Blowing the Whistle on a drink driver?

Appleguy

Right i work in a pub. I've worked in pubs for a long time. I understand discretion. I understand and have in the past turned the blind eye to whatever. We all know people sometimes behave out of character when they have a few drinks on board. Maybe there's something on their mind and they're having a particularly bad day. Most people are alright.

In saying this, i cant stand drink driving. And working in pubs you always know the few who would chance their arm. And the other few who have a skinful and think nothing of driving home.

I've never reported anybody, in a working capacity for drink driving.

However, every day this same oul codger comes in has 3 or 4 pints of Guinness and a few Jamesons with water. Gets in his car and drives about 4km home.
He can barely see even sober so i personally don't think he should be driving at all, let alone with drink on board.

Some Facts:

• He has been arrested before for drink driving but was not charged due to a technicality.
• He drives past a school on the way home and usually around lunch hour when the kids are coming out.
• He's the most obnoxious ****er you'll ever meet.

So what do ya do?

Do i turn a blind eye, even though its going on every day?
Do i report him even though its not my responsibility.

What would you do?

wazky

My local lets the regulars know when a Garda checkpoint is in the locality.

stimpson

I wouldn't think twice about it.

Artful_Badger

You say Hey! Ya know you yeah ? He'll say yeah. Ya know you're drunk yeah ? He'll say yeah. Well if you get in that car I'm calling the Guards and you'll never set foot in this bar again, yeah ? He'll say fcuk yourself and mind your own business.

Stavros Murphy

I can see only one practical solution - Move the school to a safer location.

Tin Foil Hat

Appleguy wrote: »

Right i work in a pub. I've worked in pubs for a long time. I understand discretion. I understand and have in the past turned the blind eye to whatever. We all know people sometimes behave out of character when they have a few drinks on board. Maybe there's something on their mind and they're having a particularly bad day. Most people are alright.

In saying this, i cant stand drink driving. And working in pubs you always know the few who would chance their arm. And the other few who have a skinful and think nothing of driving home.

I've never reported anybody, in a working capacity for drink driving.

However, every day this same oul codger comes in has 3 or 4 pints of Guinness and a few Jamesons with water. Gets in his car and drives about 4km home.
He can barely see even sober so i personally don't think he should be driving at all, let alone with drink on board.

Some Facts:

• He has been arrested before for drink driving but was not charged due to a technicality.
• He drives past a school on the way home.
• He's the most obnoxious ****er you'll ever meet.

So what do ya do?

Do i turn a blind eye, even though its going on every day?
Do i report him even though its not my responsibility.

What would you do?

Could you maybe not serve him?

Fr_Dougal

Appleguy wrote: »

Do i report him even though its not my responsibility.

It is your responsibility.

Menas

Do the decent thing and drive him home yourself.

Appleguy

Fr_Dougal wrote: »

It is your responsibility.

No its not, were not in Australia

LETHAL LADY

Why is he being served?

tdv123

Nah let them have their fun.

Donkey Oaty

Appleguy wrote: »

So what do ya do?

Do i turn a blind eye, even though its going on every day?
Do i report him even though its not my responsibility.

What would you do?

I don't know what I'd do, but I know a pub landlord who has taken the car keys off people and arranged a lift home for them.

Artful_Badger

Appleguy wrote: »

No its not, were not in Australia

Come on, you're not only aware of a guy regularly driving pissed on the roads and past a school but you're the guy filling him with drink. You're responsible on several different levels here.

Dicky Pride

Report him. If he killed one of those kids, how would you feel? It really is that easy.

My name is URL

I'm just gonna go ahead and call bull**** on the whole thing

And why does the question about reporting habitual drunk drivers even need to be asked?

sawdoubters

in some countries you could be charged for serving alcohol

when your put on the witness stand you will not work in a bar again

Dicky Pride

My name is URL wrote: »

I'm just gonna go ahead and call bull**** on the whole thing

And why does the question about reporting habitual drunk drivers even need to be asked?

Nothing bull about it. Every bar man in the country has seen this. Sometimes it's the batman who watched the DJ drink all night, then have a couple after work and then get in his car. One of a thousand examples.

Appleguy

Artful_Badger wrote: »

Come on, you're not only aware of a guy regularly driving pissed on the roads and past a school but you're the guy filling him with drink. You're responsible on several different levels here.

Hey i'm not driving

V.W.L 11

There was a civil case many years ago where a drunk driver was driving home from the pub completely plastered,crashed the car,ended up in a wheelchair,succesfully sued the pub for serving him and then allowing him to drive home,AFAIK it was back in the 90's

Appleguy

sawdoubters wrote: »

in some countries you could be charged for serving alcohol

when your put on the witness stand you will not work in a bar again

Ye Ireland isn't one of them.

biko

Let the garda know and they can nab him outside

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLty7ftEmq8

jane82

He drinks all that booze before lunchtime?

BNMC

Dicky Pride wrote: »

Nothing bull about it. Every bar man in the country has seen this. Sometimes it's the batman who watched the DJ drink all night, then have a couple after work and then get in his car. One of a thousand examples.

Jeez, Batman has really let himself go.

Appleguy

jane82 wrote: »

He drinks all that booze before lunchtime?

He does

tightropetom

It is an offence under the 2003 Act to supply alcohol to a drunken person and to admit a drunken person to a bar. (A 'drunken person' is someone intoxicated to such a degree that they may endanger themselves or other people). Any licence holder that allows this to occur on their premises is liable on summary conviction to a class B fine for a first offence and a class A fine for any subsequent offence.

So if you provide drink to someone and they crash, surely that would make you also liable, no?

kerry4sam

Appleguy wrote: »

Right i work in a pub. I've worked in pubs for a long time. I understand discretion. I understand and have in the past turned the blind eye to whatever. We all know people sometimes behave out of character when they have a few drinks on board. Maybe there's something on their mind and they're having a particularly bad day. Most people are alright.

In saying this, i cant stand drink driving. And working in pubs you always know the few who would chance their arm. And the other few who have a skinful and think nothing of driving home.

I've never reported anybody, in a working capacity for drink driving.

However, every day this same oul codger comes in has 3 or 4 pints of Guinness and a few Jamesons with water. Gets in his car and drives about 4km home.
He can barely see even sober so i personally don't think he should be driving at all, let alone with drink on board.

Some Facts:

• He has been arrested before for drink driving but was not charged due to a technicality.
• He drives past a school on the way home and usually around lunch hour when the kids are coming out.
• He's the most obnoxious ****er you'll ever meet.

So what do ya do?

Do i turn a blind eye, even though its going on every day?
Do i report him even though its not my responsibility.

What would you do?

Can you be certain the locals members of An Garda Síochána don't already know?

When I was able to cycle (fracture in lower spine at the mo) I would be out cycling at all hours, in all weather conditions. What I saw would shock some people. Yes their would be people leaving pubs, looking obvious that drive had been taken, and proceeding to drive home. I saw this continuously. Their would still be noise coming from inside, so not like they would be the last to leave either so others obviously inside aware.
Now, if I was able to see this over & over it makes no sense why the local members of An Garda Síochána were not already aware of this and yet it continued! Since they continuously believe they are doing their job & since they believe they are doing all they can, I don't know what to say man. If you know & others know, how come this is continuing? If that man caused an accident - would the local members of An Garda Síochána plead innocent in saying they didn't know? Would you feel better in having them say that? You could report it; put it in writing and should something happen, well they were informed???!

I could never turn a blind eye, but maybe if this is happening "every day" and continues to happen "every day" and the local members of An Garda Síochána are okay with that, then maybe a complaint to the powers-that-be could be in order.


Thanks,
kerry4sam

Holsten

If the man is blind drunk and barely able to walk I'd call the cops.

If I was 1 or 2 pints I probably wouldn't.

CaSCaDe711

Of course you should report him :rolleyes: How would you feel if he hit and seriously injured, or even killed someone. Get on the phone and do it, the less drink drivers on our roads the better

jane82

Appleguy wrote: »

He does

So your killing this hopeless alcoholic with the drink your serving him and all your wprried about is secretly reporting him for drink driving. I take it when he is walking to the pub you will happily keep helping him drink his life away and telling him its terrible they took his licence and taking his money.

Id be starting a thread saying how do I help a hopeless blind alco.

mathepac

Appleguy wrote: »

... Do i report him even though its not my responsibility. ...

What mental mind-games have you played to weasel your way out of your responsibilities as a citizen.

With children's safety at risk I'm astounded you have to ask the question ...

Appleguy wrote: »

... What would you do?

Put the responsibility back where it belongs - on your shoulders / conscience

whupdedo

Ring the anonymous garda line if you feel strongly about it, at least you'll have told them and let them do the rest

LETHAL LADY

OP are you the owner or manager of this pub? If you are then you definitely have a responsibility to stop serving him. For all you know the chap could be topping up on last nights skin full making him a ****ing danger to everyone he encounters on the roads. Otherwise, if you feel uncomfortable just make an anonymous call to the local gardai.

Temptamperu

Yes, I know 3 people killed over this. Such a waste.

My name is URL

Dicky Pride wrote: »

Nothing bull about it. Every bar man in the country has seen this. Sometimes it's the batman who watched the DJ drink all night, then have a couple after work and then get in his car. One of a thousand examples.

I know it happens, but I'm having trouble believing that a barman would happily serve the same blind pensioner over a prolonged period knowing full well they were driving home passed schools etc, and then suddenly, one night while on AH, face the moral quandary of what he was doing!

jobeenfitz

jane82 wrote: »

He drinks all that booze before lunchtime?

You seem suprised Jane? Have you ever been to Ireland before?

vepyewwo

Appleguy wrote: »

So what do ya do?

Do i turn a blind eye, even though its going on every day?
Do i report him even though its not my responsibility.

What would you do?

You're serving him everyday and then watching him head off to drive home knowing he is completely sh*tfaced and you somehow think this isn't your responsibility? WTF?

Think about how you'd feel if he killed someone on the way home. Of course you should report him (and stop serving him?). I'm shocked you would even have to question this.

rolliepoley

He sounds like an old fker thats set in his ways, even if you did report him he'll move on and go somewhere else.

H2UMrsRobinson

Only in AH and Ireland would a bar man be to blame for someone being an alcoholic drink driver. Cop on people whatever happened to personal responsibility, yeh let's blame everyone else cos the bums not to blame eh.

To the OP I don't know what I would do either in your predicament. Just do what you think is the right thing and stand by your decision. Maybe look into what you should do in the eyes law and stay just the right side of it.

Stavros Murphy

Next time he heads off drink-driving, run out from behind some bushes as he pulls off and bounce off the bonnet of his car. Lie on the ground writhing in agony for a fair while till the Gards come- win win really. You get to put a drunk driver off the road, you get monies and no-one will call you a grass. Simples.

Ace2007

H2UMrsRobinson wrote: »

Only in AH and Ireland would a bar man be to blame for someone being an alcoholic drink driver. Cop on people whatever happened to personal responsibility, yeh let's blame everyone else cos the bums not to blame eh.

To the OP I don't know what I would do either in your predicament. Just do what you think is the right thing and stand by your decision. Maybe look into what you should do in the eyes law and stay just the right side of it.

Well from the below act, he is responsible, let's just hope the driver doesn't kill or seriously hurt anyone, imagine having that on your conscious...

tightropetom wrote: »

It is an offence under the 2003 Act to supply alcohol to a drunken person and to admit a drunken person to a bar. (A 'drunken person' is someone intoxicated to such a degree that they may endanger themselves or other people). Any licence holder that allows this to occur on their premises is liable on summary conviction to a class B fine for a first offence and a class A fine for any subsequent offence.

The Backwards Man

Even in the 'halcyon' (:rolleyes:) days of drink driving, no sane publican with an ounce of cop on would have let a patron drive home in that state in broad daylight.

Nowadays, no one cares. Get them in, get the money off them, fcuk them out again. Anything happens, ah, shure that's someone else's problem.

Stained Class

Appleguy wrote: »

I've never reported anybody, in a working capacity for drink driving.



Some Facts:

• He has been arrested before for drink driving but was not charged due to a technicality.
• He drives past a school on the way home and usually around lunch hour when the kids are coming out.
• He's the most obnoxious ****er you'll ever meet.

What would you do?

Alright so.

I'd say plenty of people you serve drive with a few pints & there seems to be no issue there.

You say you dislike this particular individual.

Just sayin...

LETHAL LADY

I don't think anyone is blaming the OP, but if the same drunkard is returning to the same pub everyday and still getting served don't you think that the publican has a part to play?

Stavros Murphy

LETHAL LADY wrote: »

I don't think anyone is blaming the OP, but if the same drunkard is returning to the same pub everyday and still getting served don't you think that the publican has a part to play?

You're suggesting the OP should get his boss to run out and bounce off the bonnet as well? That might look a bit fishy..

Femme_Fatale

It's ultimately the drink-driver's responsibility - I agree it's ridiculous the way people are going on as if it's only the barman's (but I don't think it's "only in Ireland" that people think this way; people seem to stick "Only in Ireland" in front of anything at all) but seeing as the barman is well aware of what the man will do, the decent thing to do would be to ask a manager to have a word with him.

I also disagree that nowadays nobody cares about patrons driving off pissed. The culture is, overall, profoundly against it.
Jeez, when I think of the way my grandad used to carry on - stopping at pub after pub on a long drive. Likelihood of that today is miniscule.

Femme_Fatale

Stained Class wrote: »

I'd say plenty of people you serve drive with a few pints & there seems to be no issue there.

But why do you say that? No evidence of it whatsoever.

Agent Smith

Report him. Theres a reason why the limit is there and he's flagrantly Disregarding it.


Driving under the influence is akin to Randomly Shooting a handgun. Eventually you are going to hit someone, and kill them, or yourself.

Drink Drivers should be given Harsh punishments. Loosing a licence for a year or 2 isnt harsh enough.

jane82

1 give them the drink till their addicted.
2 see them spending money on a car.
3 get rid of the car
4 get all the money maybe even buy the car cheap.

Evil publicans.

Stained Class

Femme_Fatale wrote: »

But why do you say that? No evidence of it whatsoever.

He never felt the need to report anybody before.

He obviously does not like this particular customer.

Maybe the OP has an axe to grind with this bloke for a different reason.

Stavros Murphy

jane82 wrote: »

1 give them the drink till their addicted.
2 see them spending money on a car.
2a Bounce off bonnet of car on you and claim.
3 get rid of the car
4 get all the money maybe even buy the car cheap.

Evil publicans.

Very true.

LETHAL LADY

Stavros Murphy wrote: »

You're suggesting the OP should get his boss to run out and bounce off the bonnet as well? That might look a bit fishy..

Wan out of that Stavros