Nothing comes between a man and his best friend – not even the police, nor the fact that the best friend is not a dog but, in this particular case, a 2,200-lb (998-kg) live bull.
What a load of bull this is, and in the most literal sense! Nebraska police officers pulled over a modified Ford Crown Victoria carrying a live bull in the passenger seat after receiving several calls about some guy driving around with "a cow" in his car. Video of the custom vehicle, with the bull not exactly hanging out but rather chilling through an aperture in the roof, has since gone viral, and for all the obvious reasons.
It happened on August 30, 2023, in Norfolk, Nebraska, after local police received several alarming calls from other drivers reporting that a car carrying a cow was about to enter town. Officers rushed to the scene thinking (or maybe just hoping) that they'd have to deal with a "calf" or something of a smaller size that could actually fit inside a sedan.
Instead, they found a large Ankole-Watusi bull named Howdy Doody.
"As a result, the officers performed a traffic stop and addressed some traffic violations that were occurring with that particular situation," Captain Chad Reiman, who personally responded to the call out of curiosity, told the media afterward. The violations were obstruction of vision and driving with an unsecured load.
Photo: YouTube/The Telegraph
The driver was then ordered to drive out of town and back to his hometown of Neligh, bull and all. And, while the internet is having a blast at what must be the strangest traffic stop of 2023 (and that's saying a lot), the driver is talking to the media about how he's never setting foot – wheel or hoof – in Norfolk again.
The driver is a retired machinist famous in his hometown and neighboring areas for his constant travel companion, Howdy Doody. The bull is 9 years old and has been with the man since he was just a few months old, preferring to ride shotgun in the modified Crown Victoria whenever there's a parade or a similar event. They've been doing it for the past 7 years, too.
In fact, when the duo was pulled over, the car still had the Best Car Entry sticker from the Nebraska Big Rodeo Parade that took place in July, and they were doing a trial run for Norfolk's upcoming Oktoberfest. Given the traffic stop, the man doesn't believe they'll be attending after all.
He swears Howdy Doody is perfectly comfortable riding like this – and perfectly safe, as well. The old Ford is modified for the added weight, with a reinforced floor, reinforced suspension, and the railing with plexiglass protection – and a miniature pair of horns on the hood as the finishing touch.
Contrary to what most are saying online, Howdy Doody likes riding with the wind in his hair oversized horns because the owner always makes sure the drive takes place in mild, pleasant weather. And it's not like the Ford can go very fast with this kind of weight on, right?
Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends. Full profile
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