This is about the consequences of drink driving

[TonyF]

3 years ago this evening we had some friends round for drinks, accompanied by a family that were staying with them at the time. About 10pm, they decided who was going to drive and despite protestations from J and I, they left by car - the walk would have been about 20 mins - tho none were fit to drive at all. Within three-quarters of an hour I was at the scene of a single car accident in which the driver had hit one tree, bounced into another and four of the 8 people in the car were dead. I had to identify the bodies at the side of the road and then deal with the fall-out of what had happened for months afterwards. The driver was breathalized and was over the limit and has been charged with various counts of manslaughter because he had kids in the boot of the car, no seat belts, too fast etc etc.

For a number of reasons, the Court case has been delayed and he is still waiting to go to Court, combination of defence stalling and French inertia, additionally the Inquest in the UK has also been delayed by the same combination of things. We're now told that the case has a provisional slate for November and the Inquest is likely to be just before the Court case.

Leaving aside all the other circumstances, I'm still horrified at how much people drink in France, including other friends, when they know they're going to drive. It's really quite a concern to me now - I don't drink at all now, or if I ever do, it's at home and only one small glass, combination of the accident and health reasons.

I'm not sure what I'm trying to say here but the distance from our home to the other people's home was under a kilometer. If you don't want to deal with the appalling consequences as we had to - and still have to - please folks, don't drink and drive, I promise you, if it goes wrong, it can go horribly wrong.

[shirlthegirl43]

Hugs to you TonyF.

I can't even begin to imagine the horror of it all and certainly don't want to experience it. I never drink if I am going to drive and if we end up drinking with friends, we usually walk home.

[burnie]

Applaud your sentiments,we've all done it(20 odd years since I last drank and drove),we must take responsibility for our actions,hope you can put all this behind you after the court finally does it's job.

[sharonr]

My thoughts are with you.
I don`t drink at all but my OH does, when we go out I always drive on the way back even if he has only 1 drink. It is not only France that has that problem you see it over here to. Hopefully there will be no more delays and you can put it behind you.

[janeyo]

That is truly an awful situation to be in and have to be at the scene. I imagine you will never forget it.

I do not drink if I am driving, nor does OH. My brother and Dad reglarly do although claim they are not over the limit with a couple of pints. I think they are an accident waiting to happen. I find drink affects me differently at different times of the month (ladies will know), if I am tired, how much I have eten etc... I cold not possible guess if I was over the limit or not so I don'd do it. The limit should be zero in your system.

It's not worth it!!!!!

[AnnetteJ]

Me too - I never drive if I've had a drink, not even half a glass of wine. It's just not worth it. I worry about my teenage son getting into his friend's cars. We've spoken to him at length about the dangers involved.

[HotStuff]

Good post TonyF, I hope the anniversary doesn't cause you too much anguish. I will admit I drank and drove when I was younger, but I can't thank God enough that nothing ever happened. I certainly never do it now. The only point I would add is to remember that if anyone has had a really heavy evening you could still be over the limit the following morning.

[bubblewrap]

Good post TonyF, I hope the anniversary doesn't cause you too much anguish. I will admit I drank and drove when I was younger, but I can't thank God enough that nothing ever happened. I certainly never do it now. The only point I would add is to remember that if anyone has had a really heavy evening you could still be over the limit the following morning.

My first wife(before I married her)got a 5 year ban & a heavy fine after being over the limit at 11am after a "heavy" session some years ago.
My first wife died 7 years ago due to alcohol "abuse".

[Jardiniere]

when we first got here we were surprised by how much people drunk and then drove even if only down little side roads.....they all seem to be a little better now ....i dont drive at all but if we go somewhere where OH has to drive i don't drink much either just to keep him company.....

[Alice]

Tony, I remeber you telling us about this dreadful incident before. How awfull the whole thing is for you - and all those involved.
The moral of the tale is
DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE.

As far as we are concerned the limit is ZERO.

If we are out and have a drink - 1 drink - we get a taxi home.

Thank you for flagging this up Tony and hope you can get to the end of your ordeal soon.

[Hilary B]

Most of us have driven (or been with someone who has driven) when strictly speaking they should not have done so. A reminder of why NOT to is always a good thing, but those who need it most, will be sure that it doesn't apply to them.
There is a saying that "stupidity is a capital offence", unfortunately this particular form of stupidity isn't always visited on the offenders. All too often the innocent die too (or instead).

[NOG]

There was a case in France a few years ago when someone let someone leave their house and drive home when they were over the limit and the plod arrested the householder as well as the driver. I think it got turned over on appeal.

[Gwyndy]

A dreadful tale but one that needs to be told time and time again. I personally never drink one drop of alcohol when I am driving and am quite happy to do so. Much as I love France and French people, I do worry about their apparent disregard of the dangers of driving after drinking. I watch them at their extended lunches with bottles of wine on the table and I worry that I might be on the receiving end of an alcohol induced mistake.

Not that the French are alone in this. I play golf regularly and watch some of my fellow golfers down a couple of pints and then drive home. And that begs an interesting moral question - what should one do when one suspects that someone, perhaps a friend, has drunk too much and is about to get behind the wheel of a car?

[Two_Sheds]

what should one do when one suspects that someone, perhaps a friend, has drunk too much and is about to get behind the wheel of a car?

Anonymous tip-off to the police? Make sure you get breathalysed too, so you aren't suspected of being the grass.

I've been in a car (driven by a drunk relative) that ended up in a ditch.
My little sis has permanent dents in her shins following an accident as a passenger.
My stepfather used to always drink-drive, and got most offended when the police started to crack down, back in the 80s. They would sit outside the pub and watch who staggered out and drove off. Fair play, I think, but he thought it wasn't on.

We now have a friend who drink-drives and often offers a lift back from pub/party. It's really awkward ... last time I said I had a headache and walked back early rather than get in his car.

Best wishes to you Tony x

[lizzylemon]

What an awful awful thing for you to have keep going through. I can't imagine it to be honest.

I lived in Spain for a while and actually stopped drinking over there as I was horrified by the English communities total disregard to anything remotely sensible when it came to drink. They seemed to think that normal law (even laws of nature and not necessarily law of court) didn't apply to them. The Spanish drive with drive with God on their side which was scary enough and when a lot of the English started their day with a fryup and a pint......

As for someone drink driving now, I refuse point blank to get in a car if they've been drinking and say why loudly. I don't care if they have a problem with me saying something and normally find once 1 person says no, it gives others in the room the courage to say no too (and more people to share a taxi with too)