London Tube driver arrested for allegedly being 'drunk in control of train'

London Tube driver arrested for allegedly being &#039;drunk in control of train&#039;

(Image credit: Flickr CC By: Annie Mole)

last updated 8 January 2015

A London Tube driver was arrested Saturday for allegedly controlling a train full of passengers while drunk. The 50-year-old man was caught after a colleague noticed that he failed to stop at a station where he was due to change shifts with a replacement. The co-worker noted that the driver apparently reeked of alcohol.

The driver didn't provide a breath sample and Transport for London suspended him from his job. Although the trains on the line he was directing drive themselves, drivers are in charge of opening and closing the doors. And being drunk on the job is never a good look — especially since it can lead to criminal charges. A spokesman from the driver's union noted that the organization is aware that an investigation is taking place.

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Jordan Valinsky is the lead writer for Speed Reads. Before joining The Week, he wrote for New York Observer's tech blog, Betabeat, and tracked the intersection between popular culture and the internet for The Daily Dot. He graduated with a degree in online journalism from Ohio University.

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