Driving Us Crazy: Take 2

[Image via Behavioral Health]

Living in a city, especially a city where some form of transportation is nearly always available, a person can almost forget about the whole drunk driving issue (what issue?). Until, that is, he heads eastwards with some buddies, partakes of the $900 Grey Goose bottle he bought to impress that girl who claimed to be a Brazilian underwear model, and then, soured on rejection and cranberry juice, drives off in a huff that ends with flashing lights. It isn't just the weekenders; in fact most of this year's bumper crop of DWI's have been awarded to locals. I know this thanks to Nassua County Executive Thomas Suozzi, who publicized the names, addresses, and mug shots of last weekend's offenders. This measure, to me, seems a bit too stock-and-pillory, too unnecessarily punitive, and yet I can understand what (and who) drove Suozzi to it. Two of his colleagues have been struck by drunk drivers in as many weeks. You might think that fear of winding up on the Wall of Shame would deter inebriated motorists, but alcohol has yet to play nice with logic (last night a man was arrested for drunk driving with his 1 month old in the back seat). Perhaps a more extensive limo industry would do the trick, or the free "saferides" used by many college campuses. The most effective method is prevention: choose a dd, or agree to spring for a cab there and back. Maybe nightclubs should cut back or eliminate parking as well. Or maybe it will just take some time for people to start heeding the new regulations. What do you all think?