UK blood alcohol limit
Discussion
What is the limit at which you are "impaired" and considered "driving drunk"? I've read what several folk have posted (other forums) about consuming 3-5+ PINTS, and then motor home. Many US states have limits that work out to be about 2-3 12oz. beers (3.2%) or 2 mixed drinks (1-2oz. 80 proof each) in an hour- with factors for body weight added.
How do these measurements compare?
Dave
How do these measurements compare?
Dave
www.tradingdirect.co.uk/pages/alcohol/alcohol_limits.htm
Below is a table of the legal alcohol content limits for driving in various countries around the world. Please note this chart is compiled to the best of our knowledge but should only be used as a guide.
I'd say 2 pints of most medium strength (4.5%) lagers would be about the limit for most guys over here, some lower, some higher.
Below is a table of the legal alcohol content limits for driving in various countries around the world. Please note this chart is compiled to the best of our knowledge but should only be used as a guide.
Link Says said:
COUNTRY ALCOHOL LIMIT % BAC ‰ BAC MG/L
Norway 20mg 0.02 0.2 0.1
Sweden 20mg 0.02 0.2 0.1
Austria 50mg 0.05 0.5 0.25
Belgium 50mg 0.05 0.5 0.25
Germany 50mg 0.05 0.5 0.25
Denmark 50mg 0.05 0.5 0.25
Spain 50mg 0.05 0.5 0.25
France 50mg 0.05 0.5 0.25
Finland 50mg 0.05 0.5 0.25
Greece 50mg 0.05 0.5 0.25
The Netherlands 50mg 0.05 0.5 0.25
Portugal 50mg 0.05 0.5 0.25
United Kingdom 80mg 0.08 0.8 0.4
Italy 80mg 0.08 0.8 0.4
Ireland 80mg 0.08 0.8 0.4
Luxembourg 80mg 0.08 0.8 0.4
Switzerland 80mg 0.08 0.8 0.4
USA * 80mg 0.08 0.8 0.4
* USA states should all be inline with each other at this level come October 2003.
I'd say 2 pints of most medium strength (4.5%) lagers would be about the limit for most guys over here, some lower, some higher.
Muncher said:
Indeed Streetcop, I won't drink anything if I know I have to drive, not even a half.
same here mate,i leave my car keys at home and get a cab if im going out for a drink,if i decide to have one at the pub then i leave the car keys with the landlord.
apart from the ban,killing someone else just because i couldnt be bothered to walk/get a cab home is something i know i couldnt live with.
ive always thought that if your irrisponsible enough to get behind the wheel of a car pissed (or any motorised vehicle tbh) then you dont deserve to have a licence at-all and if caught your licence should be revoked FOR LIFE and if your caught driving again then you get an immediate custodial sentence.
>> Edited by cortinaman on Saturday 10th July 05:28
Dont agree with that last post Cortinaman. Dont get me wrong I'm completly against drink driving and never drive even with a half inside me but people make mistakes. I know a bloke, 25 now but when he was 17 he was caught drink driving. He paid out the nose for it and it was a stupid mistake but of course he regrets it 100%. Should he really still not be able to drive now because of a mistake he made as a kid?? People do stupid things when they are young and foolish.
Limits are exact, and if over you will get done. Guides to the limits are just that, guides and so completely fallible. All I can say is that when I'm treating someone in AE after they have stacked their car on a friday night they all say "I only had 2 pints". Seems to me the message out there is 2 pints is acceptable. I think we should get away from trying to convert measures and pints into blood alcohol. Pints simply convert cars to wrecks and people to statisitcs.
just dave said:
What is the limit at which you are "impaired" and considered "driving drunk"?
There are (basically) two separate offences to consider:
1. Driving with excess alcohol/above prescribed limit - S5 Road Traffic Act 1988.
2. Driving while unfit through drink/drugs - S4 Road Traffic Act 1988.
S5 is easier to deal with, in that there is a fixed limit for the amount of alcohol. You are either above or below that fixed limit (35ug/100ml breath, 80ug/100ml blood or 107 ug/100ml urine).
Calling S5 “drUnk” rather than “drInk” driving often confuses people. The fact is, alcohol affects us all in different ways. The upshot of this is that one person, who to all intents and purposes was absolutely incapacitated after half a lager shandy, could be below the prescribed limit, while another (eg chronic alcoholic) appeared to be functioning normally, but be way over the limit having consumed a bottle of vodka. It can sometimes be impossible to tell what a person's reading will be.
S4 requires various elements to prove, so it can be trickier. Basically, there needs to be an element of impairment, so while the "half lager shandy" example above may be below the prescribed limit for the purposes of S5, he or she may be impaired for S4.
The best policy is already as others have posted - don't mix the two. Unfortunately, not only does alcohol affect different people in different ways, it affects the same person in different ways at different times (due to a number of variables, including speed of consumption/absorption). The upshot of this is that you may be fine on one occasion after two pints, but not on another occasion.
OK then, mistake was a wrong word. But something they regret, sure you get numptys who couldnt give a 
and will keep doing it until they get caught or worse. But you also get those who do it while young and foolish, and when they are older they realise how completly stupid they were should they be punished for that mistake for the rest of there life?? OK, someone speeds, loses their license, should that license be taken away for good?? No it shouldnt, Is what I said advocating drink driving or saying I have ever done it? A girl at my old school was killed because she got in the car with a drunk driver and I would never knowingly allow anybody their car keys if I knew they were over the limit. But I also believe people make mistakes which they realise when they mature. Do you disagree?
and will keep doing it until they get caught or worse. But you also get those who do it while young and foolish, and when they are older they realise how completly stupid they were should they be punished for that mistake for the rest of there life?? OK, someone speeds, loses their license, should that license be taken away for good?? No it shouldnt, Is what I said advocating drink driving or saying I have ever done it? A girl at my old school was killed because she got in the car with a drunk driver and I would never knowingly allow anybody their car keys if I knew they were over the limit. But I also believe people make mistakes which they realise when they mature. Do you disagree? i had a ban for drink driving years ago!
i do an agricultural type job and drove home from the pub after three pints, i knew i would be over the limit and was in a landrover so i set off home over the fields! i crossed 15 feet of public road and patrol car followed me down the next field and breathalysed me! 9 month ban for crossing a public road! now i wont even have a half of shandy and drive, public transport is non existant in rural areas! and you need to be alert to avoid all the tax cameras!
i do an agricultural type job and drove home from the pub after three pints, i knew i would be over the limit and was in a landrover so i set off home over the fields! i crossed 15 feet of public road and patrol car followed me down the next field and breathalysed me! 9 month ban for crossing a public road! now i wont even have a half of shandy and drive, public transport is non existant in rural areas! and you need to be alert to avoid all the tax cameras!
eminds me of the time me my bruv and a mate walked to the local from my parents house, in the wilds of County Antrim, we were there until about 2am all well the worse for wear. As the landlady is letting us out she says not to make to much and asked us if we're parked round the back.
We all looked at each other slightly horrified and she piped up oh yes you're just round the corner aren't you.
Left me wondering about the rest of the clientel!
Ahh simple country folk!
We all looked at each other slightly horrified and she piped up oh yes you're just round the corner aren't you.
Left me wondering about the rest of the clientel!
Ahh simple country folk!
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