Please Don't Drink and Drive

[protour_chevelle]

Friday night, Saturday morning, All of my friends lost a buddy of ours. People have to learn that you can party just as hard as anyone and find safe rides home, it just isn't worth it. Children are supposed to outlive their parents! It's killed everyones mood, struck everyone super hard. For me he was a guy that I saw everywhere my friends were, when we would see eachother we would stop and shoot the ****, not walk passed eachother with the usual "how are ya?" saying.

RIP Dale Harnett, 17 years old. May 6, 1989 - Oct 14, 2006.

The second collision happened shortly after 6:30 a.m., on a stretch of Highway 24 just east of Carseland. Police said the driver of a westbound Jeep Cherokee crossed the centre line into the path of two oncoming gravel trucks. The jeep struck the rear tires of the lead gravel truck, sending the smaller vehicle head-on into the second truck. The collision ruptured the truck’s fuel tanks, starting a fire that destroyed the jeep. Police said the driver, who was the lone occupant, died instantly. The gravel truck drivers weren’t hurt. Police have not released the driver’s name and had only tentatively identified him Saturday. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

-Matt

[ssdeuce]

I am sorry for your loss. i will keep you and the family's involved in my prayers. I have lost a very good friend at a young age two years ago. He was a police officer on duty. He was driving in a heavy thunderstorm and his car slid off the road and fliped over. I know what you are going through. Keep close to your friends that you have and support each other. If you need anyone to talk to I am here too.

[Ralph LoGrasso]

My deepest condolences, Matt.

[Tiger]

I'm sorry for your loss buddy!

[TonyL]

sorry man. 17 years old is too young to go.

[ProBell]

I to am sorry for the loss of your buddy!

[toxicz28]

I know what you're going through, I lost a few friends at young ages.

[go-fish]

TonyL, "sorry man. 17 years old is too young to go."

Too young to drink, and it was passed his bed time. I'm glad the sober people involved weren't hurt. I have personal experience in losing a loved one to a drunk, it burns when you hear about the victims of drunks on the road.

[BonzoHansen]

:( So sad.

[stealth71]

Sorry to hear Matt. I lost my best friend almost 2 years ago now to drinking and driving. No fun. Let us know if there is anything we can do.

[baz67]

Am I reading this right? A 17 year old was driving drunk and caused an accident that resulted in his death and you want sympathy. Sorry, if that is true then I cannot feel sorry.

[TonyL]

drinking at 17 sounds young until you find out that in alberta canada, the legal age is 18. Not such a huge gap there. (and why our age limit is set so high) At least noone else was hurt. Not excusing the whole drinking underage thing, mind you. But I understand.

[protour_chevelle]

Am I reading this right? A 17 year old was driving drunk and caused an accident that resulted in his death and you want sympathy. Sorry, if that is true then I cannot feel sorry.

Tony's correct. 18 is our legal drinking age. You get your class 5 drivers licence at 16. What 17 is to 18 in Alberta is like 20 is to 21 in the US or anywhere else I guess...

I'm not gonna hide the fact and bag for sympathy at all. 1st thing I said when I heard the news was "What a ****ing moron for doing that". It sucks that he made a ****ty decision but its good on the other side that only 1 life was taken. His buddy WAS gonna go with him(when Dale called him), when Dale showed up his buddy was not allowed to go, he found out Dale was drunk and tried to pull the keys but Dale was still in drive and took off.

-Matt

[BonzoHansen]

The family still needs sympathy & thoughts.

[go-fish]

There wouldn't be any sympathy from me if he were a 20 year old U.S. citizen or a 30 year old whoever. There is no excuse. Facts is, people have to be accountable for everything they do. However, the family and friends of this boy need to be supported because they love him unconditionally and they did not throw his life away, he did. They lost someone they felt a great deal for, the rest of the world just lost someone who was a poor decision maker.

[ssdeuce]

Am I reading this right? A 17 year old was driving drunk and caused an accident that resulted in his death and you want sympathy. Sorry, if that is true then I cannot feel sorry.

You never done anything stupid when you were 17? I think you are being a little cold hearted here. If you don't have anything good to say you shouldn't say anything.

[LowBuckX]

I feel for you on this/ Beeing very close to halloween now brings back the memory of My friend Chris and another buddy Dave.
Both where in the same car Chris in the front Passenger seat Dave in the rear pass seat. There where 4 in the car. All drunk
They where driving not to far from where Im at now. They veared off the road into the soft shoulder, The driver over corrected and shot straight across the road where a totally innocent driver T-boned my friends dead center of the car killing both of them on the passenger side. Oct,31 1996
I miss them all the time but it gets easier.

[baz67]

You never done anything stupid when you were 17? I think you are being a little cold hearted here. If you don't have anything good to say you shouldn't say anything.

I am sorry, but drinking and driving is not simply stupid. Running with scissors is stupid. Drinking and driving is immoral and anyone who does it desirves everything that happens to them. It is not like this could have been avoided. Now if he was hit by a drunk driver that is a different story. I am just not going to avoid talking about the 800lb gorilla in the room just because it may make others uncomfortable. I guess I do feel for his friends and family because they most likely did not bring this on, but not for him.

[LowBuckX]

:hand: I cant beleive the insensitivity. If all you had to say was bad and critical maybe as a mod you should have known to just stay out of it.

[Bow Tie 67]

I am sorry, but drinking and driving is not simply stupid. Running with scissors is stupid. Drinking and driving is immoral and anyone who does it desirves everything that happens to them. It is not like this could have been avoided. Now if he was hit by a drunk driver that is a different story. I am just not going to avoid talking about the 800lb gorilla in the room just because it may make others uncomfortable. I guess I do feel for his friends and family because they most likely did not bring this on, but not for him.

Sorry for your loss. Matt

Now I will not condone what he did, but to the above poster how mature where you at 17? I know I was not, as far as I'm concerned the driving age should be at least 18 to be able to drive alone. At a minimum radio and cell phones should not be allowed for a young inexperienced driver.

As a side note, I took my 13 and 14 year old daughters out to practice driving this past Sunday. ( I'm feeling old ) I want them to have as much practice, so they become comfortable with the operation of a motor vehicle. I made a point to mention the dangers of driving. One being to expect the unexpected, after all your driving with around people you know nothing about. That lesson really hit home at a road event, I was following a car I did not know and they hit their brakes hard during a practice lap when I was not expecting it. I went off track backwards at about 80 mph after I had to stab my brakes right at a kink in the track. Sorry if I ended up off topic.

I feel for your loss, 3 people close to me have lost loved ones recently. God Bless.

Matt

[Ralph LoGrasso]

So as to preclude a superfluous debate: thread closed.