Drinking and Driving Convo

[khopec]

So this has been bugging me since the weekend. How many drinks do you think are okay to have and still drive with your children?

Personally I am comfortable having a beer or glass of wine with food while out to dinner/lunch then still drive with DS but that is where my hard line is. 

The reason I ask is while out to lunch I watched not one but two different groups have a couple to a few rounds of drinks while at lunch with their children.  I completely judged them then I wondered where everyone else draws the line. I assume there will even be some people that may judge where I draw the line. 

TL;DR Are you comfortable driving with kids after drinking?  How much?

[mrsnorris]

My line is pretty much with yours. One drink slowly over the course of a meal and I'm totally fine to drive. Anything more and no. But my line is no different with or without my kids. If I'm in any way less than 100% safe to drive I don't because other people and other kids are on the road even if mine aren't. However, I will not have more than a couple of drinks if I am out somewhere with my kids even if I'm not driving. I just don't feel comfortable.

[vk]

I am a light weight when it comes to alcohol. One drink and I am a goner. I would not feel comfortable at all driving after one drink.

If I were eating and some time had passed then maybe I would feel differently though. But I would rather not chance it.

H could probably do 2-3 beers and be okay to drive. But that doesn't mean I am 100% comfortable with that either.

[bobloblaw]

I'm a lightweight but I could do one drink, slowly, with a meal.

Obviously not NOW but when my ute is not occupied.

[puffandstuff]

Mar 22, 2016 11:52:32 GMT -5 bobloblaw said:

I'm a lightweight but I could do one drink, slowly, with a meal.

This.

[asundevil80]

Definitely one drink would be my limit as well. I so respect the fact that you have thought about this. I have had two different friends (one with kids) and one without whose husbands have had multiple DUIs and had to serve time with work release. The stress and cost that my friends had to go through because of this (especially the one with kids) has really made me strict about drinking and driving.

I really don't think people realize how little alcohol it takes to actually blow over the legal limit.

[Deleted]

I am also in the camp that I could do one. My H could do 2-3 if it was wine or beer and be fine. He is much bigger than me plus he has a much higher tolerance

[vk]

SPOILER: Click to show

I want to add that I would totally be judging that group of people, too. khopec

**TRIGGER WARNING CHILD DEATH**

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H had a coworker who was out with his family a few years ago and a drunk driver ran a red light and ended up killing his 3 year old daughter. I have very little tolerance when it comes to drinking and driving.

[peachesncream]

I have had a DUI before. Since that proved to me that I clearly don't know my limits, my children are never in a car driven by anyone who has had anything to drink. Personal preference and no judgement to those who do differently but it's not a line I am willing to tempt crossing.

[swim]

I could probably do one drink over the course of a meal but even then I'd be weary.

[annapunkalunka]

I hardly ever drink, so I probably wouldn't drive at all if I had had even one drink (unless it was a while ago). DH would be fine with 2-3 beers. But I always drive if he's had anything to drink. I'm not chancing anything.

[ice61313]

I could do one drink and be fine. DH can handle a couple and be fine.

[mimsy]

1-2 for me, 2-3 for him. Depends on what we are drinking b

[weeklyplanner]

With kid, I would say one drink over a meal and I'd be ok, but I don't even know if I've ever done that. Without the kid, I always stop at one if I'm driving. I'm honestly not even a lightweight, I'm just super paranoid.

DH would probably have 2 with DS in tow and drive, but I'd start giving him dirty looks when he went to order the second one! Without DS, DH would have 2-3 over the course of a meal and be fine.


This whole thing is making me realize how much less we go out to eat now that DS is here. With a 7pm bedtime, it makes dinner not the happiest meal and our weekend afternoons are always so busy.

[starrynight14]

Before kids, I have driven after what I thought was ok, but it was still questionable for me. I don't need any more distractions while driving. I would rather play it safe and just avoid any drinking and driving with kids in the car.

[minervamae]

I grew up as the kid in the back seat while Dad drove home DRUNK...so DH and I don't drink while out. If DH happens to have a drink while at a friend's house, I drive home.

[aaemommy]

This made me realize how little we go out to eat with DS anymore! It's so stressful it's not even worth it lol.
On the rare occasion we do, H will usually have a couple beers over the course of dinner. At that point he drives us home. If he has more than that, I drive. I never get more than 1 out with dinner because I'm too cheap lol.
If we're at his parents house using the pool/ hanging out in the summer we'll often drink more. But we're there for an entire afternoon/ evening and whoever is driving stops drinking several hours before we leave. We've also crashed at their house before if we'd both had more than we were comfortable with.

[sweetpies]

I haven't been in this situation since I don't drink often, and if I do, DH will drive since he doesn't really drink at all. I too would only be comfortable drinkin one drink slowly over the course of a meal.

[gratefulgirl]

Once upon a time I was comfortable driving after one drink slowly over a meal. I have cut back to barely even social drinking since then (mostly just fewer drinking occasions) so now I'd say none. But that's based on personal tolerance.

[hoosiermama76]

One drink for me. Two for my husband. And both of these over the course of a couple hours with food. Hard line. Anything more seems irresponsible.

[sosayweall]

I usually don't have more than one drink when I'm
out, and I am ok to drive after 1.

[hham10]

One drink max beer or wine. And it took me awhile to feel comfortable with that!