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Bristol Motorist Arrested for Driving Under the Influence of Drum and Bass

Police badge by Dave Conner, speaker by Tobias Rütten / Wikimedia Commons

If you listen to old Metalheadz DJ sets while you’re driving to work, just remember: When the MC shouts for a rewind, that doesn’t mean to attempt a spin-back on your steering wheel. That seems to be the takeaway from a court case in Bristol, U.K., in which a commercial van operator arrested for driving erratically turned out to have been hopped up on jungle music.

Via Ben Beaumont-Thomas, This Is Bristol reports that Aaron Cogley, 25, was pulled over after swerving from lane to lane, cutting off motorists, and running red lights. After a breathalyzer test showed no alcohol in his system, prosecutors say, he told police “he was listening to drum and bass and was in a hurry.” The defense lawyer assigned to reprazent him, likewise, entered a plea of temporary insanity due to bass in his client’s face, claiming, “It was stupid. He was carried away because of the intoxicating effects of drum and bass music.” 

What’s striking is that Cogley, a professional driver, hails from Portishead, a bedroom community of Bristol; when his license is finally reinstated, 12 months from now, perhaps he’d be better off stocking his CD changer with trip-hop — or at least opt for EZ Rollers over DJ Hazard.