• Hey Guest!
    British Car Forum has been supporting enthusiasts for over 25 years by providing a great place to share our love for British cars. You can support our efforts by upgrading your membership for less than the dues of most car clubs. There are some perks with a member upgrade!
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Upgraded members don't see this banner, nor will you see the Google ads that appear on the site.)
Tips
Tips

When you find yourself behind a DUI

Share this page

Basil

Basil

Administrator
Staff member
Boss
Offline
I was driving home from Albuquerque tonight after a long day replacing the water pump on my daughter-in-law's Pontiac Gran Prix. On east-bound Rt66 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 either very drunk or very tired. 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 Edgewood. Unfortunately, buy the time we got to Edgewood (about 30 miles east of Albuquerque), I had seen no cops anywhere. I remained on the phone with dispatch and followed the guy past Edgewood, as we headed towards Moriarty, 10 miles east of Edgewood, the county dispatch for Santa FE country handed me over to dispatch for Torrance country. 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 guys was checked out. We have too many deaths from drunk drivers in my state.
 
You may have saved some innocent people from being hurt. Good job.
 
Bravo to you for doing that - especially that you spent time to make sure something actually got done.

I think most folks just want to "get past this guy" when they see someone driving like that. My parents used to say they wished they drove a Sherman tank, so they could somehow force the whacko drivers off the road.

TM
 
NutmegCT said:
Bravo to you for doing that - especially that you spent time to make sure something actually got done.

I think most folks just want to "get past this guy" when they see someone driving like that. My parents used to say they wished they drove a Sherman tank, so they could somehow force the whacko drivers off the road.

TM
Click to expand...

I'm a little anal retentive when it come to bad or aggressive drivers. I have no reservations about calling the cops and giving them a description or license plate when I can.

From CDDC Web site: "In 2015, 10,265 people died in alcohol-impaired driving crashes, accounting for nearly one-third (29%) of all traffic-related deaths in the United States."

There were 2977 victims on 911. The number of DUI-related deaths in 2015 then was nearly 3 1/2 911 events. Let that sink in.
 
Many years ago we were visiting my in laws in Perris and got behind one of those on 395. Slowed way down, went onto shoulder, car shook on gravel, moron jerked his head up, hit the gas, accelerated from right shoulder towards median, let off, drifted back to the shoulder...and this went on for 5 miles until we could get off the road to another that would get us the same place.
Mobile phones then were the oddity, not the norm, and few had them, so we could not call it in.

I lost a brother to a drunk, and I have no time for that idiocy.
 
Texting while driving is probable almost as dangerous if not more so. Talking on your phone is not the same as talking to a passenger in the vehicle.

We also have Pot drivers to contend with now.

Stay alert for the fools out there.

David
 
I have read (and 95% of all internet based statistics are made up) that "distracted driving" is far, far more deadly and accident causing than drunk or impaired driving.
 
Glad to hear that they got him.
Most times,like with what happened to us,
is that the cops don't catch them.
 
I've called in a few "air strikes" myself. Plenty of inept drunk, high, distracted, impatient and/or angry drivers in my neck of the woods. It is both a joy and a relief to watch the patrol swoop in upon the offenders. We have plenty of two lane roads and many head on collisions due to unsafe passers. Seems like every week a fatality or two. All of our routes to "the valley" are dangerous corridors of death....Keep up the good work.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top