Drunk drivers wrecking havoc in the Woodlands, TX

[cpvr]

Wow, I can't believe how many drunk drivers are killing people in my city. There's been two major accidents in the past week that have killed multiple people. It's really getting sickening because innocent people are losing their lives:
http://montgomerycountypolicereporter.com/?p=47601

Just two days ago two people died when a drunk driver entered I-45 at Research going north in the south bound lanes. That crash happened close to 3 am.​

Sunday morning just after 1:30 am a Montgomery County Dispatcher with a sense of urgency in her voice reported a vehicle traveling north in the southbound lanes of I –45 approaching Research. Shenandoah Officers jumped the median and stopped all traffic on I-45 southbound with the intention of taking the vehicle as it got to them. But within seconds a Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputy called for an ambulance and fire equipment at I-45 just north of Woodlands Parkway. He reported a Chevrolet Malibu struck a Pontiac G6 head on.​

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Some pictures from that accident:

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Now for the first one: http://montgomerycountypolicereporter.com/?p=47383​

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traffic backed up beyond the south loop.
Just after 3 a.m. this morning Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office dispatchers received a call for a Ford pickup traveling north on the southbound feeder neat Outback in Shenandoah. Shenandoah Police immediately started looking for it. It was moments later a wrecker driver notified dispatchers that they needed to cancel the attempt to locate as the truck just hit a car on the main lanes of Interstate 45 just over SH 242.
Needham Fire Department and MCHD responded to the call. When they arrived they found Nicole Nadra Baukus, 23, of Spring in her Ford truck in stable condition. They also found three people in the silver vehicle. The driver Nicole Elizabeth Adams, 19, of Conroe was deceased. Her right rear passenger who has not yet been identified was deceased and the front seat passenger was in critical condition.

This is so sickening - is your city having problems with Drunk drivers?

 

[Eric Lyon]

Drinking & driving is bad all over Texas, even in dry area's where alcohol sales is not allowed like waxahachie (They still get alcohol in the next county & bring it back). San Antonio has accidents via drunk drivers multiple times per week and the end result of taking a life is the same with different events. Head on crashes, side winder crashes, hitting people walking on the sidewalks, driving into someones living room, etc... The bigger the city, the more accidents that happen. We do have lots of check points now on the weekends around bar close times and a few units that sit & watch as people leave the bars all night & pick them off one at a time. There's just not enough officers to get them all though, as soon as the current officers are busy pulling over a few that left the bar, more people leave the bar and get in their cars. The sadder part is that many of the drunks in the accidents had already had a DUI previously & didn't learn from it, they still tried to drive drunk. Alcoholism is a serious addiction and 99.9% of all bar hoppers / alcoholics will say they are not an alcoholic & only drink socially (Denial being the first sign).

We even have a few cab companies that give drunks a Free cab ride home to help. And you guessed it, even with free rides they never call a cab and still try to drive them self. Kinda goes with the phrase "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make them drink". Reality throughout history shows that no matter what we do to try and enforce drunk driving laws, even if alcohol was made illegal it wouldn't stop it, people use illegal drugs all the time already. Addiction is deadly.

Eric Lyon

 

[cpvr]

@Eric Lyon What part of Texas are you from? I saw a video from one of the Investigators and he said they'll start cracking down on the bars - who are giving out more drinks to people than normally. Such as, if you're buzzing or already drunk, they won't give you anymore.

 

[Eric Lyon]

@Eric Lyon What part of Texas are you from? I saw a video from one of the Investigators and he said they'll start cracking down on the bars - who are giving out more drinks to people than normally. Such as, if you're buzzing or already drunk, they won't give you anymore.

I'm in San Antonio, Texas (NE Side) ..... They do the drink limiting here already, but it doesn't seem to help much since there's so many drunks that look less drunk than they actually are and able to control the slurring when they talk... The reason why limiting drinks doesn't help much is because even though one doesn't show signs of being Plastered, all it takes is a couple drinks to slow down the brains processing speed, response times, and impair judgements. A few bars around here even try to call cabs for customers as much as possible, but it's always the same response from the customer, I'm fine, I'm not drunk, I don't need a cab, or they lie and say they already have a ride with someone else, then proceed to get in their own car when they leave. :/

Eric Lyon

 

[cpvr]

I'm in San Antonio, Texas (NE Side) ..... They do the drink limiting here already, but it doesn't seem to help much since there's so many drunks that look less drunk than they actually are and able to control the slurring when they talk... The reason why limiting drinks doesn't help much is because even though one doesn't show signs of being Plastered, all it takes is a couple drinks to slow down the brains processing speed, response times, and impair judgements. A few bars around here even try to call cabs for customers as much as possible, but it's always the same response from the customer, I'm fine, I'm not drunk, I don't need a cab, or they lie and say they already have a ride with someone else, then proceed to get in their own car when they leave. :/

Eric Lyon

Ya, but if the cops started posting up outside the bars - where they do at some, a lot of those drunk people could be screwed. Because you're allowed to drink, but public intoxication is a whole new ball game. And really, the bars don't like to stop serving because it makes them money.

 

[Dan Hutter]

A couple of local bars here have 'drunk vans'. They'll drive ya home at no charge which is a pretty cool. The problem is getting back to get your car the next day. We're rural and have no taxis unless you want to spend $35 for them just to come from the closest village.

I don't do the bar thing no more as a) it's ridiculously expensive and b) the DWI laws are just as ridiculous, IMHO.

 

[Eric Lyon]

A couple of local bars here have 'drunk vans'. They'll drive ya home at no charge which is a pretty cool. The problem is getting back to get your car the next day. We're rural and have no taxis unless you want to spend $35 for them just to come from the closest village.

I don't do the bar thing no more as a) it's ridiculously expensive and b) the DWI laws are just as ridiculous, IMHO.

When you say Village you remind me of Alaska. I lived in Anchorage for 2 1/2 years & they had Vans there for the Natives. Mainly because they would pass out in the snow & freeze to death though, so the vans helped keep them alive on the way home.

Eric Lyon

 

[cpvr]

@Eric Lyon Some of my friends were reporting that cops over here were going into the bars and testing people, and sitting in the parking lot and trying to bust people like that. I'm glad if I drink, I'll just stay home and get wasted.

 

[Dan Hutter]

@Eric Lyon Some of my friends were reporting that cops over here were going into the bars and testing people, and sitting in the parking lot and trying to bust people like that. I'm glad if I drink, I'll just stay home and get wasted.

Pretty much the same here. Just too much trouble with the DUI laws plus bars are so expensive comparative to heading to the liquor store yourself.

 

[Eric Lyon]

@Eric Lyon Some of my friends were reporting that cops over here were going into the bars and testing people, and sitting in the parking lot and trying to bust people like that. I'm glad if I drink, I'll just stay home and get wasted.

Wow, now that's kinda extreme... Especially since the readings wouldn't be accurate. if they test a guy that just took a shot or sip of alcohol the readings going to be 10x higher due to it being fresh in the drinkers mouth. Not only that, everyone in the bar will probably fail the test since all it takes is 2 beers or 1 shot to register higher than the legal limit to drive.

However, maybe they are banking on the high inaccuracies as a scare tactic. Kinda like, ok, I'm here, you can see we know you are drunk, we'll be outside, so if you still try to drive after going through this it's completely your fault. Call a cab or friend. lol

Eric Lyon

 

[cpvr]

Wow, now that's kinda extreme... Especially since the readings wouldn't be accurate. if they test a guy that just took a shot or sip of alcohol the readings going to be 10x higher due to it being fresh in the drinkers mouth. Not only that, everyone in the bar will probably fail the test since all it takes is 2 beers or 1 shot to register higher than the legal limit to drive.

However, maybe they are banking on the high inaccuracies as a scare tactic. Kinda like, ok, I'm here, you can see we know you are drunk, we'll be outside, so if you still try to drive after going through this it's completely your fault. Call a cab or friend. lol

Eric Lyon

That's exactly what they're trying to do. One of my homegirls said she wouldn't be going to the bars in the Woodlands anymore because of this. I remember when I used to go the clubs in Huntsville and the cops would sit in the parking lot. But, I'd stop drinking an hour before leaving and tried my best to sober up if I had to drive, but usually I have a friend that drives for me. Cabs seems to be expensive around here, so if I was drunk and stuck somewhere, I'm staying at someone's house. Like, if I was in Houston, I wouldn't have an issue because I have a lot of friends out there as well.

I just don't get how people get behind the wheel when they're so drunk, its not funny, its stupidity for their own lives and others.

 

[k1234]

This is crazy! I am a big avocate against all drinking and driving. A friend of mine was seriously injured due to a drunk driver. I think that if its mandatory to a wear a seatbelt, it should be mandatory to drive sober! I think cars should be equipped with breathlyzers (to be used in conjuction with fingerprint identificaion) and drivers must be below legal limit, before a car will start. Maybe some will think this is extreme. But when you have seen the effects drunk driving can have on someone's life, you'll understand why I make this suggestion. I don't see why innocent people have to suffer because of someone else's negligence.

 

[cpvr]

This is crazy! I am a big avocate against all drinking and driving. A friend of mine was seriously injured due to a drunk driver. I think that if its mandatory to a wear a seatbelt, it should be mandatory to drive sober! I think cars should be equipped with breathlyzers (to be used in conjuction with fingerprint identificaion) and drivers must be below legal limit, before a car will start. Maybe some will think this is extreme. But when you have seen the effects drunk driving can have on someone's life, you'll understand why I make this suggestion. I don't see why innocent people have to suffer because of someone else's negligence.

When I get drunk, I always make sure I have someone to drive me back. I'm not trying to lose my life because I decided to drink and drive. I also heard that you shouldn't do a breathlyzer if a cop asks you to do one. Just refuse it and take the DWI charge, but I'm not sure how accurate that is.

 

[MainerMikeBrown]

Even as a teenager, I've had a big problem with those who drink and drive. It's bad enough that they put their lives at risk. But to put everyone else in danger is, to say the least, inconsiderate. They have no right to put other people in danger.

Their's nothing wrong with drinking responsibly. But some people elect to be like little kids and put us all in danger by drinking and driving.