11 replies to this topic

[dr_spock]

V-LP-6B

Presenting my booze bus MOC.  Thanks to Lightning Tiger and MrZ for the inspiration.

From what I can gather, in Australia, it is a police mobile alcohol and drug testing unit.  In Canada, it is a bus to take you shopping for lower priced alcohol across the border in the United States of America.








Hi there, sailor.  Did you have anything to drink?  Please step inside.



Blow into tube.



Will Mr. Sailor get to walk out the door or end up in the prisoner lockup area in the back of the bus?  






Don't drink and drive.

[lorax]

Very cool.  I especially love the details inside.  I have never been inside a mobile testing unit, but it is how I imagine it.

Although when I first saw the title, I thought it was going to be a 'divvy van'  

[LEGO Train 12 Volts]

Nice MOC!
I love the compact design and the door mechanism.
Beutiful inner details!

[lightningtiger]

Not bad 'dr_spock', something Aussie from a Non-Aussie.
Great interior too, generally if they blow over the limit depending how much over they are....they can go home...of course not drive home and keep their license until court.....if real bad....yeah, they have too walk or bus it for a long time.
Brick On and don't blow it !

[HighFlyer]

Nice police MOC!! I love the simple colour scheme and simple style of the truck, and the compact interior is great!
Those wing-mirrors are begging to have a blue/white 1x2 tile, and the blue/red lights should be a little further back.
Good job overall  

[Artanis I]

"No oschiffahhh, I haven't had anyfink to drink toda-*hic* tonight"

Well, I've never seen the inside of one so I have no idea of the accuracy there! This bus looks to be a cross between the common square shaped booze bus that has no middle door & the windows run all the way along, and the angle fronted ones with the big angled stripes down the side plus a side & back door. I like how you slide/fold out the side door, nice detail.

So, do the police provide an orange crim uniform + beanie for everyone who blows over .05? I hope that is a digital clock on the wall, and that the sailor didn't just blow 12% BAC... (he would be dead of course)

I'm fairly sure that in all 6 states police wear dark blue, with a light blue shirt (and sometimes a hi-vis jacket). Hats do differ though.

[dr_spock]

Thank you everyone for your feedback and suggestions.  I took some creative license since there don't seem to be any interior pics I can find on the Internet.  

Some modifications.

lorax, on 09 October 2011 - 06:45 AM, said:

Although when I first saw the title, I thought it was going to be a 'divvy van'  

Divvy?  Is it a term for ejecting trouble makers?  That was my job in university when I worked security at football and hockey games.  Drunk fans are not much fun.  Stoned fans are easier to handle.  

[Artanis I]

dr_spock, on 10 October 2011 - 03:05 AM, said:

Divvy?  Is it a term for ejecting trouble makers?  That was my job in university when I worked security at football and hockey games.  Drunk fans are not much fun.  Stoned fans are easier to handle.  

Although I've heard "divvy" used as an abbreviation for "divide up" (as in share between more than one person) many times, "divvy van" is a term originating from Victoria where the official name for a police panel van (a ute/van with an enclosed section on the back that may or may not have a seat or seat belt, used for driving unruly persons to a police station etc) is "divisional van", otherwise known as a "paddy wagon". Sporting events in Melbourne will often have a chant "you're going home in the back of a divvy van *clap* *clap* *clapclapclap* *clapclapclapclap* *clapclap*" when a crowd member is apprehended by police for pushing the boundaries of official acceptable behaviour... (often accompanied by cries akin to "haha, sucked in!")

So you are very close!

I think the lights look a bit better where you've moved them to.

[ale8oneboy]

Hehe I got a chuckle out of the breathalyzer device. I like how you did the side door. I've been looking for something like this for another project. If I end up using it I'll credit ya.

[Sid Sidious]

Where I live, instead of buses of Canadians to buy booze we get buses of Canadians to buy clothes and appliances (and probably LEGO) at the mall because of cheaper prices.  This is a nice MOC and I like the jail cell, but it looks a bit small for more than one person.

[dr_spock]

Artanis I, on 10 October 2011 - 06:24 AM, said:

Although I've heard "divvy" used as an abbreviation for "divide up" (as in share between more than one person) many times, "divvy van" is a term originating from Victoria where the official name for a police panel van (a ute/van with an enclosed section on the back that may or may not have a seat or seat belt, used for driving unruly persons to a police station etc) is "divisional van", otherwise known as a "paddy wagon". Sporting events in Melbourne will often have a chant "you're going home in the back of a divvy van *clap* *clap* *clapclapclap* *clapclapclapclap* *clapclap*" when a crowd member is apprehended by police for pushing the boundaries of official acceptable behaviour... (often accompanied by cries akin to "haha, sucked in!")

So you are very close!

I think the lights look a bit better where you've moved them to.

Thanks.  Interesting, I did not know that.

ale8oneboy, on 11 October 2011 - 01:25 PM, said:

Hehe I got a chuckle out of the breathalyzer device. I like how you did the side door. I've been looking for something like this for another project. If I end up using it I'll credit ya.

Thanks. My original blow tube was a viking horn.  It looked kind of wrong blowing into that sticking out of the wall...      I think the bus could make a good camper too.

Sid Sidious, on 11 October 2011 - 10:46 PM, said:

This is a nice MOC and I like the jail cell, but it looks a bit small for more than one person.

Thanks. The jail cell is not intended to be comfortable for the law breakers.

[peterab]

dr_spock, on 12 October 2011 - 03:52 AM, said:

Thanks. My original blow tube was a viking horn.  It looked kind of wrong blowing into that sticking out of the wall...  

Just for your information, the testing is performed on the roadside using a hand held meter. The booze bus is normally parked on one lane of a two lane carriageway (legal term for road in Victoria) the police direct traffic into the lane behind the bus, six or so cars at a time, while that area is full the traffic just gets waived past. Those who pass the test (less than 0.05%) get to drive away, those who don't get to wait in the bus. After an hour they are re-tested, if they are still over 0.05, they will be fined or charged etc, and will need to arrange someone to get their vehicle. Inside the bus will have an admin area, and a bunch of seating for those waiting.

Often there will be divvy vans in the surrounding area and a pursuit car to catch anybody trying to avoid the Booze Bus.

Why do I know so much about the Booze Bus? I worked for a company that developed facial ID software and went to a few police equipment expos. The Booze bus was a Victorian innovation, we were also the first place in the world to have compulsory seat belts, which greatly lowered our road deaths and has shaped the very pro-active approach taken here to road safety.