Spotting a drunk driver!

Irishcrx

Was dropping one of the lads home from football last night and was driving home down by Clarehall shopping centre in Dublin towards the M1, there was a Nissan in front of me swerving all over the road, we immediatly knew the driver must be drunk because he was slowing down randomly forcing me to jam on the breaks , then speeding up and swaying anywhere but between the lines.

I was afraid to even overtake him incase he swerved right into me so ended up slowing right down behind him. I felt like beeping the horn at him like a mad man to get him off the road but god knows that might have caused him to crash and this idiot is heading towards a motorway!No doubt was out watching the match, Hope to god a gaurd spotted him on his way home. I took his reg and called the guards when I pulled into the driveway telling them he was on the M1 but god knows if they bothered to do anything.

Not the firstatime I've seen it either, a lot of drunk drivers may think they are driving 'safe' or 'slow' or 'taking it easy with a few' but to other sober drivers you stick out like a sore thumb on the road and it's very obvious. So stop being a selfish cheap prick and get a taxi if you want to drink and stop en-dangerouring other peoples life's on the road.

R.O.R

Irishcrx wrote: »

Was dropping one of the lads home from football last night and was driving home down by Clarehall shopping centre in Dublin towards the M1, there was a Nissan in front of me swerving all over the road, we immediatly knew the driver must be drunk because he was slowing down randomly forcing me to jam on the breaks , then speeding up and swaying anywhere but between the lines.

I was afraid to even overtake him incase he swerved right into me so ended up slowing right down behind him. I felt like beeping the horn at him like a mad man to get him off the road but god knows that might have caused him to crash and this idiot is heading towards a motorway!No doubt was out watching the match, Hope to god a gaurd spotted him on his way home. I took his reg and called the guards when I pulled into the driveway telling them he was on the M1 but god knows if they bothered to do anything.

Not the firstatime I've seen it either, a lot of drunk drivers may think they are driving 'safe' or 'slow' or 'taking it easy with a few' but to other sober drivers you stick out like a sore thumb on the road and it's very obvious. So stop being a selfish cheap prick and get a taxi if you want to drink and stop en-dangerouring other peoples life's on the road.

Wasn't a Dark Green one was it?

I've encountered driving similar to that from an older lady in a Dark Green Micra (think around 98-99 vintage) on back road around Duleek and a couple of weeks ago, on the M1. Think we ended up down to 45km/h at one point.

Irishcrx

Nah was silver , 131 reg..

R.O.R

Irishcrx wrote: »

Nah was silver , 131 reg..

Probably a rental then..

Tenzor07

Spotted a driver of a 12-D Audi A6 driving down the M50 Northbound the other night, in and out of his lane a bit, driving fast then slowing down...
....Got past him and see the glow of his mobile phone, so obviously answering an important text or email when driving....

So, usually what looks like a drunk-driver could be someone texting on a phone..

Jesus.

Not so much "drunk" but the Guards know how to spot someone with a couple of drinks on them at night by looking out for people being overly cautious. If they see someone on a wide open stretch sitting just below the speed limit when everyone else goes a bit above it, they get suspicious. A few Guards have told me that down the years. The chap with a couple of pints on board is almost always the chap impeccably observing the rules of the road, lest he get pulled.

Ironic innit!

xFROSTY Gx

Found myself in a similar situation a few weeks back one night after I finished work.
Witnessed a car swerving all over the road, could not maintain a constant speed and also randomly jamming on of the brakes. I was in no rush home so I decided to follow the car.
The driver curbed the car at about 60kmh but kept driving as if nothing happened.
Called the guards anyway and gave them reg number and kept updating them on the roads she was driving on.
Eventually the car whipped into a gated house and only 60 seconds later 2 squad cars and a van arrived at the location. Unfortunatly they were just too late to catch her in the act.
Really wish I had a dash cam that night:rolleyes::rolleyes:

P.S You will not be done for using a mobile phone while driving if you are speaking to the emergency services

ironclaw

xFROSTY Gx wrote: »

P.S You will not be done for using a mobile phone while driving if you are speaking to the emergency services

This is true but don't try use it as an excuse if you weren't, they can really quickly check :pac: Witnessed it one night, Garda was not impressed as can be imagined.

Greenmachine

Jesus. wrote: »

Not so much "drunk" but the Guards know how to spot someone with a couple of drinks on them at night by looking out for people being overly cautious. If they see someone on a wide open stretch sitting just below the speed limit when everyone else goes a bit above it, they get suspicious. A few Guards have told me that down the years. The chap with a couple of pints on board is almost always the chap impeccably observing the rules of the road, lest he get pulled.

Ironic innit!

What flawless logic. Maybe we should all drive drunk. In all seriousness they may drive at an appropriate speed but their overall awareness and reaction are delayed, making them a real danger. Good on you ringing the guard op you may have saved someone's life.

dr.fuzzenstein

R.O.R wrote: »

Wasn't a Dark Green one was it?

I've encountered driving similar to that from an older lady in a Dark Green Micra (think around 98-99 vintage) on back road around Duleek and a couple of weeks ago, on the M1. Think we ended up down to 45km/h at one point.

She just sounds like the standard, RSA approved "safe" driver.

Anan1

Greenmachine wrote: »

What flawless logic. Maybe we should all drive drunk. In all seriousness they may drive at an appropriate speed but their overall awareness and reaction are delayed, making them a real danger.

I think he might know that.

Jesus.

Greenmachine wrote: »

What flawless logic. Maybe we should all drive drunk. In all seriousness they may drive at an appropriate speed but their overall awareness and reaction are delayed, making them a real danger. .

Make sure you go and inform the Guards (the supposed experts in detecting drink driving) that their logic is flawed and that they're doing it all wrong. And if they tell you that its what they've observed to be the case from years of experience, again inform them that they're still doing it wrong because you say so.

I'm sure they'll be more than happy to disregard what they know in favour of your obvious expertise in this area.

xFROSTY Gx

ironclaw wrote: »

This is true but don't try use it as an excuse if you weren't, they can really quickly check :pac: Witnessed it one night, Garda was not impressed as can be imagined.

Use my handsfree kit anyway while driving, so I will never have that situation to deal with

Fighting Irish

Irishcrx wrote: »

Was dropping one of the lads home from football last night and was driving home down by Clarehall shopping centre in Dublin towards the M1, there was a Nissan in front of me swerving all over the road, we immediatly knew the driver must be drunk because he was slowing down randomly forcing me to jam on the breaks , then speeding up and swaying anywhere but between the lines.

Next time ring the guards, and ffs stay well away from a car that you know/think a drunk person is driving

Irishcrx

Fighting Irish wrote: »

Next time ring the guards, and ffs stay well away from a car that you know/think a drunk person is driving

I did ring the guards read my post again..

dr.fuzzenstein

xFROSTY Gx wrote: »

Use my handsfree kit anyway while driving, so I will never have that situation to deal with

Don't be so sure:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057092351
Rest your head on your hand, yawn and stretch, scratch your ear or even a Gard in a hurry to hit their target for tickets will see you done with very little recourse.

Voodoomelon

Was stuck behind a car this evening driving about 40kph in a 60, holding everyone up getting home from work. Kept running on top of the white line and eventually braked to a near standstill, indicated and then turned off the road at about 10kph.

I squint through the darkness at the driver, which appears to be a bloody Cocker Spaniel. Unbelievable what some drivers do with their animals.

dr.fuzzenstein

Voodoomelon wrote: »

Was stuck behind a car this evening driving about 40kph in a 60, holding everyone up getting home from work. Kept running on top of the white line and eventually braked to a near standstill, indicated and then turned off the road at about 10kph.

I squint through the darkness at the driver, which appears to be a bloody Cocker Spaniel. Unbelievable what some drivers do with their animals.

Voodoomelon

It was sitting on the drivers lap!

debabyjesus

Only once have I witnessed driving so bad did I call the gaurds. It was on the N52 between kilcormac and tullamore.

It was late enough and the road was empty, the car was spending more time in the opposite lane than our own lane, veering into our hard shoulder then back to opposite lane.

I passed her out after a few miles, middle aged woman AND young child in the back. Rang the cops and tried to slow her down a bit after I passed her. Cops were out of tullamore literally 3 minutes later and nabbed her. It was a head collision waiting to happen

dr.fuzzenstein

debabyjesus wrote: »

Only once have I witnessed driving so bad did I call the gaurds. It was on the N52 between kilcormac and tullamore.

It was late enough and the road was empty, the car was spending more time in the opposite lane than our own lane, veering into our hard shoulder then back to opposite lane.

I passed her out after a few miles, middle aged woman AND young child in the back. Rang the cops and tried to slow her down a bit after I passed her. Cops were out of tullamore literally 3 minutes later and nabbed her. It was a head collision waiting to happen

Of course she would have blamed the road, the car, the other driver, you, anyone in a 10 mile radius, the weather, her husband, God, the dog, her parents, society, drugs, the government, the Pope, the EU, it's never their fault.

Frynge

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

Of course she would have blamed the road, the car, the other driver, you, anyone in a 10 mile radius, the weather, her husband, God, the dog, her parents, society, drugs, the government, the Pope, the EU, it's never their fault.

So true, what I hate even more is the "I only had........'

HandsomeDan

Drink driving is only OK if you own a BMW.

bear1

HandsomeDan wrote: »

Drink driving is only OK if you own a BMW.

Because?

dudara

Mobile phone use is often a cause for people to look like they're drunk driving. It doesn't take a lot to swerve - trying to pick up something that's fallen, leaning back to kids etc.

dr.fuzzenstein

bear1 wrote: »

Because?

Who needs a reason when they have a BMW...

Irishcrx

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

Who needs a reason when they have a BMW...

BMW - Buy More Wodka...

Frynge

HandsomeDan wrote: »

Drink driving is only OK if you own a BMW.

I have a BMW and I don't drink and drive.

But there might be some kind of correlation to BMW drivers and drink driving.
Maybe something along the lines of generally older people have money to buy new BMW and they also happen to be more inclined to consider having a few drinks and driving to be more acceptable.

Wait, I'm sure I'm talking trough my arse there.

dr.fuzzenstein

Frynge wrote: »

I have a BMW and I don't drink and drive.

But there might be some kind of correlation to BMW drivers and drink driving.
Maybe something along the lines of generally older people have money to buy new BMW and they also happen to be more inclined to consider having a few drinks and driving to be more acceptable.

Wait, I'm sure I'm talking trough my arse there.

Course, it's now Audi drivers who are permanently pissed.

bear1

I'd only condone drink driving when you drive an Avensis, just cause of the sheer dullness of the car

Fighting Irish

Irishcrx wrote: »

I did ring the guards read my post again..

you got it half right so

imitation

bear1 wrote: »

I'd only condone drink driving when you drive an Avensis, just cause of the sheer dullness of the car

I know, its just plain dull having a car thats gives little trouble and is relatively cheap to maintain !

bear1

imitation wrote: »

I know, its just plain dull having a car thats gives little trouble and is relatively cheap to maintain !

Totally agree

toyotaavensis

It is nice not breaking down with timing chains snapping, turbos blowing ....
Oh and when I want excitement on the road I take out my bike.

billie1b

bear1 wrote: »

Totally agree

Toyotally Agree! you mean

bear1

Ahh I see what you did there billie1b

Irishcrx

Fighting Irish wrote: »

you got it half right so

Lol well I don't have a hands free kit so had to wait until I was parked up...I don't get road rage but I was furious at this one..

dollybird2

Last Summer i was behind a car that was speeding up/slowing down, hitting the breaks & weaving in and out of the driving lane. I called the guards and they asked me to stay well behind the vehicle & keep them updated on our route.
Within 5 minutes they pulled the car over. The driver was an elderly lady suffering an angina attack & she tried to keep driving home as she had no mobile phone and was worrief that if she pulled in she would die alone on the side of the road.
I do see the irony in her thinking but still felt sorry for her.