Seriously ****** off - been threatened with the police by college.

Shock

Shock

Shock

Associate
Joined
28 Sep 2004
Posts
1,279
Right, I’ve just got back from college and I’m not happy, sorry if it's slightly long winded.

One of my tutors said she wanted to speak to me about some late work, fine. I went in, sat down and listened to what she had to say. She basically started having a go, which again, was fine, but then she brought something up:

I was told she wanted to see some work first thing in the morning. She "suggested" I don't go out tonight (because she "knows" how I like to go out on a Thursday night). At this point she told me that, if I drive to college "over the limit" again she "WILL get the police involved".

Now some background information. About two weeks ago I went out on a Thursday night to Worcester for a friend’s birthday. Whilst writing this I’ve remembered where I went and what it was I drank that night, and a rough guess to the time I did so. I can remember because I wasn't off my face, and also I never buy much in clubs because of the prices.

Half pint Stella, half bottle Smirnoff ice - 8-9ish
Pint Stella, Smirnoff ice - just before 10
2 of those dirty cheap shots - just after 10
Pint Stella - before 11
Some girly drink, VK or WKD - just after 11 (was in a club at this point, so no more drinks)

Set the scene, I was a bit merry, dancing away in this club until the early hours. Go home, crawl out of bed in the morning and drive to college a few minutes before nine. I felt a bit rough, not much sleep and probably dehydrated. When I got to college I was a couple of minutes late and the class had been let in. This same tutor asked why I was late (by about 4 minutes :/), so I apologised and said I was out last night and got up a bit late.

Some time later in the lesson she came over and spoke to me about something, and then commented on how she could "smell the booze on me", did I know I was "over the limit to drive" etc. Not much was made of it then until now.

So now I've been threatened with the police.

I don't make a habit of going out drinking the night before college; in fact this is the first time in the last six months. I’m also not some sort of trouble maker in case you think so. Yeah I’m a bit lazy and come in late occasionally, but don't most students? I’m also very quiet in lessons.

When she angrily told me this, I really had to bite my tongue. She then went and got the head of department involved and both of them were having a go. I asked her how she knows what I’d been drinking, and at what times and how she knew I wasn't fit to drive. I was then accused of lying by suggesting I wasn't over the limit.

So there’s my rant. I’m not sure if I was over the limit. I drank nothing after 12, so had 9 hours drink free. I don't understand how the system thing works so maybe someone here knows? What she could probably smell was those shots I had. It's like when you wake up the morning after and can still taste the aniseed at the top of your mouth.

Where do I stand with this? Calling me a liar? I felt like telling her **** off. I’m quite concerned at their attitude towards me. Some of my tutors do some very unprofessional things (but that’s got nothing to do with this) for people on 40k+ a year. It's taken me forever to do this post too. :(

Opinions please.
 
Tell her to call the cops, if you are confident you are in the right then you'll pass a breath test and she'll shut up.

MB
 
Say to her: "I could sue you for slander, now prove I'm over the limit or shut up."

Works every time.

If she's stupid enough to accuse with no evidence, then she's probably stupid enough to walk into that trap.
 
By the sound of it, her tone and getting the Dept head involved was probably a bit ott, but tbh mate you were probably still over the limit the next morning.
 
If you are driving to college smelling of alcohol then she has every right to harrass you about it, it's completely unacceptable whatever the reasoning or irregularity. If she's made a mistake and you genuinely know that then it's a non-issue and you wouldn't be posting about it in the first place.
 
It may seem like she was poking her nose into your business, but I can see her point of view. IF you make a habit of coming in every so often stinking of drink I can see why she's pee'd off. She's putting the effort into teaching you and you return the favour by handing in work late and coming into class unfit to study.

If one of my colleagues drove into work stinking of drink, I'd have a word with them as a concerned friend but if they continued to make a habit of it I would most likely report them to the police, even though I would feel like a numpty doing it.

Of course, if yo ustink of drink you're not necessarily over the limit but all the signs say that you are.

Try to see things from her point of view, it might make a bit more sense then.

If this post comes across as condescending, please don't take it as such. I'm only trying to present my view of things from a different perspective :)
 
Cueball said:
Say to her: "I could sue you for slander, now prove I'm over the limit or shut up."

Works every time.

If she's stupid enough to accuse with no evidence, then she's probably stupid enough to walk into that trap.
Click to expand...
Threatening a slander lawsduit doesn't work every time. For a start, anyone that knows anything about defamation law is going to point out :-

1) It's only slander if communicated to a third party. So depending on what was said to the department head, that might qualify, but saying it to Shock certainly doesn't.

2) There has to be damage done to reputation, and how do you assess what, if any, damage is done by this?

3) Defamation actions are VERY expensive, because they tend to be complex.

4) If it happens to be true (and it sounds like there's certainly an element of truth in it), it isn't defamation.


To be honest, 3) is enough to indicate it's a bluff, unless shock is wealthy enough to throw several tens of thousands of pounds at his lawyers.

Threatening a slander suit is more likely to evoke laughter than fear. :)
 
Scuzi said:
If one of my colleagues drove into work stinking of drink, I'd have a word with them as a concerned friend but if they continued to make a habit of it I would most likely report them to the police, even though I would feel like a numpty doing it.
Click to expand...
err considering what your job is, shouldn't you do a bit more than that?
 
Cueball said:
Say to her: "I could sue you for slander, now prove I'm over the limit or shut up."

Works every time.

If she's stupid enough to accuse with no evidence, then she's probably stupid enough to walk into that trap.
Click to expand...

Why would anyone want to do that? You want to get along with people at your college. Lots of people do! She's not picking on you for no reason. Get that childish idea out of your head, don't come in smelling of this or that, get your work done, and stop feeling like it's someone else's fault.
 
Get a job you god damn tax dodger...






Just ignore her, do the work and keep your head down...
What I do at college...
 
Well whilst i probably would have reacted with a "go stick your head back up your ******* ****" type response (as i did when i was a college many years ago) she has a point, if you stink of booze and have had a heavy night then you probably are over the limit, and smelling as you probably did is fairly anti social.

My advice is let it go, clean your act up and dont be such a muppet - if you are possibly over the limit get the bus, walk or somthing and dont go to college in a state, its not nice for anyone around you!
 
Sleepy said:
err considering what your job is, shouldn't you do a bit more than that?
Click to expand...

I was speaking from a more neutral point of view. Most of my colleagues have the sense not to touch drink the night before, although any that do have a hint of a smell of drink (considering the aviation alcohol limit is a quarter of the driving limit) are told to go home, usually before they sit down at the console.
 
next time she does it just tell her to phone the police prove you werent over the limit and then she'll shut up, bet your bum when she was younger she was being pulled up by people for the same thing

i once got threatened by my school with the police, i said go ahead, ring em, get em in, they soon made their excuses and that was the end of it :D
 
Firstly, I have absolutely no sympathy for drink drivers, if you are drink driving then you deserve all you get and more.

However, if you are under the limit and fit to drive then you have nothing to worry about. If the college make threats about getting the police involved, just laugh. Personally, I love the feeling of vinication, and would love to see their faces when you pass the breath test. I would then submit a formal complaint for harassment.

But, this would be cured if you took college seriously and didn't go drinking on a weeknight. It is so easy to be over the limit in the morning and this can mean the difference between life and death.

Burnsy
 
Next time tell her to put her allegations in writing. If she is not prepared to do that then suggest she keeps her mouth firmly shut.

If someone accuses you of breaking the law when you have not, you must stick up for yourself.
 
burnsy2023 said:
Firstly, I have absolutely no sympathy for drink drivers, if you are drink driving then you deserve all you get and more.

However, if you are under the limit and fit to drive then you have nothing to worry about. If the college make threats about getting the police involved, just laugh. Personally, I love the feeling of vinication, and would love to see their faces when you pass the breath test. I would then submit a formal complaint for harassment.

But, this would be cured if you took college seriously and didn't go drinking on a weeknight. It is so easy to be over the limit in the morning and this can mean the difference between life and death.

Burnsy
Click to expand...

Difference between life and death having slept for a good 6-7 hours after going out on the lash ? :confused: You must seriously have some low tolerence or your liver must be in spain if you get that affected.

Hell, I used to go out on a monday night get smashed beyond belief and then drive to school the next day (3 hour drive), after having about 6 hours sleep... if anything I felt far more attentive ! Rags me off how you can still get done the morning after due to a technical legality. You ever had a drink and woke up the morning after?

IMO the only reason why i'm not too fussed about the law is because anyone could say they were drinking 8 hours previous , even at night time. :shrug:
 
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