Remember your day for the shooting

Picture the scene – it might be one you know well.

You’ve just spent the last five hours with your mates shooting challenging birds in wonderful countryside and have stuffed yourself silly with homemade currant cake, sausages and sandwiches. You’ve also had a few drinks between drives too.

As the day draws to a close, the keeper has just been tipped, the host has been congratulated and you’re now starting to think about the long drive back home.

But should you be getting behind the wheel?

I’ll sound like a jumped up junior government official, telling you not to do this and not to do that, but, even though you’ll have years of experience on me, surely the sensible answer would be – no.

Now, if you’re staying overnight at the estate it won’t harm to see in the sunset with a pint or two, what with the gun being safely tucked away and your sights set on a different kind of quarry – but if you aren’t, is it really worth risking getting pulled over by the police and breathalised because they’ve viewed your driving as erratic?

The potential consequences speak for themselves – the worse possible scenario – i.e causing an accident – is a thought, and a lifelong burden which nobody wants.

The ‘don’t drink and drive’ message will be everywhere over Christmas, and it isn’t just aimed at the office parties which will be spilling out of pubs and restaurants over the next few weeks.