It’s a common dilemma: what to do with your car after consuming a little too much alcohol while on a night out with family and friends? Making the right decision is critical.
One business owner is doing his part to reward customers for making the responsible choice and keeping the roads safer.
In October last year, Paula Grzelak-Schultz, a resident of Alberta, Canada, found herself in this exact circumstance one evening. Instead of getting behind the wheel after a few drinks with her husband, she decided to leave her car in the restaurant’s parking lot overnight and take an Uber home. Depending on where you live, leaving your car behind isn’t always an easy choice.
The next day you might find it’s been broken into, ticketed, booted or all together gone, having been stolen or towed.
Grzlak-Schultz however, returned the next day to retrieve her car and discovered a note affixed to the windshield.
The short letter, from Jay McLean, a managing partner at Original Joe’s, where she and her husband had dinner and drinks the night before, went viral after she posted it on Facebook. Here is the original note found on InspireMore.com:
“Dear Original Joe’s Sherwood Park Guest,
Just wanted to thank you for leaving your car parked overnight. I’m not sure if you consumed alcohol at our restaurant or not, but we wanted to thank you for not drinking and driving. Enclosed is a voucher good for 1lb of our delicious chicken wings. Please accept this as a thank you for being responsible. Life is valuable. Have a great weekend.”
McLean’s gesture on behalf of Original Joe’s Restaurant and Bar in Alberta is a great example of looking out for our fellow citizens.
The Sobering Costs of Drinking and Driving
Far too many people make the wrong decision to drink and drive each year. Consider these very real costs:
- In 2016, 28 people a day, on average, died as a result of alcohol-impaired drivers, according to a CBS News story
- Two out of every three people will be involved in a drunk driving crash in their lifetime, reports the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- Financially, a DUI arrest can result in excess of $40,000 in fines and that doesn’t include loss of time and property
- In the most tragic of instances, when an innocent victim is accidentally killed in a DUI crash, charges of murder or manslaughter will likely be applied, depending on the circumstances – in other words, the life of everyone involved is devastated
Of course, rational and sober people don’t usually make the mistake of surrendering to risky behavior as easily as those who have had a few too many drinks.
Alternatives to Drinking and Driving
There are simply too many alternatives in today’s world to change any number of horrible consequences brought on by drinking and driving. First and foremost, don’t drive there if you know you’ll be consuming alcohol at an event ahead of time. That immediately eliminates the dilemma of leaving your vehicle behind.
If that’s not an option, here are just a few transportation alternatives to using after drinking:
- Order an Uber, Lyft or taxi ride home
- Ride with a friend who will not be drinking
- Volunteer yourself to be the sober, designated driver
- Drink locally and walk home
- Use public transportation
- Call a friend or family member for a ride
The financial and emotional costs of any of the above options are far less than the price of a ticket or even having your vehicle towed.
Jay McLean and Original Joe’s are to be applauded for their kind citizenship. Just remember, as McLean’s note said, “Life is valuable. Have a great weekend.”
Note: We Love to give credit where credit is due and we say Kudos to Original Joe’s for promoting responsible drinking and driving.
Related:
What is an Ignition Interlock Device?
Ways For Non-Drinkers To Stay Sober by Not Drinking
