American people's reactions to seatbelt and drunk driving rule from 1980 are hilarious in retrospect

With the way the world is functioning today, many people are grateful for different laws that maintain order in society. There is almost a law for everything, from murder and theft to even offending people based on sentiments and other values. These laws are required, given the freedom many have. When it comes to rules about drinking and driving, there is a strict law almost everywhere that the same is prohibited and a punishable offense. While many people are used to this law and know it like the back of their hands, the 1980s people had different reactions, as shown in a viral video posted by a page titled California Nostalgia (@cali_nostalgia) on TikTok.

The DUI (Drinking Under the Influence) Law was set up years ago and today, it has become a necessity and is religiously followed. The many incidents, accidents and other tragic news due to drinking and driving have raised awareness among people to follow the rules. However, the people of the 1980s found it rather difficult to deal with the idea that they could no longer smoke or consume alcohol while driving. The video that has gone viral on several social media platforms captured the grievances people expressed about the DUI law. The clip shared the voiceover of a news report. The anchor revealed the mass reaction by saying that restricting people from drinking is “downright undemocratic.”

People were so accustomed to casually opening a can of beer in their cars that when the law was enforced they felt like a right was being taken away from them. Many believed the law was out to take away their liberty and force them to comply. A man in a video, presumably a local, shared his views. He seemed rather aggravated by the then-newly enforced law. "It’s kind of getting communist when a fella can’t put in a hard day's work, put in 11 to 12 hours a day, and then get in your truck and at least drink one or two beers,” he said. Then they took a woman’s opinion who also thought that enforcing drinking and driving rules was a rather harsh and “communist" move. She said, “They're making laws where you can't drink when you want to, you have to wear a seatbelt when you're driving. Pretty soon, we're going to be a communist country."

Their opinions clearly give away the contrasting differences between mindsets, lifestyles and many other settings between the 1980s and today. While the law then may have been a precautionary measure, today, DUI laws and the compulsion for seatbelts are a dire necessity all over the world. While people commented on different platforms with vivid perceptions and opinions, TikTok received quite a few comments. @justinsandley1 said, “If only they knew then what we would become now.” @kneadakock said, “Different world we used to live in.” @dynablast said, “A different country back then, better in most ways, not this one, of course.” @jeslaf0 said, “These people would lose their minds if they saw what was happening in the world today.”