Relax, kick back, and get a DWI
By Barrett Chase on Oct 21, 2009 in Weird Stuff
[image via the DNT]
Okay, this one’s bound to go viral.
“According to the criminal complaint, Anderson drove his motorized chair into a vehicle parked near a Proctor bar. Anderson told police he was traveling from the Keyboard Lounge after consuming approximately eight or nine beers. His blood-alcohol content was measured at 0.29 percent, more than three times the legal limit to drive.”
…
“Anderson had to forfeit his motorized chair to Proctor police, who plan to auction it with other forfeited items, Foucault said.”
Duluth News Tribune | La-Z-Boy crash leads to DWI in Proctor
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It’s interesting that the chair is going to be auctioned off. I’m kind of surprised it isn’t being destroyed, because in my opinion the only reason to have a chair like that is to drive it around while drunk.
The quote from the DNT article shown below suggests that anyone in a motorized wheelchair better have someone push them manually when leaving a Proctor bar if they don’t want a ticket.
“Proctor City Prosecutor Ronald Envall said he charged Anderson under the portion of Minnesota law that makes it a crime to operate a self-propelled motor vehicle while impaired by alcohol or drugs. He declined further comment.”
The operative phrase there is “self-propelled.” I suggest that someone buy this chair and modify it with a remote control so that their sober spouse can guide them home from the bar safely from the comfort of their living room.
That stearing thing on the seat makes the chair look like something from the Nine Inch Nails Happiness in Slavery video.
I am *SO* going to that auction!!
What’s the opening bid? And does Radio Shack sell that remote control mentioned above?
Please put up a message when this auction is happening.
Looks like the Proctor PD is getting some new uniforms.
I grew up in a small town in Iowa where a guy was pick up on his bicycle for DWI, and his nick-name was “Bicycle Bill” from then on.
..reminds me of David Lynch’s film, “The Straight Story”, without the drunkenness. See this movie.
DNT: “…It has a stereo, cup holders and other custom options, including different power levels.”
Here’s what ya do…
You run with Barrett’s idea complete with remote vid and gps, and the company that rents these remote vehicles/mini-taxis hires a bunch of kids wanting to make a buck by playing a video game on Wii that gets the person home. Your life in the hands of strangers.
Nah, j/k, it would for me make for a great flick, though.
Honestly, it would be cool if we eventually put into practice self-guided vehicles with the option to turn it off if need be. You could allow people to do everything within except certain areas.
Kind of like a “oops, honey, that was fun around those last few corners, but we just hit a car DMZ, so let’s throw on some music or DVD” type thing.
Hey! The La-Z-Boy guy made the Smoking Gun!
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/a.....zboy1.html
TMZ | La-Z-Boy Driver: I Was Trying to Pop a Wheelie
My sister & I once saw a guy motoring a Rascal scooter across an avenue in Minneapolis and he was going against traffic that had a green light. They let him pass safely to the sidewalk but it was one of those moments that you can only watch and go “Dude, dude, no, no, you don’t have the right of way. . .!”
I’m really tired of duluth showing up in the AP’s strange news feed.
Ah, it’s good to see Duluth in the news….even here in Iraq. I just wish the story could’ve been about job creation, the economy turning around, or the fantastic quality of life. Instead, it’s about a drunk….
did you miss the memo? Duluth is synonymous with “crazy place on the edge of nowhere”… it always has been. it’s a punchline for the businessman who’s been sent into exile, the nowhere your wife is from… the name itself is pronounced in such a way that it’s funny just alone. we all know that… might as well celebrate it’s oddness.
this incident made my friend from San Diego say, “it’s like you live in the tv show Northern Exposure.”
Sure enough, this story made the Huffington Post.
Link here.
According to a BBC News story:
“Local police chief Walter Wobig told Agence France-Presse news agency the chair would be posted on eBay next week with no reserve price.”
I know I have no power in these matters, but I say that whoever shows up to next year’s Homegrown Kickball game driving that thing should automatically win MVP.
MVP of the kickball game or MVP of life?