7 Ways to Get the Keys from Someone Who’s Intoxicated
Most people know that they shouldn’t drink and drive. Unfortunately, when it comes to alcohol, one of the first things to go is a person’s ability to make rational judgements. So, that very same person who “would never drink and drive,” might later kick back a few shots, and then refuse to give up his keys. Often times, an intoxicated individual won’t even think that they’re drunk. Other’s might have only had a little bit of alcohol, believing that a subtle “buzz” won’t have any negative effect on their driving. However, a drunk person is the last person in the world who is qualified to make this decision. So, if you’re out with a friend who’s been hitting the sauce, it’s up to you to make sure that he doesn’t turn his vehicle into a randomly targeted kinetic energy weapon. Here are some ways to keep an intoxicated person out from behind the wheel.
1. Ask beforehand
If you know that your friend is going to be drinking, ask him for his keys while he is still sober. A sober person is probably going to be more rational, and will have less of a problem giving up his keys.
2. Be non aggressive
You know that voice people use when they’re trying to talk to a potentially dangerous dog? It’s the one that is very calm and soothing, almost a whisper. It’s the voice that says “I’m no threat to you; let’s be pals.” Well, it’s also a voice that might work if you’re asking for someone’s keys.
3. Take them aside
Intoxicated people often have very fragile egos. So instead of kicking back the barstool and shouting at your friend to give you his keys, be a bit more subtle. Pull him aside, and speak in hushed tones. In many circumstances, a person might know that he shouldn’t be driving, but won’t want to appear weak in front of others. Your friend might even thank you for bringing it up and allowing him to save face.
4. Get some assistance
If you don’t know the person as well, ask some of his sober acquaintances to talk him into giving up the keys. The suggestion will be easier to take coming from friends.
5. Play the thief
If you know that the drinker’s keys are in a purse, jacket pocket, or just sitting on a counter, then take them. Just wait until the drinker is preoccupied, and then quietly pocket the keys. Don’t make a big show of it to the others in the bar, as someone else might blow your cover. Your friend will probably get frustrated while searching for the lost keys, but in the end, he’ll have to come up with some other way to get home. You can return the keys (anonymously, if necessary) once your friend has sobered up.
6. Get physical
If you can’t talk or steal away the keys, then your next best hope lies in brute strength. If you can easily overpower your friend, then do so and take the keys away. If you need help, then enlist the aid of others. Don’t try to hurt him; just restrain him and make sure that he isn’t able to to leave with his keys. Be careful, however, because intoxicated people have been known to fight like cornered animals.
7. Call the police
What’s more important, your friend’s feelings or his life? What about the lives of others on the road? If you call the police and tell them that you think your friend might be considering driving home intoxicated, they’ll do whatever they can to prevent that from happening. The police are more interested in preventing tragedy than they are in making an arrest, and they will probably have an easier time persuading your friend to give up his keys than you will. If, however, your friend is already on the road, the police may be forced to bring him in. Yes, it’s a bad situation; a DUI is expensive and may result in jail time or other corrective measures. However, it’s better than letting your friend cause an accident. Even if he never speaks to you again, you will still have done him a favor.
You call contact AT&T’s national program to anonymously report the location of a drunk driver by calling 1 800 CURB DWI (800 287-2394)
Sladen West is a freelance writer for defensivedriving.com, the leading online defensive driving course