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Sit behind the wheel and feel the controls. Maneuver through a course of traffic cones set up in a large parking lot. After gaining a degree of confidence that you can take the course, try it while under the influence.

Go ahead, Fairfield cops will be standing by to watch and won’t even write you a ticket.

That is, as long as you only try the deed while driving — without real alcohol or drugs, of course — in the Police Department’s brand new simulator, a generous gift from the Ohio Casualty Foundation.

Dubbed SIDNE (short for Simulated Impaired DriviNg Experience), the electric two-person go-cart replicates the delayed reactions of a driver impaired by alcohol or drugs. Officers can “impair” the driver with the flick of a remote control. (They can also stop the device from the same remote control, if needed.)

The simulator provides participants with a real life lesson in drunk driving without putting anyone at risk. Currently, six officers have been trained to operate the program. The SIDNE unit will make its appearance at area events and schools as part of the Police Department’s ongoing safety program.