Skip to main content

Of cherries lost

Police in Germany found themselves dealing with a very different kind of road obstruction, when called by a motorist who reported a dead badger causing a potential hazard. The police arrived on the scene to find that the badger was very much alive, but was in fact drunk.
March 1, 2012 Read time: 1 min
Police in Germany found themselves dealing with a very different kind of road obstruction, when called by a motorist who reported a dead badger causing a potential hazard. The police arrived on the scene to find that the badger was very much alive, but was in fact drunk. The animal had eaten its fill of over-ripe cherries that fermented in the animal's stomach and turned to alcohol, rendering the creature incapable. To make matters worse, the cherries had also caused the animal to suffer from diarrhoea. The police proved unable to scare the animal from the road but using a broom they were able to persuade it to move on.

Related Content

  • Researchers trial 3D printing for both concrete and asphalt roads
    February 27, 2019
    Automated road repairs, using 3D printing, could save money and vastly reduce disruption, and researchers are already showing it’s possible - Kristina Smith reports It’s the middle of the night, and in the street below a team is busy carrying out repairs to the road surface. But there isn’t a human in sight. A road repair drone has landed at the site of a crack and a 3D asphalt printer is now busy filling in that crack. A group of traffic cone drones have positioned themselves around the repair location
  • Distracted driving from smartphone use poses a major road safety threat
    December 10, 2013
    Cell phone use while driving is not appreciated amongst drivers for the risk it presents. And with people growing ever more reliant on smartphones and other hand-held devices, the issue of distracted driving looks set to increase. Automotive manufacturers are installing wifi and other technologies in new generation vehicles in a bid to broaden market appeal, particularly to younger drivers. But it seems little thought has been given to the safety risks these pose should drivers attempt to use them when behi
  • Polish road safety continues to improve
    January 16, 2014
    Official data from Poland shows a continued improvement in road safety. The data reveals that there were 5% fewer accidents, almost 8% fewer fatalities, a 5% decrease in injuries and a 5% reduction in drink-drivers. The information was made available recently through Pan-European police body TISPOL. According to TISPOL, the statistics confirm that police action can be effective in reducing vehicle crashes. Comparing the data for 2013 with statistics for 2012 and 2011 reveals a notable drop in road crashes,
  • Whale of a time
    May 16, 2014
    Motorists in the UK were left feeling decidedly ill due to a rather unusual load being transported along a busy dual carriageway. The drivers had the misfortune to be using the same stretch of road as a truck carrying the carcass of a dead whale.