(Possibly) Drink-driving mates, what would you do?

I have just been out to the pub with a long-standing mate. When the pub chucked out, I caught him in his car (which he had driven to the pub car park) trying to drive away with another mate (not a friend of mine, a mate by association) to go back to said mate-by-association's flat for the night. I immediately stopped my mate and said something along the lines of "Where the F**k do you think you're going, you're not driving anywhere!!". At that point, my mate and his passenger got out, locked the car and started walking with me, in the direction of the local takeaway. The three of us stopped and got a kebab etc, and walked out of the place and said our goodbyes.

I am fairly (85 per cent) convinced that my mate and his passenger have made their way back to the car and driven the 5 min journey back to the mate-by-association's house. Normally this mate would stay at my place (in walking distance) but I told him he couldn't tonight (for various reasons).

I now have a dilemna, should I say anything to my mate the next time I see him, given that I can't prove anything, or should I let the matter go, for fear of wrecking a 10+ year friendship?

[G]

If he drives for a living or 100% has to use his car to get to work, then remind him of that. As he will be banned if caught for a fairly long time.

Otherwise I would say let him face the consequences....but then if he killed someone else......well you would forever hold yourself for reposible for not saying something.

Tell him to stop being such an *******!! If he has any common sense, he will understand.

Or next time you go out on the razz, get another of your mates to get some cheap flashy blue lights, ask him to hang around in the car park, then if your mate drives off, get him to follow with the lights going!

May scare him enough to make him stop!

hmmm, I would ask if he drove and say he was an idiot for driving while drunk.

You wouldn't fall out over it as you are mates after all and your looking out for his well being.

I would also drop in a "if I catch you doing it again I'll shop you in" which I have said and I have not fallen out with mate. (and he hasn't done it again)

If your really good mates and seems like a long time then I think he would value your input on anything. Just talk to him about it and get it sorted, if you stop him going out and drink driving you may of saved a life, family etc. So do the right thing and sort him out. He'll thank you for looking out for him I sure.

If he's a serious mate (and it sounds like he is) he'll appreciate that yer trying to look out for him. Thats what mates are for... If something had happened to either him or someone else you would have to live with that every day going forward. So say something to him about it - he should be able to take it on the chin.

Long while back a mate of mine insisted on driving his car whilst locked. Tried to get the keys of him but we failed and he drove off. Couple of hours later he returned with the car being towed. He'd rolled it, crashed into a tree and climbed out unhurt. Got away very lucky but I swore I'd never let it happen again. Car was his pride and joy too but it was a write-off.

how drunk was he?

i would just ask him if he drove, and tell him that you do not aprove (if he did).
and leave it at that

I'd be a bit more subtle and leave this thread open on your PC when he's next at your house.

Yeah, just ask him, tell him he's an idiot. That will do!

IMO, keep it light hearted, tell him he was a plonker for wanting to drive a 5min journey in the car after a couple of drinks. If he values your mutual friendship, he'll probably either say "yeah, tell me about it, cheers for stopping us" or "nah, it was fine, nothing happened" (as in he'll be honest about it)... in which case you'll know if he did or not.

5mins (by car) is still easily walkable (even at motorway speeds - no, not walkable at motorway speeds!!). There's no excuse for drink driving, especially if it's just pure lazyness.