San Jose Mercury News, Calif., Roadshow column [San Jose Mercury News, Calif.]

Dec. 28--Q Someone said they have never seen cops pulling over drunk drivers after they've called 911. I have had the pleasure of calling in drunk drivers twice where I just by luck was able to drive behind them.

Tim Campisi

San Jose

A With New Year's Eve looming, we all need to keep an eye out for drunk drivers. The good news: the stories Tim and others are about to share.

Q I was on Highway 101 about 3 in the morning, guy was really drunk and I called it in and had the pleasure of seeing a highway patrolman catch up and pull him over. Same thing happened on Meridian Avenue in San Jose: totally drunk women weaving back and forth around 1:30 in morning, and I called it in. They called me back and said the woman was thankful that she had been pulled over. That was gratifying. Calling 911 really works.

Tim Campisi

A And ...

Q During the Christmas 2007 holiday we were in Carmel visiting friends. We headed back around 10 p.m. and as we got onto 101 from Highway 156 we noticed an erratic driver. After he had driven down the center of the highway for some time we realized we had better call 911. The operator asked about the behavior we were witnessing and for a description of the car. We were then advised that a Highway Patrol officer would try to call us back.

A few minutes later my wife's phone

rang and the officer asked our location and more information about the vehicle we were following. He advised that he was on his way to the intersection of Highway 25 and 101, where he would wait until we arrived. He stayed on the phone as we approached the intersection and asked us to turn on our emergency flashers as we got to the intersection so he could identify our car.

As we passed him, he merged onto the freeway then moved in front of us and directly behind the vehicle we had reported. He hung up and we moved to another lane, slowed down and watched as he attempted to pull over the driver in Gilroy, lights flashing all the way.

So, it does work. And we were happy to have helped.

Dean Johnson

A I am glad, too.

Q Several years ago one early morning I was on Richmond Parkway driving towards San Rafael when what I suspected at the time was a drunk driver nearly sideswiped me. I immediately called 911 because I was so frustrated and gave the operator not only the license plate number but also a play-by-play account of what was happening at the time.

The driver veered side to side and had stopped so suddenly at times that I was in danger of rear-ending his car. The operator eventually was able to tell me that an officer was en route. I wouldn't hesitate to do it again because lives are at stake.

Ron Bermejo

Pacheco

A That they are. Job well done.

Police throughout the state will be setting up DUI checkpoints and extra patrols. Safety officials say crashes involving alcohol drop by an average of 20 percent when well-publicized checkpoints are conducted often enough. Drivers caught impaired can expect jail, license suspension and insurance increases, as well as fines, fees, DUI classes, and other expenses that can exceed $10,000.

And penalties will soon be more severe. Assembly Bill 1601, sponsored by Assemblyman Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, goes into effect Sunday. It authorizes judges in California to revoke a license for 10 years for drivers convicted of three or more DUIs in a 10-year period. Current law only allows for license revocation of three years for someone with three or more DUIs.

According to the California Department of Motor Vehicles, there were 187,987 DUI convictions in California in 2008. Of those, 9,164 were third-time DUI offenders within 10 years.

Q The Highway Patrol wants people to call when a drunk is on the road. How do they know he is drunk? He could be using his cellphone. He could be doing anything. Maybe he has a car problem.

Howard Summers

Saratoga

A Weaving across lanes, going unusually fast or slow (yes, slow). In general, erratic, usually late at night. Don't hesitate if you have doubt. Call 911. In my next column I'll share with you the tragedy of a family whose son was killed by a drunk driver.

Look for Gary Richards at www.facebook.com/mr.roadshow or contact him at [email protected] or 408-920-5335.

___

(c)2011 the San Jose Mercury News (San Jose, Calif.)

Visit the San Jose Mercury News (San Jose, Calif.) at www.mercurynews.com

Distributed by MCT Information Services