paddy wagon

The term 'paddy wagon' is of English origin due to it's use to pick up drunk Irish louts (paddy's) from pub brawls.

It is commonly used across all prior English colonies including Canada, Australia, New Zealand and many others.

Contrary to other postings here, the term 'divvy van' is unbeknownst to any Australia on my extensive MSN list, nor have I heard it in the 47 years I've lived here, so I'd say it's someone attempting to coin a phrase.

Mel Gibson refers to a paddy wagon in a (intended) slip of the tongue (due to Australian roots) in the movie Signs, "We took some of your friends downtown already in the back of a paddy wagon."

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