DRINK DRIVE RATIONALIZE

Year Published: 1973

Creator: aaa-foundation-for-traffic-safety-gene-starbecker

Description: Dating to 1973, "Drink Drive Rationalize" was created by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. It was produced by Gene Starbecker with a script by Cal Larson. This is a unique traffic safety education film based on the "Sure Mac, Sure" P.S.A. series. It uses Scrabble game segments and entertaining vignettes to illustrate how drunk drivers kid themselves into believing that it is all right to be behind the wheel. The various excuses the people in the film offer include "eating a lot makes drinking okay", "I can sweat out alcohol and stay sober by sweating", "I know my limit", "This is a weak mixed drink", etc. The film makes the point that drinking capacity of human beings varies, and emphasizes the importance of waiting before driving after drinking. It also discusses myths about drinking punch and 3.2 beer, and whether coffee can actually reverse the effects of alcohol. 0:00: Introduction of the host, a psychologist who talks about observing people's behaviors. He talks about playing games and introduces a large game board like Scrabble. 1:53: An impaired older man drives at night. 1:53: The same man is shown at a gourmet restaurant earlier in the evening. He is offered a bottle of wine. 2:37: The man is shown with his VW Bug wedged between two semi trucks; he is still believing that if he eats enough while drinking he should be sober. 3:08: Fishermen about to go out on a boat are also drinking alcohol. 4:21: The fisherman discusses the idea of sweating out alcohol and staying sober by sweating. They are driving the boat drunk and almost hit another boat. 4:46: The men accidentally drive their car into the harbor while trying to unload their boat. speaker orders a double scotch and a weak drink for someone else, emphasizing the difference between strong and mild drinks. 5:50: At a Tahitian restaurant or Polynesian restaurant where mixed drinks are served. A man continues to discuss drinking, ordering more drinks, and the effects of alcohol. 6:15: The man gets very drunk and asks his date -- who has been drinking "lady drinks" -- to drive his convertible home. She does, but rips the roof off in the process. 8:04: An old man who needs to get his prescription filled mentions taking medicine and the idea of staying in training for drinking. . 9:02 - 10:09: The man talks about knowing his limit with alcohol and stopping before getting too drunk, but he ends up crashing a golf cart on his way to the pharmacy. 10:09: A drunk asleep in his car is confronted by an officer for suspicion of driving while intoxicated but insists he knows his limit. He is shown in a bar earlier drinking. He tries to get out of his car to show the policeman that he isn't drunk and ends up falling into the water, as it turns out the whole time his car was on a pier 12:09: African Americans in a bar debate the idea that smaller people can drink as much as larger people. The "small guy" drinks too much and passes out. 13:09: The importance of waiting before driving after drinking. 14:00 - 15:43:Narration emphasizes waiting before driving after drinking and criticizes others who don't. A man is shown using a pinball machine and a bowling arcade game to pass the time while he sobers up. 16:00: A car is shown on its roof with driver inside. 16:41: Joe's Diner is shown. A drunk tries to drink coffee to sober up before driving further. 18:35: The drunk insists coffee helps sober them up and prepares to drive. He ends up driving into the diner. 19:18 : At a party, a man drinks a lot of punch and doesn't believe he can get drunk from it. Meanwhile, two bottles of Bacardi rum are put in it. The man later crashes his car. 21:45:A final scenario about drinking 3.2 beer and the misconception that 3.2 beer is just like soda pop. A car is shown stuck in the middle of a drawbridge. 23:14 - 23:57: The speaker concludes with more music.

Complete Record: Dating to 1973, "Drink Drive Rationalize" was created by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. It was produced by Gene Starbecker with a script by Cal Larson. This is a unique traffic safety education film based on the "Sure Mac, Sure" P.S.A. series. It uses Scrabble game segments and entertaining vignettes to illustrate how drunk drivers kid themselves into believing that it is all right to be behind the wheel. The various excuses the people in the film offer include "eating a lot makes drinking okay", "I can sweat out alcohol and stay sober by sweating", "I know my limit", "This is a weak mixed drink", etc. The film makes the point that drinking capacity of human beings varies, and emphasizes the importance of waiting before driving after drinking. It also discusses myths about drinking punch and 3.2 beer, and whether coffee can actually reverse the effects of alcohol. 0:00: Introduction of the host, a psychologist who talks about observing people's behaviors. He talks about playing games and introduces a large game board like Scrabble. 1:53: An impaired older man drives at night. 1:53: The same man is shown at a gourmet restaurant earlier in the evening. He is offered a bottle of wine. 2:37: The man is shown with his VW Bug wedged between two semi trucks; he is still believing that if he eats enough while drinking he should be sober. 3:08: Fishermen about to go out on a boat are also drinking alcohol. 4:21: The fisherman discusses the idea of sweating out alcohol and staying sober by sweating. They are driving the boat drunk and almost hit another boat. 4:46: The men accidentally drive their car into the harbor while trying to unload their boat. speaker orders a double scotch and a weak drink for someone else, emphasizing the difference between strong and mild drinks. 5:50: At a Tahitian restaurant or Polynesian restaurant where mixed drinks are served. A man continues to discuss drinking, ordering more drinks, and the effects of alcohol. 6:15: The man gets very drunk and asks his date -- who has been drinking "lady drinks" -- to drive his convertible home. She does, but rips the roof off in the process. 8:04: An old man who needs to get his prescription filled mentions taking medicine and the idea of staying in training for drinking. . 9:02 - 10:09: The man talks about knowing his limit with alcohol and stopping before getting too drunk, but he ends up crashing a golf cart on his way to the pharmacy. 10:09: A drunk asleep in his car is confronted by an officer for suspicion of driving while intoxicated but insists he knows his limit. He is shown in a bar earlier drinking. He tries to get out of his car to show the policeman that he isn't drunk and ends up falling into the water, as it turns out the whole time his car was on a pier 12:09: African Americans in a bar debate the idea that smaller people can drink as much as larger people. The "small guy" drinks too much and passes out. 13:09: The importance of waiting before driving after drinking. 14:00 - 15:43:Narration emphasizes waiting before driving after drinking and criticizes others who don't. A man is shown using a pinball machine and a bowling arcade game to pass the time while he sobers up. 16:00: A car is shown on its roof with driver inside. 16:41: Joe's Diner is shown. A drunk tries to drink coffee to sober up before driving further. 18:35: The drunk insists coffee helps sober them up and prepares to drive. He ends up driving into the diner. 19:18 : At a party, a man drinks a lot of punch and doesn't believe he can get drunk from it. Meanwhile, two bottles of Bacardi rum are put in it. The man later crashes his car. 21:45:A final scenario about drinking 3.2 beer and the misconception that 3.2 beer is just like soda pop. A car is shown stuck in the middle of a drawbridge. 23:14 - 23:57: The speaker concludes with more music.