Drink Driving Question

[jampots]

If somebody drinks 2 pints of lager on an empty stomach and then drives would he or she be over the legal limit? My friends dh says he knows his driving will be impaired but he reckons he is within the legal limit. My friend disagrees.

you can buy pocket breathalisers as novelty gifts.. let science answer... if he knows he's impaired then surely it would be foolish to clamber behind the wheel anyway? IMO anyway

This is the new advice from the government

The legal limit in the UK is 80 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood. However, any amount of alcohol affects your ability to drive safely. The effects can include:
slower reactions
increased stopping distance
poorer judgement of speed and distance
reduced field of vision
Alcohol also tends to make you feel over-confident and more likely to take risks when driving, which increases the danger to all road users, including yourself.
There is no failsafe guide as to how to stay under the legal alcohol limit or how much you can drink and still drive safely. It depends on:
your weight, sex, age, metabolism
stress levels
an empty stomach
the amount and type of alcohol
The only safe option is not to drink if you plan to drive. Never offer a drink to someone else who is driving.

BAsically don't drink anything if you're driving. Erm couldn't find anything on there about units etc, they just kept repeating basically don't drink anything when you drive.

Too many variables missing: how much does the person weigh? How long did it take them to drink the pints? How strong was the lager? How quickly do they metabolize alcohol?

I'd agree that if he knows his driving will be impaired, he shouldn't drive.

he's a copper so I think the mini-breathalyser would be an excellent stocking filler from his wife

i know a great way to find out. wait til he leaves the pub and then report him to the police.

here or here

Oh dear god, should have known.

why do people chance it. there should be a nil limit.

After 3 to 4 units (1.5 to 2 pints of beer - or 50-80mg/100ml) there is usually a feeling of relaxation and mild sedation. There may be a slight impairment of steady movement. This is the legal limit for driving a vehicle and in fact 4 units of alcohol could put some people over the 80 mg/100ml legal blood alcohol limit.

why drive if you know your reactions are impaired????

if you hit someone....

well, if he's a copper....

i wouldn't risk it at all....

How to work it out

Multiply the volume/amount of drink in milliltres by percentage ABV, then divide by 1000.

For example with a 175ml glass of wine at 13% ABV

175 (amount) X 13 (%ABV) = 2,275

Divided by 1000 = 2.275 ie 2.3 units

Now let's take 1 pint of strong lager at 8% ABV

1 pint (568ml) X 8 = 4544

Divided by 1000 = 4.544 ie 4.5 units

Sobering thought!

I can get pissed enough to feel not quite myself on half a shandy but am pretty sure I would be within the limit.

He is a bloody idiot, hes a copper and knows he might be impaired , does he realise the consquences if he gets found over the limit !