Drunk in Charge of a Lawn Mower?

Operating a vehicle or heavy machinery does not mix well with alcohol, a fact that should be common sense, but

unfortunately seems to have escaped the notice of some people. Many people get their lawn mowers out on a Sunday afternoon, a time that people would rather spend relaxing than doing chores. The temptation to chill out in the garden with a couple of beers is usually too great to ignore, so if you do indulge, make sure you get the grass mown first, or put it off altogether (not that we are encouraging lackadaisical lawn maintenance of course, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry).

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Another, very important reason for not drinking while using a lawn mower is dehydration. Mowing the grass is a chore that is usually done in hot sunny weather, and uses a lot of energy at the same time. With any lawn larger than a garden shed this will result in sweating and without adequate hydration from plain water or squash there is a risk of dehydration and heatstroke, both conditions that can be life threatening and sometimes require medical attention. Alcohol does not hydrate you, especially when you are working hard, and actually increases the rate of dehydration.

Finally, drinking before or during mowing the lawn often leads to a poor finish; think wavy lines, missed patches and the risk of getting tangled up in the cord of an electric mower. Drinking while operating a ride on lawn mower presents a much bigger set of problems, including the lowering of your inhibitions and the clouding of your judgement, sometimes leading to poor decisions with serious consequences. Accidents can happen easily with lawn mowers; losing a toe and even a limb is not unheard of even while sober, so it is easy to see how throwing alcohol into the mix almost guarantees that an accident will happen.

In Pennsylvania, a 25 year-old-man was arrested for driving his lawn tractor whilst under the influence. His blood alcohol level was .21%, which is more than double the legal limit in the state. He is reported to have threatened the arresting officer when he was apprehended in Montour County early in July. The man, named by police as Tyler Anspach, was only stopped after police officers used a rope to lasso his ride on lawn mower and he has been charged with DUI and disorderly conduct. It turned out that Anspach was on his way to see a friend and even had a crate of beer on board, but could not drive there due to his car licence being suspended (for DUI, unsurprisingly). When he was stopped, Anspach produced his suspended licence to officers in the hope that would explain why he was not driving his car and had opted for the ride on mower instead.

Kentucky man Philip Bright was also arrested recently for drink driving after police saw him driving his ride on lawn mower down US 51 while drinking alcohol. After his arrest, Bright was uncooperative and kicked out the back window of the patrol car and is currently in jail awaiting trial. Canadian police also stopped a man who had been reported as driving a large lawn mower whilst apparently under the influence after nearly hitting a pedestrian. His blood alcohol level was above the legal limit and he has been released pending trial.

So when you feel the urge to crack open a beer before or during mowing your lawn, remember that the beer will taste a lot better when you can drink it on a freshly cut lawn; a much nicer place to be than a police cell or a hospital!