Tuesday, June 16, 2009

USA, DC - Sleeping Driver Dude

This morning, during my commute into work, I see this guy weaving about in front of me. Early drinker; a bit worried to arrive at work in these economic times? Or... I catch up beside him... his head is limp & looking down as his car swerves away from me. I pull ahead to see his head snap up & he straightens himself out.

Now everybody drives a bit drowsy once in awhile... not that I condone it; not that *I* should do it; but we all do. Heck, who isn't still a little off by the time they hop in their car in the morning? But this guy, he was totally out.

I watched him swerve a number of times, nearly going off the road on several separate occasions. The guardrail along the BW Parkway will NOT stop anyone from driving right over it... as so many motorists have already learned when they decide to visit the median or the trees.

At one point I was ahead of him again, watching him veering left again (he really had an infatuation with aiming for the median). I see him snap back into place, and then I see him start smacking himself in the head to wake himself up.

I expect he just had a long day, but dagnab there's no excuse for that. He's lucky he didn't kill himself on at least about 20 distinct occasions, and he's lucky he didn't take anyone else with him. I had called him in to my buddies at Park Police, and from discussions with one of the officers he thinks that they got him not too far past the Beltway (where I sadly had to leave him).

It was a Nissan Maxima, colored a dark brownish/red with Virginia tags. I'd peg the guy driving as in his lower 30s or so: white w/ short dark hair. Keeps your eyes open if you take the same route.