Dennis Leary, a 44-year old chef, has made headlines this past week for his resourceful transportation methods, in a city that seems like a driving dystopia.  Leary is a San Francisco-based chef who operates a number of stores around the city; he spends a couple of hours every day transporting goods – bread from his bakery, homemade kale chips, etc.  It’s because the city seems so congested, and people are aggressive, that Leary bought two used GO-4 Interceptors for under $4,000 each, to better maneuver through the city.  If you don’t know, a GO-4 Interceptor is an urban utility vehicle, designed and engineered for navigating with ease in space conscious locations.  It has been operated as a parking enforcement vehicle for cities like Seattle and San Francisco since the early 1990′s.

“I’d never admit to doing anything illegal, but put it this way:  These things can go on sidewalks.  You can park in a motorcycle spot which is key in San Francisco, where parking is a blood sport.   They have Hyundai engines – basically big lawn mower motors.  I can’t remember the last time I had to fill the tank.”  People often think they’re official vehicles; Leary gets asked questions all the time, and responds, “Dude, I’m not traffic enforcement.  This is a civilian vehicle.”  So, if you ever pass by a man maneuvering through the city of San Francisco, driving a GO-4 Interceptor, and smell baked goods as he goes by, you will have witnessed the chef who drives like a traffic cop.

Source:

Baime, A.J. “The Chef Who Drives Like a Traffic Cop.” The Wall Street Journal 1 Oct. 2014, Cars sec.: D4. Print.