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23 responses total.

        I've been in cars with drivers who I've been nervous about, but
I'd assume if all the occupants were preparing for a crash like that, and
if he was driving badly enough for other drivers to actually call the
police, it'd be a much worse situation than I've ever been in.  Since the
passengers all thought he was really tired, I'll answer it from the
perspective of what I would do with a driver who I thought was too tired
to drive.
        If I'm riding with somebody who seems too tired to drive safely,
especially if they've admitted they were too tired to drive, I generally
ask if they want me to drive instead, assuming I'm feeling awake enough. 
I do this for my dad on occasion, but he's generally pretty good at
telling when he's tired and asking other people to drive for him.  Other
than that, the time I've been in that situation when we were far enough
from home that it might have made sense to change drivers and I was with
somebody other than my parents, the offer was rather regretfully turned
down because it was a company car and I wouldn't have been insured on it,
but the driver still seemed grateful for the offer.  I know there have
been situations where I wished I could turn the driving over to somebody
else when I've been quite tired, but usually if I get to the point of
being tired and unsafe I don't have another licensed driver with me.
        The case of a drunk driver is a bit different, because they don't
hafve the reasoning capibilities that a sober driver would have, even when
the sober driver is really tired.  If I suspected the driver was drunk, I
would probably be a lot more insistant about them not driving, or at least
about me not being in the car.

Get out and call someone else for a ride. period.

But Brenda...what if the car/van is going at a high rate of speed
down the highway?

I have, and would again, put a car into park from the passenger seat.
I'm serious about not riding if I don't feel safe.  I was a passenger
in a 100+mph rolloever and refuse to repeat the experience.

Gotcha....I never thought about the park option.
Clever girl...

I'm not sure Park would be the best way to go, considering that it would
either lock the drive wheels or blow the transmission, neither of which
would make 100 mile per hour speeds any safer.  It might be better to
downshift into third, and then second, and then first, before resorting to
putting it in park, or to grab the parking break, if it's one of the cars
that has it between the seats.

but don't you think the driver would notice if you carefully downshifted to
third, second, etc?

That's where the parking break option comes in.

(it'd be near impossible to downshift from the passenger side,
seeing as you'd have to depress the clutch...)

[Steve doesn't know that. He's never driven a stick. ;>]

But, even in a stick you can put it into neutral.  It'll get the drivers
attention, as well as slowing you down.

It is possible to downshift an automatic.  I assumed we were discussing
automatics, considering that you can't put a stick in park.

(ya gotta plan for all kinds...)

It sure would be tougher for kids to handle that situation with an
adult that it would be for me to handle it.  Once, I just put my
hand out for the keys, saying that since I hadn't had any drinks, I
would drive.  That got around the "are you drunk or do you just have
a buzz" question.

My office used to require use to ride in one car to distant locations.
One man always drove (he had a big car).  Sober he was a lousy
driver.  I refused to ever drive with anyone again unless I was
familiar with their driving habits.  I insisted that they checkwith 
their lawyers to see if they could legally force the issue to save a few 
bucks...I now get to choose to drive or ride.

It's tougher when you are a kid and have little experience/choice
in the matter.  Maybe kids should carry cellular phones & call 
911>

Maybe kids should carry CELLULAR PHONES!?!?!?!

Anyway, I would, if the situation was so bad that I didn't think 
whoever was driving could make it home, do whatever neccesary to
get out of the car.

Actually, around here, to be honest, kids + cellular phones are presumed
drug dealers.  Sad.
But I might give mine my phone "just in case" the way I always had
a dime for a phone call and a $10 bill for cab fare when I went out on 
dates.

What kind of response is that. Mr. Sensitive Ponytail Man? We were, I thought,
talking about kids on school busses. When I road the bus to school I wasn't
usually on my way home to get ready for a date, let alone could I figure out
how to use a cellular phone. I just don't- oh... sorry my beeper just went
off, I have to go fax some shit to somebody. See ya!!

In a far-off time, I too carried emergency cash -- dime for a phone
call, quarter for bus fare (and I walked to school).  In those days
I'm not sure how much I would have had to suffer before I thought of
saying "Let me out here, please!"

if yuo like adventure stay along for the ride if not ask the driver to pull
over so you can use the bathroom and call for a different ride

If i were a parent, I would have inflicted serious, perhaps lethal, bodily harm
upon the driver for even thinking of putting so many kids in such danger.

Ask the driver to yield to me as driver or ask to be let out

Depending on how well I know this person, I might ask them to let me
drive or ask them to pull over and rest for awhile (i.e. if they're
just too tired and need a nap)  If I don't know them well, I'd ask to
be let off and tell them that they probably shouldn't be driving in
that condition either.

Swig some vodka and offer to drive.

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