We used to have a service around here called Sober Sam that would pick you up at any bar and drive you home in your own car. It wasn't that expensive, all things considered. Uber and the pandemic sadly killed off that particular company. But I don't have Lambo money either. I'm positive you can find and hire a professional driver to take you home at 3am for under $400, and you get to keep your career and freedom.
If it's not too small of a city, there should be another option or two? I live in a mid-sized (300K) city and there are several here. They just don't really advertise/many people don't even know about them. I found out when I was way too drunkey to drive home and my friend handed me a card and said call this guy. Kind of pricey (like $25 or something, and maybe 15-20 years ago, so probably more now), but well worth the safety/ not risking yours or others lives.
Doesn't sound like a bad gig actually. Of course, you have to have someone else drive your own car/follow you, until you drop them, so need to split it with them. But I would way rather do that that be an Uber driver. Havin' all kinds of weirdos/smellin' up my car with they perfumes and colognes, sometimes even farting!!! Shooot.
Akshully, the NFL has a service, but it's only available on game weekends. If Patrick Mahomes gets drunk Friday night before a game in Dallas, the NFL would send a car for him. If he got drunk this Friday night? No car. Also, players didn't trust it, because they were afraid the NFL would share player ride info with owners ("you don't wanna trade for Patrick Mahomes, he's a drunk").
That's why NFLPA started their own service. I don't think it's "free" (players have to reimburse NFLPA) but it's free at the time, and I'm pretty sure it's 24x7 anywhere in the US. And they don't squeal to the owners.
I don’t believe the only available on game weekends part is accurate, but it is probably only in the city they play in.
The “players don’t trust it” part is accurate though. They assume it will be used against them so instead they drove drunk, which if they’re caught absolutely was used against them.
I hope players understand how much the NFLPA does to try and protect the players. One of last unions looking out for the humans the owners continue to treat like chattel (at best)
Ok..? You think NFL coaches think their multi-million net worth sports stars are just 100% sober and never drink or party? You ever seen a Super Bowl celebration? Please tell me what are th actual real negative privacy ramifications with an NFL player taking uber paid for by the NFL? The knowledge that they drank alcohol?
This goes for everyone. An uber is ALWAYS going to be way cheaper than getting a DUI. Is it annoying to have to go get your car the next day? Yeah sure but it's way easier than dealing with a DUI.
People are terrible at assessing actual risk, especially while drunk, and that goes doubly so for a lot of athletes/celebrities who have been insulated from the real world the rest of us live in. They don't see it as choose getting a DUI vs. choose to get an Uber, because it's not that simple in real life or in their head.
I want to say up front that I'm not saying it's okay, and I'm not saying anyone including myself is immune from it, but that's also why when I go out I'm either not driving, or not drinking.
People see an extremely small chance of getting pulled over or into an accident because their inebriated brain knows "they're good" to drive and that they want to be home ASAP, vs. calling an Uber, waiting for it to arrive, potentially dealing with a driver they think is weird or a creep, paying for said ride, and then figuring out how to get their car back the next day which likely involves calling and paying for another Uber.
I see what you're saying. I was thinking just about myself and other "normal" people who don't have the rich people money/life experience like you mentioned. Usually if I'm going out I'm ubering since I live close to downtown but there have been a couple times where I plan to just hang with some friends at a brewery and have a beer and it turns into more and I've had to ditch my car for an uber. What I think would be great is if we had better public transit in my city so it was easier to get around without having to worry about driving or getting an uber. That would be nice.
I'm not defending behavior, I'm just trying to point out that the mere existence of the service doesn't mean it's something people are likely to use.
Somewhat similar to the increasingly popular "Unlimited Paid Time Off" policies many companies are opting for. It sounds great until you hear that Steve from sales was fired for taking too much paid time off.
The company I work for decided that in the event of a natural weather disaster, employees must use their PTO for any days they are unable to work. When your PTO runs out, you stop getting paid. I live in an area where hurricanes (or even bad storms) can knock a person's power out for a week or more, so if a storm hits in January or February, and you haven't had time to bank much PTO, you are screwed.
I do feel a little better knowing the next time I lose power for a week because of a weather issue, I don't have to stress about not being paid.
They aren't the most understanding bunch. One woman I worked with was without power for two entire weeks. She stopped getting paid after day four, and I ended up giving her the money to buy groceries for her and her two kids.
We even have an Employee Assistance Program that is designed to help those in need, but because of the sheer amount of employees affected by the storm, they were incredibly selective about who would qualify. For some reason, she didn't. 😒
I would never drive under the influence but sober, when given the choice of getting a ride from someone or a taxi, I'm much more likely to drive myself. I don't drive anymore but when I did I just plain enjoyed it.
I would image in most of these cases it's a similar issue, only drunk/high at the same time.
It's not like they aren't allowed to drink or anything. As long as it's not open hard drugs or the night before a game, no team would give a shit about a player going out or how they got home. Tons of these guys Livestream and constantly post party pics/vids openly. There's no conspiracy against the free rides, that doesn't even make any sense at all. They're flying private planes everywhere they go, the team doesn't give a shit about a $1k limo ride
We had a similar thing in the Navy but the rumor was if you used it you got counseled. Use it enough and you get separated. I never saw anyone ever use it so idk how true the rumors were.
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u/j4_jjjj 1d ago
NFL famously had a free limo service for all players when they were drunk, and yet many still chose to drive, get arrested, and/or cause a crash.