Publications
Partners
Childhood drunk
I grew up around alcohol and began drinking when I was a child. During the festive season, as is tradition for most South Africans, my parents would pop a bottle of champagne or two or three. And every body would scream out “Happy!” over the sound of loud music and fireworks.
One Christmas at a party at home, my cousin and I got so drunk from home brewed ginger punch, we beat up a boy with our flip-flop shoes. I was 12.
I laugh about it now, but in reality there is nothing funny about it. I made a fool of myself when I was under the influence of alcohol. I was violent and I hurt another human being.
Nobody likes a drunk
There’s nothing funny about my colleague who continues to drink and drink and drink even when she cannot stand up straight, speak in concise sentences and has a slurred speech. Others will laugh and say, “Oh look she is drunk!”
But making a fool of yourself is not funny, and neither is the morning after when you can’t remember the night before and you are too sick to get out of bed.
Yet people continue to over use – no, abuse – alcohol. Don’t get me wrong, this is no holier than though opinion of a person who seldom drinks, but chooses to point the finger. I have no problem with people consuming alcohol. I do have a problem with people who consume too much alcohol and in the process of overdoing it, make it uncomfortable for me to be around them, and – even worse – put my life at risk once they are intoxicated (more on this later).
I have been handled by so-called male friends when they are drunk, in a manner that borders on sexual harassment; verbally abused by drunk friends and just basically annoyed by drunk friends. Nobody likes a drunk. If you know you will act stupid why even get to that point. It’s a fact that excessive alcohol consumption alters your judgement and ability to think straight.
Driving Drunks
On one night, a male friend had consumed three beers before we went to a party. He then consumed another couple of beers at the party and wine and spirits. I ended up losing count. But by the end of the evening I could tell he was drunk. But not according to him, “I’ll prove to you I’m not drunk,” he challenged me insisting he drive us home. I tried to convince otherwise, but I lost. When I got into the car my stomach was in knots. I was afraid for my life, and I was even more afraid for the lives of other innocent people who could be driving their family home after a visit with the grandma and grandpa or the newly wed couple who are just about to begin the rest of their life.
We got lucky. I got home safe, and vowed never to lose another fight when it came to my life. The next time another drunken friend offered me a ride home, after he’d consumed several beers, wine and brandy, I said no. Instead I asked somebody else at the party who was going in my direction.
According to arrivealive.co.za, if a person’s blood alcohol level (grams per millilitre) is between 0,05 – 0,10 they will have loss of inhibitions and self-criticism; have exaggerated self-confidence; and have loss of concentration and normal judgement. They will have affected coordination and their reaction time is slowed down four times (By the way, legal driving limit is 0,05 gram per 100 millilitres).
To answer the question how much is too much is difficult as it depends on body type and size. The accepted drinking limit provided by Drive Alive, a website promoting road safety but not affiliated to the official Arrive Alive campaign (www.drivealive.org.za) is: Two normal OR two 150 mls glasses of wine OR two 25mls tots of spirits. (Note the OR between the drinks.)
But even these guidelines could be too much. According to arrivealive.co.za, in research trials all the participants (Male & Female students) exceeded the legal driving limit after two beers. (Click here for more on the legal limit).
Studies conducted by the Division of Roads and Transport Technology have shown that alcohol is a major factor contributing to accidents. So brace yourself. The seven o’clock news will soon be overflowing with coverage of daily death tolls on South Africa’s roads.
Even with threats of jail, fines and, more recently, confiscation of your car, people still think they can get into a car in a drunken state and drive home.
I have yet to meet a drinker who says: “I think I’m too drunk to drive home, could you call me a taxi.” With altered judgment, I don’t think there are too many clear thinking drinkers out there.
Blood on our Roads
Just because you have been able to drive home and survive in a drunken state doesn’t mean you are invincible. The statistics are frightening. There is one collision every six seconds; 25 people killed every day on our roads and it costs the country R25 million a day says Drive Alive.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to get drunk, make a fool of myself, get laughed at, get thrown in jail for drunk driving and killing a pedestrian, have my car confiscated and wake up the next morning with a moerse hangover!
Just don’t drink and drive it could save my life.
Tips to follow this festive season:
