We don’t have a culture of responsible partygoers

For a some time now, my husband, myself and our friends have chosen to rather stay at home over the weekend than to go out to local watering holes or restaurants.

Firstly, I don’t much like the idea spending my Friday or Saturday night in a police van or at the police station and secondly, I believe we don’t have a culture of responsible party-goers.

It has also become quite expensive to pop down to a local restaurant for dinner and a drink.

Actually, I quite fancy the cosy at-home braais and nights spent laughing while playing card and board games over having my night disrupted by ego-fuelled fights while we try to enjoy a game of pool.

If you have been on the roads on a weekend night, you will know that at almost every traffic light or stop street you place your own life and those of your passengers at risk.

Motorists swerving across the roads, skipping traffic lights and racing around.

Oh, and yes I am the motorist who will report you if I suspect you are endangering the lives of others; call it a civil duty.

I often find myself asking, why in this day and age with all the facilities available, would anyone still choose to drive drunk?

Our group of friends have, on a number of occasions, made use of such facilities.

An event taxi bus was hired to transport my husband and his group of misfits around for his bachelor’s party.

The boys had a great time, but above all, they were safe.

We did the same when we celebrated my brother-in-law’s birthday party and had to travel to a venue in the west rand.

More recently, we made use of the popular app, Uber, to travel to a wedding in Boksburg.

Neither of the three trips cost more than R150 per person. In fact, four people travelling to Boksburg cost just R31 each.

And, to hire an event taxi to travel to the west rand, cost R100 per person for the return trip, if you fill all 13 seats on the bus.

If you ask me, that beats paying a R1 000 fine if you are caught driving under the influence of alcohol, never mind the repercussions thereof.

I cannot fathom why anyone would want to get behind the wheel of their car when there are so many other options available.

But yet people do.

They go out, they drink and then without much regard for anyone else on the roads, they get behind the wheel of their car or bike and they drive home.

With the festive season sneaking up on us, quite quickly I may add, I’m appealing to each and every resident to be responsible on the roads.

Think of the families sharing the roads with you and think of the pain those families will face if a drunk driver took a loved one from them.

Do you want to be that driver? Then be more sensible.

@EdenvaleJourno