Quote Originally Posted by Steve.r View Post
I have always lived in the countryside, so meeting friends always meant driving and I have never drunk and driven in the UK.

While in Phils though, I find the drinking culture much more easy to slip into. In the heat or to be social it is nice to down a bottle of Red Horse in the evening or at a party. But drinking to excess for me is not what I like. Probably like many, you know your limits and know when you have a 'buzz' and know when to stop.
Knowing you, Steve, you don't have a problem with alcohol .
Drink - driving laws are a good thing. But one consequence has been closure of pubs. An even more significant reason for their relentless closure is cheap supermarket booze. That's regrettable from the social point of view, and it's also why more people drink ( to excess ) at home. There is less control over what they drink at home. Could be worth watching " Britain's Hidden Alcoholics " next Monday ( 20 ) on BBC One.