Obviously in passenger cars, open containers are illega. What about limos? I would imagine they are legal in limos since everybody does it. Same with limo buses. For a bachelor party we rented a limo bus, which basically was a Rental Car transport bus with carpet and loaded it up with booze. Is there a classification on the vehicle which makes it OK? Like limos/limo buses are registered as X type of vehicle, in which alcohol is allowed. What if we rented a school bus?
Also, I see the new Bentley has a cocktail fridge. If I were to buy one and I drove while my wife sat in the back and drank champagne, would that be illegal? What would make it legal?
This is just a WAG, but don’t most limos have a physical divider between the driver and the passengers? I know there’s a window that could be opened, but technically, there is a divider. Since the passengers are in a separate compartment as the driver (like airplane passengers are from the pilot), then alcohol is permitted.
I’m pretty sure some states still allow open containers that are within the driver’s reach–though they’d better not be in his hand. If I’m not mistaken, one of these is Texas, which just recently outlawed the driver actually drinking (every state, of course, has long outlawed the driver being drunk). Last I checked, Missouri allowed open containers, although a number of cities/town and perhaps counties in the stateprohibited them.
My understanding is that open containers which are not accessible to the driver are generally not a violation. This would be the case in limos. But it would be wise to check the laws in your state before doing anything.
well I’ve only done this once, in the limo bus. There was no divider, like I said, it was the same as any bus you get into at a rental car place or any other shuttle service.
What got me thinking about this was a feature on the Bentley Arnage, located in the middle of the page. "A refrigerated bottle cooler and cocktail cabinet in the rear seat."
By cocktail, I assume they don’t mean coca-cola. So why is drinking booze in that car OK, but not in a Chevy Malibu?
By cocktail, I assume they don’t mean coca-cola. So why is drinking booze in that car OK, but not in a Chevy Malibu?
Of course, just because they provide a cooler and a “cocktail cabinet” doesn’t mean that people are required, or allowed, to have booze in the car. And as mentioned above, in some jurisdictions it is okay in any car, so long as the driver is not involved.
In practice, accessibility to the driver is the key issue in many states. Any place inside a typical sedan could reasonably be construed as driver-accessible. With different type, size, and interior design of various vehicles, though, that assessment could easily be modified. To get a definitive answer for your situation, you’ll need to find out what the law is in Michigan.