How to arrive alive after the Stellenbosch Wine Fest this weekend
The country’s oldest wine festival will take place over three days from Friday, 30 January to Sunday, 1 February in the lovely valley of Stellenbosch.
If you visit the festival you can taste over 200 different wines in one day – but after tasting 200 different wines you will definitely not be able to drive. Driving while under the influence of alcohol is one of the biggest threats to road safety in our country. Research indicates that 50% of people who die on the roads have a blood alcohol concentration above 0.05 grams per 100 millilitres (way over the legal limit).
So, what are your options for a safe journey home?
There is special transportation sorted for this specific event. A Park & Ride shuttle service is available from Stellenbosch High School. The Metro Rail Tourism Train departs from Cape Town station at 12h00 and returns from Stellenbosch at 17h00. For more information on this, go to the website.
Shuttle Service – There are plenty of options here, and this is presumably what most people use to and from festivals. You get different shuttle services such as private taxi’s and public shuttle services. You can also order a shuttle service for a big group of people – that way you can split the amount and it won’t be nearly as expensive as a taxi for one person.
Uber – Uber is partnering with Stellenbosch Wine Festival to make sure that all festival goers get home safe and sound. Uber is also making a promo code available especially for this event to get R150 off your first ride. Here’s how to use it:
Get a designated driver – Do you have a friend who doesn’t drink? Someone who lives close to the festival that can possibly transport you? A pregnant wife? Get someone you know to drive you, or a designated driver/ non-drinker to join the festivities of the day. There are tickets that costs R60 for persons who are attending the festival, but who will not be drinking.
Remember, it’s always better to plan ahead to avoid drinking and driving.