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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wish the drive drive laws were clearer

101 replies

Kindoline · 04/09/2017 14:35

Or just do away with them and have a zero limit?

Reading the Kirsty Gallagher articles. She was still three times over the limit 7hrs after she stopped drinking. How can anyone really know when they are ok to drive the next day? I always struggle to work out if I'm ok to pick my car up the next afternoon or not. Trying to do unit/hours maths whilst hungover isn't easy either. Plus everyone's metabolic rate is different. So presumably a big fella who is use to drinking heavily may not be over the limit whereas a slight woman would be.

It's all as clear as mud

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 04/09/2017 14:38

It's about an hour to process 1 unit so a bottle of wine at 11 units would take approx 11 hours to be out your system

ShatnersWig · 04/09/2017 14:42

Sorry, OP, but the Gallagher story is not a great example to pick. To still have been more than three times over the limit when you supposedly stopped drinking 7 hours previously means you drank more than enough to know you'd still be over the limit the next morning. The fact that the Police smelled alcohol on her breath suggests to me that she had probably been drinking far more recently than 7 hours previously. Like that same morning.

Original poster
Kindoline · 04/09/2017 14:44

Demented, but if you've had a few glasses of wine and then spirits and maybe a few shots where do you even start? And you've had a big meal so maybe that makes a difference?

I wish they'd just say zero and that's that

OP posts:
geekone · 04/09/2017 14:45

7 hours isn't enough time to sleep to even have a hangover Confused. It's zero tolerance you should wait 12 to 24 hours after your last drink before driving depending on how many you have had before that last drink. I don't drink a lot often say 2-3 gins on a Saturday night if I drink after 10pm my husband drives the next morning. After my school reunion I didn't drink until 7pm the next day. You know you can still taste it and your head just isn't right don't risk it ever in my opinion

geekone · 04/09/2017 14:46

Sorry it's zero tolerance in scotland by sure about England.

pigsDOfly · 04/09/2017 14:47

Tbh OP if you've can't work it out because you're so hungover, I think you should probably take it as an indication that you're not actually safe to drive.

Migraleve · 04/09/2017 14:47

It's clear enough to me. If you are drinking you don't get behind the wheel the next day.

tabulahrasa · 04/09/2017 14:48

"but if you've had a few glasses of wine and then spirits and maybe a few shots where do you even start?"

You add up the units and start counting from when you stopped drinking... if you've had so many you can't add them up, don't drive the next day, you're not safe to.

It's hardly rocket science tbh.

specialsubject · 04/09/2017 14:48

If you are hungover you are unfit to drive. No maths needed.

onalongsabbatical · 04/09/2017 14:48

if you've had a few glasses of wine and then spirits and maybe a few shots you already have a drink problem. You've just described what would be my consumption over about two months.
Yes to zero, I quite agree.

Seeline · 04/09/2017 14:48

But even if they said zero, if you've had that much to drink you still wouldn't be sure when all of it had left your body. In fact it would probably be even harder to judge. The only approach would be to not drive your at for at least 24 hours, or not drink at all.

(I think even if they say zero though, most countries have a minute level of tolerance as some medicines etc contain alcohol)

Original poster
Kindoline · 04/09/2017 14:50

Ok what about I large glass of wine with a meal. I think if I drunk a large glass I'd be over the limit. Whereas someone else wouldn't be.

Tbh I play it on the far side of safe and give it at least 24hrs if I've had a heavy night. But I can see why people get stung the next day if they've had a good sleep and wake up feeling ok

OP posts:
OriginalRhubarbGin · 04/09/2017 14:51

The blood limit can't be absolute zero because the body naturally produces fractional amount of alcohol anyway. But it could certainly be reduced to level that means an effective zero intake level.

But most women I know wouldn't have more than 2 large glasses of wine or more than two doubles of spirits if they were driving next morning. If they drink more they tend not to drive for at least 12 hours, and one of my friends doesn't drive for 24 hours if she has more than suggested there. Very sensible approach really.

FireBreathingUnicorn · 04/09/2017 14:51

II had to do a course,best thing is not playing the numbers game. Wait 24 hours, more people get caught popping out the next day then they do actually drink driving.

hidinginthenightgarden · 04/09/2017 14:52

I think common sense should rule. If you know you are likely to need to drive the next day, don't get plastered. Drinking an extra 10 units makes my night out no better. It does make the next day much worse though.

OriginalRhubarbGin · 04/09/2017 14:52

And none of my friends would drink at a meal and then drive home straight from it, none of them.

TeenTimesTwo · 04/09/2017 14:53

But a zero limit would still leave this problem wouldn't it?

Half a bottle of wine - will that all have gone by the morning?
Or 2/3 a whole bottle?

dementedpixie · 04/09/2017 14:56

A large glass of wine would be about 3 units and in Scotland everyone would be over the limit to drive as their limit is lower than the rest of the uk

tabulahrasa · 04/09/2017 14:58

"Ok what about I large glass of wine with a meal. I think if I drunk a large glass I'd be over the limit. Whereas someone else wouldn't be."

Most people would be over the limit on one measured (i.e. Pub or restaurant) large wine... a poured full glass in someone's house and they absolutely definitely would be.

TizzyDongue · 04/09/2017 15:00

if you've had a few glasses of wine and then spirits and maybe a few shots

The might be around 19 units (where 'a few' means three and large servings ). So if you stopped drinking at 2am (early Saturday morning) the it'll take till 11pm that (Saturday) night.

Potentially in the above situation collecting a car in the Saturday afternoon - say 2pm - means there's 7 units still in your system. Over the legal limit to drive.

Lotsawobblybits · 04/09/2017 15:00

Maybe the answer is to buy some of the home breathalyzer kits which are about a couple of Quid for a twin pack. Some of them will roughly tell you what your levels are at.

It is law in France to have them- you have to have 2 unused ones with you in the car or one of the little machines. Easy to double check rather than risk it.

Anatidae · 04/09/2017 15:01

Zero limit is impractical - you can detect a trace in many people after common medications, or using some mouthwashes.
The limit should be MUCH lower than it is. You can set a limit which is effectively zero but allows traces.

If you have to drive immediately you don't drink
If you have to drive within several hours don't drink or limit yourself to one or two
If you've been drinking heavily (and a few glasses of wine and then spirits and maybe a few shots is a lot) then you assume you're over the limit the next morning.

The problem is people trying to drink up to the limit - if you're in any way unsure or you're wanting to go on a bender just don't drive :/. This attitude of having as much as you can up to the limit is crazy.

If you're out having dinner and drinking, the point is not that one big glass of wine puts you over the limit but it doesn't do that to your mate, it's that NEITHER of you should be driving.

Britain has a massive booze problem and drinking and driving is unforgivable

tigerdriverII · 04/09/2017 15:01

She was stopped at 11am. If it was 7 hours since she stopped drinking then that was 4am! Quite the party.

I think it is a question of (a) being aware of units and then (b) being self aware. If you had say two medium glasses of wine and two double gins, that would be about 9 units. If you started drinking at 7pm and stopped say at 10, then by the morning - assuming that means 8 or 9 - you'd be clear. BUT some people react differently to alcohol than others: someone on here said recently that half a teaspoon would render her incapable of driving, and if you had a bad hangover through mixing drinks for example, you're not going to be on tip top driving form irrespective of whether you pass the breath test.

If you don't understand units or can't add them up then don't drive the next morning.

TizzyDongue · 04/09/2017 15:02

*9pm!!! Not 11pm (teach me to adjust end drinking time)

Anatidae · 04/09/2017 15:02

"Ok what about I large glass of wine with a meal. I think if I drunk a large glass I'd be over the limit. Whereas someone else wouldn't be."

Neither of you should be driving. If you're having wine at lunch and then getting into the drivers seat you are grossly irresponsible. Just don't drink, or get as squiffy as you like but don't drive.