DUI Poems
A reprint of a guest editorial in the former Bellevue, Washington, newspaper Journal American, on Thursday, June 1, 1995. The author was my mother who died at age 86 on July 7, 2008. The grandson she lost (my youngest son) was only 14 years old.
We need a constant reminder about drinking and driving
by Wilma F. DykstraThree years ago my grandson was killed by an intoxicated woman driving her truck on Whidbey Island. She left the scene of the accident but was returned to the accident site by her husband hours later. She got a few months in jail for her actions.
Of course, she didn’t do it purposely, but the child was dead nonetheless. I think she should have gotten at least the three years as in Algeria. Time enough to think about what she had done and to resolve to never be in that condition or position again. If she did, there should be a stiff fine and a still longer term with quality counseling and a lifetime revoking of her driver’s license.
I recently viewed a video from the library that told the story of the Burma Shave signs. We lived in Michigan years ago when those signs were so popular that we enjoyed our rides because of them. We were kids and would squeal each time the signs would turn up. The tape on these signs records just how popular they were and that it was the greatest advertising medium ever. The company’s sales sky-rocketed and people thought they were a huge company instead of the tiny operation they were.
I wonder if some similar signs could be put up about drunken driving. The final sign would be “Don’t Drink & Drive” instead of “Burma Shave”. This keeps that slogan in a person’s mind as they always are going to know what the last sign will say.
Some examples I cooked up:
| “Remember when ... you take that sip ... Your "thinker" really ... takes a dip! ... Don’t Drink & Drive.” |
“She drank some wine ... "a little bit" ... my grandson’s dead ... because of it ... Don’t Drink & Drive.” |
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“Twinkle, twinkle ... swerving car ... how I wonder ... where you are ... Don’t Drink & Drive.” |
“Hardly a man ... is still alive ... who bar hopped ... then drove 65 ... Don’t Drink & Drive.” |
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“Face a stiff fine ... license lost ... lifetime in prison ... worth the cost? ... Don’t Drink & Drive.” |
“Around the town ... lickety split ... wonderful life ... wasn’t it? ... Don’t Drink & Drive.” |
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“You’re not yourself ... when drugged or drunk ... your mind’s impaired ... and that’s no bunk ... Don’t Drink & Drive.” | |
Finally, another group of signs could read:
| “Please let that ... non-drinker drive ... so everyone gets ... home alive ... Don’t Drink & Drive.” |
Signs could be put anywhere and everywhere—reminders of the cost of drunken driver accidents in lives lost, lives punished, and all the other crippling effects of drinking. We shouldn’t have to put up with it anymore. We miss our grandson very much and know there are many more like us who have suffered from this evil of drunken drivers on the road.
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