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dailynebraskan.com
monday, february 10, 2014 volume 113, issue 092
Inside Coverage
Road woes end
A free trip to the dentist
Huskers down Northwestern on road
East Campus event provides free procedures
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Astronomical art
Jamie Danielle Hardy spent around 20 hours installing her piece “28” in the Tugboat Gallery. The piece involves hanging paper and arranging a video projector to explore the way light interacts with paper. photo by jennifer gotrik
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under influence the
University of Nebraska-Lincoln Police Department officer Sarah Luttig takes radar on 17th Street on Thursday night. Luttig works the night shift Thursday through Sunday.
Police officers point to taxi cab use as cause of Lincoln’s DUI decrease story by Colleen Fell and Reece Ristau photos by Jake Crandall
A Luttig takes radar on 10th Street near Memorial Stadium. The street has a 30mph speed limit, and Luttig pulled over the speeding truck.
Pulling over a car for running a stop sign, Luttig gathers information from the driver. Luttig said she usually only gives a warning for not stopping at a stop sign.
they don’t want to wait and drive themselves 30 percent decrease in Lincoln citations for driving under the influ- home.” Cabs can be helpful option for those who ence since 2010 may be linked to are impaired — but that’s not always the case. an increase of taxi cabs in the city, Two cab companies in Lincoln said they police say. Last year, the Lincoln Police Department don’t drive people who are extremely intoxirecorded 1,379 DUIs — 24 of those were giv- cated, especially if they are aggressive. “It’s something that would put our driver en to minors. In 2010, Lincoln police recorded in danger – we don’t do that,” said Kirby 1,990 DUIs, with 66 of those being underage Young, owner of Capital Cab. drinkers. Young said the company’s policy is to Data from the University of Nebraskacall the police on anyone who Lincoln Police Departis being hostile or aggressive ment shows that DUIs and to not let the person in the on campus have not “It used to be decreased significantly. that you would cab.Happy Cab has a similar In 2011, there were 157 policy. DUIs, including 52 stuhave to wait John Davis, operations dents. That number for a cab for two or manager for Happy Cab, said dropped in 2012 with if people are drunk enough to only 103 DUIs, includ- three hours. When be a threat to themselves or ing 21 students. In 2013, others, “it would be silly to try the number crept back that happens, people to put them in a cab.” up to 142 DUIs with 24 might decide they “But if someone is out, and students. don’t want to wait they’ve consumed too much, Meanwhile, business we want to try to get them is on the rise for Lin- and drive themselves home as safely as possible,” coln’s two cab compahe said. nies: Happy Cab, which home.” Young said the wait for a started operating in Linmichael eckel cab on a weekend night can coln in 2012, and Capital unlpd officer still be up to one or two hours, Cab. About 50 cabs are as opposed to five to 20 minon the streets of Lincoln utes on weeknights. His advice to those stayduring any given weekend night. ing out late on weekends: plan ahead. Officer Michael Eckel of UNLPD has Young said when the phone lines gets worked at the department for more than six years and has made more than 250 DUI ar- busy, cabs operate on a first-come, firstrests. He said while the department promotes served basis. Davis said wait times for Happy Cab can education on alcohol intake, the cabs have been crucial to getting the numbers down vary, as the company sometimes gets around 250 calls in an hour. Davis suggests using the during the past few years. “It used to be that you would have to wait smartphone app, NexTaxi, which allows usfor a cab for two or three hours,” Eckel said. ers to order a taxi and put in their credit card “When that happens, people might decide information by phone. UNL students can pay
dui: see page 2
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