Three wheeling in Toronto – Patrick Shanahan, 35, was arrested for drunk driving home from a pub around 1:00 am while driving his mother’s motorized wheelchair. Shanahan protested saying the three-wheeled scooter didn’t need a license, insurance or license plates, so it could not be drunk driving. A Toronto court disagreed and he was fined and placed on probation.
Obviously things are a little different in Germany – A 31-year old German was pulled over for riding down his wheelchair down the center of the road. When police administered a breath test it was found the man registered 10 times the legal limit, considered a life-threatening amount. The man was considered traveling as a pedestrian and, rather than being charged with drunk driving, he was held until a sober friend could pick him up. A police spokesperson said the man would be facing some kind of punishment, but “it’s just not clear yet what exactly that will be.”
Getting mowed over in Illinois – Robert Wendt decided to use his riding lawnmower to travel to a nearby store for gas and a six-pack of beer. He was stopped by police for riding on the wrong side the road and was determined to be intoxicated after failing a field sobriety test. Wendt spent two nights in jail for what was his second Illinois DUI. When released, he was ticketed for not having mowed his lawn.
Playing through in Georgia – The assistant principal of Whitewater High School in Peachtree City was stopped a little after midnight for riding a golf cart on a public road. Mary Pina, 50, was determined to be intoxicated and charged with Georgia DUI. She may lessened her troubles if she had followed the city code which states that those in a golf cart must use a cart path when available.
Making tracks in Nova Scotia – Walter Hawes, 52, had been drinking before jumping on a farm tractor and heading down the road. He only drove a short distance before rolling into a ditch. Hawes failed a breathalyzer test, though his BAC was acknowledged as being higher than when the accident occurred because he continued to drink until police arrived. A judge determined a tractor is a motor vehicle and charged Hawes with drunk driving. Hawes is prohibited from driving any vehicle, including a tractor, for a year.
