Woman in Golf Cart Charged with DWI

(AP)  A 45-year-old woman was charged with driving while intoxicated after state troopers pulled over her golf cart late at night on a rural highway in Dutchess County.

State police say Maureen A. Conklin of Wingdale was spotted around 10 p.m. Thursday heading south in a tan golf cart on Old Route 22 in Dover Plains, about 75 miles northeast of New York City.

Troopers say she was several miles from her home along that road and had her husband with her.

Conklin was ticketed for driving with a blood alcohol content of .13 percent. The legal limit is .08.

She was also charged with illegally driving a golf cart on a highway and was released to appear in Dover Town Court on Sept. 10.

A call to her home Friday was not immediately returned.

[SAMTORRES66]

Can you kill or run over someone with a golf cart? if not, why a DUI?

[Benton09]

by woeisme1 September 5, 2009 9:29 PM EDT
This is common in Florida. That and DUI on a bicycle.
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What about DUI on a Hoveround or senior Scooter? In Florida, they might even have DUI while operating a walker or cane.

[jechaucer]

The danger is she could have gone over into the oncoming lane and hit a car that may have been coming. If it was a highway, an oncoming car would probably be going at least 50mph. Not all golf carts have lights. The article didn't say if this cart did.

[rwsmith29456]

The husband was probably passed out.

[woeisme1]

This is common in Florida. That and DUI on a bicycle.

[voice-o-reason]

This is a common activity where I live and that's surprising because it is usually someone whose license was taken away for drunk driving in a car, so they jump on a yard tractor, golf cart, mini bike, whatever they have and run down to the corner store for a 6 pack. Even if they aren't drunk they are "DWLS, Driving with license suspended or revoked". Don't be stupid people, wise up this is a crime.

[G H M]

This is really really stupid!
The police should have just told her to return home.
What harn or law did she break??
This is no law that has DUI on a golf cart. or a golf cart on a road.
Stupid stupid stupid.

[voice-o-reason]

The harm she did was break the law, driving drunk wheather it's in a car, golf cart, lawn tractor or whatever, is still drunk driving. She could have drove into the path of an oncoming car who may swerve to avoid her and crash into a tree and kill all the occupants. People like yourself that don't know this are the ones that do this and then try to explain to the judge their ignorance of the law and guess what...that's no excuse.

[beals1978]

I agree our laws are insane.She should of been let go.Who is she gonna hurt in a golf cart?

[door331]

what was the husband doing?

[thomderr1]

She was the designated driver - He was navigating!

[voice-o-reason]

closing his eyes tightly and praying to God for a safe trip.