dining out, a drink...a bottle of wine ?

[Wiener]

I enjoy reading the posts on this website and often wonder how people handle

the drinking and driving aspect of dining out. Sorry if this sounds silly to some of you but I am curious to find out how some of you deal with this tricky situation. An example, I live in Essex County and love to drive out to the western part of the state to a small hole in the wall called the Red Wolf Inn. They have a delicious blackberry glazed duck on their menu. The place serves plenty of designer beers and other alcoholic beverages. Was once know as a bikers' bar. Anyway, sometimes, I hesitate to go because if I have a beer for starters and then some wine or another beer or two with dinner, I am afraid that if I get stopped by the police, they are going to push the DWI button, even though I would be well within the legal state limits. Returning from the Red Wolf , I would rely on routes 46 and 3, which can be dangerous at times, not to mention, even more so, when there is snow and ice to contend with. Bottom line, I like to enjoy the entire meal , a drink or two , and not have to travel at the risk of meeting an angry cop who needs to fill his quota. This is why I dine out locally, but also see, all of the wonderful places, not so close to home, which are worth trying. Sorry if this doesn't make total sense. Just curious, I guess, if there are any other people out there , who give this a second thought.

[Beachfan]

Cabs, designated driver, or take a room nearby.

[Wiener]

Those were obvious and good solutions, however, I read many posts from people in Essex County who go out to the Ryland, describe their wonderful meals and wines, and must all not take cabs, desginate drivers etc etc. I could be wrong.

[RockADS21]

Stay between the lines - the lines are your friend.

[ranitidine]

What is the limit in NJ these days? If its been lowered to 0.8, I'm not sure the amount of consumption you alluded to is well within the limit.

[Wiener]

To simplify. One beer, a big dinner, a glass of wine and coffee.

[Rail Paul]

I've tried to drink a prudent (for me) amount of wine when I dine out. In my personal experience, from the time I take my last glass of wine to the time I get behind the wheel is often an hour. (Dessert, coffee, cheese, sometimes, waiting for coats, maybe a valet)

I'm not a scientist, but I've found my reflexes are very good if I've been off the sauce for an hour or so, and haven't been drinking heavily. (My def of drinking heavily in one hour = 750 ml of wine, 3 or more pints of Guinness or other beverage. I rarely drink mixed drinks, and only occasionally drink brandy or Amrangac)

I-80 in western NJ poses a triple threat to motorists, with a high concentration of very fast NY drivers, lots of drunks out, and active state police / some local enforcement due to the drug trade

[RockADS21]

What is the limit in NJ these days? If its been lowered to 0.8, I'm not sure the amount of consumption you alluded to is well within the limit.

The NJ limit is still .10

[ranitidine]

One beer, a big dinner, a glass of wine  and coffee.

That does't sound as if should pose any problem, even with tighter restrictions. I also believe, although scientific confirmation or contradiction would be helpful, that drinking water with the meal lowers the alcohol concentration.

[RockADS21]

Paul makes a good point - by the time you have coffee, dessert and eventually leave, you have spent a good amount of time sobering up. Also drinking while eating a meal will not get you nearly as looped as drinking without eating(no scientific proof here - but plenty of testing both ends of this theory). On the other hand I generally like to finish my meal by accompanying dessert and coffee with a cordial or port - so...

[Kim WB]

We use a limo or car service for anything far away that we know will be a "major meal" ( Ryland, etc.) and that my husband will want to enjoy a brandy or two afterwards. Otherwise, he always drives, and stops with the wine in his glass when the entree is served.

[Ron Johnson]

The body, on average, metabolizes one ounce of alcohol per hour. There is roughly one ounce of alcohol in a 12 oz beer, and one ounce in a 5 oz. glass of wine. Coupled with a large meal, I would not be surprised if your BAC is close to .00 by the time you are on the road headed home, unless you consume the beer, the wine, and the meal inside of half an hour.

In other words, I don't think you have anything to worry about.

Edited January 14, 2003 by ron johnson (log)

[Beachfan]

True on average. And probably true for 90% of the people. Might not be true if you weighed 110 lbs. and rarely drink (like my wife).

But she knows that she's impaired on 2 drinks. If you feel fine, and have taken time between your last drink and the road, there shouldn't be any worries.

Edited January 14, 2003 by Beachfan (log)

[Helena Robinson]

More catching up around here...

The event that really "sobered" us up on this subject was one of our Xmas Eve celebration dinners (We had our first date on Xmas Even, now 25 yrs ago) at a fine Morris County restaurant about a 45-minute drive from home. (Those who know us probably know which one.)

We decided to have either a cocktail or glass of champagne to start, a "potent" red zin with dinner, and an after-dinner drink with dessert. Food and drink were absolutely wonderful.

Ken drove us home, and I didn't notice anything unusual about the drive - no obvious wavering or anything like that. After we came home, though, he confessed that he didn't remember the drive along Rt. 78. That worried me...

After that, we decided that if we were going to do anything like that again, we'd either keep it local or take a room someplace nearby. Which we did, except this year, when we couldn't afford the price of a room. Then again, since my medication precluded much of any drinking for me (a taste but little else), it wasn't too hard for Ken to keep it at just the wine.

Even so, we did take a room at the Hyatt when we did Xmas Eve at the Frog & Peach a few years ago. We also did the same when we experienced Restaurant Nicholas for the first time two wedding anniversaries ago.

And that's the way we've tried to keep it...