One Mother Against Drunk Driving
We took a detour on our way home from Minocqua this weekend. We thought it was just to avoid the deadlock on 51 and enjoy some scenery, but I think there was a higher purpose.
As we were meandering along, a car pulled out down the road in front of us. After the first couple of swerves over the centerline, we slowed and held our breath. Maybe they were just buckling up or tuning the radio. A minute later, they drifted over the centerline again. We turned off our audiotape and kept vigil behind the car. When it happened again, I grabbed the cell phone.
It only took about 10 minutes for a deputy to find us on the road and pull over the car in front of us. I hope we didn’t make a mistake, acting rashly and tattling on people who were just momentarily distracted. We’ll probably never know.
But just in case … What if? What if the rural highway had been teeming with traffic? What if the car in front had swerved over one last time in front of us and hit an oncoming car? What if they slammed into someone passing them? What if someone had gotten hurt, and we had already noticed the drifting…? Nope. Couldn’t live with that.
It was a beautiful holiday afternoon. Families all over the area were celebrating and observing Memorial Day. Some of them were knocking back a few, I’m sure. That’s fine. But taking the boozy celebration on the road? Hell no.
I feel a little bad that someone may have gotten his or her first DUI today. I know what it’s like to make a mistake. Maybe they’ll be so remorseful, they’ll never do it again. Maybe it’ll be a wake-up call to get some help with a drinking problem. But I’m not sorry for calling. Avoiding a possible tragedy is way more important than inconveniencing a drunk driver on a joy ride.
What would you have done? Would you have just tried to pass them? Would you have just followed them carefully, hoping they turned off? Would you have made the call?
beerad said:
This definitely doesn’t make you a bad person…and I have done the same. Same night I got my first (and only) DUI, while the cops were driving me back to the Drunk Tank, I spotted a car directly in front of us (did I mention was in a cop car with real cops?) weaving and almost knocking construction cones off of a US Highway! The cops seemed too preoccupied to notice, so I told ‘em hey…I swerved once and you busted me, this guy is all over the road! Long story short, he got what he deserved, and so did I.
On a related note: A year or so after my unfortunate but necessary brush with the law, in the middle of the night on I-94 near Kenosha Wisconsin, a van was crossing all three lanes of traffic at random. I’m certain we were not the only ones to call 911. State Troopers came to the rescue within minutes. The van was swerving so badly that at one point it swerved and hit the concrete barriers separating North/South traffic, then darted all the way to the far right emergency lane and almost rolled into the ditch at 70 mph (there were many semi trucks on the road, and they all backed off and applied their emergency flashers after witnessing that smooth move). The police asked us to stop and sign witness documents. We were never called to trial. I would hope that we saved people some grief of losing a relative or a friend that early morn, and I know the four passengers in our car definitely breathed a sigh of relief knowing that guy was off of the road (there were even open intoxicants in the vehicle and the guy blew well over .25…he could barely walk to the cop car parked 10 yards behind his vehicle, much less drive).
Sorry, I know that was a bit long winded. But I did want to reassure you that in my humble opinion, you made the right call.
May 27th, 2008 at 11:20 am #
Cheryl Mathis said:
beerad, thank you for your perspective. I laughed at your story of being in the back seat, having to get the cops to notice the drunk driver ahead of you.
I don’t know if it’s a Wisconsin thing or just a family thing, but it felt very strange to call yesterday. When I told my mom what I did, she asked if I was worried if the driver was mad at me. Honestly? I was. I was hoping there wouldn’t be a trial, and I wouldn’t have to testify. I feared retribution. And how silly of me for feeling that way. I felt conflicted, like it wasn’t any of my business if that guy was driving drunk. If we could just turn away, it wouldn’t be our problem. It would be someone else’s. I’m glad I didn’t give in to that impulse.
May 27th, 2008 at 11:44 am #
Tom Neal said:
Cheryl,
You did a good deed.
May 27th, 2008 at 2:50 pm #
erik said:
My friends all say I call the cops way too soon about a lot of things, but I guess I just have enough interaction with them on a regular basis to know they’re just guys doing a job, not some terrible freedom stompers.
So I would’ve done the same thing in your situation, Cheryl.
May 27th, 2008 at 4:55 pm #
Shawn Sullivan said:
I think we all have a responsibility to notify someone if we see what you saw. If that person wasn’t drunk, there would have been no trouble. Nothing bad would have happened for them with the Police if they weren’t doing anything.
One day, I was driving back to work from Aspirus on 28th, and I was behind a red truck that was weaving all over the road. I was genuinely worried that this guy was plowed and on the road at 1pm. I called 911 and was able to pull alongside him at a stop sign and talk to him. He looked drunk, but turns out he was diabetic and was hypoglycemic. He drove away and I was able to follow him and get him to pull over until the police (and an ambulance) arrived.
To echo the sentiment, you did good.
May 27th, 2008 at 6:26 pm #
Insert Name said:
I know some may find this hard to believe, but I despise drunk driving. You not only did the right thing, you have no reason to feel guilty about it. Three cheers (of kool-aid) for you.
May 27th, 2008 at 9:06 pm #
dwestcott said:
Kudos, Cheryl.
May 29th, 2008 at 1:04 pm #