View allAll Photos Tagged Drunk-Driving
Glassboro, NJ 08028
© Attorney Michael A. Smolensky, Esquire, Criminal, Juvenile, Drunk Driving, and Traffic Ticket Defense Lawyer www.smolenskylaw.com
"Judging by all the destruction caused by the test subject, drinking more does make one more aggressive."
from brainblogger.com/2011/02/19/cartoon-alcohol-and-aggression/
Park in the West Valley High School Parking Lot in Fairbanks Alaska, Hopefully that is sending a strong messages to our young drivers! Thanks to the family of Heather Dowdy who have the courage to make a difference!
On September 30, 2000 at 3:00 p.m., Kirk Jackson, driving with a blood alcohol content of at least .292, crossed over the centerline of the road and caused a head-on collision with seventeen-year-old Heather Dowdy. Troopers contacted Heather's mother, Barbara Dowdy, at 5:00 p.m. and informed her that Heather was in a serious accident. Barbara Dowdy went to Fairbanks Memorial Hospital and waited in the chapel until she was informed by a doctor at 6:20 p.m. that her daughter had died. During the three and one-half hours, the doctors had performed a series of medical procedures on Heather, including intubating, ventilating, abdominal surgery, shaving her skull, drilling a hole in her skull, and using an electrical saw on her skull. Barbara Dowdy first saw and identified her daughter after she had died. In her affidavit she states:
I remember screaming and shouting and I lost all rationality. . . . I lost track of time and space. . . . I was in such a state of shock that I was unable to operate a telephone to call my daughter Jennifer to tell her of Heather's death. My hands were shaking so strongly that I could not operate the buttons on the phone. I was crying so hard that I could not see the buttons through my tears. I was so disoriented that I could not remember Jennifer's phone number of many years. After the phone call I could not remember how to get back to the room where Heather was. . . . I had to be physically supported in order to walk back to Heather's room. . . . I continue to have problems with my short term memory since seeing Heather in the hospital.
Heather's father, Asa Dowdy, learned of the accident at 8:00 p.m. and rushed to the hospital. He was told that Heather had died and then saw his daughter. He describes his emotional response in his affidavit:
I started to cry and I physically felt a painful change in my chest as if there was a hole in my heart. I continued to feel this physical pain in my chest for five or six weeks after seeing Heather in the hospital. When I saw . . . I felt a weakness in my body that forced me to sit down. I wept.
A little over 4 years ago my car was t-boned by a drunk driver. Though I reacted as best as I could, it was wholly unavoidable. At 1:01 am the 3 people in my vehicle felt a jarring impact, coupled with an explosion of glass, blinding light, and the groaning sound of metal on metal. My driver and passenger airbags deployed and though we could not see we knew we were still moving. He hit us with such speed and force that the impact pushed us off the highway, causing my car to travel several hundred feet, carving a path in the woods, before hitting an incline that brought us to a stop.
Though still dazed from being slammed in the face by my airbag, I asked my friends if they were all right. My car filled with white "smoke" which was (thankfully) talcum powder from the airbag, not smoke from the engine (which would have been black.)
A volunteer firefighter who saw the accident ran down the slope into the ditch and approached my shattered window to let us know that help was on the way. I was terrified, and in the worst pain I'd ever felt.
The paramedics arrived and decided to deal with my friend K first since she had lost consciousness during the accident. I was writhing in my seat, unable to find a comfortable position, and whimpering because I didn't know how to process such incredible pain. I noticed the left side of my shirt was spattered with blood, and that parts of my shattered window were actually sticking out of my upper arm and elbow.
When the next ambulance arrived, they dealt with me. They put me in a neck brace and told me not to move. I screamed when they pulled me out of the car onto a back board. I couldn't help it; I had never been in such agony. Thanks to the neck brace I never saw the man who hit us; I couldn't see anything but the sky. I heard the third ambulance's EMTs questioning my room mate M about his injuries as they loaded me into my ambulance. Between fear and pain, the ride to the hospital was torture, every bump an exclamation point on the pain I was already feeling.
I lay in the hospital for THREE HOURS before anyone let me know my friends were all right. I was stuck in a laying position on a gurney, alone, shoeless (the impact literally knocked my shoes off), freezing (it was a warm night so I wore jeans and a t-shirt, which were inadequate in a cold ER), and scared out of my mind.
The cop who interviewed me in the hospital told me that, had I not reacted the way I did, I'd be DEAD. He said the truck that hit us was double the tonnage of my car, and he hit us with enough force to literally kill me and K, who was seated behind me. Because I reacted the way I did, I managed to deflect some of the impact, saving both of our lives. I realize now that he was saying I was lucky to be alive, but at the time, I simply could not process this.
Each of us were seriously injured. The multiple impacts crushed several vertebrae and the discs between them. (In lay terms, he broke my back.) I would have spinal fusion surgery in an attempt to fix this nearly 1 year later. Unfortunately surgery made my situation worse instead of better, and I now wear the label "chronic pain sufferer." I take narcotic pain medication that damages my liver and kidneys with every dose yet NEVER takes away all of the pain. (My blood is tested every 6 months to monitor kidney and liver function.) Some days the pain is so bad that I cannot stand up straight and am forced to crawl around my apartment like an animal. Sometimes I remain curled up in a ball on the floor, unable to move except to cry, until the worst of it passes. I am grateful for the days when I am able to function almost as well as a regular person.
Each of us had hopes and dreams and plans. M was pursuing his PhD and working for NASA (yes, really.) K was in line for a promotion and significant raise at work. I was getting my bachelor's degree and had a 4.0 GPA. I planned to work for a charity or not-for-profit organization, since I felt fulfilled only when I was giving back to those in need.
Appearances can be deceiving. I realize my car "doesn't look all that damaged", but I assure you these photos show a loss of life. Each of us lost the people we were before the accident, never to be that person again. One drunk driver took my whole life away.
Not only are we physically affected, but 4 years later each of us are still mentally, spiritually, and emotionally affected. Each one of us blames ourselves for the accident, for different reasons. Each of us winces (at the least) or mentally shuts down (at the worst) when we pass the accident site. Each of us feels rage when we hear the name of the man who hit us (a name we'll never forget.) Each of us now knows to remain in the safety of our homes on "drinking holidays." Not one of us has been able to get complete relief from the pain. All of us wonder why it happened.
I had goals that I will never achieve. I cannot sit comfortably for any length of time. I cannot stand without pain, ever. I can't lift more than 10 lbs. without pain shooting down my back and legs. I can't feel my toes. I cannot bend like most people. I cannot even function enough to clean my apartment properly. My mother visits every other month to help me with things I SHOULD be able to do on my own, but can't. Hopefully you will never know how how much pride and independence an experience like this forces you to sacrifice. To say I've been humbled is an understatement. Debased is more like it.
I haven't worked in 4 years. The feelings of uselessness weigh on me like a lead blanket. I miss being a productive member of society. I desperately miss giving back to those in need. I miss bringing home a paycheck. The resulting depression is as crippling as the chronic pain itself.
I never intended to become a Public Service Announcement, but if I must serve as an example to others, so be it. I don't care how good you THINK you are at driving while intoxicated; it only takes ONE mistake to change someone's life forever... or worse, to end a life.
Do NOT drink and drive. The life you save may be your own.
Feel free to give people this link (but please don't take my photo) and relay my "story" if you think it will help them understand how damaging it is to drink and drive.
Candice
#NewYork #DWI Law Firm Opens Office In #Westchester County, NY t.co/ve1OOByzgE t.co/iDqnrSpzq7 (via Twitter twitter.com/DUILegalNY/status/850403199362224128)
A national portrait of drunk driving over a decade. The zones are sized by their number of fatal crashes and colored by their proportion involving intoxication. Data comes from NHTSA.
More on how and why here: uxblog.idvsolutions.com
Collingswood, NJ 08108
© Attorney Michael A. Smolensky, Esquire, Criminal, Juvenile, Drunk Driving, and Traffic Ticket Defense Lawyer www.smolenskylaw.com
MADD, Mother's Against Drunk Driving Virgin Alcohol Free Brut Wine by Mike Mozart of TheToyChannel and JeepersMedia on YouTube.
I don't make a habit of shooting accidents, but this one was right in front of me. It was, I believe, a police chase, a drunk driver (in the black pickup) and an innocent family in the minivan. I don't think anyone was seriously injured, at least I hope not.
On the morning of March 23, 2022, an alleged drunk driver crashed his car though a construction site. One person died and six others were injured. People have started a memorial for the dead.
MADD, Mother's Against Drunk Driving Virgin Alcohol Free Beer, by Mike Mozart of TheToyChannel and JeepersMedia on YouTube.
This photo has a crime scene kit on the front corner of the shelf. The black t-shirts high on the right wall are the body outline style. The white sign below the t-shirts says "Children's Corner." The shelf on the left side of the foreground unit has Coroner's Office beanie caps the body outline embroidered on them. There is a North Mission Road board game on the top front of the shelves past the black t-shirts.
1104 N. Mission Road
Los Angeles, CA 90033
(323) 343-0760
20090325_0123a1_800x600
MADD, Mother's Against Drunk Driving Virgin Alcohol Free Wine, Beer, Margaritas and Mojitos. 7/2014 Walgreens. Pics by Mike Mozart of TheToyChannel and JeepersMedia on YouTube.
and ambulance passing by my house in high exposure.
Please read the whole description!
HOLY CRAP CRAZY DRUNK DRIVING CAR ACCIDENT BY MY HOUSE AT 4:30 AM!!!! A CAR WAS GOING 70+MPH AND BECAME AIRBORNE AND FLEW ALL OF THE WAY OVER A NEIGHBOR'S DRIVEWAY, LANDED ON THE GRASS ON THE OTHER SIDE, AND CRASHED INTO A HOUSE 3 HOUSES DOWN FROM OURS! LUCKY NOBODY WAS KILLED! WHEN I FIRST HEARD THE ACCIDENT AT 4:30AM AND WENT OUTSIDE AT 5:00AM WITH MY DOG, WE (MY DOG AND I, LOL) SAW TONS OF NEIGHBORS AND FIRE DEPARTMENT VEHICLES AND A NASTY LOOKING WRECKED PICKUP TRUCK SMASHED INTO ANOTHER NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE, AND IT LOOKED LIKE NOBODY COULD POSSIBLY HAVE SURVIVED THAT (AND SOUNDED LIKE IT WHENEVER I HEARD IT FROM MY BEDROOM, BECAUSE IT SOUNDED SO BAD), BUT THEY SURVIVED. IT WAS A DRUNK GUY AND HIS GF. HE WAS RUNNING AROUND AFTER THE CRASH LIKE, "I KILLED MY GF, I KILLED MY GF, DON'T CALL THE COPS" (LOL "DON'T CALL THE COPS?" WHY NOT?) AND DRUNK
THAT IS WHY YOU SHOULDN'T DRINK AND DRIVE. I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! THE GUY ONLY THOUGHT HIS GF WAS KILLED B/C HE WAS DRUNK AND HE SAW HER SITTING IN THE CAR IN SHOCK. AMBULANCES TOOK THEM TO A HELICOPTER WAITING RIGHT OUTSIDE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD TO BRING THEM TO THE HOSPITAL! NOBODY DIED, BUT BLOOD WAS ON THE SIDE OF THE PICKUP TRUCK, AND I SAW THE CRASHED CAR, THE HOLE IN THE HOUSE, AND THE PEOPLE BEING PULLED OUT ON STRETCHERS. THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED AT ABOUT 4:30AM, I WAS IN MY ROOM AND I HEARD A REALLY LOUD SCREECH OF TIRES THEN A LOUD CRASH WHICH SOUNDED LIKE A GLASS EXPLOSION, AND LOL MY PARENTS AND BROTHER DIDN'T EVEN WAKE UP FROM IT! AMBULANCES, FIRE TRUCKS, AND POLICE CARS FROM BOTH GLEN CARBON AND EDWARDSVILLE POLICE & FIRE DEPT. CAME OVER. LUCKY NOBODY DIED AND THE GUY AND HIS GF ARE GOING TO BE OK. THE FACT THAT HE LANDED ON THE GROUND ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DRIVEWAY BEFORE HITTING THE WALL SLOWED HIM DOWN PROBABLY SAVING THEIR LIVES.
THAT'S WHY YOU SHOULD NEVER DRINK AND DRIVE, EVER. YOU HAVE TO BE THE BIGGEST IDIOT IN THE WHOLE WORLD TO DRINK AND DRIVE.
IF YOU SEE SOMEBODY WHO IS DRUNK AND TRYING TO DRIVE, CONVINCE THEM THAT YOU'LL DRIVE, AND NEVER EVER EVER GET IN A CAR WHERE THE DRUNK PERSON IS DRIVING! ASK IF YOU CAN DRIVE IN STEAD. DON'T DRUNK DRIVE!
THE GUY WAS ALSO INJURED, BUT NOT AS BAD AS HIS GF. LIKE I SAID, A HELICOPTER WAS WAITING JUST OUTSIDE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD TO TAKE THEM TO ST. LOUIS!!!!!!!!!!!
DOWNTOWN ST. LOUIS IS ONLY 25 MILES FROM GLEN CARBON & EDWARDSVILLE.
WHEN I FIRST HEARD THE CRASH HAPPEN, I THOUGHT "HOLY F***! THEY ARE DEAD!" BUT THEN THEY WERE BOTH CARRIED OUT ON STRETCHERS TO THAT AMBULANCE I TOLD YOU ABOUT WHICH BROUGHT THEM TO THE HELICOPTER WHICH LANDED OUTSIDE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND BROUGHT THEM TO DOWNTOWN ST. LOUIS. THEY ARE VERY LUCKY TO BE ALIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OH AND I BROUGHT MY DOG TO THE CRASH SCENE WITH ME. :)
MADD, Mother's Against Drunk Driving Virgin Alcohol Free Drinks Wine, Beer, Margaritas and Mojitos. 7/2014 Walgreens. Pics by Mike Mozart of TheToyChannel and JeepersMedia on YouTube.
Greenville — A group of college students, state officials and others converged Thursday, March 14, with a mission to prevent more drunk driving fatalities. The group of about 100 people, including 50 students, met at Sup Dogs, a popular eatery adjacent to the campus of East Carolina University.
Their call to action was timely. Drunk driving is more common on St. Patrick’s Day than at other times of the year and so, too, are deaths due to drunk driving.
“We had to be here, it’s our duty as leaders on the campus of ECU to help shine a light on this problem and actually do something about it,” said Gillian Smith, vice president of Recruitment for Panhellenic on the campus of ECU. “We’ve walked about a mile radius around 5th and Summit Streets, handing out fliers, posting anti-drunk-driving messages on our social media account and simply sounding the alarm.”
The community canvass kicked off The Governor’s Highway Safety Programs statewide ‘Booze It & Lose It’ campaign, where law enforcement from around all 100 counties began conducting saturation patrols. The goal was to remove impaired drivers from roadways and save lives over the St. Patrick’s Day weekend. The campaign runs today through Sunday, March 17.
“Whether it be via bus, cab, ride share or a buddy, we just want riders to get home alive and it’s going to take all of us, every time making the right decision,” said Governor’s Highway Safety Program Director Mark Ezzell. “We are grateful that the community of Greenville and beyond recognized the importance of this initiative and volunteered their time and resources today.”
The group was armed with many sobering statistics, including the fact that:
•On St. Patrick’s Day, on average, drunk driving deaths increase by 8 percent;
•Of the people who died in crashes on St. Patrick’s Day, 51 percent were alcohol-related;
•Drunk driving fatalities are seven times more likely at night on St. Patrick’s Day; and
•Of the people killed on St. Patrick’s Day due to drunk driving, 44 percent are between the ages of 21 and 34 years old.
“We want people to be aware of the repercussions of driving behaviors,” said Greenville Police Chief Mark Holtzman. “Our city has some of the worst drunk-driving records over the last few years and we are tired of our friends, children, co-workers dying this way.”
Chief Holztman and dozens of law enforcement, first responders, child advocates, health care workers from around Pitt County and Eastern Carolina joined volunteers who helped canvass several city blocks around one of the city’s most popular restaurants.
In addition to volunteers canvassing the community and walking about a mile around the downtown area, the ECU campus transit system changed their messaging on the front of all campus buses with the ‘Booze It & Lose It’ slogan. The City of Greenville, Pitt County schools, Vidant Health and a host of other organizations posted safety messaging on their social media accounts using the hashtags #keysfree and #NCGHSP.
The ‘Booze It & Lose It’ campaign is one of the many campaigns by The Governor’s Highway Safety Program which supports a myriad of safe-driving initiatives like Click It or Ticket, BikeSafe NC, Watch For Me NC, Speed a Little. Lose a Lot, and North Carolina’s Vision Zero initiative.
Visit ghsp.nc.gov and follow NCGHSP on Facebook @NCGHSP, Instagram and Twitter @NC_GHSP. For media inquiries contact: GHSP Communications Specialist Miracle King miracleking@ncdot.gov
7/2014 Walgreens. Pics by Mike Mozart of TheToyCMADD, Mother's Against Drunk Driving Virgin Alcohol Free Wine hannel and JeepersMedia on YouTube.
MADD, Mother's Against Drunk Driving Virgin Alcohol Free Margaritas and Mojitos, 7/2014 Walgreens. Pics by Mike Mozart of TheToyChannel and JeepersMedia on YouTube.
Drinking and driving is a no-no. The police can now do random roadside checks screening for alcohol use when driving, new to Canada since last December. In the past they would only be allowed to do a breathalyzer if the driver appeared impaired. Regrettably, alcohol still accounts for 50% of all motor vehicle fatalities. Hopefully the scrutiny on drunk driving will decrease this horrendous statistic. Did you know impaired driving is the leading criminal cause of death and injury in Canada? In December 2018 new impaired driving laws came into effect to make our roads safer and to save lives. Click the link to get the facts on the changes.
www.justice.gc.ca/eng/cj-jp/sidl-rlcfa/qa_c46-qr_c46.html...
1. Untitled, 2. sign stop, 3. safety sign ,4. No Alcohol, 5. ampersand, 6. angel, 7. traffic sign, 8. angel w/banner, 9. Car crashes ahead, 10. RIP, 11. Jesus, 12. cross with flowers 13. Lougheed crash
Created by Susana Fierro-Baig (with thanks to all the photographers of these incredible photos.) Visit duivictimsvoice.webs.com for more information.
The Grieving Angel, by Susana Fierro-Baig
The angel grieves
for the precious lives that have been cut short,
for the countless futures that have been shattered,
for the sting of death that is the burden of the living.
Stop the angel's cries.
Stop the loss of innocent lives.
Stop drunk driving.
GARNER – Thursday October 17 kicked off the largest annual event in North Carolina and with it bring the largest volume of traffic to one location. The North Carolina State Fair brought nearly one million people through its gates in 2018, and officials with the Governor’s Highway Safety Program (GHSP) are urging drivers to remain alert as increased traffic often translates into increased roadway incidents. “The more people you have converging on one event, could mean more potential for pedestrian-vehicle collisions, drunk driving incidents, crashes that result in injuries and fatalities unfortunately,” said GHSP Director Mark Ezzell. Not only will the fair bring in large crowds of travelers from across the county, state and southeast to the State Fairgrounds over its 11 days but adding to the crowds and traffic are several concert and sporting events over the same time at the nearby PNC Arena. “Each traveler needs to know that there will may be an impaired, unbelted, distracted or inexperienced driver traveling near them at some point and they must stay vigilant,” Ezzell continued. GHSP staff will be on-hand at the State Fair sponsoring the Safety City exhibit: a virtual highway safety community that seeks to decrease roadway injuries and fatalities by educating attendees on safe driving behaviors. Some of the ‘Safety City’ national, state and local agencies include: Mothers Against Drunk Driving Safe Kids NC Watch for Me NC BeRailSafe NC and NC Operation Lifesaver Choices For Chase Operation Lifesaver DHHS Forensic Tests For Alcohol Branch Alcohol Law Enforcement and Alcohol Beverage Control Bike Safe NC NC Moves And many more The exhibit is open during the duration of the fair, Oct. 17 through Oct. 27 and is located behind the Kerr Scott Building on the fairgrounds along Blue Ridge Road in Raleigh. If you can’t make it to Safety City, GHSP officials pass on these safety tips, simple things that can save your life or the life of someone around you: #1 Buckle up. Wearing your seatbelt decreases your chances of dying in a crash by almost half. #2 Drive sober. Use a ride sharing app, take public transportation (bus and or train to and from the fair), call a friend; speak up if someone is under the influence and planning to get behind the wheel! #3 Slow Down. Pay Attention. Distracted driving and speeding claim lives every day and are preventable behaviors. While traveling to and from the fair and other area events, show us that you are a safe driver! Snap a photo of yourself and your passengers safely secured and tag @NC_GHSP on Instagram, Twitter and @NCGHSP on Facebook. Use hashtags #SafetyCity and or #NCGHSP and we’ll “Like” your picture! GHSP funds efforts to reduce traffic crashes in North Carolina and promotes highway safety awareness through a variety of grants and safe-driving initiatives like Click It or Ticket, Booze It & Lose It, BikeSafe NC, Watch For Me NC and Speed a Little. Lose a Lot.
The biggest 25 American cities are sorted by population, per capita deadly crashes, per capita deadly crashes involving intoxication, and the rate of intoxication crashes overall.
More on how and why, insets, and companion maps at uxblog.idvsolutions.com
MADD, Mother's Against Drunk Driving Virgin Alcohol Free Wine Blanc 7/2014 Walgreens. Pics by Mike Mozart of TheToyChannel and JeepersMedia on YouTube.
According to people at the scene, unconfirmed, an intoxicated man had an arguement in one of the houses in this subdivision, stormed out of the house, and drove down the road at a high rate of speed. Some witnesses say he was travelling as fast as 70 MPH. He apperently either lost control, or simply missed the turn, and drove straight into the pond. The man exited the vehicle as it sank. Nobody else was in the vehicle, and he supposedly sustained minor injuries. Witnesses say he refused a breath test, and was subsequently arrested for DWI. The incident occured approximately 11:00 AM on January 1st of 2013.
According to people at the scene, unconfirmed, an intoxicated man had an arguement in one of the houses in this subdivision, stormed out of the house, and drove down the road at a high rate of speed. Some witnesses say he was travelling as fast as 70 MPH. He apperently either lost control, or simply missed the turn, and drove straight into the pond. The man exited the vehicle as it sank. Nobody else was in the vehicle, and he supposedly sustained minor injuries. Witnesses say he refused a breath test, and was subsequently arrested for DWI. The incident occured approximately 11:00 AM on January 1st of 2013.
Drinking and driving...
I know this will open a giant can of worms here, but I like to make social observations and commentary, and all of this is based on factual life experience, so here goes.
First, has my family ever been touched by a drunk driving accident? Yes...my old lady’s parents were nearly killed by a head-on collision with a drunk driver and spent long months in the hospital and recovering. The emotional trauma they all suffered (she was in the car with them when the accident happened) was massive.
I’ve known people (as most of us have) who were killed or injured by drunk drivers.
See that Cemetery archway in the background of this photo? It’s a good mix with this bottle of Bud, because alcohol puts a lot of people in the cemetery, one way or another.
But I sincerely believe that most of our concerns about drinking and driving are motivated by other than honest intentions. I’ll get to those reasons in a moment.
I grew up with a strangely different perspective: my stepfather owned a bar; it was a family joint and I grew up in it and have a lot of fond memories of the patrons. During the day the contractors and odd-job specialists would stop by to have a few beers to take the edge off of the fierce West Texas summer heat and then drive to their next jobs. None of our friends ever killed anyone with their vehicles or even suffered so much as a ticket. Lucky? Perhaps; I don’t really know.
In Texas when I was a young man the legal drinking age was lowered to 18, and of course my friends and I celebrated accordingly.
Now check this shit out if you want a real mindbender: I’m not saying it was legal to drink and drive, but if a cop pulled you over for your brake lights not working and you had an open can of beer between your legs it was no big deal...as long as you weren’t speeding, driving recklessly, up on the sidewalk, etc., the advice from the cop was “Get your brake lights fixed and keep your beer down low and take it easy.” That was it!
My biological family to a person is a family of massive drinkers. I can’t exaggerate that fact enough to make you understand it. We can start at 6 in the morning on hard liquor if desired, drink all damn day and into the night, eat anything we want to with the booze, mix any combination of beers and hard liquors, and never get sick, never throw up, never have a hangover, never miss a day of work, never forget the night before, never had a DUI or a DWI, no one has ever become sick from the lifelong years of massive drinking, everyone has the liver of a healthy 20-year-old (I just had mine checked and that was the verdict for me too) and we all live very long lives. Genetics, pure and simple.
My stepfather, on the other hand, didn’t handle booze all that well...not a good combination when you own a bar...he would drink with his patrons and get too damn drunk! Back in those days rather than get thrown in the drunk tank the local cops would hang around when he was closing the bar down and follow him home to make sure he made it okay and then go on about their business.
A whole other day and time.
I am not justifying anything I tell you now, just stating a fact: I drank and drove from the time I was a young man into the late years of my life. I don’t now, but I thought nothing of it then. I never had a DUI or a DWI and was never in a wreck. Lucky as fucking hell?...probably. All of my buddies did it too...our social life was to meet at the bar every night and drink and talk the night away. Likewise none of them ever had any problems either.
Would I do the same thing now if I had it to do all over again, knowing what I know now? Probably not.
It’s a very strange thing to think about.
But the whole question about the honesty and integrity about the anti-drunk driving campaign boils down to this for me:
over the years (and NOT from being in trouble with the law) I have known, both casually and very well, law enforcement officers from all ranks, including locals, sheriffs, FBI, CIA, Homeland Security, etc. Every single LEO (Law Enforcement Officer) of any stripe or affiliation that I personally know, and I know a LOT of them, every single LEO that drinks...drinks and drives. Without exception. And many of them drive drunk...waaaay drunk. I know this for a fact, because I’ve been with them when they have, and I’ve also seen it occur many, many times.
It’s a strange love affair we have with our drugs, no matter what they are, and it’s a very strange way that we handle our personal and national perception of them, and a lot of that seems to depend on who is in office and who is currently yelling the loudest among the supporters or protestors or lobbyists, and seems to have little to do with what’s actually happening in peoples’ lives on a day-to-day reality basis.
Want a fun bit of research to do? Did you know that cocaine, yes, that hideous, evil, dreaded drug, used to be legal in the U.S.? You could buy the shit mail-order through the Sears catalog!
Here’s some interesting links to get you started:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harrison_Narcotics_Tax_Act#Domestic...
adamjamesjones.wordpress.com/2012/07/11/bad-medicine-a-hi...
So what’s my point, and where do I come down in all of this? I don’t think I have a real point other than to get you thinking and let you see alternate points of view and different experiences and histories, and to let you know that whether something is considered an evil or something beneficial (or at least benign) depends purely on time, place, and circumstances, and whether or not you’re the one writing the ticket or receiving the ticket.
And on who’s in power and calling the shots at the time, making decisions that are based on political expediency and not necessarily what’s true, factual, or “good” for any of us as a whole.
.
Some of the sights from Bike Week 2013.
More in my set, "Bike Week 2013:"
www.flickr.com/photos/motorpsiclist/sets/72157632152340699/
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My photographs and videos and any derivative works are my private property and are copyright © by me, John Russell (aka "Zoom Lens") and ALL my rights, including my exclusive rights, are reserved and protected by United States Copyright Laws and International Copyright Laws. ANY use without my permission in writing is forbidden by law.
Woodbury, NJ 08096. © Attorney Michael A. Smolensky, Esquire, Criminal, Juvenile, Drunk Driving, and Traffic Ticket Defense Lawyer NJ Traffic Ticket Attorney
According to people at the scene, unconfirmed, an intoxicated man had an arguement in one of the houses in this subdivision, stormed out of the house, and drove down the road at a high rate of speed. Some witnesses say he was travelling as fast as 70 MPH. He apperently either lost control, or simply missed the turn, and drove straight into the pond. The man exited the vehicle as it sank. Nobody else was in the vehicle, and he supposedly sustained minor injuries. Witnesses say he refused a breath test, and was subsequently arrested for DWI. The incident occured approximately 11:00 AM on January 1st of 2013.
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) benefited as a large crowd of spectators and fans of all ages gathered to enjoy the 2009 Cops and Jocks Celebrity Softball Game held on Tuesday May 26th, at Mundy Park in Mt Juliet, TN. Organized by Lt. Wesley Neely of the Mount Juliet Police Department, this year celebrates the tenth year for the event, which enlists officers from Mt. Juliet, Metro Nashville, and both the TN and KY Highway Patrol along with many celebrities and professional sport athletes.
Glassboro, NJ 08028
© Attorney Michael A. Smolensky, Esquire, Criminal, Juvenile, Drunk Driving, and Traffic Ticket Defense Lawyer NJ Criminal Defense Attorney
Woodbury, NJ 08096
© Attorney Michael A. Smolensky, Esquire, Criminal, Juvenile, Drunk Driving, and Traffic Ticket Defense Lawyer www.smolenskylaw.com
MADD, Mother's Against Drunk Driving Virgin Alcohol Free Margaritas, 7/2014 Walgreens. Pics by Mike Mozart of TheToyChannel and JeepersMedia on YouTube.
Broad Street Historic District, Woodbury, NJ 08096 (ID#1429)
© Attorney Michael A. Smolensky, Esquire, Criminal, Juvenile, Drunk Driving, and Traffic Ticket Defense Lawyer NJ Juvenile Justice Attorney
Belgium is in lock down due to COVID-19 (the new Corona virus).
1. All shops have to close during weekends, so the city centers look abandonned (which is fine by me). 31000 people are without a job
2. All bars/restaurants/clubs have to close their doors till april.. so many are going for drinks in Noord-Brabant (Netherlands), thus spreading the virus even more and causing more drunk-driving accidents on the roads. Others are drinking and partying in the streets.. and causing havoc.
3. All hospitals are cancelling all non-Covid appointments.. hence patients with for example potentially life-threatening blood clots have to wait till May/June to get help.
4. All international travel is strongly discouraged (and many countries have closed their borders) but just look at item 2.
5. All schools are closed (lessons are given over the web) and everybody is asked to work from home.. so phonelines & internet services are getting overloaded and malfunctioning.
6. No more events/concerts/sports training/swimming pools/libraries/.. Social life has come to a grinding halt.
7. Store shelves for food/basic needs are empty. People are fighting in stores for the last pack of toilet paper.
This virus is teaching us very important lessons.. the same lessons dystopian scifi movies & disaster/zombie-movies have tought us.. Survivalists were right: instinct quickly takes over once society's foundations are lightly shaking.
MADD, Mother's Against Drunk Driving Virgin Alcohol Free , Beer, by Mike Mozart of TheToyChannel and JeepersMedia on YouTube.
A short history from the Skeletons in the Closet website:
The shop, called Skeletons In The Closet, has been operating since September 1993. With the declining tax revenue, other concepts had to be considered to help off-set monetary losses. The intent was to use monies raised to offset the costs associated with the Youthful Drunk Driving Visitation Program (YDDVP), which uses no tax dollars as support.
This marketing effort is an outgrowth of a coffee mug and tee-shirt that had already been used to complement an annually sponsored professional Coroner conference.
Skeletons in the Closet features a complete line of quality souvenir items, such as beach towels, tee-shirts, tote bags, baseball caps, coroner toe tag key chains, boxer shorts called "undertakers," and more. Each item displays a unique Los Angeles County Coroner design such as a skeleton in Sherlock Holmes attire, a chalked-out body outline or the L.A. County Coroner seal.
Response to this marketing program has been overwhelmingly positive and has received worldwide interests, particularly throughout the United States and Canada. Customer awareness has been generated through much publicized newspaper and magazine articles, as well as radio and television appearances.
A worldwide mail order business has been established with over 30,000 names of people interested in receiving the annual Skeletons in the Closet catalog. Customer names are constantly being added to the mailing list throughout the year from visitors to the shop, and daily telephone requests.
For more information contact Skeletons in the Closet, (323) 343-0760.
1104 N. Mission Road
Los Angeles, CA 90033
(323) 343-0760
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According to people at the scene, unconfirmed, an intoxicated man had an arguement in one of the houses in this subdivision, stormed out of the house, and drove down the road at a high rate of speed. Some witnesses say he was travelling as fast as 70 MPH. He apperently either lost control, or simply missed the turn, and drove straight into the pond. The man exited the vehicle as it sank. Nobody else was in the vehicle, and he supposedly sustained minor injuries. Witnesses say he refused a breath test, and was subsequently arrested for DWI. The incident occured approximately 11:00 AM on January 1st of 2013.
MADD, Mother's Against Drunk Driving Virgin Alcohol Free Wine, Beer, Margaritas and Mojitos. 7/2014 Walgreens. Pics by Mike Mozart of TheToyChannel and JeepersMedia on YouTube.
According to people at the scene, unconfirmed, an intoxicated man had an arguement in one of the houses in this subdivision, stormed out of the house, and drove down the road at a high rate of speed. Some witnesses say he was travelling as fast as 70 MPH. He apperently either lost control, or simply missed the turn, and drove straight into the pond. The man exited the vehicle as it sank. Nobody else was in the vehicle, and he supposedly sustained minor injuries. Witnesses say he refused a breath test, and was subsequently arrested for DWI. The incident occured approximately 11:00 AM on January 1st of 2013.
SGMC EMTs participated in a drunk driving awareness demonstration at Valdosta High School. Students Against Drunk Driving and first responders reenacted a car crash in which drunk drivers were arrested and multiple injuries and causalities resulted. Everyone did a great job at showing students the importance of safe driving during this prom season. **Remember that this was a simulation, no one was actually injured during this demonstration.
MADD, Mother's Against Drunk Driving Virgin Alcohol Free Beer, 7/2014 Walgreens. Pics by Mike Mozart of TheToyChannel and JeepersMedia on YouTube.
Aside from her wrecked car and bad fashion sense she is being led away in handcuffs, possibly for the first time in her life. She should be happy that she isn't going in an ambulance or hearse.
Woodbury, NJ 08096. © Attorney Michael A. Smolensky, Esquire, Criminal, Juvenile, Drunk Driving, and Traffic Ticket Defense Lawyer NJ Traffic Ticket Attorney