"You got a get a DUI to get a taco".

[SoCalDem]

LARGO --
http://www.baynews9.com/article/news/2011/september/312385/Largo-911-call:-Taco-Bell-wont-serve-me-tacos

A Largo man's late night craving and demand for tacos landed him in the Pinellas County jail for misuse of a 911 system.

Terry Kimbell, 50, called 911 from his cell phone to inform the dispatcher Taco Bell would not sell him tacos while he stood in the drive-thru lane Tuesday night, according to a Largo police report.

Bay News 9 obtained the 911 call through a public records request:

911: "Largo emergency."

Kimbell: "It's not an emergency. However, can you -- can you put me through to dispatch? I'm at the Taco Bell, and I walked in, and I left my car on purpose, so I wouldn't drink and drive. I walked up, they wouldn't serve me. So, I'm at the Taco Bell at 137th and Walsingham and I just want some tacos. That's it." Kimbell tells the dispatcher he has the munchies. He'd been drinking alcohol, according to the police report.

911: "What are the employees saying?"

Kimbell: "You can't walk up, you've got to drive up. You got a get a DUI to get a taco. I got the munchies and I walked a quarter mile from here. Are you going to help me out or do I have to get arrested to get home? You know what I'm saying?"

snip

[hobbit709]

1. If I had the late night munchies, Taco Bell would be the LAST place on my list.

[Pab Sungenis]

7. Not too many places are open late night/all night in most areas.

What do you think made White Castle what it is today?

[AverageJoe90]

24. The Taco Bell where I go to isn't half bad, actually.....

.....at least as far as fast food goes.

[seabeyond]

2. from the little i read, i like the guy. they could have sold him some damn tacos

looks like he was arrested.

[LeftinOH]

3. He shouldn't have called 911.. but what's wrong with standing in the drive-thru lane?

[SoCalDem]

4. Places with drive thru windows often have rules about walk-ups

probably insurance/safety related.

[Pab Sungenis]

5. Insurance.

Insurance companies deem it an unacceptable risk of injury, and they're right.

[barbtries]

10. they won't serve you

unless you're in a car.

[Zephie]

6. Taco Bell really needs to deliver

I've been saying this for years. I don't know why but just about everyone I've known (personally, YMMV) gets the Taco Bell cravings when under the influence. I've been lead to believe that this is not such an uncommon thing. Taco Bell would really benefit from a delivery service, $20 minimum order + delivery fee to make it worth their time (not hard to order that much there when not sober), I'm sure they'd rake in the bucks and it would be much safer for everyone.

[SoCalDem]

9. safer except for the poor kid who gets to "deliver" at 3 AM

:scared:

[Erose999]

20. Pizza places do it all the time. Including Pizza Hut which is under the same corporate umbrella as

Taco Hell.

[SoCalDem]

21. our pizza hut closes up at 10 pm no deliveries after 9:45PM

:)

[Erose999]

8. My friends and I used to walk up to the taco bell drive thru all the time.

sounds like whoever is running that franchise is just a dick.

[Cirque du So-What]

13. A 'dick' who is following the rules

and who could get sued for allowing circumvention of the rules. The anecdote concerning you and your friends does nothing toward changing reality - that pedestrians at drive-thru windows is a safety hazard.

A common refrain: I've been doing (insert unsafe practice) for years, and nothing has ever happened to me. Ask anyone who has survived a work-related accident, and they'll tell you that nothing ever happened to them...until it did.

[Throckmorton]

11. Vending machine

Just walk up and purchase your Frankin-Taco from a machine, kinda like the Auto Mats of the last Century.

BTW, Did I read that one Auto Mat had reopened in NYC, or was I drunk.

[MannyGoldstein]

12. Kimbell was dumb, but the cops were dumber

Look, the guy was trying to do the right thing. The cops should have scared him a bit and that should be the end of it. This is a huge waste of effort and money, and will fuck Kimbell up disproportionate to his act.

[Cirque du So-What]

14. There are good reasons for laws prohibiting public intoxication

not least of which is the lack of good sense indicated by calling '911' over being denied tacos. For all we know, this arrest *could* be a blessing in disguise if it awakens this guy to the reality that he has serious problems. He will not be well served by heeding the advice of those who attempt to minimize the stupidity he displayed while under the influence.

[mac56]

16. +1

:thumbsup:

[MannyGoldstein]

18. I suppose that it's situational

In some instances, it's a one-off event. In others, there's a chronic problem.

In general, I don't think that cops should throw the book at someone as a matter of course. If someone is belligerent or seriously endangering public safety, that's one thing, but this guy was essentially being an idiot - at least as far as we can tell since there are no other charges. We should try to avoid throwing people in jail for being reasonably harmless idiots.

[Cirque du So-What]

25. I'm a 'situational' type of guy myself

and in this situation, I believe this person would have been ill-served if the cops had merely given him a ride home. Calling 911 over being refused tacos is *not* normal affect; it is a cry for help at the very least. Perhaps his appearance before the judge can be turned into an opportunity to receive some badly-needed help.

[petronius]

19. I agree - a solid lecture, and a ride back home (with a swing through the drive-up

to get some tacos) wold have been the kinder thing. Of course, we'll never know how many officers choose the kinder path in similar circumstances, because they rarely make the news...

[Shagbark Hickory]

23. That's what Dog The Bounty Hunter does.

After a somewhat violent apprehension, and a brief make-up speech, he often goes through a fast food drive through.

[Shagbark Hickory]

22. +0.5

Halfrec
I agree except for the "scared him a bit".

[TwilightGardener]

15. Credit for a misguided attempt to do the right thing. But taco cravings are not a true emergency.

[NV Whino]

17. Seems to me the real solution is

to have a walk up window.

And kudos to the guy for not driving. Demerits for calling 911.

[frylock]

26. more places should have a walk-up..

i've been solicited on more than one occasion by someone who wanted to buy food and has walked up to my car as i sat in the drive-thru.

[SoCalDem]

27. Especially for people who ride bikes..

I think the key issue is the after hours part.. Restaurants lock up the dining room for safety, and they have a skeleton crew, so people in cars are probably a safer way to sell, than for someone to just appear at the window, up close & personal.