Would/Do you report drunk/dangerous driving?

antodeco

I was a passenger in a car last night coming back along the M50 (around 8pm). In the left lane and saw a jeep up ahead going quite slowly in the middle lane. Then I noticed up ahead what was obviously a drunken driver. He was swerving left and right with the white line down the middle of his car from very left lane, all the way over to the overtaking lane on the right. I was never more convinced he was going to kill someone in my life. The guy who was in the jeep, had a passenger filming it all.

I rang the Gardai and within 30 seconds there were two patrol cars surrounding the guy, as I was still on the phone to them. It was a little surreal seeing it all unfolding before me. The strange thing was, I felt some form of guilt for having the guy caught by Gardai.

So anyway, have you ever/would you ever ring in drunk/dangerous driving?

slimjimmc

If the Gardaí were there within 30 seconds it wasn't because you rang, someone else (probably loads of people) had reported him long before you did. So you can put your mind at ease, you didn't have the guy caught, others did. I doubt I'd ever feel any guilt for reporting dangerous driving no matter what form of stupidity it involved.

Yes, a couple of times.

Quazzie

I have done and would again in a heartbeat. As guilty as I'd feel about someone losing their license for DUI I'd feel infinitely more guilty if he killed someone because of his actions.

bladespin

Wouldn't feel guilt for that, you've probably saved a life or at least stopped an accident.

I've only reported someone once, a pretty similar thing, mail road, a guy in a Lexus absolutely all over the shop, pretty sure he got away with it as I followed a t a distance for over 30 mins (route home) without seeing a squad.

TylerIE

antodeco wrote: »

I was a passenger in a car last night coming back along the M50 (around 8pm). In the left lane and saw a jeep up ahead going quite slowly in the middle lane. Then I noticed up ahead what was obviously a drunken driver. He was swerving left and right with the white line down the middle of his car from very left lane, all the way over to the overtaking lane on the right. I was never more convinced he was going to kill someone in my life. The guy who was in the jeep, had a passenger filming it all.

I rang the Gardai and within 30 seconds there were two patrol cars surrounding the guy, as I was still on the phone to them. It was a little surreal seeing it all unfolding before me. The strange thing was, I felt some form of guilt for having the guy caught by Gardai.

So anyway, have you ever/would you ever ring in drunk/dangerous driving?

Would you have guilty if he ploughed into a crash barrier and ended up seriously injured or dead? Or worse still hit another vehicle?

Also for all you know it may have been a diabetic or an elderly confused driver, who needed assistance, and your actions helped ensure they got same.

My own parents (Brand new) car was hit and written off by a drunk driver about 15 years ago. Hed left a crowded local pub, but nobody bothered to call the guards or do anything. The impact was such that the seatbelt plug mechanism was destroyed from the force. Had they not been wearing the seatbelts, who knows????

Ive rang in a few drink drivers when I was in my late teens. Havnt seen many since. One in particular got a great response. Id seen the guy drive pull up at a venue, get out and go inside, but knew hed come back out. I rang station. Unmarked car came, from 20km away, parked about 200m away, watched the car, when driver came they followed him up the road, blues, stopped, arrested, court (second offence) disqualified + fined, job done. There was a large number of drunk people in the area, and hed taken passengers, so I was delighted in that it ensured the safety of all in the area. One of the Gardai involved rang me to say thanks after it went to court.

Fair play for reporting him, all too often people stand by and do nothing, yet complain about "no guards" or "guards doing nothing" when they hear of road collisions....

Red Alert

I would. If someone's not responsible enough not to drink when they're behind the wheel, then they could end up harming me or another innocent road user.

RustyNut

In a heart beat




Well done to these men or women

antodeco wrote: »

I rang the Gardai and within 30 seconds there were two patrol cars surrounding the guy, as I was still on the phone to them. It was a little surreal seeing it all unfolding before me.

Tom Joad

In a heartbeat I would and have done in the past. It could save a life. The biggest reason for the reduction in drink driving in this country is that it is now socially unacceptable and it should be kept this way by people reporting anyone drink driving - the guards can't be everywhere at once.

ThelotusKid

Snitchin' Bitches.