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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To phone the police when a drunk driver parks next door?

24 replies

belly36 · 08/05/2010 21:29

Drunk driver pulled up onto our shared driveway this morning (8.30am-ish). I went ballistic and said I was phoning police. DH wanted me to leave it so we don't get any 'trouble'

When I say drunk I mean completely legless, unable to stand up straight...

OP posts:
compo · 08/05/2010 21:30

Yanbu

BelleDameSansMerci · 08/05/2010 21:31

Absolutely not being unreasonable.

Vallhala · 08/05/2010 21:32

Without a doubt you should have done so. Your DH's reaction was a selfishness which could result in someone dying in agony and a family grieving for the rest of their lives.

I know, ours is such a family.

MadamDeathstare · 08/05/2010 21:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

borderslass · 08/05/2010 21:34

This happened to my sil her collegue warned her if she got in the car in the state she was in she'd call the police, they where waiting for her when she got home and she was banned for 18 months.

iwastooearlytobeayummymummy · 08/05/2010 21:36

Are you sure it wasn't someting like parkinsons or cerebral palsy affecting co-ordination?

outnumbered2to1 · 08/05/2010 21:36

phone the police and give them the car reg no. make and model and it should go on a One to Watch for list.

I did this with a "friend" of a neighbour who had no problem snorting coke in neighbours bathroom drinking three or four bottles of beer and then placing her 2 year old daughter in the front seat of the car (without a child car seat) and driving merrily off.

She was gone before i could stop so i called 999 and told them exactly what she had and were she would be driving on which roads and the make model colour and reg no of the car.

She was caught, disqualified from driving for 2 years, given a £300 and her daughter is now is the safe and secure custody of her grandparents.

LaDiDaDi · 08/05/2010 21:37

YANBU at all.

Original poster
belly36 · 08/05/2010 21:42

Are you sure it wasn't someting like parkinsons or cerebral palsy affecting co-ordination?

Er no, we asked him to move the car initially (before we knew he was drunk) then he slurred that he was too drunk to move it and could we wait half an hour.

So I called police, when they turned up he was sleeping it off in the car. Turns out he has no insurance either. But as he wasn't actually on the public road they can't do him for drink driving or driving without insurance.

OP posts:
TopsyKretts · 08/05/2010 21:45
Shock
iwastooearlytobeayummymummy · 08/05/2010 21:48

Oh, in that case YADNBU

Vallhala · 08/05/2010 21:52

You're kidding! So the Police can't make attempts to prove that he just had been driving drunk on the public highway and just let him off?

Am shocked and angry.

stripeyknickersspottysocks · 08/05/2010 21:58

Well when a drunk driver hit our car we saw her in the car. By the time police came she was out the car. We had to do witness statements saying we'd seen her and the police said our statements would be crucial as the police hadn't seen her in the car. She was prosecuted and found guilty. He should have been breathalised, arrested and charged and then its up to the courts whether they believe him or you. Police shouldn't be making that decsion. I'd write to Chief Constable and complain

scurryfunge · 08/05/2010 21:58

He could have been dealt with for being drunk in charge of a motor vehicle if any witness could put him on the public road or they could show he was intending to drive....there are so many loopholes with drink driving law

borderslass · 08/05/2010 22:00

I thought even being in a drivers seat whilst drunk was an arrestable offense.

HerBeatitude · 08/05/2010 22:00

The police are being lazy

Of course they can get him. They simply can't be arsed.

Original poster
belly36 · 08/05/2010 22:01

Well they can, and they are. But would make their lives easier if a witness said they saw him driving (I didn't see him drive otherwise I'd be up in that witness box quick as a flash).

Otherwise he just says he wasn't driving the car and it magiced itself onto the driveway.

Luckily this guy is so stupid, the police were actually at another house investigating something and he staggered down to their car, knocked on their window, got told to go away and then staggered back and got in his car.

So he can be done for drunk in charge of a vehicle, for which you prolly get a £10 fine...

OP posts:
stripeyknickersspottysocks · 08/05/2010 22:08

Being drunk in charge of a vehical carries exactly the same penalty as drink driving. However, it still stands that if he's on private land he can't be done for it.

MadamDeathstare · 09/05/2010 03:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

oldandgreynow · 09/05/2010 10:03

Also they couldn't prove when he had drunk alcohol.he could argue that he drunk it when he got home.

Original poster
belly36 · 09/05/2010 14:00

Ah no, coz he doesn't live next door and next door wouldn't let him in...

OP posts:
diddl · 09/05/2010 14:07

But you saw him drive into the driveway?

RustyBucket · 09/05/2010 14:11

That is ridiculous, I know someone who put their keys in the ignition to turn on the internal lights so he could get his briefcase and walk home and he got done for that. I bet your police officers were at the end of their shift and could not be arsed.

Original poster
belly36 · 09/05/2010 16:09

Oh no, I think they took it seriously, we ended up with three police cars and a police van.

I think they will try and do him for something, but it's evidence I guess they are after. He must be denying driving the car (I dunno).

One officer described him as hammered...

OP posts:
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