Drinking....

[buffscotty]

Hello, my name is Scott and I'm a 22 year old college student. I have always hated drinking and driving, I am not much of a drinker honestly and mostly do it because it is what my friends are doing. But most of them drive even after drinking heavy amounts. I usually go with them and they usually mock my attempts to call Taxi's or saferides. I drove myself the other night when I was drinking, and I was fine, I don't know what my BAC was but I'd tipped a few back, and drove just honestly so I could tell myself I could so I wouldn't feel like a big pansy. I worry about this alot, I worry about alot of stuff, I honestly feel I may have an anxiety problem sometimes. I don't know why I drink, I do enjoy the occasional drink, but honestly getting drunk has no appeal to me, but I do it because I feel that is what everyone else does, and hey, who wants to be different right? But I do have a problem because I do worry, and when I do things like get drunk or drive after drinking I feel awful, I have terrible worrys about it, but I do it anyways because that is what all my friends do, but more than anything I do it because I'm 22 and I worry why a college student like me wouldn't want to do those things. Sometimes I feel very alone because of this and sometimes I do harp to my friends about it, but mainly because I would just like someone to talk to about it. I feel alot of it is the masculine aspect, that men are able to drink and drive and should be bigger risk takers, (don't get me wrong, If I go out and have 2 or 3 beers and drive I don't worry), but I do want to monitor my drinking and be responsible but sometimes I worry that nobody will like me if I am that way, that I'll get to be like a pest. Well I know this probably sounds asanine to most of you,but I just had to talk to someone. If you have any questions I would be glad to answer them. Have a nice day.

[Jetta]

Why are you doing something you don't want to do? I know you answered this but really think about it. Now some solutions. You don't want to be different so take a beer and make it last all night long. Whose gonna know that you called a taxi if you drink too much? Most are too drunk to care anyway and you do want to live right?

 

You know how many are at that party and how many drank and you know whose all driving on the road the same time you are, right? It's dangerous, or can be. Accidents happen and you either live, get injured, or die. Least of all ruin your car, or be without a car for a while.

 

The real bad thing is you could get a DWI. The rammifications of it include suspended license, possible jail time, major tickets, attorney fees. Gee I think I'll call a taxi next time I'm out drinking now. LOL

 

There's a lot more to worry about then what these people are thinking of you. Stop trying to be cool, you either are or your not anyway (so quit trying). Just do what makes you feel best, and who knows you may set the example others start to follow.

[Dako]

Sounds like you drink party from peer pressure.

There's really nothing masculine about drinking, and I've explored drinking and driving quite a bit. Luckily I never had the macho experience of sleeping in jail withother drunks, or worse yet, injuring other people with my car.

 

Why not just skip the whole thing and drink nonalcoholic stuff? If your friends are friends, they don't care if you drink.

Even when I was a heavy drinker, I enjoyed my teetotaler buddies.

[Scotcha]

I've never once driven even if I was just a little bit tipsy. People like me just fine. I know what you mean though, about how it seems everyone else is doing it. It's more important what YOU think about it though. Don't compromise yourself to make someone else happy.

[Karhu]

I am not much of a drinker honestly and mostly do it because it is what my friends are doing.

 

 

I worry about this alot, I worry about alot of stuff, I honestly feel I may have an anxiety problem sometimes. I don't know why I drink, I do enjoy the occasional drink, but honestly getting drunk has no appeal to me, but I do it because I feel that is what everyone else does, and hey, who wants to be different right?

 

That’s not much of a reason to do something. just because everyone else jumps off a cliff it doesn’t mean you have to. Just because everyone else drink drives, it doesn’t mean you have to.

 

it seems like you are drinking to fit in, due to low self-confidence. I think your key is to work on your self confidence, don’t be swayed by peer pressure.

 

“who wants to be different right” I do! It makes you stand out of the crowd of chumps, and will also be a big plus with a lot of woman, contrary to what peer pressure tells you, most woman actually frown on a guy that drinks too much and does irresponsible things. And not drinking is seen as a big positive attribute to a lot of woman. And if you have the self confidence to stick with your decision then people will respect you for it.

 

If you are only doing it because youneed to fit in with that crowd of friends, and they won’t accept you if you don’t drink-drive then I think you need to find another group of friends.

 

 

I worry about this alot, I worry about alot of stuff, I honestly feel I may have an anxiety problem sometimes. I don't know why I drink, I do enjoy the occasional drink, but honestly getting drunk has no appeal to me, but I do it because I feel that is what everyone else does, and hey, who wants to be different right?

 

but I do want to monitor my drinking and be responsible but sometimes I worry that nobody will like me if I am that way, that I'll get to be like a pest.

 

Of course people will like you if you monitor your drinking. You just need confidence in yourself.

I totally gave up drinking, and all my colleagues and friends respect me for having coke or orange juice. People should like you for who you are, not how much you drink.

 

BTW, I have just been talking to another man about drinking a couple of minutes ago. You could check out this thread:

[buffscotty]

Well let me ask you Dako, do you still do it? Thank you very much, I honestly did think it was a self esteem issue, but I always wondered why a majority of my peers felt differently, but I kind of a had "as the drunks call it" the "moment of clarity". And realized that old saying "if everyone was jumping off a cliff, would you do it?" ment more than I thought, I thought I am who I am, and no matter how much I mask it and try to act cool and hip, I'm always going to be me, and I don't know why I was unhappy and not accepting that. I think you have to be happy with yourself no matter what. And I honestly doubt my friends will give a 2 rats rear ends about if I drink or not.

 

I feel very strongly about God and am a strong christian. The way I see some of this too, is that if I am a strong christian and profess to be, what would most think if they saw me sloshed at the bar every night, I really try to be an example for christians and hope I do well, and I've prayed to god to help me with this worry and anxiety, and about 10 min ago it clicked, that God made me who I am and God makes no mistakes, so I should love the way I am and embrace who I am, because as my old roomate used to say "You aren't a very good liar", which I'm not, most can tell when I'm fibbing from a long ways away, and I do feel that god making me be conscious about my decisions instead of letting me say "oh well I'm you and can be stupid", a good friend told me that I should be thankful that god put me in a spiritual position that it takes most people 30-40 years to achieve. Thanks, sorry, didn't mean to make this into a religious rant, but I do have a new outlook on many things now.

[Ash]

Unfortunately, in your experiment you just succumbed to one of the biggest issues with drinking and driving. You thought you were fine driving. Pretty hard to know if you would react properly and how fast you could react if you had to. Study after study shows that regardless of what those being tested though, their reaction times dropped off drastically.

 

Don't succumb to the peer pressure to drink, or drink and drive. I'm the same, I'm not a drinker. Sometimes I drink non-alcoholic drinks. Sometimes they're even free. Often the waiters and waitresses are more respectful of those in a group who don't drink and you'll be treated well.

[Honey Pumpkin]

But most of them drive even after drinking heavy amounts. I usually go with them and they usually mock my attempts to call Taxi's or saferides. I drove myself the other night when I was drinking, and I was fine, I don't know what my BAC was but I'd tipped a few back, and drove just honestly so I could tell myself I could so I wouldn't feel like a big pansy.

 

Have just deleted my first response, which was too harsh...(It did begin with the line 'Are you insane????!]. But I thought that wasn't helpful.

 

Drink driving - hmmm. Let's see - you drink a 'few', you have an accident, you kill someone (or make them a paraplegic, let's not be so gloomy). You lose your job, your freedom, and your ease of mind for the rest of your life. All to fit in???

 

I'm very anti-drinking and driving. So is everyone I know. And I'm a socialiser. I have never been laughed at for being like this, and seriously - I wouldn't care. Why throw your life down the pan just so you can drink and drive? Just organise a taxi, or be the one to be sober. Or crash the night.

 

It's so not worth destroying your life over. And you find that when you speak out against something like that, everyone else finds the courage to join in. Be a leader, not a sheep!

 

Seriously, don't do it.

[jengh]

oh, god, buffscotty.... take it from me... drinking and driving is NOT worth it.

 

2 years ago, I got a DUI... it was the worst experience I've ever been through. I'm a good girl. Never get into trouble, get along with parents for the most part, college-bound to a Big 10 school at the time...

 

And yet, I gave in to my friends saying, Come on...just one more beer.

I honestly thought I was 100% fine!!! I felt fine, a little tired maybe, but I had just worked a 12hr day.

 

Anyways, I got pulled over, did the drunk test and wound up in jail for the night. Let me tell you, jail was the scariest thing I've ever experienced!!!

 

But, it got worse... I wound up paying, in total, over $3000... all of which had to be paid by the end of summer (I got the DUI in June). There went all of my graduation money and a good chunk of what I made that summer.

 

Not only did I have the monetary expense, but I also had the guilt... meaning, obviously, the BAC test doesn't lie. I was obviously intoxicated. To this day, I still don't THINK I was.. but I could have killed myself OR even worse, someone else.

 

 

So, that's my little lecture for the day... Just don't do it. It's so not worth it...

[agent1607307371]

Alcohol is a depressive, so even though you feel fine, when you really need your reflexes, that's when you'll find out how much you've been compromised.

 

You were fine that time, the next time you might end up wrapping your car around a tree, or worse, a person.

 

Honestly, call a taxi. People will get used to it. It won't make you a freak or "weak". Strength is knowing where your limits lie and not pushing it.

 

And you'll feel better about it.

There is nothing wrong with having a drink, only in putting yourself and others at risk when you do so irresponsibly.

 

Can you claim the title "designated driver" as your own?

[Cadence308]

Wow, iLoveMyBabyCairo, that is really scary! Thank you for sharing your experience.

 

Buffscotty, do not do something that you do not want to do and know is wrong. If you want to go out partying with your friends, maybe have one drink and then be the designated driver for your friends. If they can't appreciate that, then you should find some new friends.

 

There was a drunk driving accident in my city, Salt Lake City a couple of months ago. It was a 17 year old kid who had been drinking and was driving and hit a car with a family in it (a father, pregnant mother, and 3 kids). The pregnant mother died, two of the kids died, and the father and other child were in intensive care. I'm not even sure if the child is out of ICU yet. They want to try this kid as an adult. We are talking vehicular homicide here and it's very serious. He might lose his future and end up in prison indefinitely. ILoveMyBabyCairo's story looks like a walk in the park compared to this one.

 

Make good choices about this. You are obviously conflicted about this and that's why you created this thread.

[Karhu]

they will respect you if you chose not to drink.

 

actually my friends really like it that i don't drink, as they know they can get home safely at the end of the night.