Gizmodo: drunk driving

Moron In Breathalyzer Costume Busted For Driving Drunk

Sean Fallon — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST

Ever since I first saw the breathalyzer costume a few years ago, I knew it was only a matter of time before some frat boy was busted for drunk driving wearing one. That day has arrived.

According to a police report, 18-year-old James N. P. Miller, of Cincinnati, was seen driving the wrong way out of the entrance to a one-way street at East Park Place in Oxford.

Officers executed a traffic stop and found that Miller was wearing a breathalyzer costume [I assume they laughed their asses off]. After investigation, police said, Miller was found to be operating a vehicle while intoxicated.

Inside his car, officers allegedly found an open container of Bud Light in the center console.

Officers also found what was left of a case of Bud Light in the passenger side front seat and in the trunk.

The legal limit in Ohio is .08 BAC—Miller tested at .158. He was cited for operating a vehicle while intoxicated (among other violations) and released to his girlfriend. Hopefully, she realizes that there isn't much of a future being with the "blow here" breathalyzer mug shot guy. [NBC4i via Boing Boing]

Party-A-Cargo Brings the Bro-Down to Wherever Your Truck Can Park

Elaine Chow — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 10:00:00 EDT

Hey dudebro, looking to take a bro-dtrip but afraid you'll make the ultimate braux-pas: not bringing enough beer and having a totally whack sound system? Chill out man, Party-A-Cargo's got your back with its tow hitch mounted kegerator. The Party-A-Cargo Ultimate can store up to 160 glasses of beer and contains a jockey box with two 6 inch by 9 inch speakers and a 10 inch subwoofer.

The case, which hooks up to the back of your SUV, also has a built in CD stereo and Sirius Satellite Radio, a battery charger and a 12-volt power adapter. A locking door ensures that those dickwads at Alpha Gamma Phi won't try to make a grab for your beer while you're gone. Party-A-Cargo offers three different versions of its frat-friendly fun box, ranging in price from $2,895 to $3,795. [Born Rich]

Driving While Calling is the Same as Driving Drunk?

Jason Chen — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 13:55:24 EDT

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University just confirmed two older research studies, one in 2006 and one in 2003, that says driving while talking is as bad as driving while drunk. How did they reach this conclusion? Brain imaging. Volunteers drove a simulator inside an MRI brain scanner and were asked to determine whether a sentence was true or false. We've got two problems with this study.

One, since when does your wife ask you to determine whether somethings is true or false, repeatedly, while having a conversation? It's usually just talking about picking up milk or the crazy broad at work—a decidedly easier activity.

Two, did these volunteers actually get drunk and take the same test? Or were the researchers just saying that the errors made while on the phone were similar to the ones made theoretically while drunk. Because their study report doesn't seem like the subjects liquored up and did some driving. It's pretty difficult to come to the conclusion that talking on the phone is as dangerous as driving, but you can conclude that it's more dangerous than just driving normally. [Consumer Affairs via Textually]

Rothman points out that Mythbusters did their own test in Episode 33 (he's a big fan) and actually did get drunk and drove around. Any MB lovers see that one?

Xbox Racing Games To Combat Real-Life Drunk Driving

Wilson Rothman — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 10:00:34 EST

The country that invented Scotch is paying to have virtual billboards implanted in Need for Speed: Carbon, Project Gotham Racing 4 and other titles, telling 15-to-24-year-olds not to drink and drive. At least not in real cars. It's probably okay for them to drink and drive virtual cars, because all they risk there is hitting those virtual "don't drink and drive" billboards. This comes on the heels of the British government putting intelligence-agency employment ads in games like Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent. The Scottish transport minister says that if this $20,000 pilot project is a success, other road-safety messages may soon appear, too. Like "Don't Drive Like You're Playing Need For Speed." [Kotaku]

Toyota and Nissan Make Drinking and Driving a Little Harder (It's Already Pretty Hard)

Jason Chen — Fri, 15 Sep 2006 21:31:39 EDT

Both Toyota and Nissan are trying to come up with a technology in their cars to make drinking and driving impossible. Nissan is thinking of requiring a really long PIN for drivers to enter before their car starts, and Toyota is thinking of placing breathalyzers somewhere in the cabin. Both are interesting, but may not be fool proof, not to mention drunk proof.

The effort follows a rash of media coverage in the land of the rising sun following a number of high-profile drunk-driving incidents, including one where an inebriated motorist knocked a car off a bridge, killing three children.

– Jason Chen

Japanese automakers developing cars that refuse drunk drivers [Mainichi via Hold the Sake! Japanese Automakers Working On Booze Lockouts]