Passenger Gets DUI

A Drunk-Driving Passenger.

OSLO, NORWAY - The 19-year old Oysten Haakanes has been convicted of drunk driving despite the fact that he was not even in front of the steering wheel. Haakanes was sitting in the passenger seat of the parked car when his designated driver hopped out of the car at a gas station. His driver, who was sober, had stopped at the gas station near the town of Tinn to buy something to eat.

Haakenes was eating a sausage when his movement to change a CD accidentally resulted in a bump to the manual gear lever. The car, which was off and did not even have keys in the ignition, started to roll as it was now in neutral. It moved approximately 10 feet before he adjusted the hand brake.

The police officer who witnessed the rolling car detained Haakenes, accusing him of drunken driving. Magistrates sided with police testimony: Haakenes seemed to have intentionally made the car roll, making him the legal operator of the vehicle.

"I think it's unreasonable," stated Haakanes.

November 24, 2003

Also See:

• The definition of "Driving a Vehicle"