You Really Should Read This

[SoulBlazerFan]

I'm gonna forgo my usual style of telling a story- instead of trying to build to some sort of climax, I'm gonna get right out and say it.

You shouldn't drink and drive. Ever. EVER. EVER.

Now, I trust most of you haven't ever done it, and never conceived of doing it... but thats not true for everyone. I know a handful of people who've done it- excuses like "it's not to far" and "i'm a better driver drunk."

I personally made a choice a long time ago to not drink often- and if I do, it's usually one and done. I get drunk maybe twice a year, and it's always at my own house, or at a friends I can stay at if need be. I don't do bars, and I don't do clubs. If I'm at a bar, and I drink, it's one and done, and I choose to be a DD. That's just who I am. I don't like to be egotistical about it, but I try, at the very least in this regard, to be as responsible as humanly possible. Even after one drink, I won't drive for at least two hours. That's just who I am, and the choices I've made for myself.

Last night, I had the opportunity to go out with some coworkers for drinks. I was asked to work Tuesday, and take off Thursday. I'm not gonna say I didn't think about it, but I decided to work instead.

Now, last night was horrible, and it dragged terribly. I was working my ass off, and the work just never seemed to stop coming. (I've worked in stock most of my working life, and the holidays are the worst time of the year for this business). When I took break, I saw pictures of the coworkers who texted us, having the time of my life. I regretted not taking off that night at that very moment, as the night was miserable and continued to be so.

I'm rambling again, sorry. I'm gonna try to cut to the chase, seriously...

(If you read no other part of this, please, read this, and let it come back to your mind the next time you're thinking of getting into your car after a few)

We took our second break, and when I go to our breakroom, a coworker, Vicky, was freaking out and near tears. I came in to find out that her brother, who also works with us, was out drinking with that crew, and had gotten into a car wreck. He was a live, and being taken to the hospital. The car had been going 80MPH at the time, and she didn't have the details of who was driving, or if anyone else was in the car. She left, and we all got worried. I called my other coworker who had been with them that night.

When I got in touch with him, I had to the be the bearer of bad news. My friend had been following them and had lost sight of them at some point, and had no idea there had been an accident, and actually thought I was fucking with him about it. I gave him the few details I knew, and hung up. That was between 3:30 and 4 this morning.

At about 5:30, my boss comes back with some details. Vicky's brother Dave had been seriously injured. (I'll come back to this in a second) It was his car, but he hadn't been driving. It was another guy, Glen, who had been. Actually, he was scheduled to work that night and had actually called out of work due to a "Stomach virus." He tried to flee the scene, leaving Dave in the car seriously hurt. Another kid in the car, Chris, was fine. He too tried to flee the scene, because he had an outstanding warrant. What a guy. There was a girl in the car, her name I didn't get. She only sprained her ankle, and she too fled the scene. All these people are supposedly his friends, and leave him badly injured in a wrecked car.

That said, I didn't get the details of if he'd been injured anyway else, but half of his face had been ripped off in the crash. It was so bad, my boss said, the doctors weren't sure what they could do to even help him.

I'm not sure what to feel. Part of me is thinking about how selfish I am, thanking God I had worked that night, because that just as easily could've been me. Another part feels horrible for this guy and his family- I don't really know him that well, but he seemed like a good guy.

I want to apologize if I made anyone queasy with that gory detail- but sometimes it's shock value that may save yourself. Please, my friends, next time you're out drinking and think you're good to drive- just get a cab. While no one died here, he may have to live the rest of his life disfigured because, what? Of one night of partying? It's just not worth it.
One last thing- if you think you're friends are good to drive, just take this into consideration: three people all bailed on this kid, who could've died because of this... and still might. It just goes to show you don't really know who your friends are, and if they'll split when you need them the most.

[Freedan]

It isn't selfish to be glad you weren't involved. Everyone in the car made their own choice, which just so happened to be the wrong one.

That doesn't mean you can't sympathize, but it's not something you should feel guilty over.

You're right, something like this has a way of showing who your friends are. Someone I work with, his brother and friends were involved in an accident; they flipped the car upside down. The guy's brother was badly hurt, and the others all bailed, leaving him under the flipped car. He wound up dying.

Stories like this are the reason I, like you, never have more than one when I know I'm driving, and I don't have any for quite a while before I do. I wouldn't want to end up like the victim here, or worse. And if I hurt someone, or killed someone? Killed my girlfriend if she was in the car with me? I would spend my life a guilt-ridden mess.

[psychokind]

my god, that's horrible. the thought of my friends leaving me like that is worse than having bad (not lasting) injuries. I'm glad I have no such "friends".

drinking and driving really isn't a good idea, a friend of mine cut off a 4 meter high steel street lamp, stopped only because he folded a big street sign on which his car was halting in almost mid-air. 5 meters later and he would have hit a massive stone wall with aprox. 50 km/h - death not unlikely. he would have left me with the feeling of not having prevented this, because half an hour before I paid for his burgers at McDonalds because he was too drunk to get money out of his pockets.

my personal maximum is 0.5 litres of beer when I have to drive. but I'm german, that's a good limit.

[inferiare]

I don't normally drink too heavily. If I end up having more than, say, 2 shots of something, I'll stop when I feel like I'm underwater and can still say "inebriated" without stuttering.

But damn, that's harsh. I'd never go out clubbing or to bars anyway, and I feel bad for this kid for having friends that ended up being douches.

[EverPhoenix]

That's really horrible. I don't know whats worse - the drink driving, or the fact that they all left their friend alone.

Personally, I don't like the idea of driving when I go out. If I have to drive, I limit myself to 2-3 light drinks over a few hours. (e.g. beer, champagne if it's a special occasion). Otherwise, I get a lift with someone sober, or stay at a friend's place (one of my friends lives really close to the city, so even if we go out this is always an option).

[Mantaray]

Rather tragic Drunk or not, ain't right leaving someone by themselves in a wreck to save their own tails from whatever trouble they could get into. At the very least, I'd try to keep the person company.

Never had alcohol before other than sipping to taste once (awfully bitter and corrosive, don't see why people would drink that crap) and I've never driven before anyway, so for now it's only other drunk drivers to worry about.

[psychokind]

Never had alcohol before other than sipping to taste once (awfully bitter and corrosive, don't see why people would drink that crap)

you shouldn't have started with ethanol

[Mantaray]

Never had alcohol before other than sipping to taste once (awfully bitter and corrosive, don't see why people would drink that crap)

you shouldn't have started with ethanol

it might as well have been screw what the label said lol

[SoulBlazerFan]

Just an update for anyone that read this. He is doing better, and has been at home for a few weeks. His skull is finally healing back together (it had been cracked open during the crash, a detail I hadn't gotten until now).