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Posts with tag drunkdriving

Man Arrested for Drunk Driving a Motorized Cooler

by Terrence O'Brien, posted Jun 5th 2008 at 10:22AMBreaking News

Man Arrested for Driving a Cooler While Drunk
Here's a piece of advice for our readers: Don't get behind the wheel or handlebars of anything motorized if you're intoxicated, whether it's a car, a scooter, Power Wheel, or even a cooler. It's dangerous, and most likely illegal.

Leslie J. "Bomber" Marr learned this the hard way when he was arrested on Memorial Day in Whitehall, NY and charged with DWI and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle after police saw him swerving around the streets and driving on the sidewalk... on a cooler. Marr was driving around town on a Cruizin Cooler, which puts a seat on top of a three-wheeled cooler and attaches an electric motor similar to those found on electric scooters. It even has a hatch so you can pull out a icy cold drink while driving. The hatch also has a cup/can holder on top, suggesting that this sort of activity is exactly what the designers had in mind.

Under state law, the cooler is still considered a motor vehicle so sobriety is a must, and a license is highly recommended. [Source: Post Star]

Breathalyzers Come Under Fire in Court

by Terrence O'Brien, posted Aug 10th 2007 at 2:59PM

Breathalyzers Come Under Fire in CourtSome while back, certain residents of Florida charged with DUI managed to get a court to hand them over the source code of the breathalyzer that had "proven" them to be drinking and driving. Now, in another victory for drunks everywhere, Dale Lee Underdahl of Minnesota has filed a similar petition and won.

What is source code and why would you want it? Breathalyzers are basically computers with blow holes, and the source code is what makes them run. That source code is what sends people to jail. The defendants in these cases simply want a good look at their accuser. As Underdahl's lawyer said, "for all we know, it's a random number generator."

The breathalyzer in question in Underdahl's case is the Intoxilyzer 5000EN, built by CMI, one of nearly a dozen manufacturers of devices used by law enforcement. CMI's Intoxilyzer is used in more than 20 states. What's frightening is that the 5000EN is apparently based on the ancient Z-80 processor, which powered the Radio Shack TRS-80 desktop computer ... which went on sale in 1977. CMI has also been accused of making uncertified changes to the machines, and had to issue a recall due to faulty software.

In other words, Underdahl may be on to something. But to be on the safe side, maybe next time he should just call a cab.

From Engadget

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Urinal Game Tests How Drunk You Are

by Terrence O'Brien, posted Aug 9th 2007 at 3:01PM

Urinal Game Tests How Drunk You Are

We're not sure how much some one wants to play a video game while urinating, but a German company seems to think it may be the trick to reducing the number of drunk drivers on the road. The name for this well-intentioned, if slightly odd, concept? The Piss-Screen.

Here's the premise: A video game -- a driving game, specifically -- is displayed above the urinal. You control the car with your um ... stream. Urinating to the right moves the car right, peeing to the left moves the car to the left. If you're too drunk to control the car, you crash and the game suggests you call a cab.

Peeing hasn't been this fun since the last time you went swimming in the ocean!

From Shiny Shiny

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Using GPS to Discourage Drunk Driving

by Terrence O'Brien, posted Jun 29th 2007 at 12:55PM


After a series of drunk driving accidents in Japan last year, Nissan decided it had to do something about the epidemic of inebriated motorists. The company considered a whole host of options including Breathalyzer-like devices. Finally, yesterday the company unveiled its anti-drunk driving initiative: Every time you turn the car on, the optional GPS displays a message reminding you not to drink and drive.

Yup. That's the big move. That's the how Nissan is going to rid our streets of drunk drivers.

There's a variety of products out there that can prevent you from starting your ignition if you're drunk -- they can even sense if you're drinking while you're driving. Cell phones can even have Breathalyzers built into them. And yet, the best Nissan can muster is a printed message on an optional feature. If your car has GPS, is it such a stretch to imagine it detecting erratic lane changing, or noticing when you repeatedly ignore one-way signs?

Instead, Nissan has delivered the automotive equivalent of mom telling you to behave every time you leave the house. Even Nancy Reagan's "Just Say No" campaign had more muscle.

From Press ESC

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