The Unsafe Streets

While on my way home tonight I noticed that the car ahead of me was having a hard time staying in it's lane and was sharply jerking to and fro. My first thought was that the driver was more than likely texting or doing something else just as stupid. That was until he blew through the first stop light without even slowing down. Then I began to think that perhaps he was more likely drunk. One mile later he blew through the second red light and I decided to do something about it so I called 911.

By the time I was able to speak to the police he had turned into the parking lot of what I assume was his apartment complex and proceeded to park. As I described what had been happening to the voice on the other end of the phone this unknown man got out of the car and started walking straight towards me. At that point I was advised to move away so that there wouldn't be any kind of confrontation between us. Well duh.

I had my truck in gear and pulled behind the next set of apartments but it was a dead end. I was going to have to turn around and go out the way I had come in. If he was waiting for me that aforementioned confrontation just might occur. Fortunately he was already on his way to his apartment and I used the opportunity pull over behind his vehicle and give a full description of it as well as the license plate number to the 911 operator.

Since he was out of the vehicle and had not been seen committing his violations by a police officer I was informed that there was nothing that could be done. Still the patrol units in the area would be given the information in case he decided to go out again. Yeah, and monkeys might fly out of my butt. Any other time and I'd have seen cops all over the place. Face it, he got away whatever he was doing.

I console myself that at least I tried, I made an effort for whatever good that did. The fact is that drunks are going to do what they want no matter what the laws say. I just hope I can stay out of their way.

Written and Published by Don Leach. May not be used without permission from the author.