Unbelievable Facts Website - Post on Canadian Ride Service
I know this is probably wierd, posting a link to an obscure website, but the post on it made me think that maybe other places could think about this, maybe even do it, too.
The original drive you home after having a few too many at your company's Christmas Party was called Operation Red Nose, and it was done completely with volunteers. It ran Thursdays through Saturday nights (till 4am or so).
Now, there are some private companies who do this, at least in the Edmonton area.
The idea is you drive to your party, have a great time, have a few drinks, and rather than leaving your car there (which is a big reason why people drive after drinking, they don't want anything to happen to their car), you call the ride company/organization, they send out 2 people in one car... you ride in your own car while a sober driver drives it, with the other car following behind. They're in constant contact with each other & the base through radios like the police kind).
You get home, your car is home, and the person who drove then goes with the follow-car to the next call.
If the person who's been drinking wants drive-thru on the way home, they'll go through the McDonald's or A & W for you. If you want to stop for smokes or more booze, they'll stop at a liquor store or 7-11 for you.
The best part is this: if the drinker vomits in the car -- it happens all.the.time. in cabs & friends' cars (remember The Wedding Singer?) -- well, it's his own problem in the morning.
The company that springs to mind as I write this is Reliable Ride, but I know there are others. I think they charge about $40 for it, depending on how far you're going.
I think it's a fabulous idea -- unfortunately, the stats on drinking & driving have remained fairly unchanged in the last 20 years. They're still catching the same number & sometimes even more drivers who have had a few. You don't have to be stumbling drunk to be impaired, you know? I've always just planned to either leave my vehicle, or taken a taxi to the party to begin with. Maybe as word gets out about these companies, more people will stop driving after having alcohol.
Would you use a service like this?
Nice to see you blogging again! :-)
ReplyDeleteI imagine I might use a service like this but I tend to plan ahead and not be in situation that would lead to my having to use such a service. But it would be nice to have such a thing available if I would need it.
Yeah, it sure helps solve the issue, though. I usually plan ahead, too, just take a cab to the party to begin with, but this wouls make getting to the party a bit easier, you could pick up a bunch of people on the way there, thus saving them either cabfare to the party or save them from having to take their car & make that decision later, you know?
ReplyDeleteIt it GREAT to see you blogging again, too! I REALLY missed my blog friends!