<font color="pink">Actually, it may already have happened to you, but let me explain:

Prom is coming up on the 11th, so naturally, our school prepared something called 'Reality Week' to inform them about DUI (driving under the influence). Yesterday they reinacted a car crash, bringing the helicopters in and everything, it was really boring mostly.

But today, we had guest speakers. One was a female police officer, who had lost her niece in a car accident. The driver of the car smashed into a tree, the girl was ejected, the car landed on top of her. The officer was crying almost the whole time. She and her niece had a strong bond, and went into detail about how it affected her, her sister, the girls little brother. Everyone in the family was hysterical. This got me thinking.

My brother is 5 years older then me and is on active duty in the air force. I hate to admit, he drives fast(in his Mustang), and parties when he has the time, which is almost never. It scares me to think of my reaction if anything were to happen to him. Id fall into such a depression...well id rather not think about it. That officer got a lot of kids crying today, including me. So i just want to warn all the juniors and seniors out there who are going to prom. Please be careful! You guys are all my friends and it would hurt to see anything happen to you!</font color="pink">

My philosophy on life is that it's too short to worry about potential "what ifs". Cherish your time with him. Let him know about what you think but recongnize that he's big enough to take his own decisions.

Thanks LadyBlue

I lost a friend that way, 7 years ago, a drunk driver smashed into his car he died and another guy was seriously injured.
It's very scary, but they were on their way to a party and had asked me to come too but I was sick so I didn't go... I felt both reliefed and guilty for it for a long time.

I'm with Ryanamur on this one - life's too short to worry about crap that may never happen. Anything could happen tomorrow. Enjoy life, have fun, have a laugh, get enjoyment from everything you do or try. If I were killed in a car smash tomorrow, I would just want all my friends to know that I luv 'em, and that I had a good time of it before I went.

[ 05-03-2002, 10:34 AM: Message edited by: Epona ]

Uh, well yeah, but I think LadyBlue made a very valid point there. She was just warning about driving under influence, I don't think that's something to be brushed off the table so easily.
Personally I think there are few things as utterly despicable and stupid as drunk driving, and I can't find a single grain of respect for people who do it. I'm speaking from experience here - I've had girls on secondary school die on two separate occasions from car accidents where drunk driving was involved. I've also been inside a car with someone close to me who was driving drunk (and no, I could not have prevented it - I was almost still a child and he was an authority figure). It was terrifying and haven't forgiven that person as of yet.

[ 05-03-2002, 11:04 AM: Message edited by: Melusine ]

Melusine, I was only addressing her issue with her brother. I didn't talk at all about DUI (which I believe is a plague and that they should have much harsher punishments for).

Epona, I've notice that we've approached most issues with pretty much the same line of late. It's good to know that there's someone else who thinks like me out there. [img]smile.gif[/img] [img]smile.gif[/img] [img]smile.gif[/img]

Ryan, I see what you meant...
I just didn't want the original topic to go unnoticed... [img]smile.gif[/img]

I tell my brother all the time not to do it, but finally they took his license away and locked his vehicle in his front driveway. Now everyday he is reminded of his stupidty, lucky for him he was never in any accidents either with someone else or by himself. He finally realised he has a drinking problem and is going to a group weekly for his addiction.
May God blees us all on these occasions and see us all safely home.

I point blank refuse to drive if I've been drinking. UIt's just not worth the risk

woman at work, her daughter's boyfriend got killed by drunk driving over the limit without his seatbelt on

Me too LS... I'd rather have a sleep over when I know I can't drive... whenever I go party out I NEVER drink.. I know what can happen... and even if I die the following day, better not me dying drunk on the steering wheel.

Actually, I never find any fun in drinking.. I have fun watching peeps getting drunk.. it's entertainment, denying that they aren't drunk the *splat* all over the floor

Melusine, yeah sorry that came out a bit wrong.

My point wasn't about DUI (I wouldn't trust myself behind the steering wheel after a beer) but about worrying yourself sick about things you can't change.

I know, Epona [img]smile.gif[/img] I wasn't suggesting you were indifferent about DUI either, just drawing attention to the point. [img]smile.gif[/img]
And I'm known for worrying about such things too much sometimes.... *sigh* I try not to, but it's compulsive sometimes *sigh* [img]smile.gif[/img]

I personally despise any who D&D. I don't care for your excuses or your reasons. And here's why:
When I was around 5-6, I started walking home from school by myself. You get that great feeling of independence. Anyway, soon I got a close friend to walk home too. We walked most of the way together, but there was a point where we had to seperate at traffic lights. Anyway, one afternoon at these lights, he stepped out, looking from left to right and everything. The light said walk, so he did. The car coming his way didn't pay any attention, and drover right into one of my closest friends. I had to watch his body get thrown into the windscreen and up over the roof of the car like a rag doll. We learned later that the driver had been drinking immensly as his wife had left him, and that he had just decided to go for a drive.
The incident left me traumatised, and I recieved therapy for years after it. The driver was jailed for 5 years, though I didn't attend the trial.

I haven't lost anybody personally, thank the Lord, but when I worked in the E.R., I saw on a daily basis what alcohol and driving can do. When I first started out, they brought in D.O.A. a pair of teenagers who had stopped on the side of the road to let the girl vomit, and got hit by a drunk driver. I can still vividly remember her hair, so pretty once, no doubt, but now mixed with things that I'm not going to spoil your dinner with describing. What a colossal waste!

I don't know if they do similar things in other countries, but over here, in the adverts you get the Drunnk/Driving awareness clips. But heey only broadcast these when coming up to holidays such as New Year or Christmas