Why Alcohol and Movies Can Be a Bad Combination

While the pandemic is still going on, few movie theaters have been open. That’s because, even if you go to a movie theater and wear a mask while you’re there, you’re likely to remove it to eat some popcorn or enjoy other snacks, and you’re in there with other people. The air recirculates within the theater, and coronavirus spread is possible.

The vaccine rollout is currently happening, and it seems likely that a few months down the line, many movie theaters will reopen. Movie fans are looking forward to that eagerly, and so are Hollywood executives. Like so many other industries, the movie niche suffered in 2020, and that continues into 2021.

Once movies are up and running again in local theaters, many individuals will probably want to catch the latest action feature or rom-com on a Friday night. When they do, they might consume alcohol beforehand. That can lead to problems since those who drink shouldn’t get behind the wheel.

Let’s talk about why movies and alcohol don’t always mix very well and what you can do to avoid a DUI when you plan on having a night out.

Drunk Driving Facts
Law enforcement records nationwide indicate that repeat offenders account for approximately one-third of drunk driving arrests. Also, about 23% of drunk driving fatalities feature alcohol use.  

This tells us a couple of things. First, it says that when the police catch someone driving drunk, that person doesn’t always learn their lesson.

These individuals might be problem drinkers. They may be alcoholics; they might have a problem respecting authority, or both.

The other thing these stats tell us is that there are a lot of preventable alcohol-related car accidents every year across the United States. If you drink and then decide you’re okay to drive, your reflexes probably won’t be as good, and you could even nod off behind the wheel. You might not see a stop sign, or you might rush to try and get through a yellow light, which you wouldn’t do if you were sober.

Any driving school instructor will try to hammer into your brain that you shouldn’t drive drunk, but it still does occur more often than it should. Bad decision-making can be a part of that, and rampant alcoholism is another aspect of it.

What Exactly Does This Have to Do with Movies?
Once the movie industry starts up again and the pandemic is in the rearview, the moviegoing public will probably be eager to check out the latest Hollywood fare. Maybe you’re hanging out with your friends having a few beers, and you decide to see the newest comedy when you catch a trailer for it on TV.

You can pile into the car and drive a few miles to the nearest cinema. The problem is that if all of you are over the legal limit and you get in a car accident, you can seriously injure yourselves, another driver, or a pedestrian.

The other scenario is if you go to the movies, but you sneak in some beers or a liquor bottle. You imbibe during the movie and enjoy yourselves.

When the movie lets out, you get in your car to head home. Again, you’re over the legal limit, and you have no businesses being on the road.

There’s even a third possibility. Some specialty movie theaters serve alcohol now, as well as gourmet food items that are far beyond the typical candy and hot dogs most concession stands offer. It’s a business model some people seem to like.

The problem is that if you were sober when you drove to the movie theater, but now the theater served you alcohol, you’ll be over the legal limit when it’s time to drive home afterward.

How Can You Avoid All This?
If you’re a responsible person, you don’t want to drive drunk. There are ways that you can avoid doing so, even if you’re going to have some adult beverages before or during the movie.

If you drink before deciding to go to the theater, you can call a taxi, an Uber, or a Lyft to come pick you and your friends up at your house. It’s a little more expensive this way, but you know you’re not risking a DUI. You can call another ride share vehicle or taxi to get you guys after the film lets out.

If you know when the evening begins that you and your friends are going to the movies, most of you can drink, but you can appoint a designated driver who will stay sober. If no one wants to be that designated driver, you can draw straws or use some other random method to figure out who the sober person will be.

If you go to one of those theaters that serve alcohol, you can appoint a designated driver there as well. The rest of you can enjoy some beverages while the sober individual refrains and gets all of you home safely.

You can even consume a single beverage before you drive to the movies, or have just one while you’re there if it’s a theater where you can buy beer or other alcoholic drinks. A single drink should keep you under the legal limit, especially if you sip it over the course of a two-hour movie instead of chugging it all at once.

Alcohol and movies can go well together. Enjoying some beers while watching a comedy can enhance the experience.

Plus, there’s something novel about the theater staff serving you a high-end IPA while you sit in those plush movie theater seats. That’s probably why that business model proliferated in some cities before the pandemic arrived.

Avoid drinking excessively and driving to a movie, or drinking too much during the movie, and then driving home. You’ll be glad that you did, not only because you’ll avoid a DUI that way but also because you’ll reach home safely and won’t endanger anyone else on the road.