Drinking, texting is a nuisance

Drinking and driving is not something to joke about.

Every year, hundreds of people, if not thousands, die on our roads in collisions caused by inebriated people thinking they are fit to get behind a steering wheel and race to wherever they are going, often at lightning speed.

For decades, the traffic authorities and the manufacturers of alcoholic beverages have been working together to fight this scourge in our society.

While progress has been made, seems that we will never reach a 100% success rate in preventing drunk driving.

But there’s another problem which also needs urgent attention when it comes to consuming alcohol: the phenomenon of drinking and dialling/texting.

What is it with some people that the moment they find themselves plastered, they grab their phones?

I don’t mind when a friend calls me up at midnight and asks me to drive him or her home because they are in no condition to do so themselves.

ALSO READ: How SA’s blood alcohol limit compares to other countries

It’s what friends do. In fact, with most of my buddies, it’s a rule which has to be followed religiously and without exception. But for goodness’ sake, when Captain Morgan calls me long after my bedtime to tell me how much he loves and misses me, I get seriously annoyed (putting it mildly because this is a family newspaper).

I love The Captain too and next time I help him keep his leg up, I’ll tell him. In fact, I’ll give him a big bear hug, kiss him on the head and then politely ask that he puts his cellphone away with his car keys next time he’s off pirating.

What irks me even more is when Johnnie Walker texts me in the wee hours of the morning to tell me what an absolute idiot I am, that I’m slow on the uptake and that he’ll never pick me to fight in his battalion.

Really? This past weekend I was unfortunately on the receiving end of both such a call and text.

The good news is that The Captain and I have since laughed about it.

The bad news, for dear little Johnnie, is that his text message is forever saved on my phone and that he has not heard the last of it.