Amy Winehouse’s recent hit song ‘Rehab’ keeps going through my mind:
They tried to make me go to rehab
I said no, no, no.
As we were coming home last night after shopping I noticed a white BMW driver who was driving slower in the fast lane, when I pullled up behind him, I noted that he was swerving a little, couldn’t really drive in a straight line, and was having some trouble controlling the wheel. Given that his BMW has power steering, I could only conclude the idiot was drunk. Of course, there were no police cars around, so all I could do was avoid him and make sure I didn’t cause him to overreact.
Drunk-driving in Taiwan has been reaching epidemic proportions especially over Chinese New Year with office parties, family gatherings, friends getting together, etc.. There has been a crackdown, and lots of advertising on TV, but people don’t seem to be getting the message.
If I had my way, I’d make anyone caught drunk driving face mandatory attendance at alcohol rehabs, their car would be impounded until such times as they were able to leave the rehab center, and they wouldn’t be allowed to drive between 7pm and 7am for 1 year (a sort of driving curfew). That last one would be easy, too: just fit electronic sensors to the base of the car with GPS systems.
Police monitoring will be automatic as soon as the engine is turned on. If the car is moving after 7pm, then police trace the car, pullover the driver, and arrest him for breaking curfew.
Do you know anyone who has been arrested for drunkdriving? I personally don’t. I do know that if I go out I don’t even drink one glass of wine or anything: I find that even the slightest amount of alcohol in a glass can affect my judgment!