That really doesn't sound that bad
seriously. By your own admission you had a functioning father who looked after you, and whose infrequent benders were prompted by traumatic events like y'know his best friend dying, losing his job and watching his mother die of cancer.
( Amberl was stripey and dominated Europe, Sat 26 Feb 2011, 14:41, 2 replies)

^this^

( The Awful Puppy Bakery is still bored, Sat 26 Feb 2011, 23:58, closed)

^^double this^^
.
(haberman is singing in the changes, Mon 28 Feb 2011, 14:29, closed)

or to put it another way
so your father's response to traumatic events was to drink beyond the point he could prevent himself frightening his kids, damaging the home and risking his own and others' lives by drink-driving. Tough - suck it up (/sarcasm). I think piss-head's about right.
(sarcastic fringehead feet of clay, buns of steel, head of lettuce, Mon 28 Feb 2011, 15:41, closed)