drug and alcohol roadside
Author
Discussion

okenemem

Original Poster:

1,484 posts

224 months

Sunday 24th March 2019
quotequote all
can police give both a breathalyser for alcohol and a drug test on the roadside at one time .

for example when they pull you over do they choose one test to perform or can they do both

smileymikey

1,446 posts

256 months

Sunday 24th March 2019
quotequote all
Yes they can.

donkmeister

12,907 posts

130 months

Sunday 24th March 2019
quotequote all
okenemem said:
can police give both a breathalyser for alcohol and a drug test on the roadside at one time .

for example when they pull you over do they choose one test to perform or can they do both
They can perform multiple drug tests - I subscribe to my local trafpol twitter feed and they often have reports along the lines of "we pulled a driver who was twice the alcohol limit and tested positive for cannabis and cocaine".

I am not someone who partakes of illegal substances, however if you are partial to a toot of Bolivian Marching Powder or whacky-tobaccy, be aware that the drug tests provide evidence of the metabolites of those drugs, hence you can test positive (and hence later be convicted) for those drugs well after you would feel completely sober. At least with alcohol you get pissed, sleep it off, next day you're fine (quantities and times depending!)

Fore Left

1,614 posts

212 months

Sunday 24th March 2019
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I'm intrigued as to why you might think they can't?

LarsG

991 posts

105 months

Sunday 24th March 2019
quotequote all
I suppose if you don't drink and drive or take drugs and drive......

evilmunkey

1,377 posts

189 months

Sunday 24th March 2019
quotequote all
had it done a while ago when the police were doing a morning crackdown recently trying to get people on the commute in the morning to catch folk still over the limit from the previous night. breath test and the licky drug thing. didnt bother me dont do drugs and rarely drink . if it gets dangerous folks off the road no bother

Retroman

975 posts

163 months

Sunday 24th March 2019
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Don't they have to have reasonable suspicion before requesting?

Pericoloso

44,044 posts

193 months

Sunday 24th March 2019
quotequote all
Seen them do it many times on Police camera Interceptors tv progs.

anonymous-user

84 months

Sunday 24th March 2019
quotequote all
evilmunkey said:
. if it gets dangerous folks off the road no bother
It also gets harmless, safe people off the road, who smoked the night before.

okenemem

Original Poster:

1,484 posts

224 months

Monday 25th March 2019
quotequote all
Well thats interesting to know. My friends plan was to throw police off the scent of cannibus testing by distracting them with the whiff of alcohol ,he will be upset when i show him this thread

the tribester

2,932 posts

116 months

Monday 25th March 2019
quotequote all
RogerDodger said:
It also gets harmless, safe people off the road, who smoked the night before.
They have a choice.

LosingGrip

8,861 posts

189 months

Monday 25th March 2019
quotequote all
Retroman said:
Don't they have to have reasonable suspicion before requesting?
Suspicion, involved in an RTC or moving traffic offence (speeding, light out etc. 31 in a 30 is enough to do one).

Can do three tests. A breath test, drug wipe or a field impairment test (walk in a line, touch your nose etc). Failure to do any is an offence.

Robb F

4,614 posts

201 months

Monday 25th March 2019
quotequote all
okenemem said:
Well thats interesting to know. My friends plan was to throw police off the scent of cannibus testing by distracting them with the whiff of alcohol ,he will be upset when i show him this thread
His name's not Baldrick is it?

PAULJ5555

3,554 posts

206 months

Monday 25th March 2019
quotequote all
Have a drug in your system from 3 days ago and are sober as a vicker to drive you get banned and called a drug driver.

I see no sense in that, if your fit to drive.

outnumbered

4,877 posts

264 months

Monday 25th March 2019
quotequote all
PAULJ5555 said:
Have a drug in your system from 3 days ago and are sober as a vicker to drive you get banned and called a drug driver.

I see no sense in that, if your fit to drive.
You mean "have an illegal drug in your system" I think ?

On that basis, I'd say many people wouldn't be that concerned about erring on the side of caution.

pavarotti1980

6,343 posts

114 months

Monday 25th March 2019
quotequote all
PAULJ5555 said:
Have a drug in your system from 3 days ago and are sober as a vicker to drive you get banned and called a drug driver.

I see no sense in that, if your fit to drive.
Being sober and having drugs in your system are completely different things. Why are you trying to conflate the two?

R8Steve

4,150 posts

205 months

Monday 25th March 2019
quotequote all
okenemem said:
Well thats interesting to know. My friends plan was to throw police off the scent of cannibus testing by distracting them with the whiff of alcohol ,he will be upset when i show him this thread
No, that sounds like a brilliant plan, let us know how he gets on with it.

Graveworm

9,226 posts

101 months

Monday 25th March 2019
quotequote all
PAULJ5555 said:
Have a drug in your system from 3 days ago and are sober as a vicker to drive you get banned and called a drug driver.

I see no sense in that, if your fit to drive.
The levels in the UK are the same as Canada where Cannabis is legal. We don't have their cumulative levels either so you could be under for both alcohol and drugs but cumulatively over, so there it is effectively lower.

It is lower than a level of impairment, but still significantly higher than the levels where there is not an increased risk of an accident.

Mafffew

2,149 posts

141 months

Monday 25th March 2019
quotequote all
okenemem said:
Well thats interesting to know. My friends plan was to throw police off the scent of cannibus testing by distracting them with the whiff of alcohol ,he will be upset when i show him this thread
So your friend is deliberately going to get high, drink and then get behind the wheel?

Your friend is a .

PAULJ5555

3,554 posts

206 months

Monday 25th March 2019
quotequote all
R8Steve said:
okenemem said:
Well thats interesting to know. My friends plan was to throw police off the scent of cannibus testing by distracting them with the whiff of alcohol ,he will be upset when i show him this thread
No, that sounds like a brilliant plan, let us know how he gets on with it.
Always keep a quater bottle of vodka in the side pocket, when pulled over use said vodka like after shave, splash all over. The plod will be confused as you smell like a brewery but are sober so let you go free. All the time you have fooled them.
Dont forget the old 2p in your mouth also.