Thanksgiving Eve Biggest Drinking Night: Free Cab Rides in Metro Detroit

METRO DETROIT, MI — It’s so drunk out on Thanksgiving Eve that the Urban Dictionary defines it as “Black Wednesday.” College kids come home from school for the long weekend, get together with their friends and revel in what for many has been their first taste of independence. They get gloriously drunk, and they will talk about it for years.

We’re not judging, unless you get behind the wheel of your car and try to drive. That’s stupid, so don’t do it, and if you do, it’s not us looking down our noses that you should be worrying about. Your judge has a gavel, sits behind a big bench, and has the power to flatten your wallet, put you in jail and send your insurance rates into the stratosphere.

Take a cab.

Again this Thanksgiving Eve, the ride is on Christensen Law under its “Safe Ride Home” program in Oakland, Macomb, Wayne and Washtenaw counties. Southfield lawyer Dave Christensen offered the service for the first time a year ago, and 125 Thanksgiving Eve partiers called cabs and rideshare services, then received $35 vouchers to pay for the rides from the law firm.

Police Are Everywhere On Long Thanksgiving Weekend

• Michigan State Police will be out on “high visibility” campaign on Thanksgiving Eve.

Christensen has subsequently offered the program on other major holidays associated with drinking, both to limit the carnage on the highways and to get people to think about designating a driver or make arrangements to get home any time they’re going out drinking.

“It presents a tremendous opportunity for people to have a great time, and get home safely without a second thought,” Christensen told Patch last year.

A longtime auto accident attorney, Christensen is familiar with what happens when people make the decision to drive when they’ve had too much to drink. He shared the story of a young honors student who died after experiencing college partying for the first time who was a passenger in a car driving the wrong direction.

“The family deteriorated after that,” Christensen said.”The marriage didn’t work out. The siblings moved away. It destroyed the family not to mention the really promising life, and the person driving went to prison.

“I’ve seen so many lives destroyed by drunk driving,” he added, “and this seems like a real easy way to make a small dent.”

How Safe Ride Home Works

If you’ve had too much to drink on Thanksgiving Eve, just call a cab or Uber to take you from the bar to your home. Pay for the ride that night and get a receipt. The next day, simply email a copy of your receipt along with a copy of your driver’s license to saferidehome@davidchristensenlaw.com to receive a reimbursement of up to $35.

Restrictions

• Offer is good on Nov. 23 – 24, 2016, from 7 p.m.-4 a.m.
• You must be at least 21 years old.
• Maximum reimbursement up to $35, good for a one-way ride to your home.
• Receipts must be received by Christensen Law by midnight on Nov. 28, 2016 to be eligible for reimbursement.
• Ride must be within Wayne, Macomb, Oakland and Washtenaw counties.
• Provider of ride must be a licensed taxi company or Uber.
• Email a copy of the official taxi company or Uber receipt along with a copy of your valid driver’s license to saferidehome@davidchristensenlaw.com OR send those materials via U.S. mail to Christensen Law Safe Ride Home, 25925 Telegraph Road, Suite 200, Southfield, MI 48033.
• Call Christensen Law at (248) 213-4900 for more details.

Photo: Is this you and your friends on Thanksgiving Eve? Take a cab. (Photo by Jenene Chesbrough via Flickr Commons)