Utah Will the new laws in Utah impact your ski travel?

[Tricia]

I'm posting this with caution, and ask that we remain respectful and refrain from getting into a political/religious hot mess.

With the recent change in Utah laws about the DUI limit from .08 to .05, and the emphasis on cracking down on drunk driving, will you think twice about your next ski trip to Utah?

Keeping in mind that most of us drink responsibly most of the time and that many of us stay close to the slopes with little reason to drive, how much of an impact will this have on travel?

According to this article on CBS This Morning, The National Transportation Safety Board has recommended a 0.05 blood alcohol limit since 2013, and Utah will be the first state to adopt it.

My initial reaction to this was, "What? Utah is crazy strict!"
But after thinking on it a bit, I don't see a huge issue with it. Choose a designated driver, or drink where you stay. There are options. Wouldn't we all like to see safer roads? I'm there for the skiing.

 

[Sibhusky]

Now that I'm in my dotage, I rarely drink after skiing. Just if a fellow Bear shows up and wants to buy me one. In the unlikely event I went to Utah, that wouldn't change.

Now, if I was at some gathering, I know my former proclivities would engage and I'd want to party until the sun rose. But if my hotel room wasn't a short walk, I wouldn't have more than one, because since I rarely drink anymore I've become a "cheap drunk" due to lack of practice. I can be "flying" midway through the first one! So there's just never a second one unless it's a really really long dinner. (Yes, Fuller, you saw me have a second bourbon, but it was a long dinner.) I haven't had a third in well over a decade.

 

[SBrown]

I will be more likely to stay at Goldminer's, Alta Lodge, Peruvian, etc than somewhere else.

 

[bbinder]

I will be more likely to stay at Goldminer's, Alta Lodge, Peruvian, etc than somewhere else.

What she said.

 

[scott43]

Some context..in Ontario, until very recently, you could only buy beer at The Beer Store (outlet owned by beer companies) and liquor, including wine, at a provincial government-run liquor store. You can now buy wine and beer in select grocery stores but they're not easy to come by. Liquor you still have to buy at the provincial store. We've had 0.08 DUI for decades and 0.05 gets you a 3 day license suspension. So for me, business as usual. My goal isn't to go to some other country and get mad buckled and drive around.. I save the beers for the hot tub. And we sure ain't religious up here..I think it's more common sense..?

Now if they would just make texting while driving a criminal offense...

 

[Wendy]

I've got no problem with it, and wouldn't mind if that law were implemented in more states. Three of my high school students and one colleague have been killed by drunk drivers in the past 8 years or so. Drivers who are impaired often do not realize they are impaired.

When in Utah, though, I'd be more likely, like @SBrown or @bbinder, to stay at Goldminer's, etc.

I completely agree with @scott43 regarding texting while driving. I haven't looked closely at the statistics, but I believe it's just as dangerous as driving under the influence.

 

[markojp]

I'd think if a 0.03 difference would make someone consider changing their travel plans, they might want to re-evaluate their relationship to alcohol.

 

[ScotsSkier]

But with Utah beer .05 is still more than one!

 

[graham418]

.05 is on par with most of the world. Some still have .08, but some northern European countries, (Norway, Sweden , Finland) are only .02!!

 

[surfsnowgirl]

I agree with the statement above that cell phone usage is just as dangerous or more so than drinking/driving.

I come from the land of any liquor you want you can buy it anywhere and any hour you want, drug store, Trader Joes, any grocery store so it was an adjustment moving back to CT. Here there are certain hours during the day when alcohol sales are permitted and most of the booze has to be sold in package stores. You can buy beer in grocery stores but that's pretty much it. Wine and booze comes from liquor stores. Fortunately you can buy booze on sundays now but it was an adjustment. Here if you run out of something at 10pm that's it, you gotta wait until tomorrow. Although I think people who are close to the NY border have a later end time so you can make a run if need be. Given this I've gotten used to the where/when sorta things so visiting somewhere like Utah would be a non issue for me.

I've never skied Utah but wouldn't hesitate for a second to go there. I go somewhere to ski not drink. That said I like to drink but I'm basically a sipper and can make one drink last quite a while. If driving I'll just have one, otherwise I'll stay where I plan to drink. I'm usually a one or two drink kinda gal but every once in a while I like to tie one on but I'm very careful and either drink where I'm staying or make sure someone else is driving.

 

[Tricia]

@scott43 I've lived in two states where all forms of liquor were/are sold in grocery stores, liquor stores, etc.
While traveling to ski I've found many states have state owned liquor stores (or state regulated liquor stores) with limited beer and/or wine available at other locations. I don't think Canada is far off from many of the US states.

To the question in the title:
I recall a discussion on EpicSki a long time ago about someone who took one trip to Utah to ski and was annoyed by the lack of availability for a tourist to be served (not sure the beverage) while residents could be served. He was adamant that he'd never ski in Utah again, which I thought was silly.
I'm not sure when/if Utah changed that availability but I've never run into an issue with ordering a drink of any kind in Utah.

That being said, the change from .08 to .05 won't change my travel plans one bit. It may change my habits a little bit, but that isn't a deal breaker, nor will it alter how much fun I have.

 

[Monique]

Not that I usually ski outside of Colorado - but if I did, it's more likely to be Utah than anywhere else. This wouldn't change anything. I rarely drink, and I am pretty careful when I have to drive. Not because of laws, but because I don't want to be responsible for hurting anyone. I've been tipsy before while driving, and it's not a good feeling. I doubt I was even past the legal limit when I felt that.

It can be harder to gauge at altitude for sure, and that is a consideration for vacationing skiers - I had my own margaritas at A Basin Mother's Day weekend. Not really sure how much alcohol because I was pouring out of a thermos into a plastic cup a splash at a time, and that not-knowing is dangerous. I managed to get tipsy, sober up, and have a splitting headache before I even left the parking lot. But at altitude, I often get a headache pretty quickly after one margarita, so it sounds like I drank more than I actually did. I think.

I recall a discussion on EpicSki a long time ago about someone who took one trip to Utah to ski and was annoyed by the lack of availability for a tourist to be served (not sure the beverage) while residents could be served.
I'm not sure when/if Utah changed that availability but I've never run into an issue with ordering a drink of any kind in Utah.

I remember a time when you had to become a "member" to drink at a bar. Which was just signing a sheet and paying like $5 or something. I don't remember any weird requirements the last few times I've been out there. For my aunt's wedding reception, there were some weird restrictions, but that may have been at the city level.

 

[KingGrump]

I'll probably spend a good part of next season in SLC. For me, it's a non--issue.

SLC has been one of my favorite ski destinations since 1981. They have gone through quite a bit of changes over the years. I remember we couldn't get a drink at the bar unless we join a club and become a member for $5. The first two drinks were free and the membership expires after 7 days. At some restaurants, we have to go to the self service bar in the rear of the restaurant and buy whatever mixer we wanted (glass and stirrer included) and a mini bottle separately. We have to do the pouring ourselves. Yeah, it was tough back then.

 

[Started at 53]

We like to stay at ski in/ski out places, so it is not a big deal.

I am very careful of drinking and driving due to work, I can not afford to get a DUI. It would likely be the end of me working in my present employ.

But, I am ALWAYS the designated driver either when at home or on the road working. Not a problem for me.

 

[Castle Dave]

Utah is following the lead of many other jursdictions. British Columba has had penalties for >.05 for several years so if you come to BC to ski be careful of that Canadian beer.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/briti...ada-s-toughest-impaired-driving-laws-1.907832

 

[Tricia]

Another point, made by a few folks here, is that we don't tend to drink out much anyway. We usually get a ski house, have a food/liquor budget for the ski house and drink in.

 

[Monique]

I didn't realize until recently how much my attitude toward alcohol has changed. I had a get-together, and an old neighbor attended. She was shocked that I was having an event with wine and margaritas. Apparently when she lived across the street, that would never have happened.

I do remember that I was completely against drinking, let alone getting drunk, as a teen and in my early 20s. My parents got drunk plenty when I was a kid, and I didn't enjoy it. Nothing violent - just didn't enjoy the sloppiness. I guess over time, I've relaxed a bit around alcohol.

We usually get a ski house, have a food/liquor budget for the ski house and drink in.

Cheaper and better. And honestly, after a full day of skiing, I have trouble motivating to go out in the cold. Just want to eat dinner in my PJs and go to sleep.

 

[Philpug]

I rarely drink in bars for two reasons, this is one, cost is one a.

 

[Started at 53]

I rarely drink in bars for two reasons, this is one, cost is one a.

I can buy GREAT Pinot Noirs at a small fraction of what a restaurant is going to charge me.

Edited to add: And yes we are wine snobs.

If anyone likes Pinot Noir, try Winters Hill in Oregon. Great stuff, we order several cases at a time

 

[SBrown]

I'd think if a 0.03 difference would make someone consider changing their travel plans, they might want to re-evaluate their relationship to math.

FIFY. I kind of doubt that most people who have a problematic relationship with alcohol give a second thought to whether it's 0.05 or 0.08, anyway. I guess we'll find out on the Gathering roll call...

But seriously, these things are a little frustrating considering that the vast majority of fatal accidents are caused by drivers with 0.15% and up, not those who didn't wait an extra 10 minutes after that second beer. I'm fine with zero tolerance if that's what it takes, and I don't know if UT has passed other measures that go after the habitual drunk (very drunk) driver, because that's where the main issues are, but I am not a fan of window dressing. When the states all lowered to 0.08%, it did not change the fatality rate one bit. Hardly anyone has fatal crashes under 0.08% already. Spend the time and money going after the scary ones, not the social drinkers. /soapbox