[TheOtherOne]

Most states have laws against carrying a gun in a bar or carrying if you're under the influence, etc.... but lets just throw that out the window for now and assume that we live in a perfect world where the only restriction on CCW is don't be stupid.

Now there are many things you wouldn't do while your drinking (driving for instance) but should carrying a gun be one of them?

[cordex]

Made a choice when I first started getting into guns that I would not drink. Period. Takes care of that question real quick.

But if I did take the occasional drink, I would absolutely not carry if planning on having more than one or two beers. Probably not even then.

[Ol' Badger]

"Bubba shot the jutbox last night." :D "Said it played a sad song that made him cry. Went to his truck and got a .45" :neener:

[12 Volt Man]

It is not a good idea to carry or handle a firearm in any manner while intoxicated. If you are doing it around me, prepare to be disarmed! Actually I would politely ask for your weapon. :) If you refused, I guess I would get the heck out of there.

[blades67]

I think you must know your limits and decide for yourself.

[themic]

dunno... one the one hand, i carry a knife every day, all day... even while intoxicated. has never come out or been mishandled.

on the other hand, a firearm is different than a knife.

[CZ 75 BD]

don't be stupid

Drinking or smoking or anything else ingested to intoxication comes under stupid.

[foghornl]

I hardly ever drink, so not really an issue for me. Learned about not mixing gunpowder & alcohol many years back. One fella at deer camp put away waaaaay too much "John BarleyCorn" and blasted a .30-06 round through left foot. Next year, same guy at deer camp put away waaaaay to much JBC again, but this year, blasted .30-06 hole in right foot. "Speedy" doesn't quite live up to his nickname anymore...........


IDIOTA

ALSO KNOWN AS "EL STUPIDO"

[TarpleyG]

I drink, and I carry. Sometimes at the same time. I cannot carry into bars or bar areas of restaurants so I try and avoid those. I don't drink a lot so I have no problems with it. I have been in a situation where I was out at a place with a bunch of friends and ajourned to one's house where I knew I would be drinking a lot more so I locked up the gun in the car and ended up spending the night on the sofa.

I think anything is okay in moderation. Many folks will have this "mightier than thou" attitude about drinking but to each his own. Some others cannot handle their liquor like and old roommate I used to live with that happened to be a cop. Many a night he drove himself home and shot his gun out the window of his car. Idiot. Keep it cool and you'll be fine.

GT

[Mike Irwin]

"...the only restriction on CCW is don't be stupid."

There you go. Best reason not to carry while intox.

It is, in my opinion, being very stupid.

[Carlos Cabeza]

One would not only be at a diminished capacity mentally but physically as well. This condition would undermine the entire concept of concealed carry I.E. self protection because you are not in best form.

[FPrice]

"assume that we live in a perfect world where the only restriction on CCW is don't be stupid."

What Mike Irwin said.

I'll add that carrying while you are intoxicated IS stupid.

[shermacman]

I love to drink. I love beer, wine and Scotch. Oh, and gin, too. Having said that, if you are truly concerned about your safety and the safety of your loved ones and your property you are seriously putting yourself at risk if you get drunk. Having a gun has nothing to do with this. You have given up a huge percentage of self-control if you drink too much.

[Betty]

I do not drink alcohol.

I have had friends sit my living room and pop the top off a beer or two while being armed. These are people I trust in my home (or I wouldn't invite them otherwise), and if they are responsible enough to carry a gun, they should be able to drink responsibly as well.

But that's in the privacy of home. In public, however, it's best if you not drink at all while armed. Being in a more uncontrolled environment means more unpredictable things may happen, and you may be more likely to use your firearm in self defense. You're going to be in a big legal dogpile after a shooting, so don't make it bigger by having a drink or two, because it won't matter whether you had one tiny sip or a whole beer - you're "a drunk with a gun who shot a sweet mama's boy who only asked for a few bucks, and if you weren't drinking, you would've known that."

I'd like to have my mental facilities completely unimpaired in the eyes of the law.

[tomkatz]

I bought my first handgun in the mid 70s from a friend who shot it through his front door, just missed shooting another friend who came to see if he was ok. They had been at a party, friend #1 had been in a fight, went home to get his gun, thought the knock at his door was the guy he had been fighting with. Good thing he was a bad shot while drunk, yeah he had almost a fifth of black jack in him. Next day he just wanted to sell the gun.
Anyway, I don't drink at all now so it is a moot point, but I learned something from my two friends back then, booze and guns don't ever mix well. Be safe people!!!!.....tom

[Ladybug]

Basically I feel the same way as others - drinking and carrying a gun do not mix well. Your own judgement is impaired, your reflexes are slow and you may actually be putting yourself in great danger, and if something WERE to happen and you defended yourself and were found to be drunk it would cause a lot of trouble. I never drink more than a beer or glass of wine on occassion, so it doesn't really come up. But I would hope that anyone with a ccw license is wise enough to know themselves and make good decisions about when to carry.

[P95Carry]

Essentially a definite ''no-no''.

I will however when out sometimes allow myself one (ONE) light beer over a meal .... which means the drink is taken over time ... probably 30 minutes at least. The metabolizing of the minute of alcohol contained in that is well manageable and no effects.... no worse than a soda, which in fact I have most often.

Otherwise ...... I have a few drinks at home in the evening .... but technically I am still carrying as that is a 24/7 thing ....... here however we need to look at individual's variations in effects from alcohol.

Fortunately I gain little more than a mild soporific effect ... I relax a bit and sleep better. What always does bother me greatly is the guy who KNOWS that drink can make him aggressive ..... carries .... and STILL drinks. There is the greatest danger.

I'd say that overall we all are well aware of our responsibilities ...... and that does mean sobriety in most all situations when carrying..... including an honest appraisal of one's responses to alcohol too.

[Bravo11]

I have a simple rule.
If I'm carrying I don't drink.
If I going out and plan on having a beer or two I don't carry.
Ok, I guess thats two rules.

[cool45auto]

I don't drink so it's not an issue with me, but I don't know how I'd feel if someone I know is carrying started drinking. I'd probably say "See you later." and leave them to their devices.

[braindead0]

This is interesting, I was talking to a friend of mine in PRK (Ventura area) and the trap/skeet club he and his wife belong to has a snack bar and bear on hand. Nobody thinks anything is odd about having a hot dog and bear and going back onto the line.

Really odd considering it's in the PRK...

[10-Ring]

Why add possible problems? Why impair your abilty to reason & your reflexes? Alcohol & firearms don't mix too well.

[dinosaur]

There was a trap/skeet club on Staten Island in the 70s that had a bar. However, we had beer, not bear.:neener::D

I just about quit drinking except for a couple at home. Even then, it`s rare. I miss it sometimes but when you realize that people were not laughing with you, it`s not so bad.:banghead:

[Erik]

Drinking and carrying don't mix. You're both fooling yourself and providing the proof the antis are so desperately seeking; assuming that you are found out, of course.

[Glock_PhD]

I don't think many people would disagree that if you are gonna become intoxicated there is a whole list of things you shoudldn't do including; driving, carrying a gun, and going home with that girl.
But I don't think if I have had a beer or two during a meal or just one or two with freinds I shouldn't be forfeiting my ability to protect myself. This should only be an issue if I begin to become a danger to others, ie: i am to drunk to make good solid rationale decisons.
Where is this line. I suppose that is the rub of it all. We all have to make this decision by ourselves, and some people probably aren't good at making this decison.

[pale horse]

I seldom drink. However I have a rule;

IF I drink the gun comes off and stays off.

I generally drink at home and its usually in the evening when I am not planning on going back out. Heck I dont even like taking medication while I am carrying.

[Carlos Cabeza]

That's just it, poor decision making, lack of good judgement. We all know that some people are incapable of making ANY decisions when inebriated in the slightest way much less DRUNK !:scrutiny:
I may be able to hit a 10 ringer half soused but no pressure, no consequences..................

[Matt G]

Professionally, I finally charged a man last week with the TX offense of UCW-- "Unlawful Carrying Of A Weapon." I pulled him over for speed and weaving, and arrested him for DWI. While he was digging for his insurance card, he kept going back to his little shaving kit on the transmission hump. Now, that kit didn't have the first piece of paperwork of any kind in it, but it did have a loaded Tanfoglio 9mm in it. Perhaps he had no intention of doing any harm with it. However, it's really stupid to keep reaching at a pistol when you're in the middle of a traffic stop-- something he'd have been aware of (he'd been busted 3 times before on weapons charges, 3 times before on DWI charges), had he been sober.

This was the first time I have EVER charged someone with U.C.W. People that are minding their bidness and are sober generally get the full benefit of my "officer's discretion" when they're carrying without a C.H.L. Be drunk and stoopid (all too often this is synonymous), though, and it's likely to cost you. :(

[Crimper-D]

Got the word officially from our local pro-gun Sheriff during our CCW recert class = "You get busted for public intox or DUI, kiss your Permit GOODBY!" A great many citizens in my home county pack CCW - but seldome when drinking after a couple of 'examples' were made:rolleyes:
I personally assisted the RSO at my club eject a group of members who thought it was "allright" to hold a tailgate party
in the range parking lot!..........It wasn't - especially as a couple were carrying loaded weapons around off the line.:fire:

[QuarterBoreGunner]

Kali makes it perfectly clear; no CCW while intoxicated. And in the regs it states that one of the places you cannot carry is a "business whose primary trade is the selling of alcohol, i.e. a bar”. Restaurants are ok, so are nightclubs with dancing.

I asked a similar question about carrying while ill. And the consensus seems the same; if you’re not 100% in your right mind and clear of thought, whether through vicodin from having your wisdom teeth pulled, benadryl due to a cold, or a couple of pops of jagermeisterin from the local dive bar, you really shouldn’t be carrying.

Personally I'm of the belief that carrying while having a drink with some friends is ok. Carrying while drunk...nope. You just have to know your limits.

[gryphon]

If I could carry I wouldn't get drunk, and in this state, the way it looks, I wouldn't be able to carry into a place that served alcohol anyway. The state is probably going to determine for me(big surprise on that one) where I have the right to defend myself and where I don't.

I don't like not being in control of myself, and since you can't control the people around you(you can only persuade), I'd rather not help the BGs out by making the task of taking me out that much easier for them.

[SkunkApe]

In Michigan, we have essentially zero tolerance for carrying while drinking. As my wise father says, you have to make a choice:

1) If you carry your gun, you can't have a drink. It'll be duller, but safer.

2) If you're drunk, you can't carry your gun. But you'll have a good time, and it won't hurt so bad if someone shoots you.

[P95Carry]

Seems like we have touched on a distinction in this thread. The subject line states "intoxicated" ..... for which I guess we mostly read ''drunk''.

I said in my original post that I'll consider at times having ONE light beer when out eating with people ... no way will that (consumed over maybe 30 mins) make me in the least intoxicated. Equally, my few evening drinks do not either make me drunk ......

For many, as with driving I'd guess will follow the ''no drink'' at all rule .. which is fine - safest way to go but we need to come back to individual's limitations (and self-acknowledgement thereof) on the basis that one drink would not in most cases lead to anything approaching intoxication.

Overall, I would tho say that total abstinance is obviously by far the best bet ....... but for most, one ''demon'' drink ain't gonna change things much at all. Not promoting drink and carry - one bit - just adding to perspective a bit.

[jmbg29]

gun + drunk = stupid

[Mannlicher]

doing anything that requires hand to eye coordination, and clear judgment, mandates no booze. Sky diving, driving, operating heavy equipment, and yes, carrying a gun all fall into that category.

[SRYnidan]

Mannlicher you have probably said it best. I pretty much quit drinking all together when I started carrying. Ten years in the martial arts reconfirmed what I already knew very little alcohol makes a bigger difference than most people realize. I guess that my limit is a glass of wine with dinner (weight about 240).

[Feanaro]

It depends on the person I think. If you are sure that you will drink in moderation and can handle yourself well then have at it. But not near me. ;)

But being drunk and carrying a butter knife, let alone a gun, is right out.

[BlkHawk73]

Absolutely not. Guns and alcohol go together like Rosie O'donnel and Slimfast!

[Quintin Likely]

...is unacceptable. As someone mentioned earlier, if worse came to worse and you were forced to defend yourself, lawyers aren't going to see it as self defense. They'll see it as drunk going into a rage and popping a few caps off in someone who didn't know any better.

All comes down to knowing your limits, I suppose.

And besides, alcohol detracts money from my guns and ammo fund. Not good. :D

[12-34hom]

Carrying while impaired = thats a 10 on the stuiped scale.

12-34hom.

[Tim Currie]

Well for some people theres a big difference between 2 beers and an 18 pack. Its nothing to sit around at my house and have a few recreationally, and normally I still have my gun on me. Going out to the bars with the intent to party is different, no gun, of course its illegal...

So anyhow, if its around the house, or out to dinner....usually yes. If serious drinking, most likely no. I don't usually get drunk enough that I would start violating one of the 4 rules, I'd have to really be out there. And thats what its about, if you know your limits and are responsible, and can ALWAYS follow the 4 rules then you're ok. Thats my take.

[LiquidTension]

I lock mine up when I start drinking. It's not that I don't trust myself after I've been drinking, it's that if anything DID happen and I had to use it, there's no way that I wouldn't go to jail. I never leave the knife at home, though.

[sm]

I don't drink, period.

I do CCW.

Even without the statues, what is taught in a CCW class, the lawsuit happy society--and-- hungry anti gun crowd looking for more fuel for their side...It is a bad irresponsible idea.

Kinda like driving with a baby/child in your vehicle after consuming a few.

[12.7x99mm]

I only drink beer at home and do not handle loaded firearms while drinking the beers.

I might look at them and admire them allot but I know better when Im drinking.

[Hal]

Carrying while intoxicated. What do you think? I think God loves fools and is a hurry to meet them.

[NewShooter78]

I think God loves fools and is a hurry to meet them.

That says it best. I live in New Orleans, and I could only imagine the messes on Bourbon St. if people carried while intoxicated.

[280PLUS]

which gives me a real good reason to not drink.

on the occaisions that i do drink, its never more than two for the entire time of the get together and i drink water during that time too.

my intention being to never exceed the legal limit

i do carry in bars, but if i'm stone cold sober why shouldn't i be allowed to.

wheres a good place to be assaulted?

outside in the parking lot of a bar as youre leaving.

so i'm supposed to be unarmed at this time?

not me...sorry...catch me if you can

:scrutiny:

i'm the permanent designated driver, too, that way i got another good reason to not drink

:D

[Sheslinger]

As many mentioned before, you might not think you are impaired after a couple of beers but you are. When we are drinking at home, the guns get locked up in the safe as opposed to spending that night in the nightstands. We don't have permits yet, so we don't carry outside the house, but the same rules would apply.

Sheslinger

[El Tejon]

TheOtherOne, I live in such a state. There are no soccermommie prohibitions upon carrying into bars or consuming alcohol while carrying firearms.

The horribles that the mommies always chant in other states do not transpire here. It may be because here carrying is no big deal and beer is nothing more than liquid bread.:D

Follow the Dirty Harry Doctrine: a man has to know his limitations. I have to stop at 2 Diet Sprites.:D

[Monte Harrison]

Now there are many things you wouldn't do while your drinking (driving for instance) but should carrying a gun be one of them? BIGTIME.

[Mastrogiacomo]

I don't drink, but if I did, I wouldn't want to give the cops a reason to take my gun permit -- so no, if I knew I was going to drink I'd leave the gun at home.

[H Romberg]

Never drink and carry.

[Soap]

If I'm carrying, I have a one drink limit in the privacy of my, or a close friend's home. In public, I have a no-drink limit while carrying.

[keithernTN]

Carrying and intoxication do not go together. A couple drinks at dinner I am not going to run and lock up my gun like it will explode. I know my limitations and the consequences of my decisions, a couple drinks does not trump my choice to protect myself.

[JohnBT]

I took yesterday afternoon off, went home and did some innercity yard work. Trimmed the ivy on the little hill in front of my little antique town house - it regularly grows a foot out over the city sidewalk and it needed a serious whacking. Trimmed some of the overhanging limbs off the city tree by the curb. Trimmed the bushes in front of my neighbor's porch. Turned over the dirt in my little tomato plot in the little backyard.

My entire lot is 25.5' x 90' and is what a lot of folks refer to as downtown.

Then I got a beer and sat on my neighbor's front porch to catch up on the neighborhood gossip. She's retired and her porch is 3 feet from mine so I usually jump over and save her the trip :) We've been neighbors since 1980.

Now...the question.

Living where I do in a nice enough neighborhood with a mixture of rich and poor, professionals, students and alcoholic housepainting roofers, but still just a short block from a 7-11 and some bars...did I put gun in the safe before I opened the beer? Do I put the gun away when I sit in the sun in the backyard and drink beer and read?

What do you think?

John

[SapperLeader]

I find this issue to be a sensitive one. I personally do not drink and do not ever intend too. Even with this personal policy, I am not allowed to carry in any establishment that serves alchol due to VA state law. I find it to be very annoying and believe the law should be set up that drinking while carrying is illegal, not just being in the establishment itself(enjoying a nice dinner for example). It is amusing to note that open carry is allowed in va in establishments that serve alcohol.

[SoDFW Jason]

Could you imagine what would happen if you were found to be legally intoxicated after firing in self defense? You would probably fry even if it was a legal shoot.

I quit drinking when I started carrying, to each his own though. As long as people can control themselves, I don't see a problem.

[Chairman Meow]

Even if you are a resposible drinker and are capable of safely handleing a firearm after a few drinks, the law won't see it that way. If you did have to use the weapon in self defense, your intoxication would be a dream come true for the bad guys' lawyer. Granted, thats not as bad as being dead, so heres a fantastic solution. Let the designated driver be the designated carrier for the evening as well. Problem solved. :D

[45R]

2 words


BAD IDEA

[Mike Irwin]

JohnBT,

What do I think?

I think there's a WORLD of difference between having a beer after doing some yard work and being intoxicated.

[P95Carry]

I think there's a WORLD of difference between having a beer after doing some yard work and being intoxicated. Somewhat my point Mike .... like when I say I might have a light beer over a meal ... no way can that intoxicate ... doubt it would even show with a blood test if drunk slowly.

Apart from that tho .... the keyword is ''intoxication'', tho no drink has to obviously be safest route of all.

[stevelyn]

Shouldn't even be a question.
GUNPOWDER AND ALCOHOL DO NOT MIX!

[RandyB]

If you drink and drive its a crime.

If you drink and shoot someone, better bet that if it ain't a crime, the lawyers are going to have a field day with the civil suit.
:eek:

[1911]

Just ask Steve Mcnair of the Tn titans about drinking and carrying a gun.He wa arrested last night for DUI and even though he had a pistol permit he got arrested for carrying a gun.

[JohnBT]

"If you drink and drive its a crime."

If you mean drink and then drive, no it isn't. At my weight, according to the chart published by the Commonwealth of Virginia, I can drink up to 4 drinks in 2 hours and still be legal to drive.

I think 4 drinks that fast is too many for me, but driving wouldn't be a crime. I would not blow a .08 or higher on the machine.

It wasn't too many years ago that the driver of a car in Virginia could have an open beer or mixed drink in hand while driving. You can look it up.
____________

"Granted, thats not as bad as being dead..."

And a big Amen to that.

John

[JohnBT]

And...

Does the 1st Amendment only apply to sober folks?

Does the 2nd?

Where are the "What part of shall not be infringed don't you understand?" folks in this discussion?

John

[Smoke]

but lets just throw that out the window for now and assume that we live in a perfect world where the only restriction on CCW is don't be stupid.

If its a perfect world, there will be no reason for guns?:neener:

Also in a perfect world I can go get plastered while carrying my gun, get into my SUV thats chock full of fully auto firearms and drive anywhere I want to, without my seatbelt, and without any govenment intervention. (So long as I don't hurt anyone else)

[Dorrin79]

carrying while intoxicated (as in, impaired judgement etc.)?

no way!

Carrying while enjoying a single margarita or beer?

I don't have a problem with that.

I think it comes down to what you are comfortable with.

Some can handle it, some can't.

Problems arise when the latter think they are the former.

[Erik]

"Could you imagine what would happen if you were found to be legally intoxicated after firing in self defense?"

Everyone should re-read this question.

---

Four drinks in an hour impairs you, despite what any chart might say. For that matter, one drink impairs you. Lots of courtroom type evidense to nail you if someone or agency is so inclined. Hence the various "DUI light" statutes cropping up across the nation.

[SkunkApe]

Oops.

[Ryder]

A bit odd that people would have such strong opionins against something they claim they have never done. I don't drink anymore but I used to when I was younger.

I knew better than to mess with guns when I was extremely drunk, which wasn't often, but a couple of drinks while target practicing was never a big deal. I am very safety minded about gun handling and there was never any doubt that what was happening might be unsafe. If had shown itself to be that way I would have discontinued it. It was not a problem.

We have hundreds of thousands in this state who go deer hunting every year. Many spend a lot more time in the bars than in the woods. Some even take alcohol into the woods with them. These people would still test legally intoxicated the next day after a night of drinking. It has not been officially recognized as any kind of a problem.

Would I want the wrath of all you PC gun owners on me for recommending it? Noper! It's like some kind of weird religion where real experience means nothing, alcohol is the devil. I'm no heretic :evil:

[goon]

I wouldn't carry if I was planning on getting drunk. Not really because of temperment, since I am a happy drunk, but because I would probably be more dangerous to myself than any attacker when I am in that state.
I would not get drunk while carrying either. Guns and alcohol both have their uses, but they are best when used at different times.

[Dr.Rob]

Rule #5, never handle firearms under the influence.

I know we are all adults, but if you plan on getting drunk 'don't take your guns to town.'

I've hoisted more than a few beers with off duty cop friends carrying all manner of hardware, and their advice is DO NOT get drunk while carrying. period. having a beer is probably ok, but you are better off having your full wits about you.

[erikm]

Hi,
I've got a somewhat related question. What the opinion and legal status of carrying an unloaded handgun and ammunition in a closed (or locked) beltpack while intoxicated? Hypothetically someone with a valid CCW could, before taking his first swig, unload his handgun and put it and its ammo in the beltpack. If he's paranoid about the law, he could lock the pack with a small suitcase padlock. The key can be in his keyring or (better) at home.

I agree that loaded firearms and alcohol don't mix. They're like cars in that respect (and most others).

Cheers,
ErikM

[mussi]

Awfully simple.

I drink OR I handle guns or drive. If I need to go out after busting a few cold ones, I have a very protective dog that sometimes needs some additional diet in form of perp calves to chew on. Else, my bro is carrying when we go out and since he's an anti-alcoholic, the issue is moot.

But sometimes, a cold one calms down the nerves after too much work.

[illuminatus99]

I don't carry when I'm drinking, not because I'd do something stupid but because chances are that if I was in a situation to need it I would probably forget that it's there.

[Baba Louie]

Or you could pull a Val Kilmer/Doc Holliday line "I've got two guns, one for each of ya" :D (trying to put some levity into a serious matter)

Back in the day when I was younger and dumber (if thats possible) I'd drink waaaaay too much and would wake up God knows where and only God knew how I got there.

My Dad had a long talk about things related to drinking, one of which was his/our firearm collection. Off limits to drunks and idiots and just what did I think about that?

Sober is good. A drink once in a while isn't a bad thing. Guns and boozing equal trouble for all.

Adios

[Sunray]

Carrying while impaired is just as irresponsible as driving in the same condition. Unfortunately, being or acting stupid is not illegal. Pity.

[CGofMP]

My take on it is simple....

If you are old enough to drink, you're old enough to use your brain. Leave the gun at home when you go to the bar because YOU are intelligent enough to understand the risks and ramifications.

You may not use your gun on an innocent but what about some other drunk who notices you are 'printing' and does nto have your responsibility quotient? How much reaction time will you lose drunk when you feel that tug on your holster.

Weapon retention like driving requires pretty good reflexes... better in many cases.

Should there be a law? I was all redy to say H-Yes! Until I read the note above askig if the 1st am applied to drunks... ergo the second does as well...

Just use your brain to limit yourself BEFORE you get sloshed.

Like others here, I have it easy... I never drink and play with guns as I never drink!

Charles

[Darrin]

Just ask Steve Mcnair of the Tn titans about drinking and carrying a gun.He wa arrested last night for DUI and even though he had a pistol permit he got arrested for carrying a gun. I'll give him credit; he's not making any BS excuses for what he did. He's admitted it and is very willing pay/accept for what he did.

Smart guy, stupid decision. It happens. My guess is it won't happen again from him and possibly a few others who may 'misunderstand' what you can and can't do with a carry permit.

*shrugs*

[Glock_PhD]

I am suprised that almost everyone in here is so quick to put there guns away. I'm not saying you should carry a gun hammered. But people are saying that if they have a couple in the sanctity of their own home at night the guns go in the safe. WHAT??? Obviously people need to know themselves, but you don't have to give up control. Know your limits. As for a lawyer having a hayday with me. Well atleast he'll have the chance to because I will still be alive. Don't take this the wrong way, like I said you need to know your limits. Just like driving a car there is a point you have to say no, but it is all about personal responsibility.

[justice4all]

I, for one, do not lock up all my guns whenever I have a sip of wine. Alcohol in moderation doesn't turn me into Mr. Hyde.

[dev_null]

I can't remember the last time I drank until blotto. I CAN remember the last time I wasn't carrying because I was planning to have a beer or two with dinner... and wished I'd had it with me because of the circumstances or neighborhood on the way home.

I don't see an easy answer to this one. Surely nobody here thinks that goblins will decide to leave you alone because you've had a couple? OTOH, I can't see any jury in the world acquitting you if you defend yourself in that condition, not unless it is absolutely clear that it was life-or-death.

-0-