I can remember numerous arguments with drunk friends, trying to prevent them from getting behind the wheel after a long night of partying. Their responses were always the same. Either they claimed they hadn't had as much to drink as I thought they had, driving that particular night wouldn't be a big deal because they had driven much drunker before, or they would have no ride back in the morning. All are, of course, faulty excuses-but try and argue with a drunk person. You know how it goes. Sometimes I'd win the arguments, and other times... well, I wasn't so lucky.

But thanks to Erie County, and John Sullivan's new Go Safe program, some such arguments may be able to be avoided in the future.

Erie County's Stop-DWI Office launched the program this year, which will offer free cab rides to people who would have otherwise insisted upon driving drunk. Go Safe is modelled after similar programs in other cities and programs that Buffalo itself has participated in on New Year's Eve in the past.

Go Safe works as follows: Bars, banquet halls, restaurants, etc., can buy little laminated cards from the Stop-DWI Office, which are worth one cab ride each with either Liberty Cab or Central Dispatch of Western New York. The bars pay $4 each for the cards. Once a rider uses them, the cab companies then send the card in to the Stop-DWI office to be reimbursed for $10 each. The $6 difference is put forward by the County; all of the money to pay for this difference comes from private grants-not tax money or fines. The County secured a $10,000 grant to start the program from the Guiness company, which not only manufactures its famous stout, but also owns Smirnoff, Gordon's, Johnnie Walker and Baileys.

The program represents a true community effort. It will cost the County, cab companies, and bar owners each a chunk of money, so no one is proposing that they should give out the tickets right and left to anyone who asks for one. However, when the situation arises-as it all too often does-when someone who has been heavily drinking insists that the only means that they have to get home is their car, maybe this will provide an alternative. It's not perfect (and, yes, the criticism the program has garnered for not putting enough resposnsibility on the drunks themselves is at least somewhat valid.), but it is a step. If it keeps just a handful of intoxicated bar patrons from getting behind the wheel, or saves just one life, it is worth it.

Unfortunately, some of the bars which UB students frequent most have not yet committed to participate in this program. I contacted, Third Base, Molly's, and The Steer, which are all located along Main Street near South Campus. Though all three expressed at least some interest in the program, none of them had yet committed to it and bought Go Safe tickets. A representative from Molly's said: "I heard about it... we're possibly looking into it." Third Base expressed basically the same sentiment: "I got to read up on it, really...If it helps kids get home safe, I'm all for it." The Steer added: "Sounds like a good thing to get involved in... but I don't even know if it costs $10 to get to UB." Most of their reservations seemed to revolve around the fact that the bars themselves would have to shell out $4 per ticket.

However, PJ Bottoms, another Main Street bar has committed to participating in the program. They have ordered Go Safe tickets and expect them to arrive so0on. Jeff, an employee at PJ's, expressed his strong support for the program. "I think every bar around here should participate," he said. "I think it's the responsibility of everyone who sells alcohol to get involved." He's right.

As I said, we're not talking about rides home for every single person who comes in the bar-rather, just a couple per bar per week who would be a serious threat to the community if they got behind the wheel. Tickets for two people to get home and back the next day to pick up their cars would cost a bar such as Third Base a mesely $16 per week. Many UB students will drop that much within the first hour they visit the place. These bars can afford it!

Erie County has done its part for the community, and the cab companies have done theirs. Now, it is certainly time for the bars whose business is made up almost exclusively by UB students to step up and do the same. With St. Patty's day just around the corner-the date each year when the largest number of students are apt to drive drunk-the issue has never been so important.

Joshua Korman,

Consigliere