Alcohol in blood / drunkeness

[Amadeus]

For a number of reasons, I very rarely drink alcohol (I don't have a problem with others drinking). When I do, it only takes a little to make me feel drunk.
So the question is, would I be over the limit if I took a breathaliser test? I'm thinking not as the amount of alcohol in my blood wouldn't be high, tho actually I certainly wouldn't say I was safe to drive.

[Fallout]

I may be stating the obvious here, but it depends how much you've had! :-P Just feeling tipsy doesn't necessarily mean you're over the limit, it could just mean you're not used to the sensation.

[Amadeus]

Sorry, yes, I wasn't clear. Recently I felt pretty drunk after one glass of champers - presumably not enough to be over the alcohol limit.

[shonadoll]

If you felt slightly affected then despite what a breath test says, don't drive. Personally I never drink and drive not even one. Safest way, even a half pint what's the point if you had an accident you'd always be thinking what if?

[Amadeus]

Indeed, I don't touch a drop if I'm driving. Not a hardship for me as I am not really bothered about drinking alcohol. Was more wondering whether I would be legally allowed to drive, tho I felt completely incapable.

[Fallout]

I think it's the fallacy of the breath test in full flow. One man can drink 3 pints and be over the limit, but feel capable and probably is, then someone like yourself can sniff a shandy, get behind the wheel and then mow dow a load of school children on a field trip while still under the limit. :D

Not to diss the breath test though. There has to be a mechanism in place and it does the job for the most part. :)

[johnnyrod]

You can be busted for being under the influence evne if you'r under the limit I think. If there's doubt then you get your blood sucked for the official test.

[yorkie_chris]

I presume you wouldn't be driving home naked and singing after trying to take a sh*t on your bosses head at the works party after a glass of champers, if you just feel slightly inebriated after a small amount you're probably just not used to the sensation.

Or you're chinese, which is hilarious when you get a table full of them trying to drink 2 Yorkshiremen under the table :)

[Amadeus]

I presume you wouldn't be driving home naked and singing after trying to take a sh*t on your bosses head at the works party after a glass of champers, if you just feel slightly inebriated after a small amount you're probably just not used to the sensation.

TBH, I'm not very good at multitasking so once I'm drunk and nekked (kind of go hand in hand), I'm not up to singing, abusing my boss etc.

[Littlepeahead]

I've met people who the more they drink the more they seem to think they are able to drive as the impaired judgement of having a drink makes them think they are not affected - which is a worry for everyone else on the road.

I haven't had a drink in over a week - I don't drink much normally as like you it affects me quickly but I've given up the dinnertime glass of wine. So by the time I go to Wales with 6 of the Org boys next weekend it's likely that half a thimblefull of Baileys could have me plastered. Not that I plan to get naked with them. Just because there is a pool table. I've learnt from Prince Harry!

[timwilky]

Or you're chinese, which is hilarious when you get a table full of them trying to drink 2 Yorkshiremen under the table :)


Even better where you attend a serious formal Chinese reception. They have a toast of gambay. Where they expect the gweilo to empty their glass and they sip from theirs.

After a while we realised our hosts were not drinking. So at the next shout we put empty glasses upside down on our heads. They had to follow suit. So if they did not drink, they got wet.

Got told off next day as our hosts thought we had insulted them by forcing them to empty glasses of alcohol over their heads. But then again, I cannot blame the Chinese for not drinking. My own theory is Maotai is distilled from dead bodies.

[Samp]

This is a very interesting question. I don't have any scientific answers, but my own experience is that it takes rapid consumption of alcohol to make me 'feel drunk', and drinking for hours at the weekend doesn't make me feel drunk, and doesn't give me any observable physical difficulties. What I read would suggest that alcohol leaves the body at a fixed rate which is much slower than the rate at which even slow drinking would add it, and so by that measure by 9PM after starting at lunch I should be rat-faced, but I don't feel anything at all.

If on the other hand I neck a pint in a hurry I immeadiatley feel drunk.

Blood alcohol for legal purposes is the crime, it doesn't matter if you personally were capable of threading a needle with a space shuttle while solving soduku - you're not allowed to have more than a set amount of blood alcohol, but being drunk is a different matter.

I know people who go do lally with the first sip and remain cretins all night, and I know people more like me who seem unaffected.

I never drink if I'm driving, and hence never bother going out because Taxi's cost ludicrous amounts of money and if a drunkard stands near you in the queue they drive off and you have to walk.

But I often wonder when I see wibbly idiots weaving about on the road; how much blood-alcohol I would need to be as dangerous as the average sober driver?

[timwilky]

if you get drunk easily. You are perfect company for DavePreston. He has the drinking capacity of a slug. I suggest a night out with him. Home for 8 o'clock in time for horlicks.

[Dabteacake]

I tend to feel drunk after I have had about 2 strong beers and half an hour has passed. We get this a lot in work with drink briefs.

it takes 1 hour to process 1 unit of alcohol. So roughly 10 pints is 15 units at 1.5 units a pint so 15 hours to be back to a normal level. It all depends on your chemical reactivity to the alcohol as some people dont get affected by it as much as others

I feel fine to drive after a magners but wouldnt drive after 2 as I know I am over the limit but probably just as good as if not drinking