How was your gig last night?

[Leonard Smalls]

Round here out in the sticks I wouldn't be surprised if half the people driving were over the limit! 

As the nearest police station is about 16 miles away they think they can get away with it!

I remember our neighbour in our last house was a serious alcoholic farmer. He used to do a round of all the pubs in the valley and happily drive himself home. Someone told the police about him and he was done on a number of occasions, the last time he was told that if he did it again there would be a custodial sentence...

I was having a meal in our local, which was about 3miles from home, and saw him arriving on his ride on lawnmower. His reasoning, once I'd deciphered what he was slurring, was that he'd be ok as it wasn't road legal!

I took him home...

Sadly, he didn't live much longer - died aged 49 and looking like 79.

[casapete]

34 minutes ago, neepheid said:

I've never been breathalysed in my life!  Not that I'd have an issue with it - it's one or the other, drinking or driving.  I mostly just guzzle pints of water when playing a gig!

 

Last drink?  Saturday night - had a few drams with a mate.  Walked home.

Tests for drug-driving are becoming as frequent as drink-driving in the UK now if all

the Channel 5 cop shows are to be believed. I’m sure some regular drug users remain

unaware of how long after using them you can be prosecuted for DUI. 

[dmccombe7]

I remember when i first moved into our village i was down at the one and only pub at Hogmanay and after the bells the local Bobbies came in, had a look around , had a wee dram each and left.

Was breathalysed once during day at a road side stop where they randomly picked people to stop. I hadn't been drinking night before so was ok but that was way back in late 80's.

I've been stopped in middle of the night when attending call outs for work but guys were fine when i explained what i was doing and where i had been. Was just a routine stop and search, i was pleasant enough to them and they responded same. For me i thought "at least they are doing something"

Pretty sure that its a zero tolerance limit up here in Scotland, not sure about rest of UK.

I very rarely drink these days and i'm happier drinking bottled water at gigs than beer. I've mellowed with age. 

Dave

[dmccombe7]

Just now, casapete said:

Tests for drug-driving are becoming as frequent as drink-driving in the UK now if all

the Channel 5 cop shows are to be believed. I’m sure some regular drug users remain

unaware of how long after using them you can be prosecuted for DUI. 

Its a thing i've never done. I've never smoked and always found it disgusting so i guess i was never tempted into it thru smoking unlike many guys i knew from back in 70's who are now sadly long gone thru escalating drug misuse.

Dave

[casapete]

2 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said:

Its a thing i've never done. I've never smoked and always found it disgusting so i guess i was never tempted into it thru smoking unlike many guys i knew from back in 70's who are now sadly long gone thru escalating drug misuse.

Dave

I know a few local musos who regularly drive after a jazz cigarette or two, and don’t even think

it matters as anything like as much as drink driving. Doing long journeys all over the UK for

many years, I’ve witnessed so much bad driving late at night that could only be explained by

drink and drugs. It’s certainly appeared to escalate over the last couple of years too. 

[asingardenof]

Only time I've ever been breathalysed in nearly 29 years of driving was when I was living in Dublin and had been out for dinner for my birthday. I'd had one Guinness and some JD sauce on a steak, and the young garda who pulled me over looked more amused than anything as he let me drive the 100yds or so I still had left to go home.

Edited May 16 by asingardenof

[dmccombe7]

2 hours ago, asingardenof said:

Only time I've ever been breathalysed in nearly 29 years of driving was when I was living in Dublin and had been out for dinner for my birthday. I'd had one Guinness and some JD sauce on a steak, and the young garda who pulled me over looked more amused than anything as he let me drive the 100yds or so I still had left to go home.

Were you over the limit with one guinness and a JD sauce ?

Dave

[Stub Mandrel]

My rule is one beer ahead of first set. Well beliw limit but even so after about three hours that's more or less metabolised regardless.

[dmccombe7]

30 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said:

My rule is one beer ahead of first set. Well beliw limit but even so after about three hours that's more or less metabolised regardless.

Don't risk it up here with zero tolerance. Any alcohol showing and you are done.

Dave

[nilorius]

39 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said:

My rule is one beer ahead of first set. Well beliw limit but even so after about three hours that's more or less metabolised regardless.

Very good decision. I do it too.😉

[peteb]

51 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said:

My rule is one beer ahead of first set. Well beliw limit but even so after about three hours that's more or less metabolised regardless.

 

I believe that it's four hours - one hour to get into your bloodstream and then three hours to metabolise (for a normal pint of lager, assuming that you haven't got a cold / headache or whatever else effects the giant chemistry set that makes up your body). 

 

I've always been careful with drinking when driving and these days I can't be bothered with worrying about a single pint! I will occasionally have a swift half at the end of the night if I'm thirsty (but obviously not in Scotland)... 

 

Edited May 16 by peteb

[peteb]

18 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said:

Don't risk it up here with zero tolerance. Any alcohol showing and you are done.

Dave

 

How exactly does that work? If you eat a banana, then that will register as alcohol in your system. 

 

[nilorius]

16 minutes ago, peteb said:

 

I believe that it's four hours - one hour to get into your bloodstream and then three hours to metabolise (for a normal pint of lager, assuming that you haven't got a cold / headache or whatever else effects the giant chemistry set that makes up your body). 

 

I've always been careful with drinking when driving and these days I can't be bothered with worrying about a single pint! I will occasionally have a swift half at the end of the night if I'm thirsty (but obviously not in Scotland)... 

 

Who believes, that does. You believe - you do, why not others do what they believe ?

[peteb]

17 minutes ago, nilorius said:

Who believes, that does. You believe - you do, why not others do what they believe ?

 

I'm not sure what you mean? Perhaps, I should say that it is my understanding of how the body metabolises alcohol. I'm not too bothered about what people believe about issues like this, just the biological facts. I don't want people believing that they are OK to drive after a few beers, then killing someone on the way home! 

 

[dmccombe7]

54 minutes ago, peteb said:

 

How exactly does that work? If you eat a banana, then that will register as alcohol in your system. 

 

a banana ?

Having checked my facts its 22mcg/100ml. Altho we have a "zero tolerance" it can't be true zero because of what you say that some foods and things like mouthwash will have alcohol in them. I think what they mean is that one beer or one spirit could in theory put you over the limit but its not exactly very clear on the website.

Dave

Edited May 16 by dmccombe7

[peteb]

3 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said:

a banana ?

 

Apparently, eating a banana will register a small but appreciable amount of alcohol in your system! 

 

Edited May 16 by peteb

[nilorius]

18 minutes ago, peteb said:

 

I'm not sure what you mean? Perhaps, I should say that it is my understanding of how the body metabolises alcohol. I'm not too bothered about what people believe about issues like this, just the biological facts. I don't want people believing that they are OK to drive after a few beers, then killing someone on the way home! 

 

Just a pint of bear before a long geeg. Cheers.

[dmccombe7]

I'm at an age where i just don't miss or need it when gigging.

To be honest i've always had strict views on drinking at gigs and when in my 20's it would be one beer before the gig to calm my nerves and then a bucketful at the end. No driving in my early 20's as i had no car licence until i was 26.

Dave

[peteb]

30 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said:

I'm at an age where i just don't miss or need it when gigging.

To be honest i've always had strict views on drinking at gigs and when in my 20's it would be one beer before the gig to calm my nerves and then a bucketful at the end. No driving in my early 20's as i had no car licence until i was 26.

Dave

 

To be honest, depending on the gig (how challenging the material is, if it's been rehearsed, etc), I'm quite happy to have a few drinks on a gig. It's whether I've got to drive home that determines if I have a drink or not. 

 

[msb]

People today are not drinking the way they used to. I’m driving home , and have to expect I might well be tested. One beer is my limit. It’s simple.
 

I’m more likely to just have ginger ale. 

 

But I do remember a time when most musicians were as bombed as the audience at the end of the night. Those days are gone. And everybody would hop in their car and head home. Frightening.

[Bluewine]

22 minutes ago, msb said:

People 

A guirtoday are not drinking the way they used to. I’m driving home , and have to expect I might well be tested. One beer is my limit. It’s simple.
 

I’m more likely to just have ginger ale. 

 

But I do remember a time when most musicians were as bombed as the audience at the end of the night. Those days are gone. And everybody would hop in their car and head home. Frightening.

A DUI (driving under the influence)  in the States after fines and legal fees could easily cost you 10k. No thanks.

 

 

 

Daryl

 

Edited May 16 by Bluewine

[asingardenof]

5 hours ago, dmccombe7 said:

Were you over the limit with one guinness and a JD sauce ?

Dave

No, but it must have been close from the reaction.

[Bluewine]

3 hours ago, dmccombe7 said:

I'm at an age where i just don't miss or need it when gigging.

To be honest i've always had strict views on drinking at gigs and when in my 20's it would be one beer before the gig to calm my nerves and then a bucketful at the end. No driving in my early 20's as i had no car licence until i was 26.

Dave

I like playing music in a band because it allows me a space where I'm in complete control. If I'm impaired or in some altered state I'm no longer in control.

 

Daryl

[Bluewine]

4 hours ago, dmccombe7 said:

Don't risk it up here with zero tolerance. Any alcohol showing and you are done.

Dave

 

It's weird for me because everyone in the band drinks except me.

 

Daryl

[scalpy]

The Thursday night wedding trend continues, another Hey Yahs gig, this time at Lyde Court just outside of Hereford. Nice venue to play, big stage, loads of plugs, easy load in and a brand new FBT PA install to use. Free bar meant the crowd were very excitable. One or two tech glitches but nothing to spoil the evening, out by 11:30pm. Nicely packed van and drove home sober.