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I received many emails and comments in response to that post. Many of those commenting believed that Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a cult. I frankly take those comments with a grain of salt. All of them were from former AA members. When you are at a low point in your life and counting on something to help you turn that life around but that something does not work, what do you do? You don't look to yourself because you know you cannot change by yourself. You blame everyone else. You blame the program. You dismiss, you denigrate, you destroy. You do anything except take personal responsibility for your failure. I know this because I have been at that low point. Turning to AA for assistance in moving past that point does not make AA a cult; it makes you human.

drunking and driving Not long ago, the same scenario occurred with drunk drivers. People felt they could still drive safely after drinking, and their friends allowed them to do so without much resistance. The police would often look the other way and it was common practice to simply give erratic drunk drivers a ride home. Being arrested for DUI or DWI was very uncommon. That is, until, some horrible accidents started making headlines and the true dangers were realized. These days, if you get pulled over after a night of drinking, it's a different story. You'll be arrested, lose your drivers license, charged with a criminal offense, be forced to pay thousands of dollars in fines, perform community service, and maybe even lose your job. And that's for a first offense!

The Alcoholics Anonymous is a group of recovering alcoholics whose main goal is to help other addicts to stay off alcohol. It is a spiritual society that is known all over the world. They help addicts with their main program known as twelve-step, a program that has been a source of motivation for other recovery group of people. The program is aimed at making the members sober. This is what many people don't understand. This group is out to help you and not harm you.

While step twelve is the last of the twelve steps, it does not necessarily represent an end. In fact, for many AA members, this step is never actually completed. They will live this step every day for the rest of their lives, continually carrying the message of Alcoholics Anonymous to anyone who needs it.

Some people believe that they have researched the law and they know what the prosecutor has to prove. But what they do not know is that Courts have both rules of criminal procedure and local Court rules which must be followed. Not following the rules can impair a person's defense to a drunk driving charge.

An experienced drunk driving lawyer will know the exact procedure required for a particular breathalyzer machine and will question the test giver on the procedure. If the exact procedure was not followed, then there is a question as to the validity of the test results.

During my first year of sobriety, I was in a meeting when a guy stated being disruptive. alcohol is ruining my life was talking loudly and out of turn. He was using language that was vulgar enough to make even me wince (which is saying something). He was given fairly loose reign. Finally the chair of the meeting gently reminded him that it may be a good idea to let others share a bit.


Also if you do not turn up to a meeting for a couple of weeks people may assume you are drinking again and may even ask if you are when they next see you at a meeting or even in the high street. This does happen and if it does can leave you not wanting to go back to AA, even though the person who asked you if you were drinking again thought they were trying to help.

So what is alcoholics anonymous, and what do they do? They are a longtime organization that's sole mission is to help people get over their addiction to alcohol and improve their quality of lives.

If your own safety and the safety of those around you is not enough to convince you of this idea, you should also know that just because you may not have had enough to put you over the .08 magic line, this does not mean that you cannot be arrested for DUI or DWI anyway. If there is any alcohol present in your blood stream and if the officer believes that you pose a risk due to your level of intoxication, the officer can arrest you no matter what the BAC reading is.

A more important function of AA is to help members grow emotionally and spiritually, gradually becoming the best possible version of their original selves.

Many of the programs being run by many of the alcohol and drug rehab centers out there are tailored along the program of the alcoholics anonymous. The interesting part of this is that most of the centers are administered by people that have recovered fully from addiction with the aid of the alcoholics anonymous. alcoholics anonymous works is a great benefit as you or a loved one can interact freely with such people and learn how they got off addiction.


In Canada, which has a much smaller population than the US, the latest information suggests that of the 3,045 individuals killed in traffic accidents in 2007, 1,239 were the result of drunk driving. On average, that is almost 4 people per day.

AA is not a cult. There is no one person in charge (really), no devotion to a particular figure, historical or living, nor to a set of rules, ceremonies or liturgy. The nature of an alcoholic is rebellious. If you want to see and hear pandemonium break out, just suggest to a group of AA-ers they should approach the program in a certain way or even act at a meeting in some pre-approved manner. Then stand back and keep the exit door in view for your own safety.

AA is not a self-help group, although, if you're an alcoholic, you can help yourself a lot by doing the program. Recovery in AA is not Popular Mechanics for drinkers. Yes, there is a format, there is a "program", but most members perform the program according to their own rules. You're an AA member if you say so. Only you can say so, and you can't get kicked out no matter how you perform (the only valid reason for kicking someone out of a meeting is if they disrupt it).

drunking and driving In recognition of this problem, a great deal of effort, and money, has been spent trying to find a seamless way to incorporate technology; one that the driver will not even be aware is present. The technology must also be fast and it must be accurate. Each of these presents its own challenge but perhaps greatest among them is the requirement of accuracy. The first question in this regard is: accurate to do what? Estimate a driver's BAC (bodily alcohol content) or to definitively discern it?

And let's not forget you could lose your driver's license, go to jail, and spend lots of money on lawyers, court costs, assessments, education classes and miss work and time with your family and friends.

I do not remember the exact things that were said at that first meeting as much as I recall the calmness and contentment that I saw in those members who had some sobriety. They told me, "Keep coming back"- a simple suggestion that still works today after just over 3 years later.


These patterns are what step six is designed to deal with. A member of alcoholics anonymous who, through steps four and five, discovers some negative behavior patterns, or character defects, can work through step six. That means that he becomes fully prepared to have the God of his understanding take these defects away.

One of the many consequences of drunk driving is the revocation of the offender's license. In many countries, the blood alcohol content of a driver is tested through a breathalyzer. There is a minimum amount of alcohol allowed and if it is proven that you have exceeded this amount, you will be arrested and your license will be taken from you. Driving privileges will then be put on hold. Depending on the times that you have violated driving laws, you could regain your license back after serving hours of community service or it can be revoked permanently if the law demands.

Truly believing that a "Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity" is a very daunting task to most alcoholics. By the time they hit their "rock bottom", they usually have long since given up on any hope that there is a God. They certainly have given up any chance of Devine intervention pulling them out of the gutter.

Driving under the influence (DUI), driving while intoxicated (DWI) and operating under the influence (OUI) all referred to the same offense, driving drunk. It was 1910 when New York designed laws for drunk driving. They are, in fact, the very first state to come up with such laws. California followed until all 50 states adapted the said laws.

alcoholics anonymous works and driving The first three steps are designed to help a member recognize that they are not the most powerful force in the universe. They will be asked to first understand that their life has become unmanageable and that they are powerless over alcohol. Next they will understand how this other power could restore them to sanity. Finally, the member turns himself over to this newly found "higher power".

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood kicked off the annual "Drunk Driving. Over The Limit. Under when drinking is a problem involving thousands of law enforcement agencies across the nation. Secretary LaHood also highlighted the new " No Refusal strategy that a number of states are employing to put a stop to drunk driving.

An AA meeting can be opened or closed. Open meeting invites anybody irrespective of their status - alcoholic or non alcoholic. Closed meetings are only for people who admit they have a drinking problem and want to stop it. Meetings are also held in foreign languages. Since it is an open meeting with no membership, most of them have a curious mix of people from different classes of society, different backgrounds and different ages. However, do not be shy as all they have come to attend the meeting for the same objective - to stop drinking.

These patterns are what step six is designed to deal with. A member of alcoholics anonymous who, through steps four and five, discovers some negative behavior patterns, or character defects, can work through step six. That means that he becomes fully prepared to have the God of his understanding take these defects away.

Not drinking entirely is one way to keep teens from getting in drunken driving accidents. However, most parents don't know how to approach the issue of not drinking with their kids. Drinking may be perceived as the "cool" thing to do, and the parent can't argue with their child's want to be cool. The influence about not drinking and giving into peer pressure has to start before a kid hits high school. If the first day of freshman year is the first time you talk to you kid about drinking or other issues, it is already too late.


No matter how you define drunk driving, driving with alcohol or drugs in your system is dangerous. Statistics from the National Traffic Safety Administration show very clearly that you are at a much higher risk of accident or death (as are those around you) when there is ANY alcohol present in the blood stream. It is best to live by the mantra "buzzed driving is drunk driving." Get alcoholics anonymous works designated driver, call a cab, sleep it off. But don't get onto the road after you've had anything to drink.

One of the most common causes of drunk driving is the trouble in recognizing the intensity of your impairment after drinking a generous amount of alcohol. Nobody can really tell you just how drunk you are if everybody's having a good time just like you. Alcohol can set your reflexes back and weakens your reasoning power by tricking you into believing you are still perfectly able to drive and that your motor skills are unaltered.

drunking and driving The first three steps are designed to help a member recognize that they are not the most powerful force in the universe. They will be asked to first understand that their life has become unmanageable and that they are powerless over alcohol. Next they will understand how this other power could restore them to sanity. Finally, the member turns himself over to this newly found "higher power".

Look for an attorney who is compassionate to your situation. It can be a very emotional time for you, and aside from the paper work, sometimes what you really need is for someone to listen, someone who will help you stay positive throughout the draining process of filing a claim. When you have an attorney who can stay upbeat and help you see the light at the end of the tunnel, it not only helps your frame of mind - it also helps you in your recovery.

After the meeting I was talking to a friend who had been in the program for a long time. I mentioned the disruptive member, saying someone should have kicked his butt out of the meeting.

From day one, members of alcoholics anonymous witness tolerance in action. Any given meeting may represent a huge swath of humanity. Members are likely to see white and black people at an AA meeting. That same meeting may be made up of men and women as well as people from a wide variety of religions...or no religion at all. All types of professions are represented. One meeting may have a laborer, a business owner, a housewife and a lawyer. Where else is this type of diversity represented?


There are A.A. meetings held in almost every major metropolitan city. In some locales meetings are held daily, while in others they are held once a week. Anyone who feels they have a problem controlling their alcohol consumption is encouraged to attend a meeting. They aren't required to participate and can instead listen as the group's leader addressed those present. During many meetings people in attendance will share their individual stories and will be offered support by others.

Alcohol also affects your vision for a short time. with the increase in level of BAC, night vision and perception of depth get affected. As depth perception worsens, it would become difficult to judge the distance of objects on the road. In addition, double or blurred vision is commonly associated with drunk driving because eye muscles are unable to work with precision and focus on objects.

A night of drinking may seem innocent and fun. However, getting behind the wheel after drinking beyond our limit is completely irresponsible and disrespectful. The man who nearly ran over me had no thought about who he may be affecting by his drunk driving. Well, alcoholics anonymous works affected mine that evening.

drunking and driving It is important to recall here that lawyers are not wizards. This means that if you are guilty, there is no lawyer that can save you from getting the punishment. If you have driven while drinking and have injured someone in the process, there is no escaping the situation. If someone's life has been at stake, you cannot get away just by paying a fine. People think that lawyers can save them from any situation, even when it involves taking away someone's life. The truth is that you need the help of a lawyer even if you cannot escape punishment or penalty.

For many "hopeless" alcoholics around the world this message is literally a lifeline that has the potential to save their lives, restore them to sanity, and allow them to be happy, joyous and free.