{"id":925,"date":"2020-03-10T18:12:06","date_gmt":"2020-03-10T10:12:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thesmartlocal.com\/vietnam\/?p=925"},"modified":"2020-09-14T21:51:31","modified_gmt":"2020-09-14T13:51:31","slug":"avoid-drink-driving","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thesmartlocal.com\/vietnam\/avoid-drink-driving\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Ways To Avoid Drink Driving In Vietnam And Still Have A Good Time At Nh\u1eadu Dinners With Friends"},"content":{"rendered":"

How to nh\u1eadu <\/em>without drink driving in Vietnam<\/h2>\n
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Vietnam\u2019s new laws that involve fines for drink driving<\/strong> have been discouraging many beer or alcohol lovers from a fun gathering with their nh\u1eadu<\/em> mates after work – after all, no one wants to get fined by traffic policemen for failing their alcohol breath test.<\/p>\n

Still, it\u2019s torturing to watch a football game with your friends or unwind at a get-together without a glass of beer or two. We\u2019ve got you covered – here are a few tips on how to have fun at your nh\u1eadu <\/em>dinner while abiding by the law and avoiding drink driving<\/strong> in Vietnam at the same time.<\/p>\n

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1. Livestream to your friends with an online Facebook watch party<\/h3>\n
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The use of technology is highly common in Vietnam nowadays <\/span>– and so are Facebook accounts from which you can host a live streaming <\/span>watch party<\/b><\/a> for your friends to join. Live streaming lets everyone in your friendlist see and comment on the same video at the same time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

All you have to do is to fix a time with your friends, who can wait for you to go on air. Simply find the video URL, post a watch party in your Facebook status, and watch your friends join you online. If it\u2019s a football night, ask your friends to watch with their homemade dinner and beer.<\/span><\/p>\n

Since the essence of <\/span>nh\u1eadu <\/span><\/i>is talking about your favorite topics and drinking at the same time, this method will do in case you and your tribe can\u2019t leave the house because you don\u2019t have late-night transportation to take you home. Plus, if you\u2019re staying at home to reduce your chances of catching the COVID-19,<\/strong> hosting a watch party will cure your need for socialisation too.<\/span><\/p>\n

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2. Alternate beers with mocktails<\/h3>\n
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This is an oddly specific suggestion, but hear us out. The alcohol content of beer is around 5%, tops, so alternating beers with mocktails <\/strong>can give you the experience of trying new drinks at a bar, but also lets your alcohol levels have time to level out before it\u2019s time to drive off.<\/p>\n

Ginger- and lime-based mocktails are widely available in Saigon bars, as are sweeter mocktails featuring cherries, lychees, and tropical fruit. Or you can ask your bartender to make you one – so they can express their creativity in a concoction you can\u2019t get anywhere else. Just remember to give yourself an hour or more between your last alcoholic drink and turning the key in your car\u2019s ignition.<\/p>\n

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3. Host a nh\u1eadu <\/em>gathering at home, or rent a hotel room after a nh\u1eadu sesh<\/em><\/h3>\n
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If you\u2019re in the mood to <\/span>nh\u1eadu <\/span><\/i>to your heart\u2019s content or overnight without worrying about the consequences, do it at someone’s home where you can lie down and rest safely until your hangover is over.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You might think this sounds far-fetched, but think about it: 5 hours in your friend\u2019s home are nothing compared to the penalty you\u2019ll have to pay, or worse, the accident you might get yourself or others into once you\u2019re too impaired to drive.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

All you have to do is get your friends together, buy a box of beer bottles, set up a giant hot pot or BBQ pit, knock yourselves out, and sleep through your hangover.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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4. Drink beer with 0.0% alcohol content<\/h3>\n
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Alcohol-free beers are those that contain less than 0.5% alcohol beer volume (ABV), which is not enough for you to feel woozy. In the wake of the newly issued law against drinking and driving, T\u1eadp \u0111o\u00e0n Bia S\u00e0i G\u00f2n B\u00ecnh T\u00e2y Sabibeco,<\/em> <\/strong>a local beer brand, has recently released its new beer line, Sagota Alcohol Free Beer<\/strong>, to satisfy drinkers\u2019 need to have fun without getting fined.<\/p>\n

Ingredients in this beer include water, malt, rice, hops, and 0.5% ABV, giving you the same beer flavor as the regular can but with a very low level of alcohol.<\/p>\n

This beer was awarded a Bronze at the World Beer Awards 2018,<\/strong> though it had not been promoted much in the past since there was little demand. Now thanks to the new law, more people are looking for low-alcohol drink options, so you can find it more easily at bars, pubs, or supermarkets in town now. You can try to order Sagota when you\u2019re in a beer bar or pub, or buy your own Sagota carton just in case you have a nh\u1eadu gathering at home.<\/p>\n

You can buy Sagota beer online here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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5. Get your own breathalyzer <\/span><\/h3>\n
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Frequent drinkers who nh\u1eadu for fun <\/em>and people in jobs that often require them to entertain guests with alcoholic drinks can invest in a breathalyzer. <\/strong>There are many local breathalyzer brands on the market, and all will let you know when your BAC level hits zero and you can start driving – so in the meantime, wait for your blood alcohol to go down before you drive. Find them online here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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The BACtrack <\/strong><\/a>breathalyzer<\/strong><\/a> (USD99-USD149) <\/strong>device integrates a smartphone app and breathalyzer to track your blood alcohol content (BAC). If the result shows that you\u2019ve had too much to drink, call a Grab, GoViet, or Be<\/a>. Since the device is small and portable, it also helps you to know whether your alcohol content exceeds the legal limit of any country you are visiting.<\/p>\n

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Avoid drink driving in Vietnam altogether<\/h3>\n
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Whether or not you are with the government on this new drinking and driving law, there\u2019s no denying that it has significantly decreased the number of road accidents these days.<\/p>\n

Nh\u1eadu<\/em> is a wholesome dining culture among Vietnamese people in itself, and there\u2019s nothing wrong about blowing off some steam over drinks. But be a responsible nh\u1eadu<\/em>-er. The only way to truly stay out of trouble is to not drink and drive, to keep yourself and your fellow commuters safe.<\/p>\n

Remember to grab a meal before drinking. Here\u2019s where to get your next eats in Hanoi and Saigon:<\/p>\n