Wienermobile Doesn't Move Over, Gets Pulled Over

The Wienermobile is not exempt from the law. A Waukesha County sheriff's deputy pulled the 27-foot-long hot dog-shaped vehicle Sunday in Wisconsin, CNN reports. The problem? The Oscar Mayer-branded vehicle failed to abide by the state's "Move Over Law," which requires drivers to change lanes in order to get more space between them and any emergency vehicle stopped on the side of the road. "When a motorist sees a vehicle on the side of the road with its emergency lights flashing (red, blue and amber), they are required to move out of the lane closest to the vehicle if possible," the sheriff's department explains in a Facebook post. "If a safe lane change is not possible, or the motorist is traveling on a two-lane roadway, they are required to slow their vehicle, maintain a safe speed for traffic conditions, and drive at a reduced speed until completely past the vehicle."

The driver (or "Hotdogger," as Oscar Mayer calls them) was let go with a warning, but breaking the law can subject a driver to a fine of up to $249. "One of the most dangerous places for emergency responders and maintenance personnel is along the side of the road," the sheriff's department continues. "Each year hundreds of these hard working men and women are injured or killed by passing motorists while working along the nation's highways." A spokesperson for the Kraft Heinz Company, Oscar Mayer's parent company, says, "Since the inception of the Hotdogger program, we've promoted safety first and ensured all Hotdoggers are up-to-date on all rules of the road. We have reinforced the importance of obeying all traffic laws, including the Move Over Law, and will continue to do so to ensure safe roadways for all." (This isn't the first time the Wienermobile has gotten into hot water with the law.)