Is it the cold? Is it the cold that somehow freezes the parts of their brains that should make Canadians into assholes? Is that why, when you hear that a guy driving drunk pulled over and called the cops on himself, it's not a shock to hear he's Canadian? Maybe it's something in poutine?
Whatever the cause, the result is 55 year old Donald Dummer found himself driving drunk on a rural road in Essex County, Ontario, thought to himself "this is ridiculous," and then pulled over and called 911.
The Star asked Dummer how the conversation with the 911 operator went:
I just said I have an alcohol problem, I'll probably blow over (the legal limit) and I'm pulling over and giving up. And the OPP showed up and they were perfectly fine with me. They pulled over behind, I had my four-ways on. I wasn't belligerent or stumbling around but I did blow over.
... and that's pretty much how I pictured it. I bet there was some handshaking and holding open car doors, too.
Dummer is a welder who, for health reasons, has been unable to continue welding, and has had trouble finding work. Things haven't been going great, hence the increased drinking. Summer knows he has a problem and is going to get help, and has booked himself into a treatment center.
He's baffled by all the publicity around the incident, telling the Star reporter:
An impaired driving charge without an accident or something doesn't normally hit the papers. But it's the approach I took, I understand that. I just thought I was doing the right thing and I've been commended by most for doing so, but it's become way too much attention. There's way bigger stories out there than this. You're from Toronto, right?
Yup.
Isn't there murderers, rapists, all kinds of bigger fish to fry?
Sure, that's a good point, and I now feel bad for bringing more attention to the guy, but I hope he knows it's out of respect. It takes a big man to admit when you're wrong, and a bigger one to actually call for your own punishment.
So, good luck with everything, buddy.