Man loses license after drunk-driving in toy Barbie car!

[Super Aurora]

Originally Posted by Telegraph.co.uk View Post
Man loses license after drunk-driving in toy Barbie car!

A man who was caught drink-driving in a toy car with a top speed of 4mph has been banned from driving.

Paul Hutton was given a mandatory three-year ban because he had received another drink-drive ban within the past ten years Photo: PETER LAWSON/EASTNEWS PRESS

Mr Hutton, who has four children Simon, 17, Calum, 14, Laina, 12, and John, 11, admitted being a 'complete twit'.

Speaking after the hearing at Colchester magistrates court, he said: "You have to be a contortionist to get in, and then you can't get out.

"I was very surprised to get done for drink-driving but I was a twit to say the least.

"It is designed for three-to-five-year-olds.

"Originally it was a pink Barbie car but I put bigger wheels on it but it's not fast.

"I'm not unhappy with my punishment, just a little bit surprised."

Mr Hutton, who is divorced, is a former RAF aeronautical engineer who now studies electrical engineering at Colchester Institute.

He explained: "I'm in the third year of my electrical engineering course and it was a little project I was doing with my son who is doing a car mechanics course.

"When it was done I couldn't resist the temptation to take it out."

Mr Hutton, was found to be twice the drink-drive limit, he said.

Appearing before magistrates last week, he admitted driving the toy car while drunk.

He was given a mandatory three-year ban because he had received another drink-drive ban within the past ten years.

Magistrates also gave him a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered him to pay £85 court costs.

Chairman of the bench Neil Munson said: "This is most unusual.

"I have never seen the like of it in 15 years on the bench.

"The vehicle is not even capable of doing the speed of a mobility scooter and could be outrun by a pedestrian.

"Taking this into account, we feel we can impose a sentence of a conditional discharge for a period of 12 months."

The car was confiscated by police until the hearing but Mr Hutton now hopes to get it back.

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/news...arbie-car.html



I seriously lol'd.

[Elladorine]

Wow . . . you can actually get arrested for driving drunk in a toy car?

[Lazario]

This is totally serious you guys - what if he had hit a dog? Or a baby? Or an old person with a walker?






My favorite part:

Chairman of the bench Neil Munson said: "This is most unusual.

"I have never seen the like of it in 15 years on the bench.

"The vehicle is not even capable of doing the speed of a mobility scooter and could be outrun by a pedestrian.

[ajmrowland]

[UmbrellaFish]

They talked about this on Chelsea Lately last night- I love it!

[Lazario]

They talked about this on Chelsea Lately last night- I love it!

There should be some clip of it on YouTube by now...

None.

[DaveWadding]

I read somewhere that some guy who decided to SLEEP IN HIS CAR BECAUSE HE FELT HE WAS TOO DRUNK TO DRIVE got busted as well. I'm all for drunk driving laws, but they are getting a little excessive.

[slave2moonlight]

This shouldn't be possible since you don't need a license to drive a Barbie car. However, the first time he was caught driving drunk (in a real car), his license should have been taken away permanently. That should be the rule.

[Scarred4life]

What has the world come to? We are drunk driving in Barbie cars! And then getting arrested for it!

[pap64]

You guys are missing the point! Regardless if it was just a toy car, DRUNK DRIVING IS STILL DRUNK DRIVING!

Imagine what the man could have done! So many mailboxes slightly tipped, squirrels with their tails all squished, a child's toy destroyed over reckless driving...

DON'T YOU SEE THE MADNESS IN THIS, PEOPLE????

THE MADNESS!!!!!!!!!1

...Teehee

[Siren]

People have received DUIs for driving motor scooters, lawn mowers, and other vehicles. The fact is it does not have to be a car, truck, motorcycle, bus, plane, etc. Driving drunk is still driving drunk. Its just not about PUBLIC safety, its about the safety of the drunk too. He could have driven into on coming traffic, into a lake, etc, And though someone like that deserves a Darwin Award, the law is still the law.

The story is hilarious, of course, but just because he was driving a vehicle that wasn't likely to hurt anyone, doesn't mean he wasn't driving while intoxicated. And I don't think he is being unfairly treated at all. Nor do I think they are overreacting. This is not like its his FIRST offense, obviously the guy has been in front of the court before for the SAME thing, drinking and driving.

Paul Hutton was given a mandatory three-year ban because he had received another drink-drive ban within the past ten years

[Super Aurora]

People have received DUIs for driving motor scooters, lawn mowers, and other vehicles. The fact is it does not have to be a car, truck, motorcycle, bus, plane, etc. Driving drunk is still driving drunk. Its just not about PUBLIC safety, its about the safety of the drunk too. He could have driven into on coming traffic, into a lake, etc, And though someone like that deserves a Darwin Award, the law is still the law.

The story is hilarious, of course, but just because he was driving a vehicle that wasn't likely to hurt anyone, doesn't mean he wasn't driving while intoxicated. And I don't think he is being unfairly treated at all. Nor do I think they are overreacting. This is not like its his FIRST offense, obviously the guy has been in front of the court before for the SAME thing, drinking and driving.

Paul Hutton was given a mandatory three-year ban because he had received another drink-drive ban within the past ten years

off topic but did you get my pm?

[Siren]

People have received DUIs for driving motor scooters, lawn mowers, and other vehicles. The fact is it does not have to be a car, truck, motorcycle, bus, plane, etc. Driving drunk is still driving drunk. Its just not about PUBLIC safety, its about the safety of the drunk too. He could have driven into on coming traffic, into a lake, etc, And though someone like that deserves a Darwin Award, the law is still the law.

The story is hilarious, of course, but just because he was driving a vehicle that wasn't likely to hurt anyone, doesn't mean he wasn't driving while intoxicated. And I don't think he is being unfairly treated at all. Nor do I think they are overreacting. This is not like its his FIRST offense, obviously the guy has been in front of the court before for the SAME thing, drinking and driving.

off topic but did you get my pm?

Yes, sorry, read it on my phone the other day and forgot to reply. I will tonight

[Elladorine]

I was curious enough to look up exactly how this breaks the law since a toy car doesn't exactly feel like the "motor vehicle" typically attached to a DUI; I would think it would have to be a vehicle you'd need a license to operate. It seems that there's not only DUI's (Driving Under Influence) and DWI's (Driving While Intoxicated), but OUI's (Operating Under Influence). So basically what Siren was saying . . .

This is what "operating a motor vehicle" includes: automobile, automobile truck, automobile wagon, motorcycle, or any other self-propelled vehicle designed for running on land but not on rails. So apparently that doesn't include trolleys, trains, and boats, although I'm guessing that those and airplanes must have a separate set of rules. But it looks like a motor vehicle would indeed include toy cars.

And like Dave was saying, I also found that sitting/sleeping behind the wheel in a car while drunk even though the car is not running is enough to warrant an OUI arrest if the key is in the ignition. I'm all for strict laws as well, but wow.

[Super Aurora]

btw you must take in consideration that this happen in UK. UK's law might be different from US.

[Elladorine]

btw you must take in consideration that this happen in UK. UK's law might be different from US.

Ah, that's true. Between this case and what I've read about the US it does seem the this aspect of the law is pretty similar.

Either way it's gotta be embarrassing to not only get arrested for driving drunk in a Barbie car, but to hit the national news for doing so!

[Duckburger]

...say what now?


People never cease to amuse me.

[Lazario]

I read somewhere that some guy who decided to SLEEP IN HIS CAR BECAUSE HE FELT HE WAS TOO DRUNK TO DRIVE got busted as well. I'm all for drunk driving laws, but they are getting a little excessive.

They probably thought that if he woke up still drunk, he might decide to do the wrong thing.

That is an excessive rule. But laws don't know people very well.

You guys are missing the point! Regardless if it was just a toy car, DRUNK DRIVING IS STILL DRUNK DRIVING!

Imagine what the man could have done! So many mailboxes slightly tipped, squirrels with their tails all squished, a child's toy destroyed over reckless driving...

You joke but... I could actually see people (or one or two people) getting up-in-arms over a drunk guy in a kids' toy car destroying a child's toy. People are nuts, it's not news. But if something like that ever did happen, I believe I would be laughing my ass off. When we all should be protesting ridiculous laws like this.