*I hope any peace officers with direct observations chime in here

Ever notice someone that speeds up, and slows down in a way that makes no sence?

Someone that drives unnaturally slow?

A car or truck that weaves back and forth in it's lane, as if it is only periodically guided (CELL PHONE DRIVERS DO THAT, but this is more important).

A vehicle that almost goes off into the breakdown lane, and swerves back suddenly.

Someone that follows too closely, and seems to go from side to side...


What should you do if you are behind them?
Pull off, report them if you can, wait until the way is clear. DO NOT under any circumstances attempt to pass them - they could swerve and kill you. Just get away from them. TRUST ME!


IF YOU ARE IN FRONT OF THEM:

Take the nearest offramp, if you can't get away from them. Watch to see that they go on - if they follow you you can TRY to lose them (ring around the rosie on the cloverleaf), if this does not work pull into a lighted place of business, and hope they park away from you.

DO NOT allow them to follow you, and report them by any means available.

NEVER UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES GET OUT OF YOUR VEHICLE AND TRY TO CONFRONT THEM.

In fact - one of the best moves you can make if you see a State Trooper parked on the side is to pull over in front of but near them.

 

good advice,

on a lighter note
One night, a police officer was stalking out a particularly rowdy bar waiting to catch any drunk drivers. At closing time, he saw a fellow stumble out of the bar, trip on the curb, and try his keys on five different cars before he found his. Then, sat in the front seat fumbling around with his keys for several minutes.

Everyone left the bar and drove off. Finally, he started his engine and began to pull away. The police officer was waiting for him. He stopped the driver, read him his rights and administered the Breathalyser test.

The results showed a reading of 0.0. The puzzled officer demanded to know how that could be.

The driver replied, "Tonight, I'm the Designated Decoy."

 

I'm not a cop, just an uncle who lost a niece to a drunk. My niece was a passenger in the car the drunk was driving. Jackass ran a redlight and t-boned a Durango. She died instantly, he tried to flee the scene and even though witnesses saw him trying to get out of the car. Plenty of unasnswerd questions still and it's been almost a year. He got 15 years for manslaughter 2, suspended 6 of those as I recall. She left behind a 4 year old daughter and was pregnant at the time of her death. Monday she would have been 23...

 

I've seen a lot of drunk drivers, both from my party days, and from years of working second shift. But I see similar behavior in the middle of the day now. I pass them, and Guess what? They're yakking on a cell phone (while playing with their laptop and munching a burger). You're right, though- stay AWAY from impaired drivers!

 

It is funny, every time I call in a drunk they always ask if I got the plate number. Of course I don't want to get close enough to get it but they always ask. Last one I was behind was 8am in the morning and may not have been drunk but DWO (Driving while Old) Some woman with a dog in the P. seat who looked rather old and was in both lanes of traffic for a good 5 miles before she finally turned off.

 

That was hilarious man, good stuff!

 

I've been lucky the last few weeks - the only vehicles on the bitty little backroads I found (to shorten up my commute) that were driving in two lanes were FARM EQUIPMENT!!!

... Except for one stretch where it pays to slow down and identify the exact location of a large herd of free-roaming GOATS. About 25 of 'em I'd estimate. There's always a deer or two around, but it's mostly the JOHN DEERE's I have to watch for