The Deadliest Phrase You Will Ever Hear; “Just One More Pint”
There are many aspects of the motoring world that I decide is worth commenting on. The majority of the time this focuses around the light hearted humour and entertainment. It would not surprise me that this would give me a reputation as a throw away writer who is good for nothing but quick fixes of entertainment. However, there are some areas that will affect me and I take them very seriously. For one of the first times ever, I am throwing aside the ranting for a subject that is quite sensitive to many. Alcohol is becoming an increasingly dangerous problem all over the world, and one of the things that scares me more than anything is when alcohol is mixed with driving. Drinking and driving is one of the single most dangerous combinations that exist in the world. Not only does it affect the life of the driver, but their family, friends and of course the horrific possibility that other people may be involved. The physical, mental and social implications of alcohol abuse are a warning that cannot be ignored. I hope you can take the time to read this.
Alcohol is a substance that, if taken in excess can cause a variety of effects. In the short term, alcohol can cause a complete loss of the senses so basic bodily functions may seem much harder than usual. For example, vision becomes blurry and being able to walk is considerably more difficult. When excessive alcohol is consumed, people can often end up vomiting quite violently. In some cases, people can suffer from alcohol poisoning and require medical attention. In the long term, too much alcohol consumption can cause alcoholism, cardiovascular disease, severe liver damage and even cancer. Not only does alcohol have an effect upon physical bodily functions, but it can have mental consequences that can destroy the lives of those who suffer because of it.
Driving a car requires the passing of not one, but two examinations for a specific reason. Driving is highly dangerous not only for the driver, but their passengers, other drivers and pedestrians on the streets. One mistake can cause the loss of not just one life, but many, mutilating the lives of even more. There are so many factors that must be taken into account while you are driving. You must have full control of everything inside the car; the pedals, the gears and the manoeuvres. There are also the outside factors that are beyond necessary; other drivers on the roads, pedestrians and general hazard perception. It takes all of your concentration to be able to drive. To put it this way, think of all the accidents that have been caused by drivers who use the phone while driving? You think that is bad, imagine if they were drunk. To take driving down to its core factors, cars are an internal combustion engine on wheels. The key word of combustion is central to understanding the danger factor or driving. Driving dangerously is, in almost every way, playing a game of chance with a mechanical object that has the ability to explode if mistreated. Do people really want to take that risk?
Alcohol is a dangerous substance. Driving can be a dangerous undertaking. Imagine what it is truly like to combine these elements. There are not many things that scare me, but the thought of sharing the roads with people who are drink driving is one of the scariest things I could possibly imagine. At the best of times, driving a car is difficult enough. I could never imagine driving a car under the influence of stress or tiredness, let alone alcohol.
Imagine the scenario in which someone has spent the night down the pub having only ‘gone in for one’ at lunch time, and then decides enough is enough. They bid goodbye to their friends, being laughed out the door due to their inability to stand or speak coherently. They stumble out the pub, falling to the ground multiple times before reaching their car. They fumble in their pocket for their keys, spilling his loose change all over the floor. Eventually, after missing the lock multiple times, they slump into their car.
“I can do this, it is not that far, I am the master of driving”, they think to themselves while giving a confident exhale and rub of the hands.
After a few minutes of pressing every button in sight, they find the ignition and the car sparks into life. The already dark, stormy night becomes silent. There is a gap in the storm, something is coming.
The car stutters out of the car park and begins to swerve its way down the street. The car remains in first gear for a considerable amount of time. The engine is screaming to stop, but they are on cloud nine right now. They have become the driving god. The alcohol pumping fiercely through their veins conjures up a confidence and arrogance not known in normal situations. With every passing car that sounds the horn at the shock of this persons’ terrible driving, the driver will open the window, using an explosion of foul language and hand gestures, baked speedily with the flashing of the full beam headlights, blinding any other cars coming.
Nothing can stop this hero of humanity; they feel no fear and do no wrong. They have mastered the fact that their vision has been rendered useless; everything out the front of the windscreen is blurring together into an unstoppable rotation. The road becomes the houses, the houses become the road.
“When humans lose control of one sense, the others become stronger. Take that, politics!” they mumble to themselves. Nothing can stop them now.
Further down the road, a people carrier is completing the end of its long journey. Katherine and David have been on a short business holiday and are returning home. They have had to survive for weeks without seeing their beautiful little girl, Chloe. Chloe is the light of their lives; they exist to give her the best life possible. Suddenly, they begin to recognise the neighbourhood; they are nearly home. The excitement builds as they know they can finally see their daughter once more. What more, David’s parents have been looking after Chloe and have let her stay up at this late hour to see her parents arrive home. Chloe’s smile is as bright and happy as the sun.
“I can’t wait to see mummy and daddy”, she excitedly screams at her grandparents. She has never been so excited; this was the first time she has had to go without her parents. She has missed her terribly. Chloe runs outside to the driveway, just for the moment that her parents pull up.
Meanwhile, the confidence and arrogance of the driver has been replaced by a world of vomit and tiredness. Their mouth is covered in the expulsion from their evening on the drink. Their eyes begin to close, as they decide they need a nap. The truth of the matter is, they pass out on the wheel, and their foot floors the accelerator.
Chloe suddenly sees a pair of headlights turn the corner and she sees the familiar sight of her parents’ car. She throws her arms up in the air and waves madly at her parents. Katherine, David and Chloe now all know that in moments they will be reunited. Chloe looks up to see the beaming smiles of Katherine and David. This is the smile that scares off all the demons under her bed, the smile that heals all wounds; they are the smiles that make her feel like the luckiest girl in the world. Chloe looks up as she makes eye contact with her mum.
The silence is over. The storm annihilates. Chloe’s world has crippled; everything that she knows is gone forever.
As reality comes smashing back, Chloe sees the burning wreckage of her parents car surrounded by fireman and medics as she clutches onto her grandparents as tightly as she can. A medic makes his way over and time stops. He utters the words that Chloe never wanted to hear,
“I am so sorry, they did not make it, but we did rescue this”. He reaches out his hand and presents Chloe with a teddy bear, inscribed with the tag ‘To our beautiful Chloe, lots of love Mum and Dad’. This teddy bear is the last surviving thing of her perfect family. Even at such a young age, she knows that never again will she let this teddy bear go. The teddy bear has the softness of her dads’ cuddles and gleaming smile of her mum. This teddy bear is her whole world now.
What only seemed like a moment ago, Chloe had the horrifying sight of her parents disappearing from her vision. As her parents approached their home, the other car containing the unconscious driver appeared like the flash of lightning that struck overhead. The last thing Katherine and David would ever know was the flash of the other car as it ploughed into their side. Their smiles would forever remain, even after the final image of Chloe was hideously stolen from them. The car barrel rolled, colliding with a lamppost before bursting into an explosion of noise and flames. Nothing would remain of the life that Chloe once knew.
The months passed, Chloe had begun to return to her remaining life. Only one challenge remained. There was she, standing in a pretty flowery dress. She was shaking and crying. She did not know where she was. This was a strange, lifeless room. The strange man in the wig controlled the atmosphere. Chloe felt the warmth of her grandparents arms around her, and her granddad gave her the only thing she would ever want. He handed her the teddy bear, and she held it tighter than ever.
And then they appeared. The driver from the other car. They were still in recovery from the crash. But they were very much alive. Catching sight of Chloe, they tried to offer the remains of a sympathetic smile.
“I hate you! I wished you could be dead and mummy and daddy would still be alive! I hate you! I hate you! You killed my mummy and daddy! You killed them!” Chloe broke down into a fit of screams, cries and a deep-rooted anger that would grip her tormented soul forever.
All of this because one person uttered the deadliest words you will ever hear,
“Just one more pint”.
Would you want this to happen to you? Would you want to see your whole life disappear in front of you? A young girl with her whole life ahead of her has lost everything because of one single decision. This decision killed two people, ruined the lives of countless others and left a poor little girl without her mummy and daddy? This may just be a story, but in the blink of an eye, all that I have described may become true. To think that this may one day be true horrifies me down to my very core. Reading back this story makes me feel cold, and I am overcome by a sharp shiver all over.
Alcohol affects not only the physical, but the social and the mental. Alcohol works its darkest poison on the mind. The mind is moulded, twisted and mangled into its own version of hell. Alcohol transforms the kindest people into their own personal monster. But alcohol abuse is not always about murderers and committing crimes, it is about providing the help. What the world needs is education; education is not meant to be nice and easy. It is meant to challenge every part of every one of us. To share the worst with people is to provide a better future. The dangers of alcohol are varied, and are taken for granted by so many people. The driver of that car that night that killed Chloe’s parents believed that luck would take him to his destination.
There is nothing about drink driving that can be based on luck. If you want my advice, if you find yourself wondering if you have had too much, chances are you have had too much. I have taken a pledge never to drive even after a single drop of alcohol. I would never take that risk. I value my life and the life of others too much to waste just for another pathetic attempt to look good in front of your friends.
Everyone enjoys a good drink, but drinking and driving are two things that should never coincide. It is one of the biggest dangers facing society. People need awareness and education. Spread the word, something needs to be done.
Keep Driving, sober!
Peace and Love!
For more information, please visit:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Roadsafetyadvice/DG_195019
http://think.direct.gov.uk/drink-driving.html
http://www.drinkaware.co.uk/facts/drink-driving