If you drink, get a designated writer
April 12, 1999
I’m writing this after I got back from the bar, not to have something to do after I got back, but because of an injustice that I believe occurred a short while ago.
I’m now 21 and can enjoy myself at the bars legally.
But I don’t approve of drinking and driving and, as always, have a designated driver to call when my friends and I leave the bars.
Tonight we called our friend. He came, picked us up, and we went home. He’d been studying and had had nothing to drink.
As we approached an intersection (it had been raining), the light was green and so my friend kept his speed. But as he got closer, the light began to turn yellow.
As he started through the intersection, the light was still yellow, but like most lights, didn’t stay yellow too long and turned red as he went through.
A car coming from the other way, didn’t hesitate at all and started right away before stopping after seeing us (Why did he see us SO late?).
As we cut through the stadium parking lot, two cars followed us, and soon after we were pulled over. Now, we all guessed why we were pulled over, but NONE of us agreed.
The “cop” had the nerve to come to the car and ask my friend, “Where were you coming from? Have you been drinking, cause it smells like alcohol?”
That’s all within their rights and, yes, we did partially go through a red light, but seriously, come on.
It was 1 a.m., the light started off yellow, it was wet/slick out and our friend was doing a favor by acting as designated driver.
And what did the cop do? Did he say “That’s nice of you to bring your friends home; I’m glad they didn’t drive.”
NO, he didn’t say a thing, was kinda rude to us and ended up giving my friend not a warning, but a ticket. I’m sorry, but I think that’s wrong.
Yes, he may have driven through half/quarter of a red light, but he also drove home six fairly drunk people.
Something’s wrong; something is definitely wrong!!!
It’s really hard to have respect for an organization that doesn’t even reward helpful behavior.
Scott Koch
Junior
Sport management and marketing