Dealing with a possible drunk driver...

A situation I encountered this evening:

I'm driving south on a two lane blacktop at appx 55MPH. Infront of me
is a car that is drifting from side to side at about 10 under the
posted 55 limit- he did this over several miles even on bridges almost
brushing the guard rail several times.

So, I'm guessing this guy is drunk. No, I didn't call *HP or anyone
else. There is no point to it. At first, I was following him at 2
seconds distance. Upon observing his behavior over the first mile or
so and deciding that a possiblly impared driver was in my midst, I
decided to increase my following distance to 4 seconds just incase
this twit wipes out. My other two options were to either maintain the
2 second gap (I was already nervous enough about this guy at this
distance) or pass him (didn't really want this potentially drunk
driver behind me for obvious reasons). Taking an alternate route was
not an option.

Curious as to how others here would handle this situation?

--
"I... Can't drive... FIFTY-FIVE!!"
--Sammy Hagar

necromancer - ECHM wrote:
> A situation I encountered this evening:
>
> I'm driving south on a two lane blacktop at appx 55MPH. Infront of me
> is a car that is drifting from side to side at about 10 under the
> posted 55 limit- he did this over several miles even on bridges almost
> brushing the guard rail several times.
>
> So, I'm guessing this guy is drunk. No, I didn't call *HP or anyone
> else. There is no point to it. At first, I was following him at 2
> seconds distance. Upon observing his behavior over the first mile or
> so and deciding that a possiblly impared driver was in my midst, I
> decided to increase my following distance to 4 seconds just incase
> this twit wipes out. My other two options were to either maintain the
> 2 second gap (I was already nervous enough about this guy at this
> distance) or pass him (didn't really want this potentially drunk
> driver behind me for obvious reasons). Taking an alternate route was
> not an option.
>
> Curious as to how others here would handle this situation?
>
> --
> "I... Can't drive... FIFTY-FIVE!!"
> --Sammy Hagar

I'd probably drop back AND call. I'd prefer to pass if safe but
obviously if you've got guardrails close by that could be hairy.

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

On May 31, 8:37*pm, necromancer - ECHM
> wrote:
> A situation I encountered this evening:
>
> I'm driving south on a two lane blacktop at appx 55MPH. Infront of me
> is a car that is drifting from side to side at about 10 under the
> posted 55 limit- he did this over several miles even on bridges almost
> brushing the guard rail several times.
>
> So, I'm guessing this guy is drunk. No, I didn't call *HP or anyone
> else. There is no point to it. At first, I was following him at 2
> seconds distance. Upon observing his behavior over the first mile or
> so and deciding that a possiblly impared driver was in my midst, I
> decided to increase my following distance to 4 seconds just incase
> this twit wipes out. My other two options were to either maintain the
> 2 second gap (I was already nervous enough about this guy at this
> distance) or pass him (didn't really want this potentially drunk
> driver behind me for obvious reasons). Taking an alternate route was
> not an option.
>
> Curious as to how others here would handle this situation?
>
> --
> "I... Can't drive... *FIFTY-FIVE!!"
> * * * * * * * * * *--Sammy Hagar

A couple COAs you probably didn't consider:

Offer to have S&DDAM take a ride with that idiot.

Toss the driver a beer and see whether he reaches for it.

Actually he's only half-worthy of an Aunt Judy target: he was not
speeding.

IMO you did right by increasing the following distance. Then if
Scheiskopf did wipe out you could stop in plenty of time and walk up
to him, giving him a good grab of the collar while waiting on HP to
arrest his tanked arse.

On May 31, 6:37*pm, necromancer - ECHM
> wrote:

> So, I'm guessing this guy is drunk. No, I didn't call *HP or anyone
> else. There is no point to it.

No point to it, indeed. Why would it matter if he killed someone later
that day.

On Sun, 31 May 2009 20:19:41 -0700 (PDT), 223rem >
wrote:

>On May 31, 6:37*pm, necromancer - ECHM
> wrote:
>
>> So, I'm guessing this guy is drunk. No, I didn't call *HP or anyone
>> else. There is no point to it.
>
>No point to it, indeed. Why would it matter if he killed someone later
>that day.

Because I know that the cops around here wouldn't do anything
anyway...

--
necromancer - ECHM

On 2009-06-01, necromancer - ECHM > wrote:
> A situation I encountered this evening:
>
> I'm driving south on a two lane blacktop at appx 55MPH. Infront of me
> is a car that is drifting from side to side at about 10 under the
> posted 55 limit- he did this over several miles even on bridges almost
> brushing the guard rail several times.
>
> So, I'm guessing this guy is drunk. No, I didn't call *HP or anyone
> else. There is no point to it. At first, I was following him at 2
> seconds distance. Upon observing his behavior over the first mile or
> so and deciding that a possiblly impared driver was in my midst, I
> decided to increase my following distance to 4 seconds just incase
> this twit wipes out. My other two options were to either maintain the
> 2 second gap (I was already nervous enough about this guy at this
> distance) or pass him (didn't really want this potentially drunk
> driver behind me for obvious reasons). Taking an alternate route was
> not an option.
>
> Curious as to how others here would handle this situation?

I posted one of my encounters with a drunk... drunk was doing 20 under.
I got in the right lane and waited for the drunk to weave left. (drunk
was in the left lane) I punched it and passed the drunk never exceeding
the posted speed limit. Guess who the cop pulled over?

On May 31, 9:11*pm, necromancer - ECHM <55_sux@worldofnecromancer_NO-
SPAM_NO-WAY.com> wrote:

> >No point to it, indeed. Why would it matter if he killed someone later
> >that day.
>
> Because I know that the cops around here wouldn't do anything
> anyway...

Where is "here"? Mexico?

"necromancer - ECHM" > wrote in
message ...
> A situation I encountered this evening:
>
> I'm driving south on a two lane blacktop at appx 55MPH. Infront of me
> is a car that is drifting from side to side at about 10 under the
> posted 55 limit- he did this over several miles even on bridges almost
> brushing the guard rail several times.
>
> So, I'm guessing this guy is drunk. No, I didn't call *HP or anyone
> else. There is no point to it. At first, I was following him at 2
> seconds distance. Upon observing his behavior over the first mile or
> so and deciding that a possiblly impared driver was in my midst, I
> decided to increase my following distance to 4 seconds just incase
> this twit wipes out. My other two options were to either maintain the
> 2 second gap (I was already nervous enough about this guy at this
> distance) or pass him (didn't really want this potentially drunk
> driver behind me for obvious reasons). Taking an alternate route was
> not an option.
>
> Curious as to how others here would handle this situation?
>

Several years ago, I was following a Honda Civic with NH plates on Route 2
in Central MA. It was weaving so badly that at one point it almost took out
a roadside sign (way off the road), swerved left at the last possible
instance and just missed it. Had the wife (riding with me) call 911.
Followed this fool for a few miles with my wife on the line with 911. Civic
took the exit BEFORE ours, so I did too. As we were coming off the exit, a
statie pulled around us. Civic turned left off the exit and statie pulled
it over immediately. Don't know what happened then. Took the back roads
home.

Just a few nights ago, I was following another car, also a Honda, an Accord
this time. Again, swerving all over the road. At one point, he almost
collided head-on with another vehicle. But the third driver was alert
enough to dive to the breakdown lane and JUST avoided swapping paint.
Unfortunately, there wasn't anything I could do this time. I was on my
motorcycle, and I wasn't set up to make phone calls while riding. If I'd
have pulled over to get off the bike, dig under the seat, find the cell
phone, take the helmet off, call 911, who knows where that ****er would have
been by the time I got through? I still would have tried it, but couldn't
think of a way to keep talking on the phone with the full-face helmet on.
And no, I won't ride without a full-face helmet on. Period. Even if it
wasn't legally mandatory. -Dave

On May 31, 9:37*pm, necromancer - ECHM
> wrote:
> A situation I encountered this evening:
>
> I'm driving south on a two lane blacktop at appx 55MPH. Infront of me
> is a car that is drifting from side to side at about 10 under the
> posted 55 limit- he did this over several miles even on bridges almost
> brushing the guard rail several times.
>
> So, I'm guessing this guy is drunk. No, I didn't call *HP or anyone
> else. There is no point to it. At first, I was following him at 2
> seconds distance. Upon observing his behavior over the first mile or
> so and deciding that a possiblly impared driver was in my midst, I
> decided to increase my following distance to 4 seconds just incase
> this twit wipes out. My other two options were to either maintain the
> 2 second gap (I was already nervous enough about this guy at this
> distance) or pass him (didn't really want this potentially drunk
> driver behind me for obvious reasons). Taking an alternate route was
> not an option.
>
> Curious as to how others here would handle this situation?
>
> --
> "I... Can't drive... *FIFTY-FIVE!!"
> * * * * * * * * * *--Sammy Hagar

Heh.

9-10pm, I84 westbound across the newburg-beacon bridge, my 1st sign
the driver of the old dodge was drunk was the fact he was doing about
70 on the bridge- with the drivers side held hard against the jersey
barrier, sparks a-flyin'.

Helluva tale came outta that one.


Dave

On Sun, 31 May 2009 22:56:20 -0700 (PDT), 223rem >
wrote:

>On May 31, 9:11*pm, necromancer - ECHM <55_sux@worldofnecromancer_NO-
>SPAM_NO-WAY.com> wrote:
>
>> >No point to it, indeed. Why would it matter if he killed someone later
>> >that day.
>>
>> Because I know that the cops around here wouldn't do anything
>> anyway...
>
>Where is "here"? Mexico?

Georgia. Not quite as bad as Mexico, but bad enough.

--
necromancer - ECHM