I found that I was judged the hardest by those who have since also shown to have a drink issue.
Mary
I call these people the soap box brigade. Fortunately, in the two and a half years since my own conviction, I have only come across one person who voiced his dislike about drink drivers.
Drink driving is such an easy offence to commit, and sometimes people can commit it just through lack of knowledge if they have had X number of drinks the night before and get caught on their way to work the following morning.
I would go so far to say, that millions of adults with a driving licence, have committed this offence at least once but have never been caught! Several members of my own family, have perhaps sailed close to the wind over the years with their drinking and driving habits.
My own father, used to grace his local pub maybe once a week and have a couple of pints before driving the short distance home. I have never seen my father drunk and he very rarely drinks anyway, but even two pints of best bitter would put him borderline or just over if he was breathalysed. Fortunately, he doesn't risk it anymore.
When I did my drink driving reduction course, the trainer stated the only people who are more than justified to voice their criticism of drink drivers are the ones who have lost loved ones because of a drink driver. This is perfectly understandable.
As someone once said, the other people who have never been personally affected by a drink driving tragedy, but choose to stand on their soap box, invariby have their own skeletons hidden in the closet that they would never share with others!
I just take any criticism with a pinch of salt and don't let it bother me anymore. Human beings are not perfect and we all make mistakes, but sadly a very small number of people out there behave like the pot that calls the kettle black.
CJ