HAPPY PRIDE from everyone at CCOP.

We wanted to offer you a few thoughts to help you safely enjoy the weekend and festivities safely and to the fullest.

 

PLAN, PLAN, PLAN.

 

The most important this is figure out a plan for the weekend, whether it is staying home, visiting with friends, or heading off to one of the many official parties to celebrate PRIDE.  Take some time to plan your activities and make sure it is a relaxing and enjoyable weekend.

 

TRAVELLING?

 

If you will be travelling this PRIDE weekend, consider using public transportation or one of the many alternatives such as taxi, Lyft, Uber or Homobiles etc.  They’ll probably be less stressful than trying to drive, fight through the crowds and find that elusive parking space.  Keep enough cash stashed in a safe place when you go out to grab a cab home if all else fails.

 

If you MUST drive, DON’T drink ANYTHING!  Police will be out in force to catch Drivers Under the Influence, and it’s frankly just not worth it to drink and drive.  You stand to lose much more than just your license. So if you MUST drive, stay clean and sober for the drive home.

 

SAFETY IN NUMBERS

 

The majority of people will be out to simply celebrate the PRIDE weekend, but with increased alcohol consumption often comes decreased common sense.  Have a few drinks, but DON’T get totally wasted if you are out in public.  Doing so significantly increases your chances of becoming the victim of a crime, or an act of stupidity that, at best, may land you on Youtube and at worst may land you in jail or in the hospital.

 

Party with responsible friends who look after each other, and don’t regularly end up calling you at 3am to pick them up because they’re “too wasted” to get themselves back home.  You’ll have a better time. You’ll feel better in the morning, and you’ll actually remember the celebration.

 

If one of your friends does overdo it, make sure to help them get home safely and either stay with them until morning when they are sober, or call a cab to get yourself home in similar safe fashion.  People unfortunately do go way overboard on PRIDE weekend and they often pay for it in various ways long after June is a mere memory. If you feel someone is severely intoxicated or a danger to themselves or others, call 911 and let the professionals handle it.

 

LET SOMEONE KNOW

 

If you live with family or room-mates, let them know where you are going, who with and when you expect to return.  Update them if your plans change.

 

If you meet the God or Godess of your dreams and you must celebrate PRIDE with a proverbial “bang”, snap a photo of your conquest before you head off with them and send it to your regular e-mail address and that of a buddy.  Let them know where you’re going and when you’ll contact them next to fill them in on all the details.  In this way, if anything goes awry and you find yourself “tied up” literally, or worse, the Police may have a chance of tracking you down.

 

DON’T TAKE ALL OF YOUR BLING AND GOODIES

 

You’ll be out for one incredible weekend or evening of fun, but that doesn’t mean you need to take every credit card you own, all of your most precious and irreplaceable photographs and a whole lot more cash than you reasonably need with you.  Take ONLY what you really expect to need and enough for an emergency cab stash.  Leave the rest at home.  One or two credit cards with your ID and whatever cash you expect to need should be just fine.

 

The less you take, the less you are likely to lose, from whatever cause.

 

ENJOY YOURSELF!!

 

Most importantly, enjoy yourself whatever your plans are and HAPPY PRIDE!