DUI While Driving a Toy Bike?

On January 7, 2006 the NorthJersey.com news site reported that New Jersey State Superior Court Judge Ernest Caposela ordered a man to serve jail time for driving a ‘pocket bike’ while intoxicated.

A Wayne man was sentenced Friday to jail time and hefty fines for taking a drunken spin on his nephew’s “pocket bike” - a miniature motorcycle that sits less than a foot off the ground.

You have probably seen some of these little chainsaw-size bikes in action. Usually with an overweight adult scrunched over on something that really doesn’t look like it would fit an 8 year old.

Kaiser was sentenced to a 10-year loss of his driver’s license and a $1,000 fine. He has 2 past convictions for driving under the influence, and the judge figured that this should count as his third offense.

In his written opinion, Caposela pointed to cases from other states where drivers who drove golf carts drunk were subject to DWI penalties.

So, what are your thoughts? Should people be charged with DWIs when they drive pocket bikes? How about golf carts? Bicycles? Horses?