It’s a rare Australian adult who can’t look at the Maitland Liquor Accord’s Safer Nights Out initiative and identify one of the just-add-alcohol idiots who stalk our licensed venues.
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Right or wrong, our culture is imbibed in grog. Odds-on you’ve spotted feral beasts who get too cocky, become insufferable smart-arses, or turn too sexy (or oversexed) for their own good when they’ve had too much.
Worse still, you may recall turning into one of the grubs yourself.
It’s painful to witness, it’s humiliating to remember, but the ramifications can be far worse.
Other consequences of these unchecked alcohol-affected stereotypes are far more sinister.
Alcohol is heavily represented in incidents of physical and emotional abuse, motor vehicle accidents, pedestrian deaths and unsafe sex.
All of these will affect people far beyond the morning after and even the greasiest feed of bacon and eggs on the planet won’t set things right.
Alcohol-fuelled decisions can be truly life-changing, and we’re coming into the worst part of the calendar.
We don’t call this the silly season for nothing.
We applaud the launch of the Maitland Liquor Accord’s Safer Nights Out campaign.
It uses humour to illustrate the feral streaks that emerge under the influence, and encourages people to look out for mates who start exhibiting the tell-tale signs.
So, when you’re toasting the start of the holidays, kicking up your heels with your workmates at an end-of-year lunch, or perhaps downing a few stubbies at a backyard barby on Christmas Day – beware the signs.
If you see a friend or family member going feral, pull them aside and speak up.
They might not like it much at the time, but they’ll be sure to thank you on the other side.