Drink Driving in American TV/Film

This thread isn't strictly about TV, but it does stem from the subject per se.

With the recent news coming from a Kerry council meeting to allow drivers permits to have a few pints.

It got me thinking of the general acceptance in American film/tv of characters routinely getting into their cars after a few drinks while shown in an acceptable light.

Recent examples off the top of my head:

Watching Homeland last night, both main characters stumble out of the bar to get to their respective vehicles while the next scene shows a main character safely home the next morning exiting his car.

Opening scene of Copland where the NY police force are having a party for a fellow college who while driving home happens upon trouble.

The Wire.. McNulty is continuously seen drinking though on one occasion does crash due to his intoxication which at least means in this show they show a specific related danger (on one occasion).

Flight: Character routinely seen drinking mid-drive with no added danger or risk associated.

No matter what show or film you watch the characters always seem to hop into their cars, and on nearly every occasion the writers don't seem to signify the legality, danger or consequences of this illegal behaviour.

Why this lax take on this practice given the dangers?.... Could this have an effect on viewers in any way?
Would their be uproar if shows continuously showed males beating their wives with characters all acting as if it's the norm?

seanmacc

Where I lived in America drinking and driving was totally socially acceptable to such a degree I found it disgusting. The cops could only ever pull you over if you were all over the road or speeding. People would never dream about getting the bus (One young lady I know told me I was mad to use it and "only homless people, criminals and retards ride the bus") and spending $20-$30 on a taxi blows their mind. Any attempt the local cops made to clamp down on it would have cases thrown out of court for entrapment or some other technicality.

In saying that, its not that big a problem there. Most people drive automatic cars and the roads are straight and logical and there are little or no pedestrians outside the cities.

jurahnimoh

They often drink drive on love hate

marketty

Seanmacc I had exactly the same experience over there

TwoShedsJackson

I don't think the examples you cite are showing it in an acceptable light. More that the character(s) chose to do this, as indeed people do all over the world every day.

The Homeland example: a character being shown next morning safely exiting his car doesn't imply acceptance of the act at all. Most of the time a drunk driver will make it to his/her destination without crashing or killing himself or anyone else, still doesn't mean it's acceptable behaviour.

The Wire: McNulty is an alcoholic with no respect for authority and the show does show the effect of his drinking on his personal life.

The fact is people choose to drink drive all the time, so it should not be taboo on TV either - if a character does that within the context of the show's script, it does not imply that it is an acceptable thing to do, in much the same way that few people will think murder is OK because they saw someone kill someone else on TV.

BlatentCheek

Word for word I'd agree with what Seanmacc said with the addition that where I was young scumbags out doing drink and drugs in their cars seemed to go "rolling" (very slow with music banging) rather than trying to break the land speed record like here, maybe it affects their rate of one vehicle accidents with multiple fatalities and consequently their attitude to drink-driving; I certainly never knew anyone there who'd had a friend killed or injured form drink driving even though drink driving was rife.

expectationlost

its shorthand for taking risks with their own lives because they are troubled, but yes these things need to have consequences