Man Gets DWI After Riding Motorized Cooler

[djnemo65]

I thought the main purpose of DUI laws was to protect people from injury. Hard to see this guy riding his scooter resulting in anything worse than him driving into an open manhole cover.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by djnemo65

I thought the main purpose of DUI laws was to protect people from injury. Hard to see this guy riding his scooter resulting in anything worse than him driving into an open manhole cover.

Well, he could have swerved into traffic and caused an accident. I don't necessarily agree with him getting a DUI but the possibility of some sort of accident/injury was there.

[onlydarksets]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

Well, he could have swerved into traffic and caused an accident. I don't necessarily agree with him getting a DUI but the possibility of some sort of accident/injury was there.

Right, but the danger there isn't due to him operating heavy machinery - it's due to him putting an object in the road and causing other cars to have to react. The laws are designed to protect against certain occurrences, and I don't think DUI laws are designed to protect against what this guy was doing.

How fast is 13mph, anyway? Slower than a bike and faster than you can run?

[MTK]

Originally Posted by onlydarksets

Right, but the danger there isn't due to him operating heavy machinery - it's due to him putting an object in the road and causing other cars to have to react. The laws are designed to protect against certain occurrences, and I don't think DUI laws are designed to protect against what this guy was doing.

How fast is 13mph, anyway? Slower than a bike and faster than you can run?

I dunno... I would think the laws are in place to prevent accidents and injuries regardless of what the person is driving or operating. I know it seems trivial, but to me if you are drunk it makes sense that you shouldn't be on the road operating anything.

[onlydarksets]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

I dunno... I would think the laws are in place to prevent accidents and injuries regardless of what the person is driving or operating. I know it seems trivial, but to me if you are drunk it makes sense that you shouldn't be on the road operating anything.

DUIs almost uniformly apply to vehicles, so it depends on what you think the motorized cooler is most analogous to - a vehicle or "something else". A lot of states struggle with the definition of vehicle regarding bikes, and several states (like CA) have different laws for operating a bike under the influence.

For me, it's closer to a bike than a vehicle. I'm not sure how VA treats bikes, though.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by onlydarksets

DUIs almost uniformly apply to vehicles, so it depends on what you think the motorized cooler is most analogous to - a vehicle or "something else". A lot of states struggle with the definition of vehicle regarding bikes, and several states (like CA) have different laws for operating a bike under the influence.

For me, it's closer to a bike than a vehicle. I'm not sure how VA treats bikes, though.

It's not necessarily limited to vehicles:

Under New York state law, driving any motorized vehicle must be done without alcohol, including motorized coolers. In various states, other modes of transportation in which driving is prohibited while intoxicated include lawnmowers, boats, bicycles, golf carts, wheelchairs and horses.

[gibbsisgod]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

It's not necessarily limited to vehicles:

Wheelchairs? Get real!

[onlydarksets]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

It's not necessarily limited to vehicles:

Exactly - there is one set of laws for vehicles (DUIs), and then another set of laws that prohibit operating other types of things under the influence. Those other laws have different penalties, usually less severe.

That's my point - I don't think this should be punished as driving a vehicle under the influence. It should be punished (if at all) under a less stringent statute.