*warning, this may become ranty*

As a college student, you will hear about the "DD" a lot. "Who's the DD tonight?" "Hey do you mind being the DD?" "I don't want to drink, so I'll just DD." DD is the short term for 'Designated Driver' aka the person that protects and ensures their people get home alive and in one piece. But here is the problem. Bars want to make money. In order to make money they need to sell drinks. But then there are people who come who cannot buy drinks - i.e., underage. So they charge for them - because otherwise they Won't make money off of them. Some places are 'generous' enough to not charge for those that are over 21.

But here's the problem: not every Designated Driver is going to be 21 or over. So then, the person there that is simple there to drive people home is paying $15+ to sit around, maybe drink a coke, maybe dance a little, play some pool, to get their people home. Now some places may be good about letting DDs in for free, but I'm sure some are not, which is where my problem lies. DDs are literally there to protect that bars customers. If they don't make it home that night, they won't be back to spend more money the next night or weekend. So wouldn't it make sense to let the person who is going to work hard to ensure they get back there in for free? That's one way to look at it.

But what about looking at DDing for what it actually is. When I DD, I do it because I love them. Because I want to be sure nothing gets put in my female friends drinks that shouldn't be there. Because if something gets put in her drink without her knowledge, something else may get put in her without her permission. I'm there to protect them on the road, but also from themselves. From poor choice. From over-drinking. From flirty guys who only want one thing that might. I am not just their driver, I am their protector.

So when you look at DDing like that, it becomes more than just a ride home. One rant later and this is why I think DDs should get in for free.