What else can you "operate" while intoxicated?

Ky. Man Charged With Drunken Horse Riding

SOMERSET, Ky. � A man has been charged with drunken driving � for riding a horse while allegedly intoxicated. Millard Greg Dwyer, 42, was arrested Sunday night after he rode his horse onto a downtown street in front of an off-duty state trooper, Somerset Police Lt. Allan Coomer said.

Trooper Martin Wesley told local officers that Dwyer looked like he was about to fall off the horse.

Coomer said Dwyer admitted to being drunk and told officers that he had ridden the horse from Fishing Creek, which was about 5 miles away.

Dwyer told officers that he had consumed about a twelve pack, Coomer said. Dwyer failed sobriety tests, Coomer said, and was charged with operating a vehicle other than a motor vehicle under the influence of intoxicants.

A breath test showed Dwyer's alcohol level at .244, more than three times the limit, Coomer said.

Dwyer was released from the Pulaski County Dentention Center Monday, jail officials said. He faces a fine of between $20-$100, plus court costs, Coomer said.

Coomer said the arrest was "very unusual," but Somerset police have arrested others for similar violations, such as riding a bicycle and a lawn mower under the influence.

Why not charge him with Public intoxication? At least those can be enhanced, can't they?

SB 1266, by Whitmire, would repeal those enhancements, created several years ago at the request of Travis County DA Ronnie Earl to deal with repeat offenders.

I think the proper question here should be whether the defendant was noodling in Fishing Creek.

The case should be dismissed; the horse was the designated driver.

Well, these laws are meant to keep our roads safe. You wouldn't want that horse to TBone a school bus and make the kiddies late for school.

Not that I'd rather hit a car being driven by a drunk (or sober person for that matter), but have you ever seen the results of a vehicle hitting a horse / cow at 60 m.p.h? Yee - Haa.

Did they get a breath test from the horse. Maybe the it was drunk too.

In South Dakota, drunken horse riders OK

Associated Press

PIERRE, S.D. � State lawmakers decided Wednesday that it's better to have drunks on horses and bicycles instead of behind the wheel of a car.

The state Senate Judiciary Committee approved a bill 6-1 that will exempt horses and bikes from drunken driving laws, meaning intoxicated people who either pedal or saddle up to get home cannot be arrested for drunken driving.

Sen. Lee Schoenbeck said it will make the roads safer for other motorists.

"If I have to choose ... a problem drunk with 1,500 pound or 2,000 pounds of metal coming at 50 miles an hour or a two-wheel Schwinn, I'm going to win and my family is going to win," he said. "I'd much rather have a drunk on the bike."

A former lawman, Sen. Gene Abdallah, agreed.

"I can't believe that a horse is going to intentionally run into anything," Abdallah said. "This is a good avenue to get some people home."

Prosecutors opposed the bill. Chuck Schroyer, lobbyist for the State's Attorneys Association, said there have been arrests in several counties for riding horses while intoxicated.

In one instance, a drunken rider passed out and his horse was struck by a car, injuring several people, Schroyer said.

"There are people that are injured that are in control of these instruments," he said. "This does happen in the real world."

Legislators, however, said prosecutors still can charge drunken riders on horses and bicycles. Rather than drunken driving, they can be charged with disorderly conduct, it was suggested.

quote:

---

In South Dakota, drunken horse riders OK

---

Why would anyone want to ride a drunken horse?

We had a drunk cowboy come talk to us one time about the problems of addiction. He "didn't realize he had a problem until the day [he] threw up on his horse's feet."

quote:

---

Originally posted by Gordon LeMaire:

Why would anyone want to ride a drunken horse?

---

Low inhibitions?

Time to bring back the hitching rails. Can just see the yae-hoos trying to race w/the mounted patrols on 6th street at around closing time.

Another DWI-horseback case, this time in Alabama:

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8O9BA200&show_article=1

...and then I recalled (with a grin) Kid Sheleen (Lee Marvin) sitting on his horse, both leaning against a wall in Cat Ballou (1965). Both rider and mount were hammered.
Jackson: "Kid...your eyes...there so red and bloodshot."
Sheleen: "You oughtta see 'em from my side."

I have seen the result of a horse running in front of a van. That is how my brother-in-law died, the horse come throught the windshield. Horses are not always street-wise like dogs that run wild. I do not think I would trust many horses to be the "designated driver' even though I've had horses that are extremely well-behaved.

N.J. Judge: No Such Thing As Zamboni DWI

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) -- It's not drunken driving in New Jersey if it involves a Zamboni.

A judge ruled the four-ton ice rink-grooming machines aren't motor vehicles because they aren't useable on highways and can't carry passengers.

The rest of the article

After reading the linked article I can't get the Zamboni song out of my head.

Well I went down to the local arena
Asked to see the manager man
He came from his office, said “Son can I help you?”
Looked at him and said “Yes you can”

[Chorus]
Hey, I wanna drive the Zamboni
Hey, I wanna drive the Zamboni
Yes I do

Now e’er since I was young
It’s been my dream
That I might drive the Zamboni machine
I guess that I was just slick as could be
And all the kids would look up to me

[Chorus]

Now the manager said “Son, I know it looks keen,
But that right there’s one expensive machine
And I got Smokey who’s been driving for years”
About that time I broke down in tears

Cuz I wanna drive the Zamboni
Hey I wanna drive the Zamboni

[Chorus]

dang, now all those hockey songs are stuck up there . . .

Please mister linesman let the players fight
Please mister linesman let the players fight
Please mister linesman let the players fight
Please mister linesman let the players fight
Let them fight, let them fight, let them fight
Let them fight, let them fight, let them fight
Let them fight, let them fight!

Shortened to the chorus they play at games . . .

[This message was edited by ray thomas on 04-05-07 at .]