Welcome to MilwaukeeMoms Sign in | Join | Help
 
 
 
 
Blog Home |  Email Author  |       

What would you have done?

By Mike Brickl Tuesday, Oct 28 2008, 10:06 PM

The other day, I was driving westbound on I-94, a few miles east of Barker Road. It was late in the afternoon, toward the end of rush hour, so traffic was a bit heavy and slow moving. As traffic began to break up a bit, I noticed that the car ahead of me kept swerving out of his lane. (We were in the middle lane, so there was one lane on each side of us for him to veer into.)

It was obvious that this driver was somehow impaired and that he only had partial control of his vehicle. Through his back windshield, I could see the driver vigorously shaking his head back and forth. He was either trying to wake himself up, or sober up. Was he a drunk driver? Or just a guy who desperately needed a nap? Either way, it seemed like a dangerous situation.

As I followed behind at a safe distance, my heart rate began to speed up. It was one of those scenarios where you are just waiting for something bad to happen. Just as I was about to get on my cell phone to call 9-1-1, this driver took the next exit, and was soon gone from my sight. Hopefully he headed straight for a hotel, or a gas station to purchase an energy drink. The sooner he got off the road, the better.

If I would have witnessed his car sideswiping another driver, I would have felt terrible for not being proactive in reporting the situation. But what is the best course of action in a situation like this? Is it appropriate to dial 9-1-1 to alert the local authorities? Is it feasible to expect the cops to locate this driver in a timely manner?

If you had witnessed this driver swerving in and out of his lane, what would you have done?

Permalink |  Mail to a friend

Comments

Karen Waldkirch   

Mike, we just experienced something similar. We were driving home from Indiana and there was a large tour bus that was swerving into other lanes. I'm not sure that the driver was impaired or just inexperienced. I wished that there was a number I could have called to alert police. I have, in the past, called 911 when I saw something dangerous. Unfortunately, the few times I've done that, the person either left the highway or I got a strange response from the 911 operator. It's a tough call, but I think it's probably better to call than not call.

October 29, 2008 5:58 AM

Heather Dorsey   

Like you guys I've also experienced this.  When my daughter was not even a year old I was driving home. She was screaming in that way only hungry, tired babies can and I couldn't get home fast enough.  I saw a driver swerving in and out of his lane ahead of me and then he got it together and drove straight as could be.  He must have been very proud of himself.  Only problem was he was on the wrong side of the road and we were approaching a hill--where people would be blindly coming up the other side!

I called 9-1-1 and held my breath waiting for him to have a head-on collision.  Mercifully, noone was driving up the hilll at that time.  I followed him for about eight miles, past the turn for my road, telling the 9-1-1 operator "he's turning right; now he's going left on Main street."

He pulled in a parking spot for a local bar (no kidding!) where the police were waiting and took it from there.  I told them I had to get my children home to bed (my daughter still screaming this whole time; talk about stressful!)  They came to my house that evening. I later had to testify what I had seen in court.  This nice old man greeted me when he saw me walk in the courtroom.  I never found out what happened to him; but I felt good that perhaps I had saved a life that night.  Possibly his as well.

October 29, 2008 9:30 AM

Rochelle Fritsch   

Hey Mike...Thanks for writing such a thought-provoking article; and to be honest with you, I don't know what i would have done.

Something tells me I would've pulled over someplace, hopefully gotten home safely & then kicked myself for not doing anything.  Not a good answer, but a truthful one.

But I think your article comes along at the perfect time.  Halloween's gaining on New Year's eve as party time around here, so maybe this post will help increase people's awareness of responsible alcohol use.

October 31, 2008 2:10 PM

Leave a Comment

Please Sign In to post comment.

The opinions and views expressed by The Kitchen Table writers do not necessarily reflect the opinions of MilwaukeeMoms.com, Journal Interactive or the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. MilwaukeeMoms.com does not control, is not responsible for, and does not guarantee the accuracy, integrity or quality of, the postings on this Web log. Readers can report objectionable content by clicking here.