Sunday, August 25, 2019

Police Discover Driver Hogging the Road With a Pet Pig on Their Lap. A Real Story



I have had to transport pets. In these situations, I have put them in pet carriers. This has been done with dogs, cats, and even a hamster and even once with a guinea pig. There has never been a temptation by me to drive with a pet in my lap. I would find this unsafe. Doing this would probably get very strange with a hamster or guinea pig. It appears not everyone shares my dedication to driving safety and requiring pets to be properly secured in a vehicle and not on my lap. Someone in Minnesota had quite the opposite approach. They tried driving with a 250-pound pig in their lap and things did not go well.

Below are some excerpts from the story with my valuable insights in italics.

(FOX 9) - Officials in Chisago County, Minnesota are sharing a strange encounter to warn others about distracted driving. In his 21 years as a sheriff's deputy, Sergeant Jason Foster has pulled over his fair share of distracted drivers. But, what he witnessed during a traffic stop last fall was a real boar.

Oh, the writer of this article should get an award for their command of using puns in a story. I'm sure after over two decades this sheriff's deputy has seen many reasons for distracted driving.

How about a driver distracted because they were changing their clothes.”
Seen it.”
How about distracted driving because someone was trying to fix food.”
Seen it.”
A person trying to write in a journal while driving?”
Seen it.”
How about a person swerving all over the road because they had their 250-pound pet pig on their lap.”
Give me a day or two.”


Sgt. Foster was responding to a complaint about someone driving north on I-35 near Harris having a tough time staying in their lane. But, when he stopped and approached the pickup, he learned the distracted driving wasn't being caused by a cell phone "hogging" the driver's attention as he suspected.

The mastery of puns is yet again evident.

Can you imagine the call to the police?

What is your reason for calling?”
There is a person swerving all over the road.”
Does there appear to be drugs or alcohol in the vehicle?”
I don't see any. There appears to be a pig in the car. A rather large pig. I think the pig wants to drive the car and the driver won't let it.”
Are you sure?”
It's either that or the pig got really upset when they went past the local barbecue restaurant.”
Oh.”


"It was kind of shocking. He had this 250-pound pig on his lap. In fact, it was leaning against the steering wheel he was muscling the steering wheel to keep it in its lane," he said.

Gee, what could have happened inside that car?
Arnold, I said we're not stopping at the Slop R Us restaurant. I told you we don't have time.”
Oink, oink, oink, oink.”
I don't care if the restaurant is having a special and you have a coupon.”
Oink, oink, oink, oink.”
No, I don't care if it's a Groupon you purchased before we started the trip. You should have talked to me first.”
Oink, oink, oink, oink.”
Stop swearing at me and quit trying to grab the steering wheel.”
Oiiiiink.”

Sgt Foster said there was not one, but two pigs in the picture.
The elderly driver told the deputy he was relocating to the north shore and didn't want his pets to get cold in the back of the truck.

What was the conversation like with the police officer?

Excuse me sir, but I noticed your car swerving all over the road. Is there a problem?”
You bet there is a problem. Arnold my pig won't just sit in my lap when I drive. He wants to drive and we just fight for the steering wheel. I know it's dangerous, but what can I do?”
To avoid being involved in an accident, why don't you put him in the back of the truck?”
I would like to but it's so cold back there.”
Do you really want to take a chance of having an accident and being involved in a lawsuit so your pig can be warm?”
Get in the back Arnold, I got a blanket for you.”


Rather than roast the driver, Sgt. Foster gave him a warning and sent them on their way, but even though this passenger was a bit of a ham, Sgt. Foster has a message for any other driver considering doing the same thing.
"Let the pig lay in the back or put the pig in the passenger seat, whatever. Don't drive with a pig in your lap, either."

There is always advice given to some people that I'm astounded when they hear it and are enlightened by it. I would say driving with a 250-pound pig in the back of your and not on your lap would fall into that category. Maybe for this person, the advice by the police was actually a revelation to them.

I never get tired of reading such excellent use of puns in a story. I would say someone with less pun usage skills would be tempted to turn into a pun hog. I'm just saying.

Here is a link to the story.



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