DotPenn

Drunks want Asiatic Rehabilitative Driving (ARD) courses established

Bud Meldorf thought spending a mid-morning drinking schnapps and driving his motorcycle through parking lots at high rates of speed while popping wheelies would be the perfect way to take the edge off of his highly stressful job as an assistant volunteer librarian. He had no idea that his life would be changed forever that day.

Meldorf’s bike was broadsided by a Prius operated by a driver with an international license. Besides suffering acute internal injuries and massive brain trauma, Meldorf lost use of his right arm, his drinking arm.

His friends have now organized a group, Boozers Against Asiatic Drivers or BAAD, that seeks to end the reckless behavior of drivers with international licenses. Bert Schlocky, a drinking buddy and one of the founders of BAAD, said at the very least the group will call attention to the fear that drunk drivers have of international drivers.

“I am scared to do U-turns on four-lane highways and I can’t remember the last time I took my car on two wheels using the guard rail,” Schlocky said. “I can’t live with this fear any more.”

BAAD hopes to push for legislation that would require checkpoints on Friday and Saturday nights to make sure no international drivers are out on the road during peak drinking and driving times. Roving patrols of law enforcement vehicles can also target international drivers, allowing drunk drivers to take to the the roads, as well as berms and sidewalks, safely.

International drivers who are involved in accidents with drunks would be required to complete the Asiatic Rehabilitative Driving (ARD).

Schlocky hopes that measures like this will help accidents like Bud’s never happen again. When discussing Bud’s accident again, Schlocky becomes introspective. “You know, it could have been me that day. Bud asked me to go riding with him that day, but I had driven my truck into a fish hatchery the night before and had no dry clothes,” he said. “Not a day goes by when I don’t think about that. Not a day goes by.”

Schlocky takes another slug of his 40-ounce malt liquor bottle, rolls up is window, and drives off across the playground.

 Email This Post