# Who's Driven Drunk? (inspired by the "writing a letter" thread) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 29, 2016, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-driven-drunk-inspired-by-the-writing-a-letter-thread/747469 "2016-02-29T01:59:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![stillownedbysetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@stillownedbysetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stillownedbysetters)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2016, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-driven-drunk-inspired-by-the-writing-a-letter-thread/747469/41 "2016-02-29T18:35:32Z")
Yes, indeed I did. In college. I had gone out bar hopping with some sorority sisters and I was the least drunk one of the group when it came time to go home. That wasn’t saying much, but at least I could walk unaided. I made the 20 minute trip safely, but I was going verrrrry sloooowly. Had a policeman driven by, I’d have been busted in a NY minute. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2016, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-driven-drunk-inspired-by-the-writing-a-letter-thread/747469/42 "2016-02-29T18:45:18Z")
I’ve never knowingly driven impaired - and I’ve received serious heat for refusing to do so. The dangerous period for many people is not that night but the next morning. Not a lot of people realise that you can still be over the limit that many hours later. And it doesn’t take much: two glasses of fizz before the meal, a glass of wine (plus maybe a refill) with each of three courses, a glass of port afterwards, and you’ve drunk more than a whole bottle of wine. That’s 12+ units and will take over 12 hours to wear off. If you have a bottle and a half - 18 units - in one evening you’re still over the limit the next lunchtime! ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2016, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-driven-drunk-inspired-by-the-writing-a-letter-thread/747469/43 "2016-02-29T18:49:30Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > I’ve never knowingly driven impaired - and I’ve received serious heat for refusing to do so. > > The dangerous period for many people is not that night but the next morning. Not a lot of people realise that you can still be over the limit that many hours later. And it doesn’t take much: two glasses of fizz before the meal, a glass of wine (plus maybe a refill) with each of three courses, a glass of port afterwards, and you’ve drunk more than a whole bottle of wine. That’s 12+ units and will take over 12 hours to wear off. If you have a bottle and a half - 18 units - in one evening you’re still over the limit the next lunchtime! Good point. As an aside. EVEN IF I have not drank anything the night before…I really don’t like to just wake up and drive somewhere. It takes me between 30 minutes and an hour before I feel like my brain is working well enough to drive… ---
**Author:** ![NeonMadman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/58f4c7/32.png) [@NeonMadman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NeonMadman)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2016, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-driven-drunk-inspired-by-the-writing-a-letter-thread/747469/44 "2016-02-29T19:51:23Z")
One time, in the early 1970’s. I was single and visiting married friends. They were making drinks for all of us, and I didn’t realize as I sat in their comfortable chair how strong the drinks were. Until I tried to stand up, that is. Then things got pretty wobbly. I had about a 3 mile drive home, and it was a foggy night, and I was really in no shape to drive. I just followed the yellow line all the way, and ultimately I made it OK. When I got to my apartment, I laid on the sofa and watched the ceiling spin for a while. I’ve never done anything like that since. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2016, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-driven-drunk-inspired-by-the-writing-a-letter-thread/747469/45 "2016-02-29T20:02:23Z")
One time about 40 years ago, I’d gone out bowling with some friends. Afterwards, we went to a bar that a coworker frequented, and he bought a couple of rounds. I don’t know if I was legally drunk according to the laws of the day, but I know that driving home wasn’t smart. However, drive home I did. It was late at night and almost no one was on the road. I got home just fine, and I never did it again. On the rare occasions that I drink now, it’s at home when my next stop is bed. Frankly, I just don’t much enjoy alcohol. ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2016, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-driven-drunk-inspired-by-the-writing-a-letter-thread/747469/46 "2016-02-29T20:10:12Z")
For a period in my early twenties I drove drunk pretty much every weekend, I knew it was wrong I just didn’t think anything bad would happen to me, I had the young and invincible syndrome. I had a few friends get DUI’s and knew some people killed by drunk drivers. But I still didn’t change my ways until some incidents where I didn’t remember the drive home but managed to arrive safely and one incident where I crashed my car into a guard rail and but nobody got hurt and I didn’t get caught. I’ve never driven drunk since and I never will, it was stupid, selfish behavior and all I can say about it is I was extreme lucky I didn’t kill anybody, it’s just too easy to call a cab. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2016, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-driven-drunk-inspired-by-the-writing-a-letter-thread/747469/47 "2016-02-29T20:20:48Z")
I don’t have enough confidence to say I’ve never gotten behind the wheel when I shouldn’t have. Because I rarely drink, I don’t really know how to tell when I’m buzzed nor do I know how much alcohol I need to get me there. So I would not be surprised if on the couple of occasions I’ve had drinks, I was too impaired to be a responsible driver, but I drove home anyway just because there were no warning signs informing me that I shouldn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Epimetheus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c4cdca/32.png) [@Epimetheus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Epimetheus)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2016, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-driven-drunk-inspired-by-the-writing-a-letter-thread/747469/48 "2016-02-29T20:29:47Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > The dangerous period for many people is not that night but the next morning. Not a lot of people realise that you can still be over the limit that many hours later. And it doesn’t take much: two glasses of fizz before the meal, a glass of wine (plus maybe a refill) with each of three courses, a glass of port afterwards, and you’ve drunk more than a whole bottle of wine. That’s 12+ units and will take over 12 hours to wear off. If you have a bottle and a half - 18 units - in one evening you’re still over the limit the next lunchtime! Uh, yep, I’ve probably unknowingly drove to work early in the morning legally drunk then. Drink excessively the night before, sleep 7 hours, and drive to work groggy (which I guess could have been with a slight buzz mixed with a hangover). ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2016, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-driven-drunk-inspired-by-the-writing-a-letter-thread/747469/49 "2016-02-29T20:32:01Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Not a lot of people realise that you can still be over the limit that many hours later. And it doesn’t take much: > … > two glasses of fizz before the meal, a glass of wine (plus maybe a refill) with each of three courses, a glass of port afterwards, and you’ve drunk more than a whole bottle of wine. That’s 12+ units and will take over 12 hours to wear off. :dubious: Is this a whoosh? 12 drinks is a _shitload_ of alcohol. ---
**Author:** ![Epimetheus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c4cdca/32.png) [@Epimetheus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Epimetheus)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2016, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-driven-drunk-inspired-by-the-writing-a-letter-thread/747469/50 "2016-02-29T20:41:23Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > :dubious: Is this a whoosh? 12 drinks is a _shitload_ of alcohol. Twelve shots within the same hour would be pretty bad, I think, but I’ve certainly finished off a whole 750ml bottle of Whiskey on my own in an evening. Say that was spread over a 6 hour period, I’d still have 10 units of alcohol in my system (16 shots in a bottle assuming 1 shot = 1 drink). Usually after a night light that I’m sleeping 10 hours though. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2016, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-driven-drunk-inspired-by-the-writing-a-letter-thread/747469/51 "2016-02-29T20:55:02Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > I’ve never done the breathalyzer thing, but I have looked at the charts that give approximations of how many drinks I have to have over an hour, for my weight, to get me to .08%. I would have trouble walking, let alone figuring out how to get the key into the ignition. So No. > > Regards, > Shodan I’m starting to think those charts are bullshit, though. I mean, they have to be bullshit for as simple as they are, but I’m starting to think they assume you’re drinking half-empty cans of Bud Light. Case in point, I went out last night and had 3 beers, then I drove home. I was at the bar for about 2.5 hours. [This calculator](http://bloodalcoholcalculator.org/) says that I was at a .034 when I drove home. Totally cool, right? But [this site](http://mcwell.nd.edu/your-well-being/physical-well-being/alcohol/blood-alcohol-concentration/bac-calculator/) lets you put in ounces and ABV. If I put in 12 ounce glasses and the ABV of the 3 local brews I drank, it jumps up to .06. But are those glasses 12 ounces? I have no clue. Barware isn’t regulated, and I know that when we get cans there and dump them into glasses, they don’t overflow. They don’t seem like full pints, so let’s say 14 ounces. Now I’m up to .077, probably a lot closer to the truth than the BS .034 number the other website gave. And if they really are 16 ounce glasses, then I’m a piece of shit because that puts me at .095, even though I could still plausibly claim that I only had 3 beers. I really don’t know what to think anymore. I could probably benefit from one of those breathalyzers by the door. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2016, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-driven-drunk-inspired-by-the-writing-a-letter-thread/747469/52 "2016-02-29T20:56:38Z")
in my mid twenties and after I graduated college I was not in the best of places and I used to drink a lot, both in relation to the number of times a week as well as the volume of alcohol I consumed. I got pulled over once about a block and a half away from where I lived for drifting between lanes without signaling and I blew something around (above) .08 on the breathalyzer. My car was towed and I was taken to the police station. The cop was nice enough to drive me home after the processing, so I guess that was good. I had to pay to get my car out of the lot, I paid all the court costs, and I paid to go through rehab. DUIs are not worth it. I was fortunate that I had a good lawyer who was a family friend and was also friendly with the judge. They worked it out to improper lane usage, rehab, and community service. It smartened me up though. I’ve slipped a few times but I don’t drive if I drink a lot (bus, train, taxi, or designated driver for me), and I’m at that point where I just don’t want to drink too much anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2016, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-driven-drunk-inspired-by-the-writing-a-letter-thread/747469/53 "2016-03-01T02:18:43Z")
This thread amuses me. Many, _many_ people here have driven under the influence, including myself. However, because I suffered a permanent injury as a result of drinking and driving, I seem to get singled out as an irresponsible, bad person (not necessarily just here, I’m speaking in general). I didn’t do anything that _millions_ of people haven’t done. I simply got hurt. But it doesn’t make my behavior any worse than the countless others who’ve driven under the influence and managed not to get hurt. It just reeks of hypocrisy. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2016, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-driven-drunk-inspired-by-the-writing-a-letter-thread/747469/54 "2016-03-01T02:28:49Z")
I’ve driven when intoxicated with cannabis. I’m not proud of, at least the the most egregious instances of, this, but am confident it’s much less dangerous than driving under alcohol’s influence. However alcohol was never my drug of choice so I had scant opportunity for any alcohol-based DUI. I was already middle-aged when I drank beer socially, perhaps two or three large bottles of 6.5%. I ran a downtown traffic light, with a happy grin as an oncoming car avoided me with a frown. That sobered me up a little, and I’ve driven much more circumspectfully since. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2016, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-driven-drunk-inspired-by-the-writing-a-letter-thread/747469/55 "2016-03-01T03:08:15Z")
> [@OldGuy](#): > > Never. I’ve never been drunk as I don’t drink. Me, too. And I have never driven impaired by medication, whether legal or not. ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2016, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-driven-drunk-inspired-by-the-writing-a-letter-thread/747469/56 "2016-03-01T03:29:32Z")
> [@Enright3](#): > > Unfortunately, yes. > Napier, do you mean it was a much more ordinary behavior for you? or for everyone? From my memory it was a much more ordinary behavior in the 70s and 80s. Driving ‘buzzed’ was not considered bad. I was fortunate to be from a small town (about 1,000 people) where the worst that likely happen was you’d end up in some farmers field. You could drink 3.2% beer in Oklahoma at age 18. The bars in town only sold beer (technically they were taverns I suppose, since they didn’t have liquor licenses). > > Of course I now realize how stupid it was; but that’s unfortunately not true with everyone. A guy from my home town is currently in jail for killing some people while drunk driving. Naturally, he was unhurt. > > [Suspected Drunk Driver Slams Into Car, Killing Oklahoma Teen](http://www.newson6.com/story/13808210/suspected-drunk-driver-slams-into-car-killing-oklahoma-teen) I meant for everyone. But it was for me too. ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2016, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-driven-drunk-inspired-by-the-writing-a-letter-thread/747469/57 "2016-03-01T03:31:57Z")
> [@TheChileanBlob](#): > > I’m only ashamed of things I did that _actually_ hurt someone. You’re leaving it to luck? ---
**Author:** ![diggerwam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/919ad9/32.png) [@diggerwam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diggerwam)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2016, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-driven-drunk-inspired-by-the-writing-a-letter-thread/747469/58 "2016-03-01T03:37:30Z")
Pulled over once in the late 80’s, blew just under the legal limit. Cops told us to walk home. We slept for 3 hrs then walked back to the car and snuck out of town. Another time in the late 90’s I had to drive 3 blocks and, apparently I misjudged the alley and nicked a tree. I say apparently because I remember none of this. Thank goodness it was only 3 blocks going 20 mph. I don’t drive impaired anymore. I aged out of it. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2016, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-driven-drunk-inspired-by-the-writing-a-letter-thread/747469/59 "2016-03-01T03:45:21Z")
Stumbling and falling on my ass drunk? Never drove in that condition. Back before the DUI laws got tough. I enjoyed going to Pizza restaurants and ordering a pitcher of beer for me and a couple friends. There were times I had a nice buzz but felt safe driving home. If anything, I was more focused and careful than I normally drove. Can’t do that anymore.The laws are too tough. I cut back to just one beer at restaurants almost twenty years ago. But now even that’s rare. I just order sweet tea and wait until I get home for a beer. I quit hard booze right after college. So thats never been an issue. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2016, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-driven-drunk-inspired-by-the-writing-a-letter-thread/747469/60 "2016-03-01T09:52:33Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > :dubious: Is this a whoosh? No. > [@](#): > > 12 drinks is a _shitload_ of alcohol. Yes, it is, and my tale shows how easy it is to accumulate. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-driven-drunk-inspired-by-the-writing-a-letter-thread/747469.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-driven-drunk-inspired-by-the-writing-a-letter-thread/747469.md?page=4)