Man cited in Georgia for eating cheeseburger while driving
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Madison Turner told MyFoxAtlanta.com that he was unaware of the Eating While Driving law, but intends on fighting his ticket for the "right of every American to enjoy fast food while safely traversing the roadways."
A man says he was cited by police outside Atlanta for eating a cheeseburger while driving.
Madison Turner, who's from Alabama, tells Atlanta station WSB-TV he ordered a double quarter-pounder with cheese from a McDonald's in the Marietta area shortly before he was pulled over last week.
Turner says the officer told him he saw him eating the cheeseburger for two miles, telling the man "You can't just go down the road eating a hamburger."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The ticket, issued under Georgia's distracted driving law, states in the comments section that the offense is "eating while driving."
Turner is to appear in court Feb. 3.
"For most of us, I think we can safely eat a burger and drive our car at the same time," Turner told MyFoxAtlanta.com.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Cobb County police spokesman Mike Bowman declined comment. In an email to The Associated Press early Tuesday, Bowman said the department will decline any interviews about the case.
William Head, a longtime traffic lawyer who is not representing Turner, said he doesn't recall seeing a case quite like this one.
Georgia's distracted driver law does not mention food. It says only that drivers can't engage in actions that distract them from operating a vehicle safely.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Maybe if you had a giant pizza in both hands and you weren't holding the wheel, or maybe if you had a watermelon - half watermelon - and you were just diving into it holding it with both hands, maybe that would be something," Head said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report