Dealing with drunks on a night out
JESSICA-ANNE Lyons gives you the lowdown on how to avoid those guys (or girls) who have just had one too many on a big night out.
Ask almost any local student and they’ll tell you that Melbourne is well known for its party culture. But if you’re not used to the drinking and the late nights, it can be hard to know what to do when you find yourself confronted with an unsavoury individual who’s had one too many.
That’s where I come in. From my own and my friends’ experiences, I have concluded that there are certain stereotypes when it comes to drunk males in clubs. Not every guy will fit these categories. The majority will be super lovely and nice and I have nothing against guys or girls that drink. But if you are receiving unwanted attention from any of these guys, here are some tips.
And guys, if you’re reading this, these tricks and tips can work on unwanted female attention too!
The Overly Friendly Guy
How to identify him: Have you ever been dancing with your friends and then a guy (or two) comes up to you and randomly starts a conversation? At first you respond out of politeness, but then he just won’t leave you alone.
How to avoid them: If their topic of conversation, which is usually pretty nonsensical after a few drinks, is boring you out of your brains and you want an exit plan pronto, just pretend you’ve found someone you know in the crowd and excuse yourself. The whole point-at-a-random-and-pretend-it’s-your-friend/cousin/workmate works every time.
The Flirty Guy
How to identify him: This smooth talker will try to buy you drinks and will compliment you on your outfit/hair/make-up to flatter you into flirting back. Ironically, this always seems to happen on occasions when you have ZERO intentions of meeting anyone from the opposite sex.
How to avoid him: If you’re out with a group of friends, make a pact with one of your guy friends to be reverse-wingmen for each other. The opposite of a wingman, the reverse-wingman will pretend to be your boyfriend or girlfriend. Don’t think you have to make out or anything. Just having him put his arm around you should send the message that you’re ‘taken’ (*cough*) easily enough.
The Blind Drunk Guy
How to identify him: This guy isn’t actually blind, but he’s the one who can barely see straight because he’s likely to have thought eight shots in succession was a good idea. It wasn’t. He’ll be stumbling around and making a mess of himself, and probably be quite red in the face.
How to avoid him: These guys can be quite hazardous because they’ve obviously consumed too much alcohol to be thinking rationally. Try and stay away from him if you can and if you think he’s going to be a danger to you or other patrons, let venue security know.
The Touchy Feely Guy
How to identify him: Normally looking for a party pash, these guys will likely try and canoodle with you on the dance floor. There’s nothing wrong with a hook up on a night out, but if a guy is getting too close for your own comfort, do something about it.
How to avoid him: If a guy’s dancing is making you feel uncomfortable, let one of the girlfriends with you know and hopefully she takes the cue to grab your hand and pull you out of the crowd. Otherwise, pretend to answer a call on your phone and make a swift exit.