Yes, I agree, drunk driving is a serious crime, but we must admit that attitudes have changed a lot over the years. Got time for a little story?

Around 1968 I was a student at Macalester College in St. Paul, MN, a liberal arts college known for its liberal-to-radical politics as well as high academic standards. The campus has a busy street, Grand Avenue, running right through it. One Friday evening, after dark, I was starting to walk across Grand Avenue when I came across the following scene:

A utility company had dug a big hole in the middle of the street and placed barricades around it with flashing lights. A drunk driver - an older man who probably had no connection to the college - had plowed through the barricades. His left front wheel had gone into the hole, and his car was now resting on its frame at the edge of the hole. Apparently no one was hurt. The driver had got out of his car, and was leaning on it to steady himself. A crowd of students had gathered around, and he was asking them to help get his car out of the hole. At that point, no one was doing anything, but some students were saying no, it was impossible, he'd have to call a tow truck.

At this point I dashed back to my dorm and called the police. I described what I had seen, and gave them my name, address, and phone number. Then I went back outside to watch what was going on.

By now the students had changed their minds, apparently, and had pushed his car out of the hole. At this time, I wrote down the car's license number. The driver got in his car and drove away while the students watched. He drove the length of the block ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE STREET. When he came to the next intersection (with Snelling, another busy street) he made a wide sweeping turn to the right, from the left lane, and disappeared.

The crowd was dispersing now, but I asked one of the students, "Why did you help him?" He answered, "Oh, I just wanted to do a good deed. Now maybe he won't get in any trouble."

Because I had given my name to the police, and because I had the license number, I now felt obligated to wait until they arrived. I waited over half an hour AND THEY NEVER SHOWED UP. They never called me either. I kept the license number for a few days and eventually threw it away.

Apparently I was the ONLY one who called the police, because I was the only one who hung around after the car was gone.

I told this story mainly to illustrate how attitudes have changed. I'm rather sure the same thing wouldn't happen today.