Enough is Enough

I'm from the school of thought that says; if you've had too much to drink, don't drive. This may seem like common sense to most but the perception that "it isn't a big deal" is completely misguided and totally irresponsible. I never intended for this blog to turn into a cyber soapbox. Rather, I'd like to give people topics they'll enjoy reading. But with this latest development in the death of former St. Louis Cardinal Josh Hancock, I just couldn't help but chime in.

I’d be willing to bet that a great majority of people that consume alcohol (regularly or socially), at some point or another, have driven while over the legal limit. While I’ve been known to knock back a few brews, I’m not above that last statement. I know there have been times where I’ve driven when maybe I shouldn’t have and I’m not proud of it. To say our society has reached epidemic proportions with its lackadaisical attitude towards drinking and driving is not an exaggeration. Where does it end? How did we get to this point and how do we fix it?

I don’t pretend to have all the answers but the saying “Friends don’t let friends drive drunk” should actually mean something. Something other than, “I’m drunker than you, so you drive.” It’s always a tragedy when someone is killed in a drunk-driving accident but how many could have been prevented if we just took their keys. I understand it’s hard to tell an adult they can’t leave or drive their own vehicle home but, seriously, how hard is it to hide a set of keys from someone that’s completely bombed? If college folks can duct tape someone to a chair or shave a guy’s head when he’s trashed, taking a set a keys shouldn’t be that difficult. Until we all step up and take responsibility for ourselves and our loved ones, there is nothing positive to take from the death of a young man like Josh Hancock.

That brings us to today’s news that Josh Hancock’s father, Dean Hancock, has filed a lawsuit against Mike Shannon’s restaurant. Undoubtedly, there has to be some responsibility taken by Shannon’s, or any bar for that matter, that feeds people drinks with blatant disregard. Never once have I left a bar and been offered a cab. And how long does it take before someone is cut off for having too much to drink? When they’re so drunk they fall over or drop and bottle and break it? Is it just me or isn’t that just a little late?

So not only did Hancock’s father file suit against Shannon’s, but espn.com reports, “Other defendants include Eddie's Towing, the company whose flatbed tow truck was struck by Hancock's sport utility vehicle in the early hours of April 29; tow truck driver Jacob Edward Hargrove; and Justin Tolar, the driver whose stalled car on Interstate 64 was being assisted by Hargrove.” He is suing the people that were hit by a speeding driver that was allegedly text-messaging while driving with a BAC of nearly twice the legal limit?? This brings us back to our point of taking responsibility for our actions. Dean could have taken this tragedy and used it to make a positive impact. But, instead, he has decided to place blame on those who were actually victims in this case.

Look, I realize how hard it is to lose a loved one in this manner. My father was killed in a drunk-driving accident when I was 10. Please understand I never intended to dig this deep into my personal life, but I feel it’s prudent to admit my father was the one that was drunk…and he killed another man. Though I was old enough to understand what happened, I didn’t want to admit it was his fault.

It’s only human to want to lash out in the face of tragedy. We all want there to be a Mike Shannon’s to blame. We want to say this would have never happened if that stalled vehicle wasn’t there. The truth is, the responsibility lies with all of us. It's easy to say this is all Josh Hancock's fault, afterall nobody forced him to drink that much and he made the decision to drive. But when did it get to the point where it's every man for himself? What happened to common decency? How come when we see a man stumble out of a restaurant after hours of drinking, obviously too drunk to drive, we laugh at him instead of offering a ride? While I admit Hancock made his decision, I can't help but think.....society failed him. It's almost as if society views a DUI as a nuisance rather than a wake-up call.

Tragedies like this are senseless and can be prevented. So next time you’re in the position to make a potentially life-saving decision, take the keys. Offer the couch. Take responsibility for the situation. And if that doesn’t work, just duct tape them to a chair.

The People's Champ