What? I didn't know this as possible?
Posted on 07/13/2022 2:24:12 PM PDT by nickcarraway
When police stopped self-employed carpenter Laurie Rosser's van it was running on only two tyres. A court heard his mind was 'clouded'
A van driver who was seen driving along the M4 with only two tyres on his vehicle was found to be almost twice the drink-drive limit. Self-employed carpenter Laurie Rosser was caught after concerned members of the public reported the state of the van to police who located him and pulled him over.
His solicitor told Swansea Magistrates' Court that the defendant was unaware he was over the limit but that his mind had been "clouded", possibly as a result of Covid, and after two tyres had blown on his van while on the motorway he had decided not to stop on the hard shoulder but to head for a "place of safety" instead.
The court heard that in the early hours of June 26 this year South Wales Police received calls about a van with both its nearside tyres missing travelling westbound on the M4 near junction 47. Lucy Mansfield., prosecuting, said officers from the force's roads policing unit soon located the Vauxhall Vivaro in Gorseinon Road and pulled it over. The driver, 42-year-old Rosser, failed a breath test and was arrested and taken to Swansea Central Police station where a subsequent evidential test gave a reading of 66mg of alcohol in 100ml millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35mg.
Laurie Alan Rosser, of Brighton Road, Gorseinon, Swansea, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol when he appeared before justices. He has no previous convictions. Rhys Davies, for Rosser, called the events of June 26 an "unfortunate incident". He said the defendant had been out with friends on the evening in question and had drunk two pints and was unaware he was over the limit. The solicitor said his client's "mind was clouded", adding that the day after the incident he had tested positive for Covid, and when two tyres on the van blew out as he was driving on the M4 the self-employed carpenter had decided to drive "a place of safety" rather than stop on the motorway. Mr Davies added that Rosser was a father-of-four who acted as a carer for his wife and he said the driving ban which his client now faced would have a major impact on him given the nature of his work.
Rosser was disqualified from driving for 17 months and was fined £300. He must also pay £85 prosecution costs and a £120 court surcharge.
What? I didn't know this as possible?
Of clouded mind.
He didn’t know what tyres were. He was looking for tires.
Yeaaahhhhh.
Generally, it is a good idea to make sure your tail lights are functional, your headlights work, your license plate is attached, and you aren’t driving on any rims.
Those things tend to attract the attention of people, especially the law.
Those rims are toast.
The limeys say “drink drive” instead of “drunk driving.”
“Drink drive” sounds like a command, doesn’t it?
Seems the Brits have quite a conundrum: Do they need to outlaw the tires, the rims or the entire vehicle? I say the entire vehicle - it was obviously built with one purpose: To allow a drunk driver to drive it without tires. Ban Drink Vans Now!
Poor man’s low rider?
Men of Harlech, stop your weaving,
Can’t you hear the sirens squealing?
The other drivers’ horns a pealing?
Men of Harlech, drive ye dreaming?
See ye not the blue lights flashing?
See your driving famed in story,
It can not be ever said ye,
could not hold yer beer!
lol
“His mind was clouded.”
I’ll say!
i’ve seen worse...
Alcohol is a great power. It can do anything.
Brakes too probably.
Can’t say about the Brits but there is indeed a US safety standard that requires that vehicles not bottom out even if all the rubber is gone from the “tyre.” But this guy pushed that limit way out there.——the tires, not the likker.
I witnessed similar about 50 years ago when I first started driving. It was nighttime on a highway. All I could see were sparks going everywhere.I would guess all four tires were off. The whole body on the highway showering sparks. I didn’t figure it out at the time what was happening. There was a junkyard nearby and I’m guessing someone got a car to start and took off in it.
I recall a similar incident in South Dakota where the intoxicated driver ignored losing a tire and the sparks from driving on the metal rim caused a prairie fire.
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