New service is offered for inebriated drivers

When it's time to leave the holiday party or local club and you realize you've had too much to drink, getting behind the wheel of your car is not a smart option.

So, what do you do?

Not to worry, say Erin and David Wilson and business partner Jason Quick.Their new company, Last Call Designated Drivers, will dispatch a driver from their office near London Bridge Road and Virginia Beach Boulevard to your location. They will then chauffeur you and your car home.

Erin Wilson said the new venture is just about being responsible.

"It was like a calling; the right thing to do," she said. "We all know people whose lives have been affected by D.U.I.'s."

The Cox High School and Longwood University grad married her former Navy husband in 2000 and headed to Northern Virginia where they ran a motorcycle safety school. Earlier this year, they returned with their two young children to be closer to family and begin something they said Virginia Beach could really use.

Modeled after London's Scooterman, the company has fully qualified, insured drivers on call daily between 9 p.m. and 2 a.m., donned in day-glow jackets and ready to drive their specialized mopeds to customers' locations. The unique gas-powered cycles fit into durable fuel-proof bags, easily placed in a car trunk.

Then, it's home you go.

The Wilsons said not leaving a car behind can save clients from costly parking tickets or towing fees, adding that the service is cheaper than a taxi ride.

"A friend of mine went to see a band and made the responsible decision for a friend to drive her home and her car was towed and impounded," Erin Wilson said. "It cost her $120.".

The couple has made the rounds to area restaurants to spread the word about their new service.

Jessica Miller, office manager of The Jewish Mother on Pacific Avenue, said the new business will help ensure customers do not drive home after having one too many.

"It's brilliant," said Miller, adding that on evenings they're open til 2 a.m., taxis aren't always available and there's no guarantee that cars left behind won't be towed.

Virginia Beach's "Do Not Tow" program for the municipal parking lots is available, but individuals must first locate a parking lot attendant for a pass and then return the next day to retrieve the car. Last Call solves that problem.

Aimee Bussiere of Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant said Last Call is a great idea.

"I'm surprised no one thought of it sooner," said Bussiere, sales and marketing manager for the Town Center restaurant.

Bussiere said they monitor patrons to prevent drunken driving, but said Last Call will further help with that effort.

A trip home is $30 within the service area, which includes the Oceanfront and Town Center, and the Red Mill and Shore Drive neighborhoods. Additional mileage fees apply outside the area and friends may be dropped off for an extra $5.

David Wilson said special rates apply for events, such as parties and wedding receptions.

Cindy Butler Focke, butler496@aol.com