Yahoo News Oscar Mayer's 27-Foot-Long Wienermobile Was Pulled Over and Given a Frank Warning
Hey dawg, slow down!
According to a now-viral Facebook post, an officer from the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department in Wisconsin pulled over Oscar Mayer’s 27 ft. long Wienermobile on Sunday, Jan. 26 for not following the “Move Over Law.” The law requires motorists to either change lanes or slow down when they see a vehicle stopped on the side of the road with its emergency lights on.
Lynne Galia, a spokeswoman for The Kraft Heinz Company, which owns Oscar Mayer, clarified to CNN that drivers of the Wienermobile — also known as Hotdoggers — do get extensive behind-the-wheel training before they can go out on the road.
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“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,” said Gallia. “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.”
Drivers can get a $249 fine and three points on their licenses for failing to move over. Fortunately for the driver on Sunday, they were given only a verbal warning for not following the rules of the road.
Countless Facebook users seized the opportunity to crack some punny jokes on the Facebook post about the incident. “Wonder how long it took the officer to ‘ketchup. I’m sure when he did they had a very ‘frank’ discussion,” asked one person. “The last thing I need is a Weiner hitting me at 70mph when I’m bent over trying to change a tire…,” joked another.
Earlier this month, Oscar Mayer announced that it is looking for a new class of 2020 Hotdoggers to drive the Wienermobile around and see the country through the windshield of the massive hot dog on wheels.
On their website, they joked, “We could say ‘drivers wanted,’ but what we really mean is WIENERMOBILE navigators ready to deliver unlimited joy to thousands of people every single day.” They also explained that the role of a Hotdogger is a one-of-a-kind experience to “meat” and greet folks around the country as a full-time, paid, one-year employee of Oscar Mayer with “bun-efits!”
WATCH: Wiener Dog in Wienermobile
Drivers are required to represent the brand in radio and television appearances, grocery store events, and charity functions, as well as attend Hot Dog High, a two-week training session that includes “selecting your official Hotdogger name, being schooled in hot dog puns, and mastering parallel parking the 27-foot hot dog on wheels (not as hard as it looks!).”
Oh, and in July 2019, Oscar Mayer went all out and celebrated National Hot Dog Day by listing the Wienermobile on Airbnb for a limited time. Hot dog fans were actually able to rent the iconic vehicle for a night and sleep in it. This was the first time since its creation in 1936 that the company allowed fans to access the Wienermobile in this way.
One of the many 27-foot-long hot dog mobiles that travel the country was parked in Chicago, Oscar Mayer’s hometown, for the occasion. The rate was listed at $136 per night, and guests were able to rent the Wienermobile for one night only, with two guests able to stay at a time.
Those who stayed in the Wienermobile received a “Sun’s Out, Buns Out” welcome package, complete with hot dog-related attire to wear while staying in the giant hot dog mobile.
Also included in the Airbnb deal was a mini-fridge stocked with “Chicago-style hot dog essentials, a roller grill for grilling Oscar Mayer hot dogs to take home with you after your stay, an outdoor space for comfortable hot dog eating, custom Wienermobile-inspired art piece by local artist Laura Kiro, and more,” according to the company’s press release.
