How much do/would you drink before you drive?

[mudy]

DanielJames said:

Depends if I've done any coke that evening.

I think we can all applaud this attitude; there's not enough common sense applied to the law these days - no court in the land would disagree if put to the test

[williredale]

Pint with a meal or nothing if I'm not eating.

[LargeD]

Worth remembering that your tolerance to alcohol and the reading on the breathalyser are completely different. Alcoholics can appear perfectly functional whilst 2-3 times over the limit and we all know people who are a mess after a couple of pints but would be close to the current limit.

I try not to drive if I know I'll be tempted to drink, otherwise 1 bottle of beer is usually my limit.

[Fartgalen]

If I'm driving. Nothing.
If I'm driving the morning after. Very limited.
For some reason I've been stopped and breathalysed loads. Just the luck of the draw I guess. I've never even registered on the machine.
Tonight I'm not driving

[rouge59]

What with all the lunatics on the road, I need 4 or 5 pints of strong lager to calm my nerves sufficiently to drive anywhere.

[Du1point8]

maybe 1 or 3 if I have a good 12-16 hours break and sleep with plenty of water, that would put me back at 0, plus 1 or 2 are low alkie
pints.

If Im driving the next day I will not go near my mates on a large night out...

[AlexHat]

I don't drink if I'm driving. Simples!

[Timfy]

Usually not more than a half if it's a quick stop, or one pint at the start of a longer evening, softies only after that.


Really not worth the risk of anything more.

[J4CKO]

It isnt just about the amount, it is as much about the delay between drinking and getting behind the wheel, I will have two pints early evening, say before 6.30 and then would happily drive at 10.30, four hours later, but I wouldnt have those two pints and get straight in the car afterwards, need to let my liver work its magic, in conjunction with having some food.

I worked at the Police for ages and wrote a breathlyser database, that uploaded the data from the machines, test it by having three pints at lunch, came back, tried it, was slightly over, tried again and 30 mins later was under the limit, so, after three or four hours I think the level would be negligible.

Sometimes I wont drive at all the following day after a heavy night, just doesnt feel right, cant be sure so I dont bother.

[Riley Blue]

The last time I drank and drove soon afterwards must have been 30 years ago. If I'm driving the next morning it'll be a couple of glasses of wine with a meal, I never drink other than to accompany food.

[petrolsniffer]

williredale said:

Pint with a meal or nothing if I'm not eating.

This! would be disappointed if we get scotlands limit would prob not eat out as much.

[PurpleMoonlight]

You should never drink and drive, you might spill some ....

[chrispwill]

2 pints for me, but always leave an hour between the last pint and driving.
I'm very lightweight, tipsy after one beer, but it means I sober up extremely quickly as well.

Drove in Spain in hire cars, after having a couple of pints. Got routine stopped by the traffic police (who spoke Spanish, French and German but not English?!?), and passed with no problems.

I have to admit, I was convinced I'd be spending the night in a Spanish cell.

[PositronicRay]

I have one of these home breathaliser thingys so maybe not calibrated well. But I've tried it after a big night (new yrs eve) and all okay.

I'm old enough to remember when it's okay if you don't get caught type of social acceptance. Staggering around completely drunk, unable to walk and no idea where I was (by accident I assure you) my car just happened to be parked in my path. Drove home (window open in case I puked) across a city centre. Not right but it's just how it used to be.

[SonicShadow]

One pint max, and only if I'm not going to be driving for at least an hour or so after finishing it. Most of the time I just won't have a drink. Why risk it?

[PurpleMoonlight]

Those who are leaving it an hour before driving are actually doing the worst thing because it takes an hour for the alcohol to be fully absorbed into the blood.

[JakeT]

None. One I would rather not give the police an inch if I'm involved in any accident or get pulled. Secondly I'll get swayed by my mates and then be unable to drive at all... It has happened before.

[Muzzer79]

99 times out of 100, nothing.

If it's a nice sunny day or I really feel like having a drink; I'll have no more than a 330ml bottle, but I generally don't bother.

[Petrus1983]

This thread has either appealed to the purists or the liars - I genuinely don't feel that it's the consensus that would be in the pub tonight on a Friday. It would be good to get one of the resident boys in blue to give their opinion.

[anonymous-user]

The only reason you can't drive when drunk is because you learned to drive sober. If they introduced it as part of the test (bit like driving on the motorway) we would all be much better equipped.