Hacker News Reader

Comment by sounds | Hacker News Reader

Another variable between European teenage drinking vs USA teenage drinking is driving.

European teens do drive - but it's not fashionable.

USA teens _have_ to drive. The party is spread out (multiple locations in suburbia) and the vehicle is the symbol of empowerment.

Obviously, mixing heavy or inexperienced drinking with driving is a recipe for death.

View on HN

Drunk walking is just as dangerous. Freakonomics Radio recently did a piece of drunk walking and the numbers are surprisingly high.

I would imagine that drunk walking has less of a chance of killing others though. This doesn't even have to be by-standers. For example, with 4 drunk teenagers in a car, it just takes 1 drunk teen to kill 4. On the other hand, if you have 4 drunk walking teens, that kind of outcome is far less likely.

The chance that they all die is lower, but they chance that at least one of them dies is far far higher.

Are we comparing same levels of drunken-ness here? What about the difference between 4 drunk teens each walking alone vs. 4 drunk teens walking in a group (where it's possible to look out for one another)?

The mentioned article provides some figures:

http://www.freakonomics.com/2011/12/28/the-perils-of-drunk-w...

The difference between drunk walking and drunk driving is that, while a drunk walker is a danger only to himself, a drunk driver is a threat to others.

A drunk walker careening into traffic poses no threat? Must note the "level" of drunkenness; motor skills at acceptable level but "above" limit per-law? You can still get public intoxication fines / jail, as well as a DUI if you hop on a bike (also highly dangerous).

In Germany it's illegal to walk outside if you're to drunk.

It's also illegal to make lots of noise on Sundays.

How do you get home?

This is of course bullshit. There is however, an interesting paragraph (StGB § 323a) that says you can go to jail for up to 5 years for being intoxicated if you get drunk deliberately and then commit a crime but are deemed criminally incapable.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com