Comfortable drink drive limits

[Teapot74]

I do not agree with drink driving. I don't think it's clever to drink the max amount and stay under the limit. I know the ideal is zero. Just trying to work out If my perception of drinking and driving is safe enough. 1 small glass of wine, 2 if it's over a longer period. I know the only way to really find out would be with a breathalyser, just wondering what the general consensus was. I'm not small. I just looked up a breathalyser website and it suggested that 3 large glasses in the evening could put you over in the morning, really???? Maybe if you necked them at 10/11 but if you're drinking over the course of the evening…?

I dont drink anything if im driving. I could probably have a glass of wine but I can feel the effects after 1 glass so I prefer to have a zero limit

Sorry pressed too soon.
If I do drink I prefer not to drive until lunchtime next day, I'm not good at hangovers so chances are I wouldn't be up to driving anyway!!!

I understand and commend the zero rule here. but am surprised by the general consensus. The drinking and driving in the evening is one thing but the morning after seems to be a whole other kettle of fish.

So if I started drinking my 9 units at 6 and finished at ten would I not have cleared 4 units in those 4 hours while I was still drinking the bottle of wine?
Or does it not work that way?

I've asked this loads since the drink drive limit was lowered here but have never been able to get an answer. Surely your body must start metabolising the alcohol as soon as it's in your system?

A large part of the issue is that "a glass" of wine now contains a LOT more alcohol than when 'Units' first started being talked about.

When I was younger, wine was generally around 9% alcohol. Now it's usually 13% or 14%
When I was younger, "a glass" was 125ml. Even in a pub today, you seem to end up with 250ml if you ask for a 'small' (or 'medium' in a pub that doesn't do 'small') - so already that's twice the amount, but some people's glasses at home, hold yet more.

Then you factor in that people have different metabolisms and different body weights. People eat different things (including breakfast, including before they start drinking)

It all just gets silly, so best to be aware, and stick either at zero, or well under the limit the night before if driving i the morning.

Have a look at: ww.rupissed.com

Oh I accept that everyone is different in how they metabolise alcohol and there's so many factors.
I was just wondering about the maths because I've often seen similar statements if you've had X amount and stop drinking at 12 then you can't drink till Y which seem to assume that no alcohol drank prior to stopping can be metabolised in those hours where you are drinking.
And I was just wondering of that's the case because it seems wholly illogical to me that your body would work that way.

sorry - lost a w - www.rupissed.com

I don't drink at all if I'm driving, I'm a sturdy girl and could probably sink a glass without being over the legal limit but the little voice in my head whispers "what if...?" and I'd never forgive myself if I had an accident.

After big nights out I also don't drive the following day. It's not necessarily about being over the limit still, more the fact that if I've a headache and am feeling grotty, my response times are probably less speedy than they would ordinarily be. But I reversed into a giant pylon less than a month ago whilst stone cold sober, so can't take chances with my asshat driving.

Thanks Middle aged. That was the sort of thing I was searching for.

I am not a big drinker but if I go out to lunch I will have a Malibu with diet coke.

It's all I drink and I only drink it for the taste and I am pretty confident that with a two course meal that is fine.

I would never drink after touching wine as it goes straight to my head.

If I was to drink more on a night out (usually stick to coke) I wouldn't drive the day after.

"I know the ideal is zero. Just trying to work out If my perception of drinking and driving is safe enough"

IMO, there is no such thing as "safe drinking and driving". It should be zero.

People who do have a glass or wine, or a Malibu etc and drive, why don't you drink a soft drink and just have a glass of booze later when not driving? I genuinely can't understand why you anyone would drink even one alcoholic drunk when driving, is it that important to you? Is there a good reason to drink it?

There's a good reason not to drink it. And it's not about being "caught" by a breathalyser, it's that your driving skills are impaired. It's just not worth it, IMO.

Teapot - we found this website the morning after my friend came round and drank far more than I thought anybody could (..and she wasn't even ill ).
Turns out she wasn't safe until 4.30 pm. Eeeek.

Meantobe rude. Example. Out for a lovely italian lunch yesterday, nice restaurant. V. Good Lasagne. it really improves my enjoyment of a meal like that to have a good small (175) glass of red to cut through the flavours. I don't need a glass of wine with my pot noodle. Horses for courses, for some people it's chips. I drove my friend and my daughter later on and doubt v much that i put anyone at any danger.

But can you be sure that you were completely sober? Any alcohol no matter how small an amount will still impair your reaction times. I hate to see people drink driving as if it's no problem and it's just themselves they're risking - it never seems to be the drink driver who comes away from these accidents worst off

That isn't true. a ¼ tsp of beer won't impair anyone. A couple of sips of red wine three hours ago won't still be in your system. Each person has their own unique metabolism that takes a longer or shorter amount of time to metabolise alcohol and the limits are strict to be careful. Noone ever knows exactly how much they can safely drink and drive a few hours later but that does not mean that no amount is safe.

Teapot - 175ml is more than one unit. One unit is 125ml plus you have to consider the % alcohol content.

No way would I drive after 175mls until at least 4 hours later, purely to be on the safe side.

And obviously that would be 4 hours after finishing the wine.

Limit should be set at a big fat zero.

Assuming you are drinking in the evening as opposed to the early hours, not driving until 1pm the day after 3 glasses of wine is unnecessarily cautious.

I don't drink and drive, but I honestly thought as long as you weren't getting drunk, that you would be fine the next morning to drive.

I do sometimes have a 125ml glass of wine with a meal. And I know that it is a 125ml and I know quite a lot about the relative strengths of different wines. And yes, I would, after three hours, drive. So shoot me. I am acting within the law in England.

100ml of wine at 10% is 1 unit, 25 ml of spirits at 40% is 1 unit. An adult can typically metabolise one unit per hour.
A bottle of wine (750ml) at 12% which is 9 units will take 9 hours to clear.
So you do need to be careful if driving early in the morning after a bottle of wine. I suppose it depends on how early you drink it and how early you need to be driving

LovelyMarchHare - overly cautious?

If you say so then.

But I'll stick to my rule. Three large glasses of wine could be near a whole bottle as I already said and I personally want to keep my licence and not kill anyone because I felt hungover.

3 large glasses of wine is typically a bottle and around 9 units. Not drinking to 1pm suggests you didn't stop drinking to 4am. I do not think that is typical behaviour, certainly it's not mine. If I were up to 4am in the morning I'd be too tired and crabby to consider getting up in the morning