And while I’m on the subject…
I recall, more years ago than I care to mention, a case in Wichita Falls, Texas, where a friend of mine was locked up for, essentially, being a drunk passenger.
A little background: Wichita Falls is the home of Sheppard Air Force Base, a training base where thousands of young airman go for “tech school” right after basic training. Very much a cowboy town, the locals in Wichita Falls did not like the military very much back in the ’70’s. Then again, that was true of most every town back in the 70’s. At any rate, back to the story…
This friend of mine went barhopping with some friends of his down on the strip, but he was smart and took along a friend who didn’t drink to drive him back to the base afterwards. The young man was trying to do the responsible thing, especially considering that this happened before the idea of a designated driver had caught on around the nation.
At any rate, with his friend driving, they left the parking lot of a bar and headed back toward the base. A cop followed them out of the parking lot and promptly pulled them over, thinking he was going to enjoy the thrill of arresting an airman for DWI. He was sorely disappointed when he found out the driver was a teetotaler who never drank. The driver explained that he was the designated driver and he was driving because his friend was too intoxicated to drive.
Most people would applaud the noble intentions of the duo. Not the WFPD officer, though. He proceeded to walk around to the passenger side, opened the door, and ordered the intoxicated passenger to step out of the car. As soon as my friend did, the cop spun him around, pushed him up against the car, and proceeded to handcuff him.
Apparently, as soon as my friend stepped out of the vehicle the cop had the legal right to arrest him for public intoxication. On the other hand, if he hadn’t stepped out, he would have been arrested for disobeying a police officer.
So the moral appears to be that, once you become intoxicated, you’re fair game for any cop that doesn’t like you, your race, your religion, your branch of the military, or what kind of toothpaste you use. Its damned-if-you-do-and-damned-if-you-don’t time. The best thing to do is just not to drink in the first place, or the Gestapo will get you!
