#ygkChallenge: Plan a Safe Ride Home

Welcome to Kingstonist’s weekly challenge, dare, resolution or whatever you prefer to call it. Each week we establish a new and ambitious community goal, encouraging our readers, followers, friends and families to step out of their comfort zones and do something great, and hopefully a little out of the ordinary. Consider this your official and personal invitation to join us in completing a small but meaningful achievement. By taking part in this community-wide initiative, we hope to make Kingston a slightly better place to live, work and play. And of course, we also hope that you will feel proud of your contribution and achievement.

This week’s challenge encourages you to:

Plan a safe ride home. Since 1997, the local chapter of Operation Red Nose has provided over 9,000 safe rides home throughout the Kingston area during the holiday season.  This impressive statistic underscores the tragic and unfortunate cancellation of the local Operation Red Nose program, which will leave many Kingstonians without their go-to, safe ride home during the coming weeks.  The program’s suspension should not spell disaster for those of us who may be planning on venturing out to enjoy a little holiday cheer this coming season.  With taxis, friends, families, pull-out couches and our own two feet all at our disposal, there really is no excuse for throwing caution to wind and getting behind the wheel after we’ve had too much to drink.  The risk and costs are simply too great to justify being pulled over and charged or worse.  But what about stopping that friend from trying to drive away after having had one too many?  Mothers Against Drunk Driving has some very helpful tips on preventing drinking and driving.  Plan ahead if your throwing a party, or talk it over before heading out with friends.  How do you plan on getting home safe this holiday season?

Sign up and commit to completing this week’s challenge by commenting below with an “I’m in“, “challenge accepted“, “en garde” or something along those lines. Further, help us spread the word via Twitter and Facebook by using the hashtag: #ygkchallenge. As you work towards completing this week’s task, please feel free to lend others a helping hand by providing tips on how you achieved success.

Photo credit to James Palinsad.