How many drinks take you over the limit.
Discussion
When I was in the army, so going back a while now, but as an educational "eye-opener" during the traditional pre-Christmas drink-drive campaign, our MTO invited the local traffic policing unit in.
It was all done as a no-blame, no witch hunt thing. The breathalyser was used to test a whole bunch of people who'd admitted to being 'on the pop' the previous night (and well into the early hours of that morning if we're honest).
There was a variety of results, obviously, but with few exceptions most lads who been drinking that night were still over the D&D limit well after 9am. Some of them had driven in that morning to work too.
Like I say, neither the MTO nor the cops were looking to charge anyone, just remind people that alcohol stays in your system well after the "I'm pissed" feeling has gone away. It seemed to work, in the short term at least, as blokes saw that if the breathlyser session had been done outside of the camp gates, and not by co-operation with the Regiment, quite a few of them would have easily been losing their licences.
Latterly, our guard room had it's own breathalyser, and (allegedly because of 'duty of care' legislation) a book where drivers leaving camp after bar hours had to sign out to declare that they hadn't been drinking before the barriers were lifted to let them out.
Me? I've pretty much given up drinking when I go out because my wife and sons don't drive. I'll risk half a glass of wine at lunch if I'm driving home late in the evening, but any more than that, or closer to the time I'm expecting to drive? No alcohol at all for me. Not worth the risk to my license, and I'd hate to have an accident, and be left wondering "if I hadn't had that one drink, could I have avoided it" even if I blew below the limit when tested. It's a whole different culture now to when I grew up. Once, I went to school one morning and my dad's Granada was parked outside our house, unusually pointing up the drive not down it. It had a set of railings wrapped around the front end as dad had been out for a few jars too many at 'the club' and uprooted the railings at some traffic lights on the way home. So I've no idea how many drinks it takes to put me over the limit, but I think it's roughly 1 'unit' of alcohol that your body can filter out per hour, so a pint of something like cider or lager probably needs two hours to get rid of, for an 'average' man?
It was all done as a no-blame, no witch hunt thing. The breathalyser was used to test a whole bunch of people who'd admitted to being 'on the pop' the previous night (and well into the early hours of that morning if we're honest).
There was a variety of results, obviously, but with few exceptions most lads who been drinking that night were still over the D&D limit well after 9am. Some of them had driven in that morning to work too.
Like I say, neither the MTO nor the cops were looking to charge anyone, just remind people that alcohol stays in your system well after the "I'm pissed" feeling has gone away. It seemed to work, in the short term at least, as blokes saw that if the breathlyser session had been done outside of the camp gates, and not by co-operation with the Regiment, quite a few of them would have easily been losing their licences.
Latterly, our guard room had it's own breathalyser, and (allegedly because of 'duty of care' legislation) a book where drivers leaving camp after bar hours had to sign out to declare that they hadn't been drinking before the barriers were lifted to let them out.
Me? I've pretty much given up drinking when I go out because my wife and sons don't drive. I'll risk half a glass of wine at lunch if I'm driving home late in the evening, but any more than that, or closer to the time I'm expecting to drive? No alcohol at all for me. Not worth the risk to my license, and I'd hate to have an accident, and be left wondering "if I hadn't had that one drink, could I have avoided it" even if I blew below the limit when tested. It's a whole different culture now to when I grew up. Once, I went to school one morning and my dad's Granada was parked outside our house, unusually pointing up the drive not down it. It had a set of railings wrapped around the front end as dad had been out for a few jars too many at 'the club' and uprooted the railings at some traffic lights on the way home. So I've no idea how many drinks it takes to put me over the limit, but I think it's roughly 1 'unit' of alcohol that your body can filter out per hour, so a pint of something like cider or lager probably needs two hours to get rid of, for an 'average' man?
R8Steve said:
I can't see how after drinking a double whiskey and 3 large glasses of wine anyone could possibly be legal to drive the same day, let alone 4/5 hours later.
Agreed. That's s
t. It's one unit an hour that leaves your body the above is one hell of a lot of units 8 units plus? So to be on the safe side your going to need to leave it 9 or 10 hours hence why people get done the morning after a heavy late night session. OP if you have to drink then drink real ale it can be really low in alcohol 3.4% or do make it last! 2 pints over a long night with food and you should be fine. Once you start on the wine which could be a large glass and 14 or 15% it gets messy! A small glass of wine is 1 unit but that's VERY small glass that in a modern big wineglass your hardly going to see!
Out of interest, does anyone know if the police will breathalyse you on request? Say you've been to a pub in town and had a couple and wanted to know if you were legal to drive. I realise it's absolutely not their job to do that and people should take responsibility for their own actions, but just wondered if they'd offer the 'service' if you asked.
Reg Local said:
OP, everything you need to know about alcohol and driving is in this post here.
Thanks Reg. Interesting article especially the bit about hardened drinkers not affected by a few drinks but still over the limit, same as the wee slip of a girl.Also backs up what I thought, that many people are operating a motor vehicle whilst not fully capable yet are within the limits
BoRED S2upid said:
R8Steve said:
I can't see how after drinking a double whiskey and 3 large glasses of wine anyone could possibly be legal to drive the same day, let alone 4/5 hours later.
Agreed. That's st. It's one unit an hour that leaves your body the above is one hell of a lot of units 8 units plus? So to be on the safe side your going to need to leave it 9 or 10 hours hence why people get done the morning after a heavy late night session. X5TUU said:
I wouldn't even have one drink and drive ... or work it and seen the aftermath on too many occasions
On the odd occasion when I plan to have a drink, the delight of using public transport is enough to insure I adopt this approach. Whilst I don't agree with Scotland's lower limits. Is a pint really worth it.? It tastes st with food anyway. Surely the answer is to get a taxi, get rat arsed, then get a lift to hers to spend the night. Wake up on her toilet floor in a pool of your own vomit and give her a big kiss as you leave the next morning.
If I'm working the next day just one or two drinks could see me losing my job so I have to be very, very careful, we're randomly med-screened and the limit is a around a third of the national drink / drive figure. Amazingly it still occurs though where someone gets caught out, a chap turned up for an interview about three years ago smelling of booze and that was the end of his railway career.
Edited by P5BNij on Tuesday 18th October 16:03
This sort of thread does seem to bring out some very zero tolerance attitudes.
One pint or equivalent if not eating, two if eating and there for a good long time.
But then, how often has anyone here been breathalysed?
I have once after a minor accident, I'd had about four pints the night before and it was about 11am, I blew zero.
One pint or equivalent if not eating, two if eating and there for a good long time.
But then, how often has anyone here been breathalysed?
I have once after a minor accident, I'd had about four pints the night before and it was about 11am, I blew zero.
Johnnytheboy said:
But then, how often has anyone here been breathalysed?
Twice. Once on a random roadside stop and check after pub closing time (I'd been for a soft drink after training), and the other at about 2am and in the words of the copper "well you see 4 lads in a Fiesta at this time of the morning you have to stop them really" (I was designated driver for a night club trip so not drinking at all).moanthebairns said:
On the odd occasion when I plan to have a drink, the delight of using public transport is enough to insure I adopt this approach. Whilst I don't agree with Scotland's lower limits. Is a pint really worth it.? It tastes st with food anyway.
Surely the answer is to get a taxi, get rat arsed, then get a lift to hers to spend the night. Wake up on her toilet floor in a pool of your own vomit and give her a big kiss as you leave the next morning.
t with food anyway. Surely the answer is to get a taxi, get rat arsed, then get a lift to hers to spend the night. Wake up on her toilet floor in a pool of your own vomit and give her a big kiss as you leave the next morning.
stuart-b said:
I have a re-usable breathalyser which is very accurate. Need it for travelling through France. Why don't you buy one and then see for yourself before you drive?
I was posting more about on researching and finding that people can be pretty pi55ed and still under the limit. I like driving and riding plus it'd destroy my income if I ever lost my licence.Happy to stay off the booze. I'll just have to invite her round one day as I do have a spare room
moanthebairns said:
Try this in Scotland and see how far you get, its not even worth having a pint now.
But if you do get caught, ask for a blood test when you get to the station not the blower. This seems to be the norm on police dramas and the suspect always passes it by the time they have a trained nurse there after you've drunk mountains of water.
Might be different in Scotland, but in England/Wales that option has now gone. Before you could only choose blood to replace the intoxoyliser reading if you blew between 40 and 49 (maybe 50, been a while since the option went). Now the only way to get blood/piss sample is if you have a medical reason not to provide a breath sample (I've never heard of this, despite lots of people saying they have asthma, until it is pointed out they managed the one in the car without a problem) or if the machine is broken. But if you do get caught, ask for a blood test when you get to the station not the blower. This seems to be the norm on police dramas and the suspect always passes it by the time they have a trained nurse there after you've drunk mountains of water.
OP. Only safe limit is zero. Everyone is different. Depends how much you've eaten, if you are ill etc.
So using the 1 hour for the body to process/ remove 1 unit of alcohol rule of thumb, do you start working this out when you finish your last drink, taking into account all the evenings drinks?
So if you have 4 pints, each containing 2 units and stop drinking at 11pm, are you 'all clear' at 7am the next day or is it earlier as your body will have started dealing with the first pint not long after drinking it?
Steve
So if you have 4 pints, each containing 2 units and stop drinking at 11pm, are you 'all clear' at 7am the next day or is it earlier as your body will have started dealing with the first pint not long after drinking it?
Steve
Ki3r said:
moanthebairns said:
Try this in Scotland and see how far you get, its not even worth having a pint now.
But if you do get caught, ask for a blood test when you get to the station not the blower. This seems to be the norm on police dramas and the suspect always passes it by the time they have a trained nurse there after you've drunk mountains of water.
Might be different in Scotland, but in England/Wales that option has now gone. Before you could only choose blood to replace the intoxoyliser reading if you blew between 40 and 49 (maybe 50, been a while since the option went). Now the only way to get blood/piss sample is if you have a medical reason not to provide a breath sample (I've never heard of this, despite lots of people saying they have asthma, until it is pointed out they managed the one in the car without a problem) or if the machine is broken. But if you do get caught, ask for a blood test when you get to the station not the blower. This seems to be the norm on police dramas and the suspect always passes it by the time they have a trained nurse there after you've drunk mountains of water.
OP. Only safe limit is zero. Everyone is different. Depends how much you've eaten, if you are ill etc.
Your getting breath tested the second they mention drink, why not say "I've just had one". As I understand you have to wait 20 mins if the suspect says so, if you fail, you then have the cautioning, driving to the nick, booking in, then the test. That's easily an hour you've bought. That one drink over could be gone by then.
Ask your self this , if i drove down your street and ran your parent , child , partner or whatever over and left them in a wheelchair for you to see everyday and i had consumed alcohol but passed a breath test , would you shake my hand and say " no probs mate , your obviously sober " or would you want my head on a plate ?
Most people I know drink and drive without a second thought , if they are ever questioned about it the answer is always the same , " I'll never get caught , there's never any cops out " . I've yet to hear someone actually consider having an accident is possible after drinking . Worse part is , I live in a town centre and all the people I know who do drink and drive live in the same place , each one of them could walk home in half an hour tops , and the majority are well educated in well paid work .
I walk by the way , I enjoy a drink and it's one of the reasons I live in a town .
Most people I know drink and drive without a second thought , if they are ever questioned about it the answer is always the same , " I'll never get caught , there's never any cops out " . I've yet to hear someone actually consider having an accident is possible after drinking . Worse part is , I live in a town centre and all the people I know who do drink and drive live in the same place , each one of them could walk home in half an hour tops , and the majority are well educated in well paid work .
I walk by the way , I enjoy a drink and it's one of the reasons I live in a town .
Johnnytheboy said:
This sort of thread does seem to bring out some very zero tolerance attitudes.
One pint or equivalent if not eating, two if eating and there for a good long time.
I'm the same. I'm wary in country pubs that I don't choose some super-strong random beer.One pint or equivalent if not eating, two if eating and there for a good long time.
My one golden rule in not to drink alcohol at all if we're transporting other people's kids, just to take it out of the equation altogether.
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