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-the-dd/760431/10 "2016-07-20T20:08:51Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > If I have more than 2 drinks in an evening I don’t drive. I’m not close to drunk but I consider it safer to not drive after consuming even that limited number of drinks. I’m not in danger of behaving badly with the work crowd, but I’d still prefer to have a DD for the trip home. Same. So flatly, I never drink more than 2 drinks at any company party. I keep safely within my limits. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-the-dd/760431/11 "2016-07-20T20:37:27Z")
If one of you is going to get sloshed at a company party, it definitely should not be the employee. It’s better if you both keep your wits about you. If partying with your boss brings a feeling of wishing you had a drink, you should leave the party and have a drink elsewhere. I’m retired now, but in retrospect I wish I had taken that advice. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-the-dd/760431/12 "2016-07-20T21:37:05Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > Same. So flatly, I never drink more than 2 drinks at any company party. I keep safely within my limits. But there’s this two hour window after the second drink where’d I’d never dream of driving, but also where I’m in absolutely no danger of saying or doing something unwise. Assuming I’d enjoy spending time with my co-workers in that sort of mildly-humming state (and there are co-workers that I consider friends), I think it’d be well within the bounds of reason and prudence to rely on someone else to be the DD: having a DD doesn’t mean you are going to be lining up shots. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Bredin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@John\_Bredin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Bredin)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2016, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-the-dd/760431/13 "2016-07-21T16:06:29Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > At company functions, I generally order one drink (gin or vodka on the rocks) and then keep refilling the glass from a handy water pitcher, or the drinking fountain if I have to. And occasionally get a little fresh ice from the bartender. Right. Nobody but you (the person drinking it) can tell a Coke/Diet Coke in a glass from a Cuba Libre or the like. Which was the whole point of a Cuba Libre, except in reverse. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2016, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-the-dd/760431/14 "2016-07-21T17:16:15Z")
I can’t believe you used the word “soiree” ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2016, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-the-dd/760431/15 "2016-07-21T17:19:58Z")
I’ve gone beyond drunk at company functions a number of times, as have many of my colleagues. It has occasionally got people into trouble, but not me - possibly because I like my job and get on with all my colleagues, so it’s unlikely I’d say something offensive while my guard is down. For events where partners are invited, we’d either get a taxi or if she didn’t want to drink, she would drive. I don’t think there is a societal expectation as to who ‘should’ do what. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2016, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-the-dd/760431/16 "2016-07-21T18:06:10Z")
Societal norms only come into play at the Company orgy. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-the-dd/760431/17 "2016-07-22T08:30:35Z")
When I was a driver, I was held to a 0.04 BAC. I was told by the company nurse during a random drug screening that I could safely metabolize one drink per hour. I assume she meant remain legal to drive. But I never put it to the test; I just don’t drink much at all, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![scareyfaerie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scareyfaerie/32/3135_2.png) [@scareyfaerie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scareyfaerie)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-the-dd/760431/18 "2016-07-22T09:13:23Z")
I’d prefer not to go to a company function in the first place 🙂 However, if forced to attend, I’d volunteer to be the driver if necessary, but I’m equally happy to just attend and not drink either. If I’m going out drinking, I want to do that with people I actually like, not people I have to work with. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-the-dd/760431/19 "2016-07-22T12:49:10Z")
Q: Is there a Hotel nearby with a shuttle service? If reservations are made in advance, any guest can be assured of a safe trip there and a good nights sleep. They can drive in the morning, right?