Experiences involving girls and alcohol.

yawha

I've been reading the threads on the new UK RCC poster surrounding consent and alcohol. I agree with the premise of the posters, that guys shouldn't feel that it's ok to take advantage of girls who are drunk, and that girls should not feel that they are in any way to blame if raped when drunk.

However, a number of posters seem to suggest that it should be relatively easy to tell if someone is too drunk to give consent or not. I tend to disagree for two reasons:

• People react differently to drink, and it's very possible to seem pretty lucid and in control, when in fact, you're hammered and won't even remember what's happening the next morning.
• In any situation where drunken hookups happen, the guy is probably going to be pretty drunk too, lessening his ability to determine that the girl is with is able to give consent.

It reminds me of an experience I had relatively recently. I was in a club, pretty drunk, and kissing a girl for most of the night. We were talking, she mentions maybe going back to hers afterwards, everything was going pretty well. The suddenly, one second we're kissing, the next she pulls away, leads me over to a seat, sits down and passes out. I spot my friend and get him to keep an eye on her while I go look for her friends, who I find and who run over to her. I walk over after and her friend spins around and starts screaming at me and pushing me away. I leave the club. The next morning the girl texts me asking had she taken anything, and that her friend insists she was spiked. The insinuation was obvious.

I was extremely freaked out by this, and can't help thinking what accusations might have come my way had her passing out been delayed like an hour longer and I'd gone home with her.

I'm wondering if anyone else here has had any sort of similar experience? Not knowing how drunk a girl you were hooking up with was, false accusations or insinuations towards you as a result?

Dravokivich

Had a similar experience 2 years ago...

It wasn't a girl I was interested in getting with, but she was a friend of my younger brothers and she was in a terrible state. Meself and another guy I knew to see from my area were helping her home and we were stopped by guards.

You know the drill... 2 blokes, carrying a girl that's passed out...

Well, ended up they drove her home, which saved me a 10 minute walk hauling her through Clondalkin.

But it was quite uneasy for meself and the other bloke becuase people kept on passing comment about it, expecting the worst of our intentions.

mathepac

Dravokivich wrote: »

... It wasn't a girl I was interested in getting with, but she was a friend of my younger brothers and she was in a terrible state. ... But it was quite uneasy for meself and the other bloke becuase people kept on passing comment about it, expecting the worst of our intentions.

This may be classified as off-topic, but anyway ...
@Dravokivich fair play to you and your pal for helping the girl, but in future you might bear this in mind :

In order to ensure that someone who is "in a terrible state" from drink and / or drugs and / or an unknown medical condition gets the best treatment, call the emergency services who are trained and equipped to deal with him\her, and to get them appropriate medical attention.That safeguards the person in distress.

In order to safeguard yourselves from accusations of wrong-doing of any kind, ensure as best you can that at least one of the Good Samaritans is the same gender as the person in distress. Give the emergency services all the information you can when they show up and then withdraw, knowing you have done some good and cannot come to any harm yourself as a consequence.

Well done.

ScouseMouse

A good few years ago (before got married), on the beer in the local and someone I knew hooked up with a lassie out with her sister. The sister went home to have a session with her hubby "on the kitchen sink". Yer man and girl came back to my place for more drink.

She was all over him and locked, "I really fancy you" etc etc. all while she was necking a bottle of blue smirnoff

Anyway, him and her started making out on my living room floor and I started watching television;). Eventually he walked home and I put her in a taxi.

Two weeks later, bumped into him in the pub and she was saying her drink was spiked, practically abducted, she didnt know where she was etc etc. I gave him my number as a witness and got a call after from a guard.

I put them right and she was MORTIFIED.

I suppose I should be glad the bit she could remember included the part where I did not get involved !:)

Dravokivich

mathepac, cool man, but she was just tired with drink, nothing more than that.

dixiefly

superscouse wrote: »

A good few years ago (before got married), on the beer in the local and someone I knew hooked up with a lassie out with her sister. The sister went home to have a session with her hubby "on the kitchen sink". Yer man and girl came back to my place for more drink.

On the kitchen sink!

I havent lived.

i am sure your mate stayed away from her in future.

LegacyUser

A while ago I was out with my gf. She got too drunk so I left with her in a taxi. On the journey back the taxi driver was asking me lots of questions and essentially insinuating that I was up to something untoward with her. At the time I was both mortified and furious that he thought I was up to something. But looking back on it, while it was not nice to be accused, he was looking out for her welfare so I do appreciate his concern.

ToxicPaddy

I worked in the bar trade for 8 years when in school and college and learned long ago to avoid even chatting to girls who are in such a state as its just not worth the hassle.

I even turned down a girl who I was mad into and when she made serious advances towards me one night because she was simply too drunk. Turned out we ended up getting together after that when she was sober anyway

I have heard of many cases of girls accusing guys of rape after the 2 of them spent a night together simply because one of both of them were so out of it on drink, they could remember what happened even though there were numerous witnesses to them molesting each other in or outside clubs, at parties etc.

One of them was a good family friend and would be the most mannerly, down to earth caring guy you could ever meet. Eventually it turned out the accusation was groundless but the whole experience completely broke the guy. He left his job, moved away and hid away from the world for ages afterwards.

The girl in question had made the same accusation no less than 4 times in the past about different guys :mad:

Not all girls will do that, far from it, but you could be the one guy in the whole club/pub/party who could end up with the one girl who would.

My 2c, avoid at all cost. The consequences could be serious.

amacachi

Ended up heading out the other night in a group of people I mainly didn't know (long story :pac: ) and there was a girl there that I knew me or one other person would end up getting with. Once I saw her with a couple more drinks I made sure it wasn't me. I ended up having a good night's craic, other guy had to sit with her for an hour and a half while she bawled her eyes out. :pac:

There was one girl I was really good friends with who tried to get with me one night, said the next day she must've been spiked and I believed her. Few years later exactly the same thing happened but this time it wasn't a party and they'd only been drinking before I got there. Colour me cynical on the topic.

I had a girl start shifting me while I was asleep. Unpleasant but I went with it.

Some day a sober girl will find me attractive. I really dislike hassle so getting with a girl when on a night out doesn't generally appeal to me.

Galvasean

When I'm out n' about I make it my business to avoid overly drunk women, mostly for reasons stated above.
I mean 1) it's not worth the potential accusations etc. 2) It wouldn't feel right scoring a girl less sober than I. It's just taking advantage pure and simple isn't it?

To that end, I generally try to avoid getting overly plastered when out in case my judgement fails me and I end up in such a mess.

Azureus

I was out of it one night (spiked while abroad, but thats not the issue-people tend not to believe a girl when she says that anyway, I've gotten into it on here before) and my boyfriend had to carry me because my legs went dead. There was a language barrier so it got quite dodgy as he carried me through streets asking for help with a group of lads about to kill him for 'taking advantage' of a girl, threatening to call the guards etc. Id say it scared the crap out of him tbh-but in hindsight we both appreciated the fact that people didnt turn a blind eye to it. Ive seen similar situations at Oxegen and places where groups of lads are carrying passed out girls clearly with other intentions (obviously also reported to security). Situations with drunk or incoherent members of the opposite sex are definately best avoided!
I remember a taxi driver explaining to me why he had a camera in his car-he had an incident with a drunk girl passed out in the back of his taxi who woke up after dozing off in the back claiming that he had assaulted her. Dangerous stuff!!

Samich

What are non drinkers supposed to do?

ToxicPaddy

Samich wrote: »

What are non drinkers supposed to do?

Not everyone gets in that state, just avoid the ones that do.

I've had many a long perfectly coherent sensible conversation with members of the opposite sex on nights out well into the evening.

Try doing that with someone who barely knows their own name as they are so full of drink.

Just avoid these ones and you'll be fine

Snowie

Dtupidly drunk women annoy me I usually tell them to bugger off...

eire-kp

Lat October I was out for a night out in a small town in the west, Anyway after the club myself and a mate were away with two ladyfriends and by the time they left we ended up having missed our bus home so we decided to start walking for the other end of the town on the small chance we might meet a car we knew.

Anyway the place was deserted (typical small town at night) and was pouring rain..we were soaked.
On the other end of town we bumped in to a girl I kind of knew with a 50yo man.
She was completely out of it and he explained that he seen her staggering around in the road outside his house and had went out to help.

I remember thinking it was brave of him because to be honest it didnt look great!
After talking to him I realized he had been to school with my father and he was just being kind...fair play to him.

Katgurl

I was the drunk girl in this scenario! I can fall asleep anywhere anytime and am slightly prone to sleepwalking etc. Add alcohol and it gets even worse.

I was at a houseparty of my friends boyfriend and only knew a few people. The night had gone late and pretty messy and people were starting to fall asleep in living room. Never one to miss an opportunity for a nap I grabbed a blanket and snuggled into corner with guy I had been kissing for last couple hours. We both fell fast asleep.

Fast forward a few hours I wake to turn frantically to him and enquire why I am starkers beside him in a room full of people. He bursts out laughing and shrugs his shoulders and scavenges around to find my clothes in a pile beside me. Clearly in my efforts to get comfy I've stripped as I always sleep naked. I leave pretty early the next day as I'm hungover to f&&k but I get his number first intending to text him in couple of days.

Unknown to me the next few days are torture for the poor guy as my friends boyfriend and his mates decide to torment the bloke by telling him that I am furious about waking up naked, am blaming him for all, making wild claims about drink spiking and talking about going to the police. They all think it's hilarious watching him squirm and defend himself "I didn't do anything to her, I swear". B@st@rd$.

Galvasean

Katgurl wrote: »

Unknown to me the next few days are torture for the poor guy as my friends boyfriend and his mates decide to torment the bloke by telling him that I am furious about waking up naked, am blaming him for all, making wild claims about drink spiking and talking about going to the police. They all think it's hilarious watching him squirm and defend himself "I didn't do anything to her, I swear". B@st@rd$.

^^ That's seriously messed up.

Cavehill Red

AFAIK, something like 70% of women who attend the rape clinic at the Rotunda are significantly impaired by alcohol. Equally interestingly, not once have they ever found traces of Rohypnol in anyone's system, despite the prevalence of people claiming to have been spiked.

Galvasean

^^ Are there other substances that can be used for spyking?

ToxicPaddy

A female work colleague of mine seems totally incapable of going out for one two drinks. She always ends up completely plastered and barely able to stand upright.

On many nights me and one or two other colleagues end up carrying her to a taxi and sending her home accompanied by one of our other female colleagues as sending her in a taxi in that state on her own wouldn't be the wisest thing to do for her or the taxi driver as I wouldn't like to put anyone in that position.

Cavehill Red

Galvasean wrote: »

^^ Are there other substances that can be used for spyking?

I'm no expert on that, but I understand a full drugs screening is par for the course when they do the bloods in a rape case.

ToxicPaddy

Cavehill Red wrote: »

I'm no expert on that, but I understand a full drugs screening is par for the course when they do the bloods in a rape case.

I have no doubt some scumbags out there have found other ways.. :mad:

Cavehill Red

ToxicPaddy wrote: »

I have no doubt some scumbags out there have found other ways.. :mad:

Why would they bother when so many women are prepared to drink themselves into incapacity?

ToxicPaddy

Cavehill Red wrote: »

Why would they bother when so many women are prepared to drink themselves into incapacity?

Only they know their reasons for it but unfortunately it does happen.

Cavehill Red

ToxicPaddy wrote: »

Only they know their reasons for it but unfortunately it does happen.

It does happen, rarely. And there is no evidence of it happening in this country, or at least, in the greater Dublin area. Now, it's true that Rohypnol does pass through the system relatively quickly, but you would think that if it was being used at all in town they would have seen it at least once by now, and they haven't.
Sad to say, but a lot of women will drink far beyond sense, and then become so blootered that the next day, regretting or possibly not even remembering what they did while drunk, they will state that they were roofied. And they almost definitely weren't.
Now, I freely accept that it's likely different in other parts of the world. But we remain in shocking denial about our dysfunctional relationship with alcohol in this country, to the extent that people literally cannot accept that alcohol and alcohol alone is often the sole cause of many of their troubles.

Galvasean

The whole spyking thing I find hard to gauge. You always hear stories about "Oh X was spyked last weekend so we had to go home early!", but from experience I've encountered so many people who say they were spyked as an excuse to cover up that they got plastered. Sometimes I have to take people (lads and girls) aside and tell them, "You didn't get spyked, you just got hammered from drinking a litre of vodka!"
It's a bad culture we've developed where people use 'being spyked' as an excuse for their excessive drinking. It makes others very skeptical when hearing of people getting spyked which in itself is dangerous as legitimate cases may end up being dismissed. I know myself whenever I hear a story of someone being spyked my first reaction is not, "That's horrible!", but "Really?".

ToxicPaddy

Cavehill Red wrote:

It does happen, rarely. And there is no evidence of it happening in this country, or at least, in the greater Dublin area. Now, it's true that Rohypnol does pass through the system relatively quickly, but you would think that if it was being used at all in town they would have seen it at least once by now, and they haven't.
Sad to say, but a lot of women will drink far beyond sense, and then become so blootered that the next day, regretting or possibly not even remembering what they did while drunk, they will state that they were roofied. And they almost definitely weren't.
Now, I freely accept that it's likely different in other parts of the world. But we remain in shocking denial about our dysfunctional relationship with alcohol in this country, to the extent that people literally cannot accept that alcohol and alcohol alone is often the sole cause of many of their troubles.

Galvasean wrote: »

The whole spyking thing I find hard to gauge. You always hear stories about "Oh X was spyked last weekend so we had to go home early!", but from experience I've encountered so many people who say they were spyked as an excuse to cover up that they got plastered. Sometimes I have to take people (lads and girls) aside and tell them, "You didn't get spyked, you just got hammered from drinking a litre of vodka!"
It's a bad culture we've developed where people use 'being spyked' as an excuse for their excessive drinking. It makes others very skeptical when hearing of people getting spyked which in itself is dangerous as legitimate cases may end up being dismissed. I know myself whenever I hear a story of someone being spyked my first reaction is not, "That's horrible!", but "Really?".

I completely agree wholeheartedly with both statements. The whole drinking culture in this country is completely messed up. I was never a big drinker, didnt really start drinking until I was 18, even then you could count on one hand how many times I drank in a year. Now, yes I love to go out for a few sociable pints and the odd occasion, I go a bit mad, but never to extent that I don't know where I am or what I am doing.

Yet for as long as I can remember, there are always guys and girls I went to school or college or work with seem to have one sole purpose on a night out and thats to get completely and utterly bladdered drunk and if they don't, they see the night as a complete waste.

I just never understood that mindset..

Slksht

My brother got spyked before on a night out. I've seen people drunk, people so plastered that they cannot stand etc. In fact, i've seen one poor chap who was so drunk that he died from alcohol poisoning

This was different. My bro was rambling, talking so fast you couldn't hear a word and dribbling all down his chin. He was shaking and his eyes were rolled out the back of his head. I've never seen alcohol alone cause suck a reaction!

I think it's important to rmemeber that spyking does not = rohypnol. One can be "spyked" by any drug which can cause serious health risks. Whilst I largely agree with the skeptical consensus of the thread, it's very important not to assume all cry wolf. If someone is that bad, do not always assume it is them having drunk too much. You may have to consider the emergency services in some cases....

Cavehill Red

Slksht wrote: »

My brother got spyked before on a night out. I've seen people drunk, people so plastered that they cannot stand etc. In fact, i've seen one poor chap who was so drunk that he died from alcohol poisoning

This was different. My bro was rambling, talking so fast you couldn't hear a word and dribbling all down his chin. He was shaking and his eyes were rolled out the back of his head. I've never seen alcohol alone cause suck a reaction!

I think it's important to rmemeber that spyking does not = rohypnol. One can be "spyked" by any drug which can cause serious health risks. Whilst I largely agree with the skeptical consensus of the thread, it's very important not to assume all cry wolf. If someone is that bad, do not always assume it is them having drunk too much. You may have to consider the emergency services in some cases....

I'm not doubting your story, but was your brother's blood tested for substances? If so, what came up? The symptoms you describe, while rare, are consistent with severe alcohol poisoning in some cases.

Slksht

Cavehill Red wrote: »

I'm not doubting your story, but was your brother's blood tested for substances? If so, what came up? The symptoms you describe, while rare, are consistent with severe alcohol poisoning in some cases.

I don't believe he was tested. I am fairly sure he went to the doctor the next day but I was younger at the time and kept somewhat out of the loop. This happened not too long into the night I believe so to have drunk that much alcohol would be quite a feat!

Must ask my other brother the outcome of the story and report...

Cavehill Red

Slksht wrote: »

I don't believe he was tested. I am fairly sure he went to the doctor the next day but I was younger at the time and kept somewhat out of the loop. This happened not too long into the night I believe so to have drunk that much alcohol would be quite a feat!

Must ask my other brother the outcome of the story and report...

I'd like to support what you said about seeking medical assistance, incidentally. And it is certainly possible that people have been spiked with things like cocaine which react very badly indeed with alcohol. But you might be surprised how quickly people can get messy drunk. I once saw a lad go from sober to roaring his head off and projectile vomiting in 40 minutes, burying a bottle of whiskey.

bfocusd

I was at an xmas party a few years ago and one of the women is 'unique' to say the least, I heard she doesn't drink as she becomes extremely aggressive so she was totally sober this night, we were all drinking and I bought her a sprite, she was outside and she poured it out but kept the glass?? (she thought I'd spike her, I'm female to begin with and don't even smoke, never mind touch drugs, I'd have no intention at all to even consider anything like that as my friend lost her baby after her lemonade had being spiked in a restaurant).
Anyhow the night went on and one lad in particular got pretty drunk, we sat him over beside us and gave him water to drink, and he eventually fell asleep, after a while people started to leave and the rest of us were at the bar, the guy was in the seat just behind us still asleep. Then one of the lads turned around and noticed the woman on top of him, we all looked then me and another girl went over and told her to get the f*ck off him, she was literally humping him and eating the face off him! The guy woke up and panicked and pushed her off him, he was in total shock, and she stood there totally sober like she did nothing wrong, and tried to say he wanted her and he made a pass. I was not impressed and she was told to leave.

This woman is near 50 and as I said before unique, if she had have taken advantage of him I've no doubt in my mind he would have been accused of something, or she would have gotten pregnant or something.
The lads wound the guy up but it did get to him and he was lucky we kept him around us, he's also quit drinking since then.

After that I was very cautious of this woman and she did several other things at parties or in work which hit a nerve with me, she tried to record our conversation and used to take photos when you least expect it.

My point being totally sober but still dangerous!

Katgurl

Galvasean wrote: »

Katgurl wrote: »

Unknown to me the next few days are torture for the poor guy as my friends boyfriend and his mates decide to torment the bloke by telling him that I am furious about waking up naked, am blaming him for all, making wild claims about drink spiking and talking about going to the police. They all think it's hilarious watching him squirm and defend himself "I didn't do anything to her, I swear". B@st@rd$.

^^ That's seriously messed up.

I know!!! I rang him immediately and put him straight when I heard, I thought they were a serious shower of pricks for it. He kept saying sorry and he really didn't know what had happened, I felt so sorry for him especially as I wasn't even too bothered as I'm used to the sleeping debacles and everyone else was passed out so the only person who knew about it was him. I'd only decided wait a few days to text him as a) didn't wanna look overly keen and b) was pretty embarrassed.

RacoonQueen

I was out with a friend about a year ago. We were out drinking together and had been at a table alone in a pub, getting drinks brought to us by the floor stff. Anyway, yer one is a bit desperate to find 'the one' and wasn't impressed she didn't find a guy to chat to in the pub so started chatting lads up in burger king, to no prevail, so I was walking her home and was going to ring a taxi from her place. Walking down baggot street and she starts chatting to some randomer walking on his own. Of course she fancied him (she fancies all of them) and we somehow ended up back at his while I waited for my taxi. He got bored of waiting for my taxi and went to bed alone and she soon followed him up. Anyway, I walked out once I knew she was OK and got myself in a taxi. Few hours later I get woken by my phone ringing - the guards looking for her because she didn't go home the night before and her mother was terribly worried (whole other story). I finally got through to her on the phone and she tells me she thinks she was spiked she was lying on his bathroom floor.

She wasn't spiked, she's just an idiot and can't handle her drink. Once she realised she was stupid enough to go home with a lad she picked up on the street she tried to drop the blame on someone else... :rolleyes:

Worst part is, she told me that night that someone tried to rape her before, and still she went home with some chap she picked up on the street.

The Princess Bride

Cavehill Red wrote: »

Why would they bother when so many women are prepared to drink themselves into incapacity?

Exactly- not rocket science, but if the effect of alcohol means the girl possibly doesn't remember a thing -but- was 100% ok with what ever happens/happened,then noone can prove otherwise.

Worked with a girl once who presented to a GP only to have 12 week pregnancy confirmed.She genuinely could not remember anything but looking back at the approximate dates,the only thing that stuck in her memory was the night she passed her final exams and she'd gone out and got plastered drunk.
She kept the child,who must be almost 20 now. Sad to say there's a guy out there who's a dad and doesn't know;and a young adult who'll never know her dad.
One of many ,I'd imagine.

The Corinthian

I had a chat with a doctor who works in a hospital A&E some time back and she told me they regularly get ossified girls in on weekends who's friends swear blind have drunk spiked drinks. According to her, she had not come across a single case of a spiked drink - at least not spiked unless you include beer, wine, alco-pops, drinks such as Aftershock and, of course, vodka & Red Bull.

Oh, and lest I forget, vast quantities of all of the above - mixed.

To a certain extent, I get the impression that people do look for excuses to avoid responsibility for their own irresponsible behaviour and this has been further exasperated by the media. Ireland, like the UK, has a culture of binge drinking and this is the sort of thing you'll get without anyone spiking any drink.

Of course, to avoid this danger we could just introduce prohibition to be sure. Unfortunately, were we to do that in Ireland, it would be akin to genocide; reproduction would just stop...

LightningBolt

The Corinthian wrote: »

I had a chat with a doctor who works in a hospital A&E some time back and she told me they regularly get ossified girls in on weekends who's friends swear blind have drunk spiked drinks. According to her, she had not come across a single case of a spiked drink - at least not spiked unless you include beer, wine, alco-pops, drinks such as Aftershock and, of course, vodka & Red Bull.

Oh, and lest I forget, vast quantities of all of the above - mixed.

To a certain extent, I get the impression that people do look for excuses to avoid responsibility for their own irresponsible behaviour and this has been further exasperated by the media. Ireland, like the UK, has a culture of binge drinking and this is the sort of thing you'll get without anyone spiking any drink.

I've had pretty much the same thing said to me by a couple of A&E doctors, one of them said they've come across two people being spiked (one guy, one girl) but the vast majority it's people who've drank far too much.

drkpower

The Corinthian wrote: »

I had a chat with a doctor who works in a hospital A&E some time back and she told me they regularly get ossified girls in on weekends who's friends swear blind have drunk spiked drinks. According to her, she had not come across a single case of a spiked drink - at least not spiked unless you include beer, wine, alco-pops, drinks such as Aftershock and, of course, vodka & Red Bull.

+1
People dishonestly claim 'spiked drink' on occasion when they are embarrassed to admit they got plastered.
They also genuinely claim 'spiked drink' on occasion when they have an unexpected reaction to an amount of drink that would not usually get them totally plastered. It is amazing that people are still surprised that a person can have a massively different reaction to the same amount of alcohol, depending on various factors.

amacachi

drkpower wrote: »

+1
People dishonestly claim 'spiked drink' on occasion when they are embarrassed to admit they got plastered.
They also genuinely claim 'spiked drink' on occasion when they have an unexpected reaction to an amount of drink that would not usually get them totally plastered. It is amazing that people are still surprised that a person can have a massively different reaction to the same amount of alcohol, depending on various factors.

And that the same amount can affect the same person in massively different ways in different circumstances.

Sonics2k

drkpower wrote: »

+1
People dishonestly claim 'spiked drink' on occasion when they are embarrassed to admit they got plastered.
They also genuinely claim 'spiked drink' on occasion when they have an unexpected reaction to an amount of drink that would not usually get them totally plastered. It is amazing that people are still surprised that a person can have a massively different reaction to the same amount of alcohol, depending on various factors.

Oh gods tell me about it.

I worked as a doorman on quite a few occasions, and have actually lost count of the amount of times girls (mainly) have claimed this.
Nothing to do with the fact they've been downing glass after glass of vodka and tequila.

-Toppy-

I was at a house party once were my can of beer got a large whallop of absinthe put into it (without me knowing it).After which I downed the can in one go. 30 mins later I am falling through hedges and having no idea where I am

Does that count as a spike

Galvasean

amacachi wrote: »

And that the same amount can affect the same person in massively different ways in different circumstances.

Tell me about it. I went out to the pub a couple of weeks ago and got wobbly drunk on 4 well paced pints. Went out on Stephen's Day and drank 8 or 9 beers plus some spirits and wasn't half as bad.
there are a lot of variables most people dont seem to realise. Tiredness, how much you've eaten, what you've eaten and general health can all significantly impact how much drink you can hold.

amacachi

Galvasean wrote: »

Tell me about it. I went out to the pub a couple of weeks ago and got wobbly drunk on 4 well paced pints. Went out on Stephen's Day and drank 8 or 9 beers plus some spirits and wasn't half as bad.
there are a lot of variables most people dont seem to realise. Tiredness, how much you've eaten, what you've eaten and general health can all significantly impact how much drink you can hold.

Even then, when you think everything's identical it can go completely differently. Atmosphere matters hugely as well in several ways. Talking to a few different people it seems I'm not the only one who remembers the club but don't remember getting home, apparently it's to do with "the air hitting ya" :pac: Even aside from that I used to have a few bottles of whiskey every week in a mate's, no problem. I can't imagine having 20 doubles in a pub and still be completely fine.
The other night actually I'd lobbed 7/8 cans into me before heading out, grand, bumped into a coupla people in a pub before a club, felt my drunk face kick in. :pac:

minidazzler

-Toppy- wrote: »

I was at a house party once were my can of beer got a large whallop of absinthe put into it (without me knowing it).After which I downed the can in one go. 30 mins later I am falling through hedges and having no idea where I am

Does that count as a spike

Yes it does. That's probably the main way people are truly spiked, a double or triple instead of a single when they are already tipsy.

That said, how did you not notice there was absinthe in it?

Insect Overlord

-Toppy- wrote: »

I was at a house party once were my can of beer got a large whallop of absinthe put into it (without me knowing it).After which I downed the can in one go. 30 mins later I am falling through hedges and having no idea where I am

Does that count as a spike

Similar story here. Was drinking cider in a late bar in town. Left my pint with my friends when I went to the jacks. The same friends poured the dregs of every spirit they could find lying around into the glass while I was away. 20 minutes later I was redecorating the footpaths outside. Who needs enemies, eh?

livinginkorea

Is this 'spiking' a relatively new thing? When I was drinking about 10 years ago never had anybody around me or in college mention it or hint at it. Worked as a barman too and never heard or saw anything like that.

drkpower

livinginkorea wrote: »

Is this 'spiking' a relatively new thing?

Its been around for years, or at least people have been claiming their drink has been spiked for years - certainly remember the claim being made well over 10 years ago - i think it took off in the popular imagination when rohypnol got a little bit of noteriety.

You'd swear youve been living in korea or something...

(ill get my coat)

livinginkorea

drkpower wrote: »

Its been around for years, or at least people have been claiming their drink has been spiked for years - certainly remember the claim being made well over 10 years ago - i think it took off in the popular imagination when rohypnol got a little bit of noteriety.

You'd swear youve been living in korea or something...

(ill get my coat)

Not for much longer thank Christ!

(Oh and I lived all my life until I was 24 in Ireland)

Villette

I think it's dangerous for health officials to say that rohypnol, and therefore spiking, is never seen in Ireland as it could really put girls off being tested if they suspect spiking...I know a lot of girls do tend to throw around the term instead of taking responsibility for their drinking, but saying that spiking doesn't exist won't encouage people to drink more sensibly.
Also like other posters have pointed out spiking can seem more innocent that dropping rohypnol in someone's glass. I had a friend - female btw - buy me double vodkas and tell me they were singles and then pour a shot into my drink as I was getting too drunk to notice. It was my worst night ever, luckily nothing happened, but she just thought it was hilarious the morning after as I don't like to get drunk. I think spiking by topping up alcohol is common enough...

Galvasean

Villette wrote: »

I think it's dangerous for health officials to say that rohypnol, and therefore spiking, is never seen in Ireland as it could really put girls off being tested if they suspect spiking...

By saying rohypnol has not been documented in Ireland is only telling the truth. The alternative would be to lie about it to keep people 'on their toes' which could be interpreted as panic mongering - akin to those viral emails people would forward you a couple of years back (falsely) claiming along the lines that people are being spyked with some new drug that causes permanent sterilization. The emails often name dropped well known establishments indicating that they may well have been started with malicious intent to harm said businesses. The old adage, "A lie can make it half way across the world before the truth ties its shoelaces".

Villette wrote: »

I think spiking by topping up alcohol is common enough...

I agree with this though. Although to be honest I think most of it is done by friends 'for the laugh' not realising how irresponsible and dangerous it could actually be.
I think stronger distinctions between spyked with a drug like rohypnol and spyked with extra alcohol need to be made public knowledge as there seems to be much confusion as to which one people refer to when the topic arises.

Villette

Galvasean wrote: »

By saying rohypnol has not been documented in Ireland is only telling the truth. The alternative would be to lie about it to keep people 'on their toes' which could be interpreted as panic mongering - akin to those viral emails people would forward you a couple of years back (falsely) claiming along the lines that people are being spyked with some new drug that causes permanent sterilization. The emails often name dropped well known establishments indicating that they may well have been started with malicious intent to harm said businesses. The old adage, "A lie can make it half way across the world before the truth ties its shoelaces".

That's true, and I don't think they should lie and say that it has been documented when it hasn't, but at the same time I think thay shouldn't be implying that it can't happen. They probably don't mean to imply that but I just think that reporting on the statistic without warning that it can still happen does imply that...for some people anyway.
I think it's still important for people to be concerned about leaving drinks unattended, and also that girls (or guys) should not be laughed at for wondering if they have been spiked. Also just because it hasn't been documented does not mean it doesn't exist, it's not like all sexual assaults are reported.

Also, with regards the capacity to give consent when drunk, I just remembered a scary thing I overheard in college once. I heard two girls chatting about the weekend; it was the usual it was so great, 'I don't remember anything' type of story. One of the girls then said that another friend told her she had come across her and this guy she had been kissing in a room alone. The girl was passed out and he was trying to take her clothes off but the friend stopped him....the girl was telling this story like it was hilarious and then said something like, she should have left us because he was really hot....I don't think people are really aware of the issue of consent, and attitudes about girls bringing it on themselves because of drunkeness and clothes (which I hear regularly from females, not just males) are actually damaging girls' notions of consent. I imagine that girl might have felt quite differently about the situation if her friend hadn't chanced upon them.