Joy Godfrey
I mbibing in alcoholic beverages in times of celebration, unwinding and reward is cultural token that’s easy to cash in Santa Fe. But getting home safely can present more of a challenge. This year, the city’s lone commercial taxi provider packed it in, leaving a hole in the key component of public campaigns for drinkers to leave their cars parked in favor of getting a ride—but that can’t be a free pass for bad choices.
Making a plan is the most important part of an evening where alcohol is involved. Decide what to do before you start drinking. Ride-sharing services Uber and Lyft are both operating in the city. Plus, now there's both Rail Runner train service and city buses as public transit option.
New Mexico laws penalize establishments that "over-serve" patrons, and individual bartenders and servers also face fines for assisting in extreme drunkenness that leads to crimes. So when the Draft Station or Rowley Farmhouse Ales tells you they've got a drink limit that they want you to respect, do that. Don't be embarrassed to ask for help getting home. Even the bouncers at Cowgirl will lend a hand to keep you and the rest of us safe.
Remember, there's really no "legal limit" for drivers here; instead the law establishes a "presumed level of intoxication." That means if cops can demonstrate that your blood-alcohol concentration was .08 or higher, you're guilty. But it also means if you're "impaired to the slightest degree," you can face conviction—even if it took just one drink. And penalties for even first-time convictions of driving while intoxicated are serious business.
Just. Don't. Please.
