Can the Amish get a DWI?

Answer 1

This will vary from state to state.

A DWI (driving while intoxicated) is an infraction consisting of driving a motorized vehicle over a certain horsepower on a public motorway while intoxicated. A drunk person driving a non-motorized vehicle or walking, but still causing trouble (or potential trouble) on public land or road, could be charged with public drunkenness or reckless endangerment.

Many states have replaced their DWI laws with DUI (Driving Under the Influence) laws. You can get a DUI for driving under the influence of cough medicine, for instance, or if you're a diabetic who's not kept his blood sugar under control. You can get a ticket for flying a plane, or operating a bass boat on public waters or if you're using a skateboard, a bicycle or a horse drawn vehicle.

Ordinarily, the Amish are not regular public drinkers. Some will end a long day by sharing a little homemade wine with the missus. They do, however, celebrate special occasions such as a wedding with Alcoholic Beverages, and on such occasions, the horse knows the way home. Horses, though, don't pay much attention to the paint on the road, often preferring to take their half in the middle of the road, and they rarely stop for red octagonal signs.

Buggies are a problem at night, anyhow, because the flashing red light is battery powered and is dim even when it's turned on. Because it's such a nuisance to recharge batteries, some of the plain folk turn off their flashing red lights until they are aware of someone behind them - which gives little warning to drivers behind them.

Because the plain sects have a reputation for being law-abiding, and non-violent, cops are less likely to give them tickets unless they have caused an accident. Young women with long hair, pretty faces, and low-cut blouses don't get many tickets, either. Is that unfair to guys under 30, with dark skin and fancy cars? Yeah - but I don't know how to do anything about it.

Answer 2

I used to drive extra-specially careful on Thursday nights.

That's because they often had weddings on Thursday. An Amish man would get thoroughly soused and pass out while he was driving the buggy home.

The horse knew where he lived, so that much was OK. However, he didn't know about keeping right, and he didn't stop for stop signs. And actually, knowing that it was Thursday night, I'd simply stop dead in the road. The horses would keep enough distance that they didn't sideswipe anyone, and enough of my neighbors did the same thing that there was rarely an accident.

The Amish don't drink publicly, and they disapprove of drunk driving, but with no taxis or bus lines serving the countryside, there weren't many good options.