OT: Buying a van

[The Natural Philosopher]

Just £1000 vets bills.. ;-)

[Ian White]

Must have been the Great Tooth Fairy Scare that weakened your immune system.

[Brian]

And all the fertilizer you can use.

[Anna Kettle]

I have always fancied having horse transport because I am under the illusion that I can not be done for being 'drunk in charge' of a horse because it is a sentient being

However I gave up on the idea beacuse A) It would eat the client's roses B) I cant face telling the taxman that my horse is a justifiable business expense

Ah well, back to the van idea ...

Anna

[Owain]

And the horse knows the way home from the pub...

Owain

[Chris Whelan]

[...]

Under the Licensing Act 1872, being drunk in charge of a horse, cow or steam engine incurs a £200 fine and possibly jail for up to 51 weeks.

It's still on the statute books, and there have been recent prosecutions.

Chris

[Roger]

The message from Chris Whelan contains these words:

But seeing you don't need a licence the courts cannot very well ban you. :-)

[Mike Clarke]

I'd prefer to be banned than be jailed a year.

But I suppose you could try arguing that the horse was in charge of you :-)

[Andy Hall]

Could you not pay him with the "proceeds"?

[<me9]

I remember a case about 35 years ago. I thought the horse left to its own devices would have got home safely, but he was too drunk (or not quite drunk enough) to stay quietly on the cart for the journey.

[Owain]

Hmm, bit difficult to sign-write a horse.

Owain

[clot]

Nah! tis simple man, Just use that spray can.

[ARWadsworth]

The same act that I was taken to court for and cleared by my fantastic solicitor some years back. I was charged with being drunk in charge of a bicycle. However as I was sat on the handlebars and my brother was pedalling and steering only he got convicted (the magistrate threw my case out as he agreed it is is not illegal to be drunk on a bicycle handlebars. ie I was not in charge of the bicycle). I paid my brothers £75 for him.

Adam