New Zealand man charged with driving lawn mower while drunk

[one...two...tree 2,762]

WELLINGTON, New Zealand - A New Zealand man has been charged with driving a lawn mower while drunk, police said Tuesday.

Richard Gunn, 52, was driving the lawn mower down a street in the northern New Zealand town of Dargaville late Monday evening when police stopped him, police spokeswoman Sarah Kennett said.

Gunn's breath alcohol level was at more than twice the legal limit for drivers, police said, and he previously had lost his driver's license.

Gunn said he has been using the lawn mower to get around town since losing his license.

"I thought I was safe," he told TV One News.

Even bicycles went faster than the lawn mower's 5 mph, he said. "I've watched them go past me."

Gunn was scheduled to appear in court later this week on charges of careless driving, driving while disqualified and driving with excess breath alcohol. He faces a potential prison term if convicted.

Police impounded the lawn mower for 28 days.

http://www.azcentral.com/offbeat/articles/...ower16-ODD.html

Edited January 17, 2008 by Mister Fancypants

[mawilson 2,133]

He should have bought a Segway. You don't need a licence to ride a Segway, do you?

[one...two...tree 2,762]

He should have bought a Segway. You don't need a licence to ride a Segway, do you?

According to the retired police officer who taught the last defensive driving class I took, a person can be charged with a DUI even riding a bicycle.

[Nagishkaw 510]

[no name 1]

According to the retired police officer who taught the last defensive driving class I took, a person can be charged with a DUI even riding a bicycle.

My friend got a BUI in Ireland!

[one...two...tree 2,762]

According to the retired police officer who taught the last defensive driving class I took, a person can be charged with a DUI even riding a bicycle.

My friend got a BUI in Ireland!

I just watched a rerun the other night of Everybody Loves Raymond, where Patricia has a little too much to drink and decides to sleep it off in the car. She still gets charged with a DUI even though she didn't drive the car.

[Kazan' Tiger 1]

How timely, I was watching a rerun of "Hot Pursuit" last night. A man was charged for DUI on lawnmower there too. The cop was telling him he could be charged for DUI even if riding a 4 wheeler in his back yard while intoxicated. Personally, I do not see how that is possible. If I am in my back yard cutting my lawn tipsy how does a cop have a right to come back there and haul me off to jail? It's my private property.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

How timely, I was watching a rerun of "Hot Pursuit" last night. A man was charged for DUI on lawnmower there too. The cop was telling him he could be charged for DUI even if riding a 4 wheeler in his back yard while intoxicated. Personally, I do not see how that is possible. If I am in my back yard cutting my lawn tipsy how does a cop have a right to come back there and haul me off to jail? It's my private property.

Although it may be a bit of stretch, the logic behind behind it could be that it against the law to operate any machinery while intoxicated. I'm wondering if that would include surfing the internet with your computer?

[Kazan' Tiger 1]

Really!

How timely, I was watching a rerun of "Hot Pursuit" last night. A man was charged for DUI on lawnmower there too. The cop was telling him he could be charged for DUI even if riding a 4 wheeler in his back yard while intoxicated. Personally, I do not see how that is possible. If I am in my back yard cutting my lawn tipsy how does a cop have a right to come back there and haul me off to jail? It's my private property.

Although it may be a bit of stretch, the logic behind behind it could be that it against the law to operate any machinery while intoxicated. I'm wondering if that would include surfing the internet with your computer?

[wishbone 0]

I'm wondering if skating with rollerblade or skateboard drunk around could be an offense.

[mawilson 2,133]

She still gets charged with a DUI even though she didn't drive the car.

I seriously doubt the charges would stick, since the D in DUI stands for Driving, not Sleeping.

[Dr. Obvious 49]

I like how they impounded the lawnmower.

[Peikko 1,575]

Surely they did it because he was trying to circumnavigate their clear ruling that he shouldn't be negotiating the streets in a mechanically powered vehicle because he had already had his licence pulled for previous DUI offenses? The fact that the vehicle he was driving couldn't do more than 5mph really isn't relevant. Silly git, he should either drink at home or pay a taxi to ferry him about.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

How timely, I was watching a rerun of "Hot Pursuit" last night. A man was charged for DUI on lawnmower there too. The cop was telling him he could be charged for DUI even if riding a 4 wheeler in his back yard while intoxicated. Personally, I do not see how that is possible. If I am in my back yard cutting my lawn tipsy how does a cop have a right to come back there and haul me off to jail? It's my private property.

Although it may be a bit of stretch, the logic behind behind it could be that it against the law to operate any machinery while intoxicated. I'm wondering if that would include surfing the internet with your computer?

Or drunken beef charioteering, but that's a tad crude

Edited January 17, 2008 by Number 6

[JODO 2]

He broke the spirit of the law.