Taking Your Life In Your Hands?!?!? - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

BigFish · 10-29-2006, 11:55 AM

Some nights when you head out for those zero dark thirty expeditions....don't you feel as though there are many liquified drivers out on the road and you have to be "EXTRA" careful when driving to your spots??? I was out a few nights this season when myself and my companions witnessed several vehicles that were without a doubt, being driven by someone who was way past drunk!! I sure would hate to be out on my way to a relaxing night of fishing and wind up getting hit head on by some clown!!! One night Joey G. and I were behind a guy who had all he could do to keep his car headed in a straight line and on the road! This happened way too many times this season....seems the dangerous hours are about 10:00 pm to about 3:00 am!!! Thoughts?

Swimmer · 10-29-2006, 11:58 AM

I don't work nights that often anymore Lar, but most of those calls when the vehicle is actually stopped find the drivers chatting away on or trying to dial a cell phone causing the erractic operation. But some of the hours your on the road I'm sure its much worse than a cell phone distraction.

BigFish · 10-29-2006, 12:00 PM

No...these were not cell phone users for sure though I see plenty of them! These instances were outright drunks behind the wheel!

libassboy · 10-29-2006, 12:02 PM

Most of my fishing in concentrated on really late nite tides.2,3,4am, and once u get into the late nite like that all kinds of weird stuff goes on. To answer ure question ive seen my share of people driving hammered, especially heading out east(past the hamptons, etc) during the summer months, its a total drunken zoo out there.
I actually watched one guy years back fly off the road, run down a real estate sign, stop, put the sign in the back of his truck, and drive away, swerving the whole way...
Needless to say i waited for him to pass.

Adamfishes · 10-29-2006, 02:20 PM

saw a guy driving a mustang on 93 by quincy at 3am on my way to go fishing spin his car about 4 times in the middle lane and then he swerved into my lane the fast lane. I had to go up on the sidewalk by the gaurd rail to avoid him.

Striperhound · 10-29-2006, 02:34 PM

I have seen the same on a weekly basis. What gets my goat is that late at night I get stopped from time to time, never getting a ticket when a complete drunk rolls down the same roads. But because it is after 2 am there is probable cause to pull someone over. They get the wrong person more times than not. The only payback is my car reaks of eels when the window goes down. That is usually enough for the officer to say "have a good night, catch anything?"

spence · 10-29-2006, 03:17 PM

Was pulled over in Little Comton this summer because the officer thought I had a bad tail light.

Took me 15 min to explain that's how some European fog lamps operate

-spence

The Iceman 6 · 10-29-2006, 03:23 PM

Was coming home from fishing @ 3am one night this season, was going to my parents in North Haven, CT. I had to look twice and was thankfully not too shot, the guy was about 125 yard away driving on my side of the road with no lights on, made no effort to move, no swaying, as i had little time to react i just pulled into a driveway and let him go right on by. of course tried to high beam him prior, by the time i pulled out of the driveway, he was pretty much gone, i always woner if that guy got home safe?

lurch · 10-29-2006, 05:12 PM

My Dad was a cop for 30+ years and he said the majority of people who are out are crooks and drunks so be careful when out that late....or early in our case.

libassboy · 10-29-2006, 05:25 PM

Very true, ive gotten pulled over a few times. Im sure most people driving around at 3am are up to no good..

piemma · 10-30-2006, 04:22 AM

Got pulled over in Warwick RI about a month ago for a headlight out. Cop saw the rods and proceeded to talk to me about the Fall run for about 20 minutes. Never tagged me either! Funny.

fishpoopoo · 10-30-2006, 07:46 AM

well, what are you going to do about it?

note the make and model of the car, plate if possible, and call 911 and tell them to get a drunk off the road!

BigFish · 10-30-2006, 08:13 AM

First of all Bassturd.....most of those instances the vehicles were coming at me! Should I turn around and chase them??? I think not! The one I was following I had the phone in my hand and dialing the number and lost the car at a light.....sorry...I tried!

macojoe · 10-30-2006, 08:51 AM

Here on the mid-cape Barnstable they have made all 24 hour places close from 1am to 5am because to many places were becoming gathering places after drinking hours and there were alot of fights and stuff!!

The thought is if they have no place to stop they will just go home??

Well now Yarmouth is talking about doing the same because all the surrounding towns are getting the over flow!

Seems to be working.

clambelly · 10-30-2006, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigFish

First of all Bassturd.....most of those instances the vehicles were coming at me! Should I turn around and chase them??? I think not! The one I was following I had the phone in my hand and dialing the number and lost the car at a light.....sorry...I tried!

always call 911. it will never hurt to mention it. just let them know if its a car or a truck and what road they are on and what direction they are travelling. the cops may have units nearby that could locate the bastage quickly.

bttfish · 10-30-2006, 08:57 AM

Great Idea.. Get those F#$%^&^g Drunks off the roads.
I rather they hit the pole than innocent drivers going fishing.

Mugz · 10-30-2006, 09:00 AM

Went up to Plum Island last year, watched a guy bounce off the Jersey barrier 2 times and just kept going......not sure if he was drunk or alseep at the wheel....my guess is he was cocked.

BigFish · 10-30-2006, 09:36 AM

This thread is not about what I did or didn't do....lets get it back on topic please! Just curious if others see all the drunks late at night and if they feel they need to be extra careful to avoid one of them crossing lanes and killing them as they attempt to do a simple thing such as go fishing?

fishpoopoo · 10-30-2006, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigFish

This thread is not about what I did or didn't do....lets get it back on topic please! Just curious if others see all the drunks late at night and if they feel they need to be extra careful to avoid one of them crossing lanes and killing them as they attempt to do a simple thing such as go fishing?

so what's the point of this thread then?

don't drive at night, there are too many scary drunk drivers on the road?

i'll tell you why, even if some arsehole was coming down on me full bore, I'D TURN AROUND AND CHASE THE MOTHERFUKKER DOWN ...

I LOST SIX MONTHS OF MY LIFE BECAUSE OF A FUKKING DRUNK DRIVER AND I'LL BE DAMNED IF I *EVER* LET ONE OFF THE HOOK *EVER* AGAIN.

BigFish · 10-30-2006, 09:44 AM

The point is read my initial post....I am not rallying the troops to police the roads late at night...thats what police get paid for. If I could have gotten his plate I would have but I was not going to get too close to this fool and endanger myself...I have 2 young sons that come first....as I said...lost him at a light.

Folks wonder why other folks don't post much anymore?

fishpoopoo · 10-30-2006, 09:49 AM

the police get paid to uphold the law.

they can't do that if they don't know what's going around them 24/7. which they obviously can't.

the police do their thing the best when citizens get involved. YOU are their eyes and ears.

next time you think you see a drunk driver, call the cops and at least alert them that somebody is driving dangerously - at least give them a GENERAL description of where that person is heading.

BigFish · 10-30-2006, 09:55 AM

I was gonna reply again....but if past history teaches me anything.....I would feel like this!

fishpoopoo · 10-30-2006, 10:04 AM

larry,

take it from me - you don't ever want to be on the other end of a drunken driving mishap.

if i have to piss you off to get you to stop complaining and then start DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT then it will have been worth it.

BigFish · 10-30-2006, 10:07 AM

Bassturbed....I don't need you talking down to me like I did something wrong or didn't or don't do enough! You have had an unfortunate incident I am sure but this thread was not intended as an instrument for you to vent or try to raise peoples awareness of the problem of Drunk Driving! You don't know me from a hole in the wall so don't pass your judgement on me! I was simply wondering if others witness the same things I do when I am out fishing at night.....it is most definitely a concern to me.

I am going fishing now!

fishpoopoo · 10-30-2006, 10:13 AM

larry,

if you are so concerned about drunk drivers then channel your road rage into something productive.

don't sit there and complain about it, do nothing and then god forbid wind up lamenting it when you or a loved one end up in the hospital.

drunk drivers tend to be repeat offenders. the old 80/20 rule - 80% of the drunk driving is done by 20% of the a$$holes out there with cars and booze. even if you get ONE off the road on a late night you will be drastically improving safety for everyone.

Swimmer · 10-30-2006, 12:00 PM

Join up today, don't wait, call now for an appointment! A rewarding carreer in law enforcement is just around the corner. I thing Bigfish and Bassturbed would make great cruiser partners. Larry I think you did the right thing calling but not chasing. Even off-duty cops are trained to be good witnesses not participants. No one should be chasing down other vehicles except under extrordinary situations.

The Dad Fisherman · 10-30-2006, 12:23 PM

Ever hear the Phrase "At 2:00 AM the only things on the Road are Drunks and Cops".....granted they didn't consider Fisherman but it does about say it all

tynan19 · 10-30-2006, 12:34 PM

I called 911 on someone this spring. I noticed he was swerving a little but I didn't call till he started crossing the center line. Dispatch told me to stay in sight but not to close. I stayed on the line while he dispatched the PO's. As we were coming into the center of town the driver hit a curb at the common then went to take a left and slammed into another curb blowing his tires. Best part is this is where the police station is and as the cop was getting into his cruiser he witnessed it all. Then the guy almost hit him. Needles to say he was stopped right there.
Sure enough it was the guys 4th offense.

Trunky · 10-30-2006, 12:41 PM

between the drunks and the illegals who arent licensed and drive 35 in a 55, and probably need glasses too, the roads are a mess at night...
not to mention the damned deer everywhere... sheesh

Adamfishes · 10-30-2006, 01:06 PM

Sometimes not calling the cops is the safest sollution and getting as far away from a drunk as possible.