A German man has lost his driver's licence after he was caught drink-driving on a lawnmower. Reiner S, 46, from Düsseldorf, parked his lawnmower in a pedestrian area after work and went for a drink. After several glasses of wine, he agreed to move the mower after passers-by complained it was in the way.
Even though the mower's top speed is less than 4mph, his licence was revoked for three months. Reiner S appealed, but a judge ruled the mower qualified as a motor vehicle, although he reduced the fine from £280 to £140.
Fiat's future took a big step in the right direction with the launch of its impressive new Panda. With its unique styling and surprisingly good finish for a car in its class, the new Panda offers some impressive figures for motorists to contemplate.
There are two petrol units, a 54 bhp 1.1-litre unit and a 60 bhp 1.2 litre unit. But most attention is focussing on a third engine option - a 1.3 16v Multijet 70 bhp turbo diesel engine due in 2004. It's won favour with the European car of the year jury, for which the Panda has made the shortlist. Away from performance and fuel economy, the figures that will attract the most attention are the prices. Along with benefiting from Fiat's Open Book pricing policy, where there are no hidden delivery costs, the on-the road prices, are 1.1 Active, €10,995; 1.2 Dynamic, €12,395; 1.2 Emotion,€€13,795.
There's also a good standard specification on the cars, with ABS standard on the Panda 1.2 along with Electronic Brake Distribution system (EBD). All versions of the New Panda are equipped with driver and front passenger airbags. Side airbags are optional with the 1.2-litre versions.
'Shooting the Bird' No Crime in Texas
There was good news for all those Texas drivers who, during fits of road rage or fleeting moments of exasperation, just can't seem to keep their middle fingers from shooting skyward.
After musing on the historical and social subtexts of what it called "shooting the bird," among other things, a state court of appeals ruled Oct. 9 that while the gesture might be uncouth, it is not necessarily illegal.
The ruling overturned the conviction of Austin resident Robert Coggin, 36, who was found guilty of disorderly conduct last year for hoisting his middle finger at another motorist while driving on a four-lane highway in central Texas.
The episode occurred in October 2001 when Coggin, homebound in what he calls his "souped-up hot rod," a 1994 Chevrolet Caprice, found himself in the left lane behind an SUV traveling too slowly for his taste. Coggin pulled up close, flashed his bright lights and motioned for the car to move to the right.
The SUV driver, John Pastrano, later testified that after he changed lanes, Coggin passed by and "shot me the bird." Irate, Pastrano picked up his cell phone and called the police, who quickly stopped Coggin and wrote him a ticket.
After racking up $15,000 in legal fees, Coggin--who admits he has used the gesture before but swears he kept his finger to himself that day--said he feels vindicated by the court's decision that he did not "incite an immediate breach of the peace."
Nonetheless, said Coggin, an unemployed electrical engineer: "I haven't given the bird since. I'm scared to."