Commuting - Danger from Drunks, By City

Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.



PDA

View Full Version : Danger from Drunks, By City

Artkansas
12-10-07, 06:35 AM
The Drunkest Cities (http://health.msn.com/health-topics/addiction/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100182332&GT1=10710)

Interesting article on the most drunk cities. Little Rock does well. :) I imagine that the more drunks there are, the more drunk drivers there are.

vtjim
12-10-07, 06:55 AM
Burlington, VT, gets #57?! Clearly I need to work to get that score closer to 100. :beer: :p
acroy
12-10-07, 07:18 AM
whoo, Texas takes 4 of the top 10 spots!

Dallas (mine) comes in a lowly 76th. better luck next year :)

oboeguy
12-10-07, 08:23 AM
10. Jersey City, NJ B+

9. Richmond, VA B+

8. New York, NY B+

7. Little Rock, AR A-

6. Salt lake City, UT A-

5. Yonkers, NY A-

NYC and the two nearest neighbors (Yonkers and Jersey City) pwn!
pinkrobe
12-10-07, 09:26 AM
Around here, drunk driving is annoyingly common in the 'burbs, but is happily almost absent in the central areas.
MMACH 5
12-10-07, 09:40 AM
whoo, Texas takes 4 of the top 10 spots!

Dallas (mine) comes in a lowly 76th. better luck next year :)

Yep. We're only 14 spots from cracking that top ten.
beingtxstate
12-10-07, 10:12 AM
Yep. We're only 14 spots from cracking that top ten.

Having lived in austin, San Marcos, and San Antonio for most of my adult life, I can attest to the amount of dumb drunks on the road! It was truly bad, I would regularly see people drinking in their cars (not just driving, but I could see the beer go down their gulets) Smart move people...yeesh
caloso
12-10-07, 10:15 AM
66. Sacramento, CA D+


I can tell you that Sactown has significantly improved since December 28, 1998.
mandrake
12-10-07, 10:45 AM
This discussion reminds me of when I lived in Tallahassee. It was legal to go to the drive through liquor store and order a drink to go in a large plastic cup (w/ lid and straw). Yet, at the time it was illegal to have in your vehicle an open container (like a bottle of Jack Daniel's where the seal was broken). Not sure what the current situation is down there.
MMACH 5
12-10-07, 10:55 AM
This was around 3:00 or 4:00am.
One night, I was riding home from work and came to a green traffic light (at NW Hwy & Shadybrook Ln for anyone from the DFW area). There were two cars honking at another car blocking their way. He was just sitting there, idling. I rode up next to him and could see that he was passed out with a beer bottle between his legs.

When I got off my bike and walked up to his car, the people in the other cars got out also. His driver-side window was down, so I reached in, put his car in Park and took the keys out. When I tried to wake him, he was unresponsive, but still breathing. I happened to have my wife's cell phone with me, so I told the other drivers I was calling 911.

One of them said, "I don't want to get the guy in trouble.":eek:
Before I could answer the two people from the other car agreed with her!:eek::eek:
One of the said something like, "Just leave his keys and let him sleep it off." :eek::eek::eek:

I said, "Look, IF he wakes up, he could likely kill someone.
If we leave him here, I'm more inclined to think that he is going to die of alcohol poisoning or choking on his own vomit.
If he gets arrested, it will probably save his life... this time.
Y'all don't have to stay. I'll wait for the ambulance to show up."

With that they got in their respective cars and left. The police got their first, took his pulse and called a tow truck. The ambulance showed up minutes later, strapped him to a gurney and I continued on my way home.

I don't know what ever happened to the guy. I have a feeling he eventually became another intoxicated-manslaughter statistic.

And as screwed up and pathetic as he was, I was far more shocked by the other drivers' encouragement to NOT call 911. What the H¢LL were they thinking?
Orikal
12-10-07, 12:33 PM
I'm surprised Houston didn't make the top 10.

Driving on the freeway here after 11 on a weekend night is like navigating a mine field. I think people have stopped even attempting to hide the fact they're intoxicated anymore.
jimmuter
12-10-07, 12:58 PM
Wow, #1? 1. Durham, NC A+

I guess all of our drunks take the bus.

Edit: There's more data here: http://www.menshealth.com/drunk/

Looking at this, our DUI arrests are really middle of the pack and long-term alcohol related illnesses are in the very low range. That stands to reason in a college area.
acroy
12-10-07, 01:31 PM
This was around 3:00 or 4:00am.

............

And as screwed up and pathetic as he was, I was far more shocked by the other drivers' encouragement to NOT call 911. What the H¢LL were they thinking?

good greif what a story. wow. the other drivers, I can only guess, must have felt empathy for the dude. That is scary.

ps i have to drive around DFW on occasion on weekend nights and a fair amount of the traffic is obviously under an influence. Weaving, being weird.... I try to stay home.

Be safe out there!
beingtxstate
12-10-07, 02:56 PM
This discussion reminds me of when I lived in Tallahassee. It was legal to go to the drive through liquor store and order a drink to go in a large plastic cup (w/ lid and straw). Yet, at the time it was illegal to have in your vehicle an open container (like a bottle of Jack Daniel's where the seal was broken). Not sure what the current situation is down there.

In San Marcos, TX there is a daquiri place like that. Texas has a similar open container law, so the shop heat seals your daquiri in a plastic bag. Rediculous.