Reason.tv: Nanny of the Month for August 2010 - Police Chief Busts Guy Who Keeps Drunks Off the Street

Did you hear about the Oregon health inspector who shut down a seven-year-old girl's lemonade stand? How about the California mayor who put the kibosh on a three-year-old's vegetable stand?

Sure they're both big-time buttinskys, but this month top honors go to the top cop who busted a guy who was offering free rides to keep drunk drivers off the road.

Presenting Reason.tv's Nanny of the Month for August 2010: Quincy, Illinois Police Chief Rob Copely!

"Nanny of the Month" is written and produced by Ted Balaker. Associate Producer: Alex Manning; Animation: Meredith Bragg.

Approximately one minute.

To watch previous Nanny of the Month videos, go here.

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Comments

[Fiscal Meth]

To hell with that little girl and her competitively priced lemonade.

[Fist of Etiquette]

The Quincy police didn't like the competition of some civilian dealing with the drunk driving problem in his own way. Do you have any idea how big a bite that was taking out of their revenue?

[prolefeed]

The people being protected against competition were the taxi drivers, plus i'm guessing the unionized public workers driving city buses.

[RuthenianCowboy]

Plus the revenue lost from DUI fines.

[RuthenianCowboy]

Wow, Fist already said that.

RTFC next time.

[Fist of Etiquette]

We'll consider it independent verification.

[Stephen]

Not just the revenue was lost - the police also lost the opportunity to be pretend badasses. You can't push around drunk people when they've got a safe ride home.

[Haimerej]

How are the cabbies supposed to make a living if that dude is taking their main source of income?

If drunks don't use them, who will?

[Barack Obama]

Ima get you all!

[Haimerej]

I wonder if grocery stores have ever tried to shut down charities that give food away.

[Fiscal Meth]

Just wait until Toys R' Us finds out about those Toys For Tots people.

[Fiscal Meth]

Gov't should step in on behalf of Geoffrey Giraffe of course.

[Michael Price]

"I wonder if grocery stores have ever tried to shut down charities that give food away."
http://foodfreedom.wordpress.c.....-homeless/

[Dave T.]

This isn't really nannyism as much as it is thuggish protectionism...

[UAW boss]

You say that like it's a bad thing.

[Michael Price]

Nannyism is the method, thuggish protectionism is the motive. It's not uncommon for those trying to "protect" us to be acting on behalf of others.

[bagoh20]

How did we survive without these laws and enforcement 50 years ago? Were people all crazy running around selling lemonade helping each other get home? It must have been horribly uncivilized.

[Ryan A.]

According to a radio interview with a reporter from Quincy, evidently there's a bit more to the story.
1) The operator is an ex convict. No biggy though in my book. Harder for him to find work through an employer and thought outside the box.
2) He started this service "because he had a friend die in a drunk driving accident, and wanted to help" could not be verified. But whatever, misleading heartstring advertising doesn't hurt anyone either.
3) He doesn't make "much money, just a few tips." He's been so successful collecting just tips, he hired a second driver.

So is he misleading? Sure. Criminal? Don't think so.

Comments against Quincy:
a) Their local cab service shuts down at 10pm, long before barflys might need a ride home.
b) The ordinance this guy is alleged to have broken was passed after he started his free ride service to make his actions criminal (after his investments of time, money, and ingenuity).
c) When attempting stings against his "complimentary service" he never once tried to coerce a tip, and did not seem to discriminate based on the previous tip received (even if he received no compensation). Wow!

[akven]

Lolita dresses
school girl costume

[Fprawl]

I saw this last month and emailed the local reporter to tell him how stupid the cop was. He told me THERE IS MORE TO THE STORY.
The cab guy has a brother who flooded the town by breaking a levy. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Scott_(criminal)

The cab guy then changed his name and started the cab service. Some people claim it is a way to meet drunk girls, but one thing is for sure, THIS TOWN REALLY DOESN'T LIKE THIS FAMILY.
They are not going to let up on them, no matter how many web stories are posted.
Small towns know vendetta better than the Mafia. end of story

[3 Sheets]

Anyone think that the "conventional cab" companies which charges standard fares pitched a fit? Sort of like the UPS vs FedEx issue....if you can't beat someone in the marketplace, just use litigation and / or legislation to sort it out. Wanna bet the owner of a local cab company is buddy-buddy with the police chief? Just a guess....

[Geobear]

Or, check out PA Church Ladies Raided by 'Food Safety' Cops

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