7 Years 68 days - Los Retardo7 Years 68 days - Los Retardo
I'm Quitting Alcohol
David Boyle recounts a chaotic drive through Madrid, complete with confusing traffic lights, police sirens and broken Spanish. The story sits inside his ongoing sober journey, showing how everyday mishaps play out when alcohol is no longer in the picture.
9:46•22 Jul 2026
Red Lights, Broken Spanish and a Sober Tourist in Madrid
Episode Overview
- Sobriety doesn’t remove chaos; it makes you present for it and able to tell the story clearly.
- Making an effort to speak the local language can soften tense encounters with authorities.
- Foreign traffic systems and rules can be confusing, so extra care is needed when driving abroad.
- Speeding and ignoring parking rules may feel casual at the time but can lead to significant fines.
- Humour and self-awareness can help turn stressful mistakes into manageable experiences.
“I am a dumb tourist but I’m trying, that’s the act I was trying to pull.”
Curious about how others navigate their sobriety journey? This short, chaotic slice of David Boyle’s day shows how life after booze can still be wild, just in different ways. In this episode of *I’m Quitting Alcohol*, Boyle shares a fast-paced story about driving through Madrid, wrangling a manual car, and accidentally blowing through a red light with a police car right behind him.
The style is exactly what regulars expect: raw, unfiltered storytelling with plenty of swearing, self-deprecation and observational humour. Boyle talks about feeling like “a dumb tourist giving it a crack” as he struggles with right-hand stick shift, confusing traffic lights and Google Maps that “takes me wherever the fuck it wants to.” It’s not a clinical recovery chat; it’s a real person trying to live life sober and still getting himself into ridiculous situations.
You’ll hear about his favourite grungy Madrid neighbourhood, the tension of being pulled over, and his split-second decision to throw out his best broken Spanish to avoid a fine. One standout moment comes when he sums up his tactic with the cops: “I am a dumb tourist but I’m trying, that’s the act I was trying to pull.” His wife questions why he didn’t just speak English, but a friend backs him up, saying locals appreciate the effort.
For people in recovery who like short, daily check-ins rather than long interviews or heavy education, this episode keeps things light while still sitting inside a bigger sober journey. It’s less about craving or relapse and more about how everyday mishaps feel when you’re no longer drunk, just present for all the chaos. If you’re into honest sobriety stories told with sharp comedy and plenty of swearing, this playful Madrid misadventure might be exactly what you need today.
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