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Behind a DUI
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Jan 25, 2018 00:35:21   #
Basil Loc: New Mexico
 
I was driving home from town tonight after a long day replacing the water pump on my daughter-in-law's Pontiac Gran Prix. I live about 30 miles east of where my DIL lives. As I was driving on a small state road, I found myself behind a small pick up truck that was weaving from side to side and was changing speeds from fast to very slow, etc. I was pretty convinced the guy was very drunk. Either way, he was a danger on the road.

I called the county dispatch and gave them all the info (license plate, type and color of truck, location, etc.) When I first called them, we were a good 9 miles from my home town. Unfortunately, buy the time we got to my town, I had seen no cops anywhere. I remained on the phone with dispatch and followed the guy past my town, as we headed towards the next town, 10 miles further east, the county dispatch for my county handed me over to dispatch for the next county. They were able to get a cop stationed a few miles ahead and I told the dispatch that I was turning on my Emergency flashers so the cop up ahead would know it is the truck in front of the car with the flashers.

It worked. Within a mile, I saw the cop parked on the other side of the road waiting and as soon and I saw him turning around to follow the truck, I backed off. The cop did follow him for a mile or so, then obviously saw that same thing I saw and on came the Christmas lights. No idea what the final outcome was, but I felt I had to make sure this guy was checked out. We have too many deaths from drunk drivers in my state.

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Jan 25, 2018 00:40:59   #
jayd Loc: Central Florida, East coast
 
Good job

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Jan 25, 2018 00:47:16   #
Murray Loc: New Westminster
 
Good move!!

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Jan 25, 2018 01:07:30   #
mas24 Loc: Southern CA
 
This is a problem in every State. Just worse in some States. You can call police, just as you did. Many of traffic deaths in California are drunk drivers on highways driving on the wrong side. Speeding, sometimes with headlights off. And create a head on collision. Causing death. What irritates me, is that the drunk drivers always survive the collisions, while others in the front seat of the other car do not survive. Even with air bag inflating. I'm not sympathetic to any drunk driver. Period.

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Jan 25, 2018 01:22:08   #
Basil Loc: New Mexico
 
mas24 wrote:
This is a problem in every State. Just worse in some States. You can call police, just as you did. Many of traffic deaths in California are drunk drivers on highways driving on the wrong side. Speeding, sometimes with headlights off. And create a head on collision. Causing death. What irritates me, is that the drunk drivers always survive the collisions, while others in the front seat of the other car do not survive. Even with air bag inflating. I'm not sympathetic to any drunk driver. Period.


Several years ago, one of my neighbors lost his entire family - wife and three little girls when a drunk driver got on the highway going the wrong direction. There is a three cross monument at the spot where his family was taken from him.

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Jan 25, 2018 01:30:17   #
RichJ207 Loc: Sammamish, WA
 
Years ago, we followed an erratic driver a few miles down the freeway, off an off-ramp, through some city streets and eventually to a residence. At that point the driver pulled over to the curb and rear-ended a parked car. Hopefully he also owned that car.

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Jan 25, 2018 01:33:32   #
Basil Loc: New Mexico
 
RichJ207 wrote:
Years ago, we followed an erratic driver a few miles down the freeway, off an off-ramp, through some city streets and eventually to a residence. At that point the driver pulled over to the curb and rear-ended a parked car. Hopefully he also owned that car.


One time when I was on a business trip to Huntsville Alabama, I saw an erratic driver and called the cops. I followed they guy until the cops had him pulled over. In this case, the guy was a diabetic as was having an issues and trying to drive himself to the hospital. Calling 911 would have been a much better choice.

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Jan 25, 2018 03:20:47   #
Hangingon Loc: NW North Dakota
 
[ I'm not sympathetic to any drunk driver. Period.[/quote]

During a jury duty question session I said the pretty much the same thing and surprisingly was not selected.

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Jan 25, 2018 09:25:49   #
blue-ultra Loc: New Hampshire
 
My retirement job at which I work part time is the state coordinator for the ignition interlock program. I deal with people who have been convicted of DUI/DWI all day every day. After a year or two with the interlock device in their vehicle most will never do this again, then there is the 10 to 15 percent that keep me awake at night. Be safe out there, be viligent keep a safe distance from others, these will increase you chances. Support candidates for office that will be strong on these types of offenses.

Here in NH and in most other states we have reduced the deaths by 50% over the past two decades, but, still too many dying on the road needlessly... Our stats show that 30 to 40 percent of these crashes are alcohol and/or speed related. Think about that! national numbers are about 10,000 people die annually as a result of drunk driving.

Thank you for what you did last night you may have saved a life.

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Jan 25, 2018 10:52:50   #
Basil Loc: New Mexico
 
blue-ultra wrote:
national numbers are about 10,000 people die annually as a result of drunk driving.

Thank you for what you did last night you may have saved a life.


10,000 should lost each year - that's more than three 911 events each year. Let that sink in.


From CDC: "Every day, 28 people in the United States die in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver. This is one death every 51 minutes. The annual cost of alcohol-related crashes totals more than $44 billion."

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Jan 26, 2018 07:58:13   #
machia Loc: NJ
 
Basil wrote:
I was driving home from town tonight after a long day replacing the water pump on my daughter-in-law's Pontiac Gran Prix. I live about 30 miles east of where my DIL lives. As I was driving on a small state road, I found myself behind a small pick up truck that was weaving from side to side and was changing speeds from fast to very slow, etc. I was pretty convinced the guy was very drunk. Either way, he was a danger on the road.

I called the county dispatch and gave them all the info (license plate, type and color of truck, location, etc.) When I first called them, we were a good 9 miles from my home town. Unfortunately, buy the time we got to my town, I had seen no cops anywhere. I remained on the phone with dispatch and followed the guy past my town, as we headed towards the next town, 10 miles further east, the county dispatch for my county handed me over to dispatch for the next county. They were able to get a cop stationed a few miles ahead and I told the dispatch that I was turning on my Emergency flashers so the cop up ahead would know it is the truck in front of the car with the flashers.

It worked. Within a mile, I saw the cop parked on the other side of the road waiting and as soon and I saw him turning around to follow the truck, I backed off. The cop did follow him for a mile or so, then obviously saw that same thing I saw and on came the Christmas lights. No idea what the final outcome was, but I felt I had to make sure this guy was checked out. We have too many deaths from drunk drivers in my state.
I was driving home from town tonight after a long ... (show quote)

You just might have saved someone’s life including his own .
Many cops among my family and friends and they have all witnessed the needless tragedies of drunk driving . You should be commended .

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Jan 26, 2018 08:28:58   #
insman1132 Loc: Southwest Florida
 
Well done! Good Citizenry!

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Jan 26, 2018 09:22:18   #
Bloke Loc: Waynesboro, Pennsylvania
 
Basil wrote:
10,000 should lost each year - that's more than three 911 events each year. Let that sink in.


From CDC: "Every day, 28 people in the United States die in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver. This is one death every 51 minutes. The annual cost of alcohol-related crashes totals more than $44 billion."


With a human cost which is incalculable... If I take out my gun while drunk, and kill someone with it, I would be charged with murder. Getting behind the wheel drunk should be treated just the same. Nobody *has* to drink, and nobody *has* to drive. If for some reason you *do* have to do one or the other, then just don't do the *other* one! Seems kinda obvious to me, but...

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Jan 26, 2018 09:24:28   #
Cykdelic Loc: Now outside of Chiraq & Santa Fe, NM
 
Basil wrote:
I was driving home from town tonight after a long day replacing the water pump on my daughter-in-law's Pontiac Gran Prix. I live about 30 miles east of where my DIL lives. As I was driving on a small state road, I found myself behind a small pick up truck that was weaving from side to side and was changing speeds from fast to very slow, etc. I was pretty convinced the guy was very drunk. Either way, he was a danger on the road.

I called the county dispatch and gave them all the info (license plate, type and color of truck, location, etc.) When I first called them, we were a good 9 miles from my home town. Unfortunately, buy the time we got to my town, I had seen no cops anywhere. I remained on the phone with dispatch and followed the guy past my town, as we headed towards the next town, 10 miles further east, the county dispatch for my county handed me over to dispatch for the next county. They were able to get a cop stationed a few miles ahead and I told the dispatch that I was turning on my Emergency flashers so the cop up ahead would know it is the truck in front of the car with the flashers.

It worked. Within a mile, I saw the cop parked on the other side of the road waiting and as soon and I saw him turning around to follow the truck, I backed off. The cop did follow him for a mile or so, then obviously saw that same thing I saw and on came the Christmas lights. No idea what the final outcome was, but I felt I had to make sure this guy was checked out. We have too many deaths from drunk drivers in my state.
I was driving home from town tonight after a long ... (show quote)


Good call, Basil. Not enough people will make that call, but you’re right.....it could be daily in NM!

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Jan 26, 2018 09:42:24   #
Bultaco Loc: Aiken, SC
 
DUI's are a leading cause of accidents, phones are now leading.

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