Get a Ride

A DrinkingAndDriving.Org Lesson

The best two ways to avoid a DUI are to either not drink or not drive. So let someone else do the driving.

If you've read our lesson entitled “DUI – A Costly Mistake”, then you know how just how financially painful a DUI can be. Clearly, you should avoid a DUI at all costs! Consider how much cheaper and safer it is to take a taxi, bus, or heck, even a limo. By now you realize that you could take a dozen limousine rides and not spend nearly as much as a single DUI.

We have lots of tips on getting around town without driving. Our first tips involve your phone.

Cellphone Tips

• Your smart phone has maps that will give you voice and picture directions. Learn how to use it to find your way home.
• It costs around a buck, but dialing #TAXI from your cellphone will get you connected to the nearest taxi anywhere in America and Canada.

This creates a perfect segue to our Taxi tips...

Taxi Tips

• Write your address down on a piece of paper and put it in your pocket. You can hand it to the Taxi driver who takes you home.
• Put a contact in your cell phone for the local taxi. Make the first character of the contact name a SPACE “ “ so it will appear first in your contact list.
• Have cash ready to pay for your ride.

Why stop there when you can PLAN a special evening in a limo.

Limousine Tips

• Plan the evening's events with the driver beforehand. Make the plan and stick to the plan.
• Once you are drunk in the limo, just remember…
• • Keep the windows closed
  • Don't stand up through the sunroof
  • Don't distract your driver

In some cities it just makes sense to take advantage of mass transit.

Public Transportation Tips

• Before you go out
• • Plan your route home BEFORE you go out. Write it down and put it in your pocket.
  • Have whatever change, tokens, passcards, or money you need counted out and keep it in the same pocket.
  • Don't put anything else in that pocket. That's your “Going Home Pocket”.
• When you're ready to go home
• • Remember that you made a plan and stick to it.
  • Use your Going Home Pocket
  • Try to read every transportation sign (ie, platform numbers, station names, street names) THREE times and check it against your planned route.

There's an App for That

• Ridesharing apps like Uber, Lyft, and Sidecar are available in many metropolitan areas. They offer a convenient alternative to the traditional taxi with better communication. Some let you rate and choose your driver.
• Check availability and sign up for service through one of these apps BEFORE you need to actually use it.
• • Don't wait till you've been drinking to enter credit card info for anything!
• Search for discount codes. You can usually find a discount code good toward your first time use of these apps/services.
• • Enter your discount code when you sign up.
  • We also recommend these apps as an alternative to being the passenger of a drunk driver. See the Passenger Protection Tool on our Prevention Tools page.

What if I'm drunk and I NEED to get home WITH my car?

You did it anyway! You went out in your car, and you got drunk - too drunk to drive. Now you've got to get yourself and your car home safely. There IS a way! Depending on where you live, there may be a "Designated Driver Service" available in your area that will come to where you are and drive you and your car home, usually for a fee. If these services are available in your area MAKE SURE YOU KNOW ABOUT THEM! Go to our National Directory of Designated Driver Services and see if this valuable service is available to you.

In ALL cases, thank anyone who helps get you home. They may have saved you thousands of dollars, or maybe even your life.