On Thursday, Sept. 4, on the Drillfield, there was a mock DUI demonstration by the Virginia Tech Rescue Squad that was attended by more than 400 students. While this was a good turnout for this campus, I was disheartened when I saw the news reports of a DUI accident by a Tech student on Sunday morning that seriously injured two other Tech students. This comes on top of the eight students injured last year by a Tech student drinking and driving; the student received one year and 10 days in jail.
How many times do we need to have this happen on our campus before students wake up and get the message, "if you drink, don't drive!" You would think this is a no-brainer, but statistics indicate that many Tech students drink and drive. For example, a study by the department of psychology indicated that students who identified themselves as "Designated Drivers" still drank. The average blood alcohol level for those students was .02 for women and .07 for men. Men's BALs were higher because they typically engaged in less pre-planning and were more likely to use the "least drunk" rule to decide who should drive.
I have given out BAL feedback to more than 5,000 students and many of these students, even after learning they were legally intoxicated, indicated they would drive. In addition, a 2005 study of Tech students indicated that 35 percent had driven after drinking in the last year. Is it really OK to put yourself before the safety of our community? While I know that some students (4 percent to 6 percent) are addicted to alcohol, (getting a DUI is one of the five signs of possible alcohol dependency) and have difficulty not drinking in situations when they are driving, most who drink and drive just do not care about our community. Shame on you! And thinking that you have made it home OK before is just wrong-headed.The major reasons smart people drink and drive are impaired judgment, tolerance, use of energy drinks and weather. A fundamental characteristic of alcohol is that, even in relatively small amounts, it can impair judgment. Thus, the person who would not plan to drink and drive may make a poor decision. Increased tolerance to alcohol -- having to drink more to get the same effects -- will mean you do not realize how impaired you are. Tolerance does not mean a low BAL, just the perception of lowered impairment.
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you will not win this argument. impossible. people drink and drive. some will live, some will die but you won't stop it...
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What is the alternative? Wait 2 hours and pay 8 bucks to take Hooptie? Try and walk home and get charged with Drunk in Public? Get on a bus that isn't picking anyone up? The "community" doesn't care so why should I?
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Are you SERIOUS?! It is soooo easy to get home without drinking and driving. As an alumni living in DC I love going back to Blacksburg for many reasons, but one is knowing we will have no problem getting home. I have been back the past two weekends and we walked to downtown and home from downtown. You are an absolute moron if you think there is no alternative to drinking and driving in Blacksburg. 1. Call a friend who hasn't been drinking 2. The hooptie does not take 2 hours and 8 bucks is better than $10,000 for a DUI. 3. I have tons of friends who relied on the bus all 4 yrs and didn't have a problem 4. Walk.. I don't care if you live in Foxridge, it's walkable and no you will not get a drunk in public if you drinking responsibly or walk with a group of friends 5. Sleep at a friends that is within walking distance.
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I second that! Last weekend: 2 nights, 2 consecutive walks back to Foxridge from downtown, 0 incidents. Even a drunk in public is much less severe than a DUI.
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You don't get a drunk in public unless you are being loud enough and obnoxious enough to cause a disturbance. I used to walk home past the police department when I was wasted and never had any trouble.
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Exactly December Alum. Or if you're so drunk you can't walk without falling over every other step. And in that case, you're just a moron.
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Guess we are never going to "prevail" then. As long as there is booze people will drink and drive.
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You know thats just the wrong attitude to have. I will go out and drink on occasion, but I will be in my limits, its that unreasonable? Soon we will be out in the real world, are we not supposed to assume responsibility for our actions. You'll go for with that attitude.
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