Do you report drunken drivers?

[Kodos]

I do. One of the few times that I am glad that I have a cell phone.

[SackAttack]

Not sure I'd recognize a driver as being drunk, necessarily. I've seen people who drove as though they were drunk, and it turned out they were either dealing with a kid, or talking on a cellphone, or putting makeup on while driving on the freeway...

[andy m]

morons should have their driving license taken away for doing those things too.

[Alf]

I do. One of the few times that I am glad that I have a cell phone. You know that it is also dangerous to phone while driving http://dynamic2.gamespy.com/%7Efof/forums/images/smilies/tongue.gif

[ice4277]

Not sure I'd recognize a driver as being drunk, necessarily. I've seen people who drove as though they were drunk, and it turned out they were either dealing with a kid, or talking on a cellphone, or putting makeup on while driving on the freeway...
Agreed. Truthfully, its something I don't think I've ever thought about doing.

[Samdari]

Way too may people in NoVA drive stupidly to really be able to distinguish the true drunks. Probably only about 1% of people exhibiting driving symptoms of DWI have actually been drinking. Most are simply talking on cell phones, while others read, apply makeup, I've even seen a guy shaving.

And I don't even travel heavily trafficked routes.

[gottimd]

If you saw me sniffing insane amounts of glue, and getting into my car, would you report me?

[Fritz]

do you report people driving under the influance of an over the counter antihistamine?

[CamEdwards]

I report people driving erratically if it is safe for me to do so. 10 years ago my brother was a passenger in a car where the driver was drinking (I suspect there was some pot smoking going on as well). He ended up flipping the car, ejecting three people (who were not wearing their seat belts). Thank God the two young children in the car were buckled in. They were fine. Actually, two of the three people ejected were fine as well. They landed on the median grass and suffered some broken bones.

My brother landed mostly on the grass. His head, unfortunately, hit the pavement. 9 weeks in a coma, and a lifetime of brain damage ever since.

Everytime I see someone driving drunk, I think about what could happen, either to the driver, passenger, or to someone he or she might hit. It's a pretty easy call to make.

[Bubba Wheels]

Some states make it easier to do than other states. Illinois, for example, has freeway signs posted stating something like "See a drunk driver? Call 9-11...". Michigan on the other hand, seems to take the approach that unless someone is dead or dying somewheres it can't be all that important and just let the cops eat their donuts in peace.

Having said that, though, most famous case of motorist reporting drunk driver is when someone followed former news anchor Bill Bonds (bit on Planet of the Apes/nickname "Sun god" in Detroit area for his ego) and reported him in his little red porshe (pretty funny description of Bonds seemingly locked into his mirror fussing with his hair while swerving thru traffic). Having multiple convictions, that final one cost Bonds his job, who now does furniture commercials for Gardener White. So beware!

[BigJohn&TheLions]

I reported a guy once when I was working at a gas station. This guy comes in completely shitfaced. He was barely able to walk, had been beaten badly, and was carrying a broken cigarrette that was covered in blood (as was most of him.) THe first thing he said was "They kicked my ass..." Then he tried putting gas in the car. I say tried because he was so drunk he missed and was spraying all over the trunk and the ground. I then see him try to light up the cigarette. I ran out and stopped him before he blew us both to kingdom come. I put the gas in his tank, sent him on his merry way, and called the cops immediatly.

One that I didn't call the cops on was a loaded up Texan who walked in and asked "Where the whores at?" I gave him a detailed description and even drew him a map. The only thing that I never asked was if he wanted women, or men dressed like women. I assumed the latter...

[JonInMiddleGA]

I had to go with "sometimes, depends" because, well, if they aren't driving badly/erratically then how the heck would I know they're DUI or whatever?

(I read the question as being about "while you're on the highway" and not "if you see someone leaving the bar drunk")

[Kodos]

You know that it is also dangerous to phone while driving http://dynamic2.gamespy.com/%7Efof/forums/images/smilies/tongue.gif

Actually, there has always been someone else in the car to make the call, or I've pulled over after getting their license plate. :p

[damnMikeBrown]

I've only been behing someone once who I thought warranted the call. They were going anywhere from 25-65 on a 45mph road on the way up to Oxford (rt 27 aka highway to heaven). They would occasionally be in the right hand line, but more often straddling the line.

As Cam said, it was an easy call to make. It was, however, frustrating. We weren't in a city, so who to call? It's outside Cincinnati, so not them. It's not in Oxford, so not them...who then? I ended up calling Oxford when were were 10 minutes out, figuring that's where they were going.

[Craptacular]

Yes. Anything I can do to get those bastards off the road is a good thing. I've witnessed them killing themselves ... I don't want to see them kill anyone else.

[Karlifornia]

I don't know about you guys, but I hate it when people rat me out while drunkenly careening down the road. I mean, maybe they should have a few swigs to take the edge off......

[lighthousekeeper]

narcs.

[Craptacular]

I just called another in on Friday night. Don't know if he got caught, as he exited the freeway at a time I couldn't get over without endangering someone else.

[maximus]

Last night I went to the gas station and there was an old drunk guy there. He had his dog in the back of his pick-up truck *without the cab* - poor thing. I couldn't call anyone because I had forgotten my cell phone at home. I would have called using a payphone but the guy left pretty quickly.

[vex]

W/o the cab? Poor driver.;)

[Cringer]

Have done it multiple times. Usually just hit 911 and it should give the nearest town, or IMO something close enough.

Although drivers who appear drunk may not be, tired drivers will be just as bad if they are fighting to stay awake.

[lighthousekeeper]

Am i the only one here who's driven drunk at some point in his life and gotten away with it - with no one getting hurt? Because I have, I just feel that I would be inviting bad karma if I ratted others out.

Not saying that it should be legal or condoned, I just happen to feel some empathy for the drivers trying to safely navigate home.

[Cringer]

Am i the only one here who's driven drunk at some point in his life and gotten away with it - with no one getting hurt? Because I have, I just feel it would be bad karma to rat others out.

Yeah, but I was 16/17/18 and stupid. I don't drink much now, and when I do it is usually at home and only a six pack while doing yard work or something.

Plus, if I have to deal with a guy over several miles of driving, which is usually the case for me to be sure he is drunk/tired, then the guy is endangering me and others.

I hate to go into "truckin' stories" ;), but I have several times had guys either slam into a guardrail right in front of me, or almost run into me or off the road after missing me. So yeah, I call the cops...

[Kodos]

Not saying that it should be legal or condoned, I just happen to feel some empathy for the drivers trying to safely navigate home.

I feel little empathy for drivers who risk others lives because they are too stupid to call a taxi or not get drunk if they're going to drive.

[Castlerock]

Am i the only one here who's driven drunk at some point in his life and gotten away with it - with no one getting hurt? Because I have, I just feel that I would be inviting bad karma if I ratted others out.

Not saying that it should be legal or condoned, I just happen to feel some empathy for the drivers trying to safely navigate home.I just happen to feel some empathy for the innocents trying to safely navigate home.

[lighthousekeeper]

I just happen to feel some empathy for the innocents trying to safely navigate home.


Strangely, I don't :(