How To Stay Safe While Tailgating In Detroit
Tailgating in Detroit can be fun, but there are some steps you need to take to remain safe. Contrary to what some may think, this has less to do with crime and more to do with common sense from the tailgaters.
Designated Drivers
When it comes to tailgating, there are two common components always on hand: food and drink. And by drink I am not talking about soda pop. There is always plenty of alcohol at tailgates and this is why it is imperative that there be a designated driver if you plan to enjoy few drinks or beers.
There are a couple of mobile applications you can download for iPhone and Android phones that will calculate the blood alcohol level of an individual based on weight, the number of drinks they have had, how long it has been since they drank and their sex. The one recommended by a few different law enforcement websites is called Show Me My Buzz. This app calculates what your approximate blood alcohol level would be based on your information.
Just keep in mind that everyone is affected differently by alcohol. Those that say they are fine to drive after drinking are just fooling themselves. It is better to be safe than sorry and either lay off the bubbly or have a designated driver.
Just keep in mind that a 160-pound adult male that has had four or five beers over a two-hour period of time will be very close, if not over the 0.08 blood alcohol level that makes them impaired in the eyes of the law. Make no mistake, the police around the stadium and on the way home are always looking for drunk drivers and even if you've only "had a few," it won't make much of a difference in comparison to the breathalyzer results.
Personal Safety
Regrettably, Detroit has a reputation for being unsafe and even though most of the places you would be tailgating at are about as safe as they get, you still need to take caution. It is a no brainer to say don't leave your things unattended but it pays to not tempt fate.
When you do leave your vehicle to go to the game, make sure valuable items are not in plain sight inside the locked car. Right inside the tailgate area is super safe, but in some of the more isolated locations or on the edge of the parking areas, it would be fairly easy for an unnoticed break in.
When you are walking to and from the stadium, if that is how you get there, be aware of your surroundings. Most of the time you will know where you should or shouldn't walk and by keeping alert, you can stay out of a lot of trouble.
If all else fails, be prepared to call 911 in the event of an emergency, whether it is of a medical or criminal nature. The Detroit Police Department works hard to keep people safe, especially around the stadium, so if there is a problem, call for help.
All of these suggestions are really just common sense. Odds are, the most trouble you could get into would be forgetting your game tickets at home. So think about what you are doing, be responsible when drinking alcohol and then go out and enjoy the game.
Check out Tailgate Fan to keep the party going at tailgatefan.cbslocal.com.
Award winning freelance writer and photographer Lawrence DiVizio is based in Southeast Michigan and works to convey in words and images the world around us. His work can be found at Examiner.com.
