Do americans use breathalisers at all?

Guy:Incognito

and if not, how come?

Just looking at an american cop show on Dave and the cop pulls over a girl in a Jeeep Wrangler for driving a bit erratically and blaring music.

He asks he did she have a drink and she says she had a beer about 2 hours ago, then on further questioning she said she had 2 beers. He then says "you seem fine off you go" , wtf? So shes able to follow his finger while he moves it from side to side so he reckons shes fine to drive.

As soon as he pulled her she seemed really giddy and abvioously a bit drunk. Just all seems a bit mad.



Edited to add a full stop, not to change spelling in the title as some would have you believe.:)

sammy657

Na they usually ask you to say the alphabet backwards but then again you wouldnt be able to do that even sober without making an error or thinking for a few secs

Berty

They do the FST(field sobriety test) roadside and if they feel the person is over the limit they take them back to the station for the real tests.

Green Hornet

I visit the US a couple of times a year with work and I'm always amazed how many of them drink and drive. Actually, even more than drink and drive - get sloshed and drive.

They just dont seem to worry about it at all.

towel401

if you drive slow they pull you over because a lot of people drive slow when they're drunk

miceal

Green Hornet wrote: »

I visit the US a couple of times a year with work and I'm always amazed how many of them drink and drive. Actually, even more than drink and drive - get sloshed and drive.

They just dont seem to worry about it at all.

Yea i have to agree with you there there is a lot of drinking and driving over there when i lived there it was normal - Kinda scared me.

In relation to the ABC's i can't even say them backwards sober.

They also make you walk the line and out stretch your arm and then touch the tip of your nose

antodeco

Breadthalisers??

To see if they are over their yeast allowance?

Guy:Incognito

antodeco wrote: »

Breadthalisers??

To see if they are over their yeast allowance?

No idea what your talking about. Your mad, you.

antodeco

Stekelly wrote: »

No idea what your talking about. Your mad, you.

Dam you and your editing skills!

I remember hearing on top gear or somewhere that in places like Texas its acceptable to have say 5 or 6 beers and drive home and that everybody does it once your not totally P****d. Also in Wisconsin you have to be done for drink driving 5 times before you can be put of the road(heard it on the radio recently).

Eoin

Didn't the Gardai have to have some grounds to breathalise you before the random testing came in? Presumably it's the same in the States, only with their litigious nature, they have to really cover themselves before breathalising someone.

Anyone ever see Reno 911?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxizlKbqbqo

chris85

eoin_s wrote: »

Didn't the Gardai have to have some grounds to breathalise you before the random testing came in? Presumably it's the same in the States, only with their litigious nature, they have to really cover themselves before breathalising someone.

Anyone ever see Reno 911?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxizlKbqbqo

brilliant!!!

cashmni1

chris85 wrote: »

brilliant!!!

+1

L-M

I thought it was
Cop "Sir, have you been drinking"
Sir "splurs words"
Cop "Sir, i'm going to have to ask you to get out of the car"
Sir "Splurs more words and gives cop a funny look"
Cop *pulls out gun and starts firing*.

Therefore, no need for a breathaliser.

L-M

eoin_s wrote: »

Didn't the Gardai have to have some grounds to breathalise you before the random testing came in? Presumably it's the same in the States, only with their litigious nature, they have to really cover themselves before breathalising someone.

Anyone ever see Reno 911?

Lol very funny!

Del2005

towel401 wrote: »

if you drive slow they pull you over because a lot of people drive slow when they're drunk

Got pulled over doing that, granted the driver had drunk, but we where looking for an intersection. Cop let the driver off.

quirke_folder wrote: »

They do the FST(field sobriety test) roadside and if they feel the person is over the limit they take them back to the station for the real tests.

And if you practice enough you can pass these. Also know a non drinker who was arrested for DUI, no idea how he failed the FST, but cops where well pissed off when they found out he was sober.

Green Hornet wrote: »

I visit the US a couple of times a year with work and I'm always amazed how many of them drink and drive. Actually, even more than drink and drive - get sloshed and drive.

They just dont seem to worry about it at all.

Yeah they have a terrible attiude to DUIing over there. We used to get strange looks walking to a pub.

towel401

Del2005 wrote: »

Yeah they have a terrible attiude to DUIing over there. We used to get strange looks walking to a pub.

you get strange looks walking anywhere in america. people just don't walk there.
over there you're expected to drive a pick up or some other huge slow ****er of a car with a 6 litre engine that can only barely get past 100 because its so ****ing big and heavy

Manic Moran

Couple of reasons for the US.

Firstly, the Breathalyzer is not usually the definitive evidence. That comes with the blood test. Secondly, there are more factors which could come into play in which could be picked up in a field sobriety test than would be picked up by a breathalyzer. For example, if the driver is high on marijuana his ability to drive may be impaired, but the breathalyzer won't pick it up.
Generally speaking, the portable breathalysers are as well regarded as an FST. They give grounds to detain, but are not sufficient to count as proof in themselves. Those which -are- accurate are considered to be chemical testing, which is prohibited by the 4th Amendment without probable cause. That probable cause is obtained by the FST.

So, they're out there, and they are often used, but they are almost invariably only used after the standard sobriety test.

NTM

Del2005

towel401 wrote: »

you get strange looks walking anywhere in america. people just don't walk there.
over there you're expected to drive a pick up or some other huge slow ****er of a car with a 6 litre engine that can only barely get past 100 because its so ****ing big and heavy

That's all changed now, last time I was over it was all small cars such as Corollas and the like. Very few trucks where on the road compared to the times before that. Still doesn't explain why they all drink and drive.

Tazzle

I'd imagine it's much easier to drive on wide straight roads than narrow Irish country roads with sharp their bends and crazy limits. And where as here the pub can be just around the corner, in a lot of American places the pub can be a good journey and getting a cab isn't really an option.

SV

Tazzle wrote: »

I'd imagine it's much easier to drive on wide straight roads than narrow Irish country roads with sharp their bends and crazy limits. And where as here the pub can be just around the corner, in a lot of American places the pub can be a good journey and getting a cab isn't really an option.

Ah sure that makes it all ok.

Manic Moran

Del2005 wrote: »

Still doesn't explain why they all drink and drive.

I think we have a higher ratio of designated drivers to drinkers in this country. We all get to the pub in cars, but we're not all drink driving.

NTM

Del2005

Tazzle wrote: »

I'd imagine it's much easier to drive on wide straight roads than narrow Irish country roads with sharp their bends and crazy limits. And where as here the pub can be just around the corner, in a lot of American places the pub can be a good journey and getting a cab isn't really an option.

But they have bendy bits on US roads, the on/off ramps have some crazy angles, added to the fact that most US cars handle like barges it doesn't make it any safer. It's much more dangerous to drive on motorways/freeways when tired or drunk as you start to fall asleep, at least on an Irish boreen you don't have that to worry about.

Manic Moran wrote: »

I think we have a higher ratio of designated drivers to drinkers in this country. We all get to the pub in cars, but we're not all drink driving.

NTM

Not everyone who drives to an Irish pub is drinking;). From the small sample I've met in the US they have the same attitude we had about 10-15 years ago, only going out for a few so I'll be fine.

While our politicians and Gardai have done a great job in driving our drink driving rate down there are still a hardcore who do it. Most of the younger generation here wouldn't dream of getting into a car with any drink, but a lot of people I met in the US regularly DUI'd.

Henry Ford III

I know of a well known Irish travel agent who was done for DUI in Florida a few years back.

Apparently it was a uniquely bad experience.

Stephen

Del2005 wrote: »

That's all changed now, last time I was over it was all small cars such as Corollas and the like. Very few trucks where on the road compared to the times before that. Still doesn't explain why they all drink and drive.

I think that depends where you are - I was in Idaho a couple of months ago and there were far more massive pickups on the road than regular cars. I did notice much more drinking and driving going on there too. The guys I talked to were of the opinion that as long as you don't give the cops any probable cause to stop you (such as broken tail lights, no seatbelts, driving like an idiot, etc), they won't.
The punishment when you are caught does seem to be taken much more seriously than it is here though.

As an aside, the local police there had Dodge Chargers for patrol cars. Nice :cool:

draycottgirlz

quirke_folder wrote: »

They do the FST(field sobriety test) roadside and if they feel the person is over the limit they take them back to the station for the real tests.

Not entirely true

Green Hornet wrote: »

I visit the US a couple of times a year with work and I'm always amazed how many of them drink and drive. Actually, even more than drink and drive - get sloshed and drive.

They just dont seem to worry about it at all.

ya they do pretty relaxed about it

Stephen wrote: »

I think that depends where you are - I was in Idaho a couple of months ago and there were far more massive pickups on the road than regular cars. I did notice much more drinking and driving going on there too. The guys I talked to were of the opinion that as long as you don't give the cops any probable cause to stop you (such as broken tail lights, no seatbelts, driving like an idiot, etc), they won't.
The punishment when you are caught does seem to be taken much more seriously than it is here though.

As an aside, the local police there had Dodge Chargers for patrol cars. Nice :cool:

Basically yes they do, but it rare and not all cars carry the equipment.

They will try the touching your nose with your index finger first and perhaps afterwards get you to do the test