Is this an alcoholic or just a heavy drinker?

[cute fuzzy bunny]

I can be really funny after everyone else has 3 drinks!!!

 

[Dreamer]

I can be really funny after everyone else has 3 drinks!!!

You can be really funny even when we aren't drinking!

 

[bssc]

So clearly, we as a country are losing our ability to hold our liquor. I cant think of any other explanation.

Are you saying that this needs to be taught in high school again?

 

[jIMOh]

One of the neighbors came over last night and drank 12 Moosehead beers during the evening. Alcoholic?
Hard for me to judge as I can handle one beer or two on a very hot and humid day when you sweat it out fast. Lucky for me, I was born with such an allergy to alcohol that I pretty much stick to Shirley Temples...but hold that fruit!

might be a drunk, the only way to see who is an alcoholic is to go to an AA meeting.

The difference between drunks and alcoholics is that alcoholics have time for meetings. Drunks only have time for drinking.

 

[kombat]

Drunk driving is a way down and the biggest killer is now street racing.

While that's certainly been the way it's been portrayed by politicians, I don't think that's necessarily true. "Street racing" didn't get any press at all until the election came around last year, then suddenly it was the scourge of our streets and was the top priority of all the candidates. It was a handy issue to latch on to. It also allowed them to pass a number of absurd laws under the blanket of "street racing," most of which actually have nothing to do with racing.

Going 50 km/hr over the limit is "street racing." Lingering in the passing lane for too long is "street racing." Chirping your tires at a stoplight is "street racing." It's pretty absurd if you actually sit down and read the outrageous list of "offenses" they've concocted.

I also don't believe that drunk driving is "way down" in Canada. Got any stats to back that up? Research I've seen indicates that the vast, vast majority of drunk driving accidents are caused by people who are way over the legal limit. You never read a news story about someone who caused a car crash, and it turned out the driver's BAC was 0.09 (i.e., just barely over the limit). It just doesn't happen. They're always 0.12 or 0.18 or something much higher. They're not even close to the legal limit. The vast majority of people with BAC's of 0.08 and lower make it to their destination safely. That's simply not enough alcohol to cause impairment any worse than, say, driving while eating or tired.

That said, my wife and I never drive after drinking. We always arrange for one of us to be the DD.

 

[Meadbh]

Age is no barrier.......

While that's certainly been the way it's been portrayed by politicians, I don't think that's necessarily true. "Street racing" didn't get any press at all until the election came around last year, then suddenly it was the scourge of our streets and was the top priority of all the candidates. It was a handy issue to latch on to. It also allowed them to pass a number of absurd laws under the blanket of "street racing," most of which actually have nothing to do with racing.

Going 50 km/hr over the limit is "street racing." Lingering in the passing lane for too long is "street racing." Chirping your tires at a stoplight is "street racing." It's pretty absurd if you actually sit down and read the outrageous list of "offenses" they've concocted.

I also don't believe that drunk driving is "way down" in Canada. Got any stats to back that up? Research I've seen indicates that the vast, vast majority of drunk driving accidents are caused by people who are way over the legal limit. You never read a news story about someone who caused a car crash, and it turned out the driver's BAC was 0.09 (i.e., just barely over the limit). It just doesn't happen. They're always 0.12 or 0.18 or something much higher. They're not even close to the legal limit. The vast majority of people with BAC's of 0.08 and lower make it to their destination safely. That's simply not enough alcohol to cause impairment any worse than, say, driving while eating or tired.

That said, my wife and I never drive after drinking. We always arrange for one of us to be the DD.

An 85 year old man has been charged with street racing in Toronto (the good).

CTV.ca | 85-year-old charged under Ont. street racing law

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Are you saying that this needs to be taught in high school again?

I think so. It may also be that we took a wrong turn from a societal perspective when we stopped knocking out our toddlers with booze and started using benadryl.

I think the early conditioning helped us become better drunk drivers later.

Either that or maybe people really WERE tougher back in the 40's and 50's.

Oh, and you other guys quit that obscure Canadian political complaining.

 

[Hillbilly]

One of the neighbors came over last night and drank 12 Moosehead beers during the evening. Alcoholic?
Hard for me to judge as I can handle one beer or two on a very hot and humid day when you sweat it out fast. Lucky for me, I was born with such an allergy to alcohol that I pretty much stick to Shirley Temples...but hold that fruit!

Hard to say.....but I'd say this wasn't his/her first time to drink a 12 pack since you didn't have to drag their butt home.

 

[Orchidflower]

I made a point to talk to this neighbor each day since he was over for some time each day in his house or mine. No booze at all since...guess he isn't an alcoholic, but I, personally, never have seen anyone sit and drink a case of beer and not get sick, show any drunken ways or even pee! Good gosh...that guy must have a bladder like steel! How does he do it?

 

[megacorp-firee]

Aww come on Rich...all those tests always say that everyone I know is an alcoholic.

Basically, any married guy is going to get the "A" and the "G" even if he's only drinking two drinks once a month!

Not me. ... but funny, ... whenever I'm at any of my wifes family homes for dinner (or even lunch for that matter), they always offer me booze. They don't do that for anyone else.
Do you think they are assuming something?

 

[SteveR]

I made a point to talk to this neighbor each day since he was over for some time each day in his house or mine. No booze at all since...guess he isn't an alcoholic, but I, personally, never have seen anyone sit and drink a case of beer and not get sick, show any drunken ways or even pee! Good gosh...that guy must have a bladder like steel! How does he do it?

My Dad went through beer like a fish through water. He could down 9-12 a day without much more than a little slur and many repeated WWII stories. He drank 6 -7 days a week; usually after work at one of the local taverns and at home on weekends. He had quite a tolerance for it and could drink many folks under the table. I never got a chance to challenge him (nor wanted to) but in my High School days I was able to drink a lot and still be the designated driver for my buddies. Maybe there is a gene that regulates alcohol clearing from the body or allows a quick tolerance to occur with only moderate drinking. I never considered him an alcoholic...we worked 6 days a week and never failed to pay the bills on time. He was a good provider and never was violent or abusive. I can't say he was an alcoholic....but he did have a drinking problem.

My late wife's ex was an alcoholic and their divorce was caused by his affliction and his abuse. Current DW was married to alcoholics and also experience abuse. Not saying there is a direct connection with alcoholics and abuse but I am sure there is a darn statistically significant correlation.

A guy who downs 12 beers in one night and seems "normal" may not be an alcoholic...but may have a very high tolerance for alcohol...question is how did he get this level of tolerance? He might like to drink and over the years his body just gets used to it and his effective alcohol level is much lower than expected so he acts normal because he is unaffected. It takes years to develop this level of tolerance. Does this mean he has a "problem"...not necessarily. If all else is good in his life he might just prefer beer to water or other drinks and his tolerance is a normal byproduct of this enjoyment of beer. Can't say I see anything wrong with liking beer over Coke or Pepsi as long as you can handle the alcohol.

I like beer and even make my own. I don't drink Coke or other soft drinks. I know I have a high tolerance since I have been drinking beer since I was 12 years old (best friend's Dad make beer and believe it was OK for kids drink as long as they acted normal).

Don't slap a label on someone too fast until you know the whole story.