We’ve heard the campaign slogan many times: “Friends don’t let friends drive drunk.” But what if your friends are also drunk…because – like you – they’re partying hard on vacation and don’t want to miss out on the opportunity for a good time.
It’s a common situation that many tourists find themselves in – whether in Hawaii or another vacation spot. Walking may not be an option nor would taking the city bus, since only a few run in the early morning hours. So how do you get back to your hotel?
Of course, there’s always the option of calling a cab. Hawaii has many taxi companies familiar with the hotels around the island. In fact, some – like Charley’s Taxi – have free smartphone apps. Charley’s app provides speed-dial connections to the 24-hour dispatch and reservations for the airport, as well as phone numbers to more than 200 visitor locations. A version of it is also available for Japanese speakers. The number is: 808-233-3333.
Another plus to calling a cab? They’ll help you get your car back to your hotel, too. A handful of Hawaii cab companies provide an escort driver when you call for a ride. The escort follows the cab you’re in, getting you and your car back safely.
According to Arrive Alive 24-7 Hawaii – a designated driver-vehicle retrieval service in the islands – about 85-percent of surveyed drivers say they chose to drive drunk because they didn’t want to leave their car behind or have to come back the next day for it. The program started in 2011 and works similarly to the cab’s vehicle retrieval service. The number is: 808-688-8872.
During peak-partying seasons, like New Years Eve, AAA offers free rides to members. Tipsy Tow, as the program is called, gets people home safely in a limited number of states. Hawaii is among the participating states, servicing the major islands of Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the Big Island. The number is: 1-800-AAA-HELP.
