So... who is right about drink driving?

taximike

taximike

taximike

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In the UK there is a widely held belief that a couple of pints will put you over the limit, 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood. That same limit exists in America, where your average Joe will say 'err - the limit is probably about 8 or 9 beers'. At first I thought to myself - wow - Americans are stupid. But then I spoke to a doctor, who said that most of the stuff in the press was rubbish. He pointed me to webMD.

http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/alcohol-abuse/blood-alcohol?page=2

FYI normal liquor is 40% ABV, 1.5fl oz is about 44ml = 1.77 UK units, so working on that basis you'd have to drink about 8 pints of normal beer in a 3 hour pub session to be over the current limit.

Evidence I have for this probably being correct:
-A doctor told me so
-My former boss (who would never BS) bought an ~ £200 breathaliser said that to blow a .08 he had to be very hammered indeed
-This Tucker Max story (read it just for the hilarity) http://www.tuckermax.com/archives/entries/date/the_famous_sushi_pants_story.phtml#277
-One of my friends got hit by a driver in Hampshire who was apparently so drunk that he couldn't stand up straight and kept dropping his keys, yet the Police told him the next day that by the time he was breathalised at the station he was below the level at which they could prosecute (which I think is 0.088). Not many men are that 'drunk' after a couple of pints

Evidence I have for this probably being optimistic:
-The widely held belief in the UK that the drink drive limit is just over a pint
-Articles like this which say the drink drive limit is currently about 1.5 pints
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/driving/article7061168.ece

So who's right? It's very confusing. I think I am going to bite the bullet and buy a proper breathaliser for myself - it's the only way to be sure.
 
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I have a rule, if I am driving = no drink. Being young male if I was to have an acident and had 1 pint (under the limit) I recon they would still blame me.
 
Or just don't drink and drive at all?

That being said I do agree with the limit where it is. I needs to be a certain level so I'm able to drive back early afternoon after a big one. If it was zero I'd be to wait while the next day which is ridiculous.
 
That first page you linked to puts a "beer" at 12floz which is half a pint. In the UK a standard beer is a pint, so double the amount on the chart.
 
It depends on the person. I don't drink beer but I'd not drive after having anything more than a single spirit and mixer. Having said that I generally know if I'm going to drink or not, and if I am I simply don't drive.

I've seen some of my very heavyweight friends do 7-8 pints in 3 hours and they are pretty wrecked, certainly not able to drive.

It all depends on the person as well, some people can handle their drink and some can't.

A massive body builder is more likely to be able to drive after 3 or 4 pints than a midget female.
 
You guys are not really getting to the crux of the issue though - to be over the drink drive limit in the UK at the moment you do HAVE to be hammered. And definitely NOT able to drive! But all I am saying is that based on what I have read - it suggests that 3 or 4 pints in a typical drinking session lasting a few hours and you will probably still be under the limit.
 
I feel the effect 1 pint has on my driving. Yet 2 has me inside the limit, I dare not drive. I lust like my car and insurance premium too much to risk it, plus the fact as a young male in a relatively rapid car, the 5-0 would have a field day.
 
don't know where you get the "-he widely held belief in the UK that the drink drive limit is just over a pint" from. Everyone i knew Stoke would drive on 3 pints no issues. (bitter, not stella or anything too strong)
 
Peerzy said:
I've seen some of my very heavyweight friends do 7-8 pints in 3 hours and they are pretty wrecked, certainly not able to drive.
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hammered after 8 UK pints? the 3.5% ones? The only thing that should have problems after that should be your bladder lol.:D

That being said, I've never driven after any sort of alcohol consumption because back home you lose your license at 10mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood which is less than a 5% 500ml beer even at my 16 stone.

80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood gets you an instant criminal record as a bonus.
 
cristi said:
hammered after 8 UK pints? the 3.5% ones? The only thing that should have problems after that should be your bladder lol.:D
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Then again Kronenbourg, Stella, and many of the "export" brands are at least 5% might be fine after 1 pint but 2-3 will start to have an effect on most people, even if just a minor one.
 
If you've had anything to drink at all it's better not to drive. Even at just under the .08g limit you are twice as likely to have an accident.
 
There is a bit in superfreakonomics about drink driving, apparently the statistics show that your more likely to become injured walking home drunk than driving home drunk.

I guess the real solution is to do neither, just stay in the pub and have another round :)
 
I've been breathalised following four pints of fosters over a two and a half(ish) hour period, plus 30 minutes between my last drink and being pulled over.

I came up at 10mg - less than 50% of what they require to arrest me.
 
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