Going to my first day of alcohol education classes tonight.

Californiablonde

Well-Known Member
So my mandatory court ordered my classes to start tonight. I am so no looking forward to it. This is how I think it's going to go: we are all going to be seated in a circle and some big, tall, muscular guy who looks like he's a marine sargeant will be yelling and screaming at us about the dangers of drinking and driving. They may even make us all stand up, one by one, and give our stories. (SO hope this doesn't happen. I panic when I'm required to speak in public.) We are going to have to hear about all these real stories of drunk drivers who have killed innocent children by their stupid actions. I am going to be sitting there feeling like the biggest idiot and feeling GUILTY for something I never did wrong. I might even cry. So not fair. I have never drank and driven in my entire life. I am simply not that damn stupid. I won't even drink a single glass of wine and get in a car and drive. I'm too paranoid. Yet I will be sitting there with a bunch of totally irresponsible people who drove drunk and got caught. The class is for two hours. I won't be getting home till eight thirty tonight. The classes are for six weeks. I am usually so dead tired at the end of the work day and having to do anything after work totally stresses me out. At least these classes aren't forever. My boyfriend, who is one of the biggest optimists on this planet, insists that everything happens for a reason. He is telling me that something good is going to come from this. Who knows, maybe I'll meet a friend? I really don't know. All I know is, I really don't wanna go!
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
CB.....years and years ago I was in an accident when I was 17. It wasnt my fault and the other driver turned left on a red and hit me head on. Even so I was ordered to take some defensive driving classes because it was the second accident I was in that was not my fault and I was hit head on. I lived in a major city at the time. I was getting very afraid of driving and the courts thought ordering me to take this class would be a good thing. At the time, it felt like a punishment though.

I also thought I would see the same thing you describe...some scary person yelling at us and a bunch of losers. Not at all. I was in a class with people of all ages. We learned so very much. To this day I am a very defensive driver. I saw so many horrible pictures of accidents and learned how to drive in more defensive ways. I am sure they will teach you whole lot of different things but I am also sure it wont be as bad as you are afraid it will be.
 

Californiablonde

Well-Known Member
I hope you're right, Janet, but this class is specifically about the dangers of alchohol. It's something I can't relate to. I have never gotten behind the wheel and drove after drinking. I don't see how any of this could possibly relate to me. They don't have to lecture me on the dangers of drinking and driving. I already know better, and so should everyone else who will be in that room with me. I know everybody makes mistakes, but that is one mistake and I am very careful not to make. I don't know what goes on in the heads of people who have obviously been drinking and they choose to take a chance and drive. I simply can't put myself in their mindset because I my self would never do that.
 

InsaneCdn

Well-Known Member
CB...
There will be a bigger cross-reference of people there than you think.
Yours was directly a medications reaction, but... my brother had a friend who got caught on DUI... except, he'd only had ONE drink... and it was the combo of that plus some medications he was on... and the Dr. hadn't told him not to drink. Not everybody will be in the "stupid" category.
 

susiestar

Roll With It
(((((hugs)))))

while I have not been in your shoes, I am terrified that someday I will be in an accident and my medications will cloud the fault issue. I voluntarily stopped driving much a few years ago.

I think in most areas they know that what you are describing is about the least effective way to get someone not to drink and drive. They most likely WON"t have someone yelling at you bc that only makes people WANT to go drink and drive to 'prove' that they don't need the classes or are better drvers drunk than sober. I hope it is not that type of class, but if it is, remember that it is just a few hours a class.

Also remember that NO MATTER WHAT we are ALWAYS with you. If nothing else, sit and think of all the snarky comments we could make to each other if the teacher is so awful. there is always SOMETHING i could think of that I shouldn't say!
 

SuZir

Well-Known Member
Would it help, if you tried to take it as a sociological research opportunity? Would monitor of which methods they use in this type of class. What kind of people are there? How they react to different methods they are using? How particiants seem to connect to each others? etc.

Just to take your thoughts away from yourself and the unfairness of having to be there and feeling badly of the situation. Maybe you wont learn anything new about driving, but you could learn something new about people and teaching and methods to influence people.

And like Janet, I do believe it will not be as bad as you are dreading at.
 

Californiablonde

Well-Known Member
It's the time it's going to have to take that I'm dreading the most. That and the public speaking, if I should be required to do so. I have been up and at it since six o'clock this morning. I get off of work at four. After work, I have to run to the pharmacy to pick up my new medication. Then I gotta pick up two kids at two different daycares and drive them to my mom's in a half hour of traffic. Gotta drive another half hour to the class. I gotta sit there for two whole hours. After the class, gotta hit Walmart and get groceries, then run to some type of fast food place to (finally) have dinner. By the time I get home it will be probably around 9:30. That's a fifteen and a half hour day. That's a hell of a long day. I don't know how some people do it that work that many every day. More power to them. I'm old and have no energy and I get exhausted easily. Nothing I can do but suck it up and deal with it. And my bad back has been getting worse lately. Can't afford to see a chiropractor. At least I can get a good massage outta my boyfriend tomorrow night. I am SO looking forward to it. No work and no responsibilities on a Saturday night. It can't get here fast enough.
 

buddy

New Member
Well good. Its about time we don't have to worry about you and Tedo's son who had to go thru classes for safety. Our tax dollars spent wisely (major sarcasm ).
Too bad you can't all go out for happy hour first.
 
T

TeDo

Guest
I really hope the class isn't something like a 12-step program. That would NOT be a good thing in your case.

How did it go?
 

Californiablonde

Well-Known Member
Well it wasn't that bad. The guy teaching it was cool. He's a tattooed, toothless, ex heroin addict and totally non judgemental. Unfortunately one of my worst fears came true. We all had to go around the room and tell our stories. I made mine brief and to the point. There was about twenty five others in the group. Three of them were there for prescription drugs like me. The rest were there for alcohol. I tried not to judge but some of their stories were like, "come on, what were you thinking?" Oh and the chairs were AWFUL! I have a medical condition and I have a bad back and boy did that chair make it worse! Oh well, at least it's only five more weeks. I'm being promised a good lower back massage by my boyfriend tomorrow night. SO looking forward to it.
 

Californiablonde

Well-Known Member
Yeah the guy said we can bring pillows. I might look kinda silly but I think I will. Sitting on those chairs was pure torture. At least the class wasn't as bad as I thought. Only five more weeks and I'm done.
 
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