months for sitting on a bike while intoxicated and failing to pay $3,100 in fines.

George Samuel Landy, 50, of Parsons Road, pleaded guilty to impaired driving on July 24, but maintained that he should not be punished severely because he was not riding the cycle.

Crown counsel Oonagh Goodred told the court that around 6.20 p.m., Landy was spotted at the junction of Parsons Lane in Pembroke by patrolling officers.

He was seated on a cycle, with the keys still in the ignition.

Upon their approach, officers noticed that Landy's breath smelled strongly of alcohol and his speech was slurred.

Landy was then cautioned, arrested and taken to Hamilton Police Station, where he refused to give a breath test.

In his defence, Landy told Acting Senior Magistrate Edward King that he was not riding the cycle but merely sitting on it.

However Mr. King noted that Landy had two previous convictions for driving while impaired and pointed out that this was the third offence committed within two years.

Landy was fined, convicted and disqualified from driving all vehicles for 12 months in May 2000 and again in July 2000.

"It was not a stool, it was a vehicle,'' Mr. King said. "Do you admit that you've had two previous convictions dealing with impaired driving.'' Landy replied: "Yeah, I took the breath test.'' Mr. King said: "Well you deserve what I give you.'' Mr. King fined Landy $1,500 for the offence and disqualified him from driving all vehicles for an additional 12 months.

Mr. King then realised that Landy still owed the court $1,650 in fines incurred for previous traffic violations -- and when the defendant told Mr.

King that he could not pay the fines immediately he was sentenced to six months imprisonment.

"If you don't have the money, then you will have to do the time,'' Mr. King said. "Money is equal to time.''