Get home safely from New Year's revelry: Make the call
Ablang
By David Richie -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Thursday, December 29, 2005
Story appeared in City section, Page H3
Some people will die trying to have a good time on New Year's Eve, but
there are ways to avoid a truly fatal holiday.
Help for the inebriated is being provided Saturday night by a number
of businesses and organizations.
"We see the devastation on a daily basis," said Mike Cozzitorto, owner
of Cozz's Auto Body and Service, 3800 Power Inn Road.
Each holiday season Cozzitorto makes his company's fleet of 25 tow
trucks available free to drivers who have had too much to drink. The
service area extends from Elk Grove to Rocklin.
"We start at 6 a.m. on Christmas Eve and go through to New Year's Day
at 6 p.m.
Cozz's has been doing the holiday towing for about 19 years. Back
then, such an alternative was not really an option, Cozzitorto said.
The need was underscored again about six years ago, when a 6-year-old
girl in his neighborhood was killed Christmas Eve.
Folsom residents can get a free ride home courtesy of the Folsom
Police Department and the department's civilian volunteers. This
service has been offered for four years.
Folsom Police Officer Michelle Beattie said the service is being
publicized on fliers and napkins in city bars and restaurants. Beattie
also emphasizes that the ride program is a local service.
"They have to be in a Folsom establishment, and they have to be Folsom
residents," Beattie said. "We are not driving all the way to Elk
Grove."
A more far-reaching approach is offered by Sacramento Regional Transit
District. It will provide free rides on its buses and light rail
trains starting at 6 p.m. on Saturday.
RT will also run special light-rail trains outbound in both directions
from downtown Sacramento at 2 a.m. New Year's Day, the last run.
Before 2 a.m. the light-rail trains will be running on regular
half-hour schedules and buses will be running at their regular
intervals.
RT's shuttle bus between K Street Mall and Old Sacramento will be
running every 15 minutes.
The free, special service is designed to assist residents interested
in attending the New Year's Eve Sky Concert in Old Sacramento. The
event attracts up to 50,000 people for street entertainment starting
at 6 p.m. and fireworks at 9 p.m. and midnight.
Law enforcement officials and safety experts note that the holiday
period can be especially dangerous for people who do not normally
drink much. Holiday gatherings give those usual nondrinkers plenty of
opportunities to get into trouble.
The good news is some people are getting the message about appointing
a designated driver or using one of the various free ride programs.
"We have been averaging anywhere from 100 to 150 (people) a year
during the holiday period," Cozzitorto said. "If we save one life out
there, it is worth it."
http://www.sacbee.com/content/community_news/sacramento/story/14023773p-14856146c.html
====
"I don't care (if I get booed). I don't know any of those people. As long as my kids tell me that they love me, I'm fine. My motto is, when people talk about me, I say, 'Who are they? They're not God.' If God was out there booing me, I'd be upset."
-- Bonzi Wells, Sacramento Kings
_________________________________________
Usenet Zone Free Binaries Usenet Server
More than 140,000 groups
Unlimited download
http://www.usenetzone.com to open account