Politician Keen to Bring Back “Road Beers.”

Beers on the go can be a beautiful or chaotic thing. The effects of the beers that you skulled in the backseat of an Uber that your friend paid for can last hours in town, and eliminate the problem of sobering up before you’ve even hit the dancefloor. Timed poorly, you can end up facing the terrifying reality of a warm beer, or worse still, missing that beautiful beery buzz that can ascend you to peak drunkenness on a night out. Simply put, a beer on the move can streamline the process of achieving something while getting drunk, but can also have disastrous consequences.

The general consensus is that alcohol and heavy machinery are probably not the best combinations. It’s not that hard to get your head around: if you’re drunk, don’t drive. Even though having open alcohol in a car is allowed in some states, there are no federal laws regarding the issue. Some states, such as Queensland, don’t allow alcohol in cars at all, as it counts as a public place.

A politician from Montana in the US is on the humble quest to bring “road beers” into public discussion again. A new bill seeks to lift the open alcohol container ban for passengers on Montana highways.

While drivers won’t be able to crack a frothy on the open road just yet, critics say that more relaxed laws could tempt drivers into drinking while driving. While it’s easy to argue that most drivers would have enough self-control to make the right decision, I’m not sure I could say no to a cold one while stuck in 3km of congested traffic.

The bill’s sponsor, Republican House Representative Daniel Zolnikov, disagrees. Zolnikov reckons that it’s like saying “Designated drivers shouldn’t go to bars in case they’re tempted to have a drink. Where is the self-responsibility? This isn’t allowing for people to drink and drive, it’s allowing a passenger to have a beer.”

The fight to enjoy a beer anywhere is a worthy cause, but it remains to be seen whether mankind has enough self-control to have the nectar of the gods in front of us, without being able to touch it. I mean, there are people out there who match on Tinder JUST so that they can pick apart every minor flaw (Looking at you Chloe). Clearly, we haven’t ascended to “Road Beer” readiness just yet.