[shivasuma]

After the birth of my daughter, I have always spent the new year with her at home. Its better to stay put at one place and not drive atleast till 10AM. There are too many morons out there who dont value lives. Hope people stay safe and a happy new year to all.

[faustus77]

Hi everybody
I too read that a few years ago.
Innocent/responsible people get hurt for no fault of theirs.
People who drink and drive feel that bad things wont happen to them but to others and rules are meant for others.Very sad.
Best thing is to stay indoors or take a cab.
Regards

[_raVan_]

One of the report from drunk driving on new year's eve:

Teenage girl rams car into three vehicles on Drive-In road, one dead - The Times of India

[F1amit]

Originally Posted by Saanil

That is the best thing to do man! Yesterday I was in at Bhavan's college, Andheri for a get together. After dinner and dancing (No drinks) some people in the group wanted to go to Bandstand for a drive. I was against it as I already know driving on 31st night is a big pain but had to go as everyone else wanted to go. My fears were proved correct when we reached Hill road, Bandra. Streets were filled with drunken idiots who were creating a ruckus on the road. People were doing all kinds of stunts on their bikes, drunkards were shouting at each and every car, shouting at girls who were walking out of a pub on hill road. The entire scene was very sad. I do not understand what is the logic in enjoying like this? I think it is better to stay at home on New Year’s Eve – Just order food at home and enjoy a movie or so. People behave as if 31st is such a special day which gives them the license to enjoy like idiots. I have no problems against drinking – If you want to drink please do it at your home or drink responsibly outside. But drinking above your capacity and behaving like rowdies on road is not acceptable.

Completely agree with Saanil. I was on the same road to bandstand on night of 31st and there was a huge traffic jam. As Saanil mentioned streets were indid filled with drunken idiots. So we had to turn back from MIT and per me that was the better thing to do. Best thing (surely from 31-Dec-12) would be - as many suggested in earlier post - to stay at home post 9:00 / 10:00 PM and enjoy 31st with your loved onces.

[sachinj12]

Today's TOI edition has some stories related to New Year's revelry. Wife commuting suicide because husband got drunk, a party goer being run over by a car.


New Year's eve gives people license to bullshit and turn rowdy. Sigh.

[vikash49]

Originally Posted by Sutripta

This letter made the rounds as chain mail some years back, apparently sponsored by MADD (Mothers against Drunk Driving), though MADD said they never sponsored any chain mail, or this piece.

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Goodness knows where the poem originates*; it's been around for quite a while.

I'm sorry, I had no idea this had been circulated earlier as chain mail. My bad.

I only got to read it on the very same day I posted this thread, and of all places, it was printed on the page preceding the Drinks Menu of a newly opened restaurant's Menu!

The story really touched me and I felt it was very responsible act by the Restaurant to print it where they did.

I wanted to do my part by sharing it with as many people I could... hence I posted it here

Originally Posted by faustus77

Innocent / responsible people get hurt for no fault of theirs.

That's the whole point of this!
Innocent and responsible people having to pay with their lives for the careless and indifferent attitude of the drunk drivers

This is how the Times of India greeted us Guwahatians this morning...

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by vikash49

I'm sorry, I had no idea this had been circulated earlier as chain mail. My bad.

No problem.

The message has to be repeated, again and again, until, just maybe, people start listening.

I like that it was on the restaurant menu, that they tried to do better than just counting the takings.

[kalyanikar]

Wrote this poem a few days back against drinking and driving...

Should Have Known Better and Taken The Taxi Home

I was in office having a regular day
And things went just the usual way
The quantum of work was a little more
The stress and strain left me sore

A long weekend was coming up
Three days to relax and put my feet up
What could be better, I thought
If only such bliss could often be bought

Hey, said a colleague, as I shut my laptop
How about a drink at the corner shop
A drink to celebrate today's highs
Or a drink to drown today's sighs

Don't mind, I said, but not too far
And not too much drink, I've to drive my car
We caught a friend of a similar mind
And off to the bar we went to unwind

But you know how it often is, don't you
When you go with friends for a drink or two
The drinks started coming straight from the drum
And I lost count after the fifth Beer and Rum

It was late by the time we did leave
Escorted out by the bouncer's hand on my sleeve
In a dangerous state when your thoughts wildly roam
I should have known better and taken the taxi home

But I said to myself, even if I stink
I'm not drunk, I can handle my drink
I could handle a car with my usual funk
Whether I was sober or was drunk

God, that was fun, I thought during the drive
Liquor is the elixir that makes you feel alive
And alive I felt as if I had unburdened a load
When I turned into the colony road

A distinct thump, my ear caught
A rock probably hit the car, I thought
I parked the car and I thanked HIM
For not being caught at a policeman's whim

I weaved along and climbed the stairs
Loudly muttering incomprehensible prayers
I entered my house and into my bed I curled
As I went to sleep, lost to the world

I woke to a sound, eyes bleary and blurred
Puked my guts and went to see what occurred
As I supported myself on the balcony railing
I could make out a distinct wailing

From the neighbor's house, the sound came
It's a real tragedy, I heard them exclaim
Such a young boy, he did not deserve this
Too young to die, to get death's kiss

Hit by a car, I heard someone say
Poor boy, in the bushes he lay
Weakly calling out to everybody
As both blood and life seeped out of his body

I answered the doorbell, thinking what the heck
A couple of policemen quickly grabbed my neck
And dragged me out telling everyone
He owns the car that struck your son

As I realized, my blood froze and everything chilled
As I looked at the small boy I had killed
Drunk drivers should be hung, I heard someone foam
He should have known better and taken the taxi home

By Sudhir Kalyanikar

Disclaimer:
This is not a true occurrence. This did not happen, but it very easily might happen to anyone if one drinks and drives. Nothing may happen to you, but something really bad may happen to someone totally innocent.
This is just my personal contribution against drinking and driving. I love driving and I enjoy the occasional drink. But I urge everyone to be responsible and never mix the two.
Drink responsibly and drive responsibly, but never together.

[MX6]

Not sure whether this video has been shared earlier. Amazing sense of humour and a very innovative way of getting the message across!

Hats off to the think tank who came up with this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsSenbHekes

[one-77]

^ Some of those people are so drunk they can hardly get out of their cars.
Great idea, though!

[joybhowmik]

Beware: Chewing mitha paan - can make you face drunk driving charges!

Source: The Times of India

[Thad E Ginathom]

I'm glad to have actually seen increased police anti-drink-driving activity recently.

On a recent late-Saturday-night return trip up the ECR, every car was being stopped at the Sholinganallur-junction checkpoint. Seeing just a couple of older guys in my car, looking pretty sober, they just waved us on. Last night, a policeman stopped me in Adyar (near the Govt Music College) and asked me to breathe at him. He was carrying what I guess was a breathaliser, but as I haven't touched a drop in about five years he didn't need to use it.

Fancy sniffing people's breath for a living! Pretty disgusting job. Hats off to them for doing it. I just hope that the people who don't pass get much more than a warning, because they should not be on the roads.

[petrolhead_chn]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

every car was being stopped at the Sholinganallur-junction checkpoint.

This happens all the time there especially during weekends, surprisingly, even during the day! (OT!!! Maybe for mutual benefits too.)

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Fancy sniffing people's breath for a living! Pretty disgusting job. Hats off to them for doing it.

That is certainly commendable. They must have got used to this practice and that is the reason why most of the policemen are so stiff and sound frustrated most of the time. I guess this practice has some psychological impact on them.

[Thad E Ginathom]

the reason why most of the policemen are so stiff and sound frustrated most of the time. I guess this practice has some psychological impact on them.

They do have to take a lot of the brown smelly stuff, and perhaps it is often deserved, but there ways in which they are certainly doing good work, and this is one of them.