Mikey dodges another DUI bullet

[scott b]

Reports say he was involved in a wreck and given a sobriety test... blew under the legal limit, but did have alcohol in his system.

Good thing he owns his own team... he'd be fired by now.

[Tyyrus]

How much money does this idiot have to make before he can afford a Cab ? lol !!

[skool]

Ok here's the report as seen on jayski

Michael Waltrip involved in accident, is OK: #55-Michael Waltrip crashed into a motorcycle Wednesday night while trying to make a U-Turn and was given a field sobriety test by a Mooresville police officer, a report states. Waltrip was attempting a U-turn on Perth Road around 7:49 p.m. when his Lexus collided with a Harley Davidson motorcycle. The motorcyclist was transported to Lake Norman Regional Center. According to the police report, Waltrip was suspected of being under the influence of alcohol, but passed a field sobriety test at the scene. Waltrip was given a Breathalyzer and blew a .06, under the North Carolina legal limit of .08, the report states. Waltrip was cited for failure to yield. He was not injured in the accident. The Sprint Cup driver and team owner was involved in an accident in [April] 2007. The North Carolina Highway Patrol charged him with reckless driving and leaving the scene of an accident. Those charges were later dismissed.(WCNC)(10-22-2009)

Now Ty, back the train up here a minute!   In the spirit of playing devils advocate, Mikey blew well under the legal limit. And remember the legal limit here in the states used to be .1 until the MADD and the federal government blackmailed all the states by withholding Highway funds until they lowed the limit to .08.  That being said, Mikey was still well below the limit, which given his size, may be like two drinks. Maybe he had a couple during dinner, I don't know, the point is I, and 99% of us would not think of calling a cab if you know you are under the limit.  Also, we know that motorcycles can sometimes be hard to see.  I see this as just a simple accident  (which it IS, no matter how much the press or the cops wish he was over the limit!) Let's not be so quick to throw the guy under the bus!!!!!

[FS_Amy]

Just because most people "wouldn't think of calling a cab" doesn't mean you SHOULDN'T!  ONE drink impairs judgment, and .06 is more than one drink!  Maybe I'm a rarity (which is SCARY!) but I do NOT drive if I have even one drink, until well after that drink has time to clear my system.  I do NOT have more than one drink unless there is someone else who is not drinking to drive me home later.  Drinking and driving is stupid, period.  Shame on Mikey for doing it, legal limit or not!

So, for that matter, is trying to pull a U-ie on Perth Road.  It's a narrow, twisty road with few places where a u-turn would be safe, even in daylight and not impaired.  Anyone with sound judgment would not attempt it, and there are ample driveways and cul-de-sacs in which to safely turn around.

[skool]

Well, like I said, as much as you wish he was guilty of more, the only LAW he broke is Failure to Yield.  No 'illegal u-turn' or nothing.  Sorry.

[FS_Amy]

Technically, no, the entire road is not posted as "No U-turn," so that was probably legal.  Apparently the local lawmakers failed to realize anyone would actually be stupid enough to try, so they never worried about it.  He's lucky nobody came around a corner and ran into HIM as he tried to make the turn.  Most people do at least 55 on that road (speed limit is 45), and it could have been nasty. 

[Busch Babe 899]

I hate driving on the roads with motorcycles...not because of anything the drivers do (although some of them are real idiots, but so are some people behind the wheels of 4-wheeled vehicles) but because they are so much smaller and harder to see...one moment of inattentiveness and something like this could happen...

Especially here in California, where they are allowed to drive between the lines of traffic....stupidest law I have ever heard of...but they continue to scooch on through up to the front of the line to a light...what if someone suddenly opened their car door for some reason, or pulled over to get into another line of traffic, having not seen them. They've started me more than once, driving between me and the car and the next lane.

[skool]

Technically, no, the entire road is not posted as "No U-turn," so that was probably legal.  Apparently the local lawmakers failed to realize anyone would actually be stupid enough to try, so they never worried about it. 

In North Carolina? Are you kidding?  There isn't a local, state and especially the fed. goverment, anywhere, that trusts the citizens to be smart enough to know what 'they ought not to do'!  You can thank our sue happy society for that!

[DougS]

My 2 cents

Legally: No big deal. These things happen everyday in every state.

PR wise: This will all blow over and be forgotten soon. It helps his PR that he not going to be a full time driver.

NASCAR: These guys are independant contractors. What if this was the NFL and NASCAR wanted to "punish" Michael for violating the personal responibility program? What would be the outcome then?

[Tyyrus]

Sorry Skool Ole Buddy , did not have all the facts , but with Mikey's Reputation and most recent past of drinking and driving along with automobile accidents he and Brain France should at the very least adopt your drinking and driving suggestion. Actually Mike should probably have a full time driver at all times on and off the track lol !

P.S. Just a note of info in Ontario Mike would have been fined since our Blood Alcohol levels limit has been reduced from .08 to .05 . Count yourself lucky Mike for North Carolina's rather Liberal Ruling ! 

[skool]

As far as I know, all of the states are .08.  If, as a society, driving with a BAC of .06 was sooooooooooo socially unacceptable, then there should be ZERO tolerance for driving. Until that happens there is nothing to report here other than an accident.  As I am sure the official police report will note, 'alcohol was not a factor'.

[FS_Amy]

Official report aside, the Mooresville Police, did, in fact, not to the local media that alcohol was a factor.

And as for the DUH factor-he was exiting a shopping center at a right turn only exit, then attempted the U-turn around a median.  If he had used the OTHER exit, you can turn in the direction he was trying to go.  Either he was impaired enough to not notice that, or he's just dumber than a bag of hammers.

While in principle, I'm against legislating common sense...the person getting hurt is rarely the idiot who caused the problem-and they deserve soem sort of prevention/repercussions for the other person's stupidity.  If I were that motorcyclist, I'd be consulting my lawyer.

[skool]

Gimme a break.  If he was not the over the legal limit then alcohol is NOT a factor.  As for the DUH factor, maybe he was planning to go that way but forgot something or changed his mind and needed to go the other way.  Doesn't mean he is dumber than a bag of hammers! Not everyone can be as perfect as you Amy, apparently.

[scott b]

He's he not used to having the option of turning left or right.  He calls in Patrick Carpentier to handle those situations for him. 

[FS_Amy]

He's he not used to having the option of turning left or right.  He calls in Patrick Carpentier to handle those situations for him. 

LOL!  Good point!

Actually, biologiaclly speaking, one drink (which equals a 12 oz. beer, a 6oz. glass of wine, or a shot of hard liquor) impairs judgment to some degree.  If that impaired judgment caused him to cause an accident, then alcohol was, indeed, a factor, regardless of whether he was over the legal limit.

And sure, people make mistakes, but usually they correct them without causing bodily harm to another person.  There are at least two streets maybe a quarter mile from that intersection that end in a cul-de-sac-a person who had accidentally gone the wrong way could turn around in safely.  Most people familiar with the area would know they were there.

Again, I feel sorry for the person who got injured in what was a totally preventable accident.