One less drunk on the road

***OBIO*** · February 5th, 2010, 22:22

Yep...just watched a guy get busted for drunk driving....and I was the guy who called the police. 45 minutes or so ago, as I was walking through the living room, I noticed a car out on the road...totally stopped, then it went up the road a little bit, then backed up, then stopped, then started moving again. I didn't think much of it....we live in the country, so assumed that the person in the car had seen some deer out in the field or was just enjoying the winter scenery.

Then about 15 minutes later, Deb called me back into the living room saying that she thought a car had gone off the road. I went and looked...it was the same car. It would go up the road a bit, stop, back up, stop, back up more, stop, go forward a bit, stop. After watching this go on for a bit, I called the Sheriff's Office. I told them I didn't know if the guy was drunk, having problems due to the heavy snow fall, having car problems or was up to no good...ya, know, casing the homes in the area.

A Highway Patrolman was dispatched....and looking through my handy dandy Tasco binoculars....I watched the guy FAIL the sobriety test. He failed big time! I saw the glint of light off the handcuffs as the trooper pulled them from their pouch and as he cuffed the drunk.

One less drunk on the road.

**Lazerbeak** · February 5th, 2010, 22:29

Now that was a satisfying story to read. Good on you, OBIO! :salute:

Thankfully you caught this man while he was just being silly in his car, and before he hurt someone. Hopefully he'll learn his lesson!

**Gdavis101** · February 5th, 2010, 22:48

There is always some satisfaction with getting a drunk off the road!

harleyman · February 6th, 2010, 01:13

GOOD..

I hate drunk drivers..

Even though years ago I was that guy !

**TomSteber** · February 6th, 2010, 04:10

Good job! We need more people like you to make that call.
A little over ten years ago, I was that guy. (Not getting arrested, but could have been on any given day.)
Today, I have no problem making that call.
And I thank God that that's not me anymore.

**kilo delta** · February 6th, 2010, 04:33

Congrat's, Obio....you have the satisfaction of knowing that you have possibly saved a life by making that call, if not the driver's then possibly some innocent bystander's.

**2Low** · February 6th, 2010, 04:34

Thank you OBIO! I wish more people would report drunk drivers.

I've never had my car license but have been driving a motorcycle for 19 years, drunk drivers terrify me. Also people focusing on their GPS, cell phone, texting, doing make-up etc. Personally I'd like to see all cars/bikes equipped with breathalyzers and cell jamming devices but thats a slippery slope.

**aeromed202** · February 6th, 2010, 05:08

Thanks for saving lives Obio

. Not only the #*%*'s, but the ones he might have maimed or killed had he figured out how to drive straight. I love grabbing these (expletives) off the road, makes my day every time.

**brad kaste** · February 6th, 2010, 06:10

What gets me are the drunks that drive have a prior record leading up to the big one,..taking out innocent victims. Usually the drunk isn't hurt after the encounter. He walks away from it.
Pretty hard to stop someone who decides to drive even though he or she have a stack of citations preventing them to be on the road. Go figure.

**stansdds** · February 6th, 2010, 07:15

Originally Posted by harleyman

GOOD..

I hate drunk drivers..

Even though years ago I was that guy !

Sadly, and full of shame, I admit the same. And that was back in the 80's when I was in college. Young and dumb... or just plain stupid.

Drunk and driving in the snow, really bad combination. :isadizzy:

Ken Stallings · February 6th, 2010, 07:22

Good job, sir!

You very likely saved his life, and possibly saved the lives of people who won't ever know you saved their's!

Reminds me of the situation I faced several years ago when my wife and I were nearly hit head-on by someone who barely missed us and then went into the ditch and hit a culvert.

I turned around to render first aid and pull him from the smoking car. He was stoned on pot!

Same result, called the cops and paramedics. Cops were smart. They allowed the paramedics to conduct a field search for injuries which the stoned man agreed to. Pulled up his sock and voila -- a dime bag of pot.

The cops standing by let fly with the handcuffs and the dude who nearly killed my wife and I is off to the county pokey!

No, I didn't think to say to the cops, "Book 'em Dano!" But I wish I had!

Ken

**cheezyflier** · February 6th, 2010, 08:17

many years ago a guy who hung out with the same crowd as i did would drive drunk all the time.
one day he hit a minivan, killing a family of four.
when the judge sentenced him to 8 yrs in prison i remember how many people who knew him that cried the blues for him.
i also remember saying wtf? he kills 4 people and gets 2 yrs each? and everyone else telling me i was being pious and judgemental.
retards

Ken Stallings · February 6th, 2010, 11:15

Retards!

Yep, that sums them up. I'll add another -- hypocrites! Their view would have changed 180 degrees if one of the four had been a family member!

Ken

**DaveKDEN** · February 6th, 2010, 11:37

I'm amazed that in this day and age folks still go out, get hammered, and then hop in a car.

Dave

**djscoo** · February 6th, 2010, 11:47

Originally Posted by cheezyflier

retards

Originally Posted by Ken Stallings

Retards!

Palin is unamused.
Attachment 29174

***OBIO*** · February 6th, 2010, 12:06

Originally Posted by djscoo

Palin is unamused.
Attachment 29174

I had that exact thought...but did not say it because I did not want to risk this thread heading down a prickly political path.

OBIO

Ken Stallings · February 6th, 2010, 12:08

Originally Posted by djscoo

Palin is unamused.
Attachment 29174

I'm not following the Palin connection.

Ken

**djscoo** · February 6th, 2010, 12:14

Sarah Palin, who has a son with Down's Syndrome has recently been outspoken against people using that word as a synonym for stupid.
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpu...use-rword.html

**Marlin** · February 6th, 2010, 12:57

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When was the last time that you heard about somebody that received there tenth DWI? “Farmington man charged with 10th DWI 01/14/2010” Another Native Indian busted.

I live in a county that has been in the top ten for DWI’s for quite awhile and I really hate that aspect of it.

It is my personal opinion that the USA should adopt some harsh penalties for driving while impaired such as; First offense you lose your license for five years and spend at least a year in jail. Second offense, you lose your license for forever and spend 10 in jail. If a person that gets caught driving without a license because of prior DWI, automatic 5 years in jail if they are not drunk and 20 if they were.

Drunken drivers killed 15,935 people in 1998 (*1) while homicides with guns were 12,102 for the same year. Drunken drivers continue to kill people randomly despite a decade of increased strictness and social pressure against drunk drivers.

We all need to do something about this problem and what you did OBIO is a great first start, thank you.

(*1) Mothers Against Drunk Driving

***TARPSBird*** · February 6th, 2010, 13:41

Marlin, I am amazed that any state would allow somebody to still be on the streets after nine DUI violations. Anybody cruising around with a .26 BAC is a lethal weapon.
DUI here in Virginia is a very expensive charge even if the offense does not involve a crash or loss of life. With fines, court costs, legal fees, and charges for follow-up probation monitoring a first offense probably costs around $5-6,000. If your license is suspended, when you get it back it will be restricted and there will probably be monthly fees for an ignition interlock on your vehicle. Your third DUI is a felony with mandatory jail time - we're talking locked up, not an ankle bracelet at home.
Filling the jails with DUI offenders will take them off the street for a while but it won't solve the problem. What might reduce the problem is to make DUI even more costly for the offenders so that on even a first offense you have to endure the hassle of HEM (Home Electronic Monitoring) house arrest for 30-90 days and mandatory loss of your license for 1-3 years.

***jmig*** · February 6th, 2010, 13:56

Originally Posted by harleyman

GOOD..

I hate drunk drivers..

Even though years ago I was that guy !

When you and I were driving drunk there were only about 1/3 the cars on the road they have today. Not that it was right or smart. Today, the chance of an accident is must worse.

***Roger*** · February 6th, 2010, 14:22

I'm glad you reported the drunk driver OBIO!

I don't know about the US but in the UK the word "retard" is only used by the linguistically challenged and is considered deeply offensive.

**aeromed202** · February 6th, 2010, 14:27

In response to a previous post most of these repeate offenders are not allowed to drive, they simply drive illegally anything on wheels they can get. But one could say that the weak system allows them to drive by not being effective. I often think that legislators just don't want to stiffen laws that would likely catch themselves most nights.
I was also taken by how many here said they had or used to drive under the influence but managed to get straightened out. I wag my wings to all those who managed this accomplishment. EtOH addiction is a fearsome predator that waits behind every glass for these folks. The determination and resolve needed to resist every day is inspiring indeed. Hell, here's a victory roll for ya!:salute:

Quick edit-I was not implying that all posters here were that far gone. I was refering to anyone who has either found their way back or just was able to out-grow a phase or otherwise keep things under control and have a more or less normal life. No slighting intended.