I have been where your son is. I wish I had learned what I know now, sooner.

Actually it might be an answered prayer as your son might think about it next time he goes out drinking and thinks about all the possible consequences.

I doubt your son was waiting like a choir boy on the sidewalk. He was probably rough-housing and they were probably a large group, occasionally staggering into the street, being a menace to the drivers, like a child playing ball that lets it go into the street. They were probably drunk and disorderly, a different situation than mere drunk and it is not a responsible way to be, it's extremely dangerous to one's self, one's friends, and everyone around.

If a friend had staggered into the street and gotten hit by a car, your son would not have been in condition to help him. If someone got "fresh" with your friend's girlfriend, your son wouldn't have been in condition to fend him off or do anything besides make a scene. If someone were to try to rob or otherwise accost your son, he would have gotten hurt in the interchange.

It's possible too that your son and his girlfriend quarrelled about something in the club or waiting for the free ride (which isn't "free" someone sober gives up their valuable time so some drunk can be selfish and so someone innocent doesn't get hurt by the drunk's actions). She too might have been wishing he would "wise up" and have someone stronger than she was get through to him.

I don't know if your son's attitude is the same as before he went into jail for the night; feeling like he did nothing wrong, drinking to excess and encouraging his "friends" to do so too. It's not a responsible act deliberately getting drunk. Not wanting to get arrested for drunk driving, the drunk's reason for calling someone, is not the sober person's reason. I pray you and your son and his girlfriend have a talk about all this and your son quits behaviors like this sooner rather than later.