The NTSB recommends dropping that to a BAC level of .05.

[OneGuy67]

^^^^ What are you questioning with the WTF? ^^^^ The age, the gender, the amount, the time or the BrAC end result? It is about right, given my experience.

My wife and I decided to try a test a few years ago. I'm a gin drinker, she was a vodka drinker. She is 5'8", 140 lbs, I'm 6'0", 210 lbs. We both ate the same dinner before going out. We both ordered the same type of drink with the alcohol being the difference (gin and tonic; vodka and tonic). We both drank three drinks in a little over an hour. After waiting 20 minutes to get rid of the mouth alcohol, we both blew into a Portable Breath Tester (PBT). I blew a .044 BrAC and she blew a .09 BrAC. Size, gender, food consumption, do matter.

[Ronin13]

Over in NY, where citizens have no rights at all, if someone had too much to drink and decides to sleep it off in the back of their car, with the keys in their pocket rather than the ignition, that is considered DWI. Being drunk in a vehicle with keys is all you need to be convicted. Engine can be cold and you could've been sleeping for hours . . . and if you don't unlock the door to get arrested, they can bust the window and unlock it for you. I've heard of dozens of cases like that. One was even a guy sleeping in a motor home.

Like Irving said, same here in CO, which I think is about the dumbest sh*t I've heard in relation to DUI law. Trying to be responsible and you can still get busted. What do they suggest as an alternative if you can't get a ride home? Bury your keys? Toss them off to the side of the road? Give me a break... I hope that a LEO that catches someone doing this would be a nice guy.

^^^^ What are you questioning with the WTF? ^^^^ The age, the gender, the amount, the time or the BrAC end result? It is about right, given my experience.

My wife and I decided to try a test a few years ago. I'm a gin drinker, she was a vodka drinker. She is 5'8", 140 lbs, I'm 6'0", 210 lbs. We both ate the same dinner before going out. We both ordered the same type of drink with the alcohol being the difference (gin and tonic; vodka and tonic). We both drank three drinks in a little over an hour. After waiting 20 minutes to get rid of the mouth alcohol, we both blew into a Portable Breath Tester (PBT). I blew a .044 BrAC and she blew a .09 BrAC. Size, gender, food consumption, do matter.

Not to mention metabolic rate, presence of diabetes or not, BFI... on and on it goes, there are a lot of factors that can determine how your body metabolizes and absorbs alcohol leading to your BAC... That's what I get for dating a nurse in my youth who studied very hard on this subject (she was also an alcohol counselor for people who got DUIs). It really is a science.

[MarkCO]

Like Irving said, same here in CO, which I think is about the dumbest sh*t I've heard in relation to DUI law. Trying to be responsible and you can still get busted. What do they suggest as an alternative if you can't get a ride home? Bury your keys? Toss them off to the side of the road? Give me a break... I hope that a LEO that catches someone doing this would be a nice guy.

You have the CRS reference or case law for that?

[waxthis]

What kind of education person thinks ANYONE is going to change their drinking habits because of a BAC change. You want to stop the "so called" madness, hit em in the pocket and stiffen the penalties. Caught wasted cruising in your 3000 lbs plus hunk of steel, good, one month minimum jail time, "MANDATORY" and a nice 5k fine, in addition to all the other classes and fees that go with...I'm sick and tired of the gov making new rules, while the fines and penalties are basically nonexistent, when peeps see what getting caught might cost them, you might start to see a significant culture change.

[Bailey Guns]

Actually, financial penalties and other associated costs for DUIs are pretty stiff. Jail time is a different story. Of course, the penalties are only heavy if you're the type to do the right thing after the DUI...go to court, counseling, treatment, lawyer fees, court costs, etc... If you the typical multi-offender that really doesn't care that stuff won't add up to much because you won't do it.

[waxthis]

Actually, financial penalties and other associated costs for DUIs are pretty stiff. Jail time is a different story. Of course, the penalties are only heavy if you're the type to do the right thing after the DUI...go to court, counseling, treatment, lawyer fees, court costs, etc... If you the typical multi-offender that really doesn't care that stuff won't add up to much because you won't do it.

Agreed, however if I knew that extra beer would cost me my job due to prison time, you can bet I would think twice about my evening plans...Wonder what type of deal Todd Helton got?

[Ronin13]

What kind of education person thinks ANYONE is going to change their drinking habits because of a BAC change. You want to stop the "so called" madness, hit em in the pocket and stiffen the penalties. Caught wasted cruising in your 3000 lbs plus hunk of steel, good, one month minimum jail time, "MANDATORY" and a nice 5k fine, in addition to all the other classes and fees that go with...I'm sick and tired of the gov making new rules, while the fines and penalties are basically nonexistent, when peeps see what getting caught might cost them, you might start to see a significant culture change.

I'm confused... you think that DUI penalties are lenient now? Have you or anyone you know gotten a DUI lately? Let me break it down for you, little brother, DUI in 2006, probably $10,000 total- or would have been but he got hooked up on the lawyer end. Friend, DUI in 2011, has paid at least $16,000 in the 18mos since, not to mention probation, and interlocker on his car that he has to pay MONTHLY for... Total expected to climb above $18,000 before he is free and clear later this year. On average, as of 2012, a DUI in CO will end up costing $12,000 for non-injury/non-accident DUI charge. Drug charges don't cost that much.

[bigshane]

^^^^ What are you questioning with the WTF? ^^^^ The age, the gender, the amount, the time or the BrAC end result? It is about right, given my experience.

My wife and I decided to try a test a few years ago. I'm a gin drinker, she was a vodka drinker. She is 5'8", 140 lbs, I'm 6'0", 210 lbs. We both ate the same dinner before going out. We both ordered the same type of drink with the alcohol being the difference (gin and tonic; vodka and tonic). We both drank three drinks in a little over an hour. After waiting 20 minutes to get rid of the mouth alcohol, we both blew into a Portable Breath Tester (PBT). I blew a .044 BrAC and she blew a .09 BrAC. Size, gender, food consumption, do matter.

I question the entire premise that: "A thirty year old male weighing 180 lbs. would need to consume just over 4 beers in an hour to reach a blood alcohol level of .05"
This would be an exception, and not the norm, in my unlearned opinion.

I've never heard anything that lax. I think it's irresponsible reporting meant to skew the story and sway people to the ntsb/madd side.

"Just over 4 beers in an hour" for a 180 lb'er to make .05. seriously? I've never seen a chart, recommendation, or heard a cop say that 4 beers in an hour is a safe level back in the days of .10 being the limit, much less .05!

In your example you drank over 25% less, and weigh 30 lbs. more than the example and got too close for comfort to the line when a trip to jail and thousands of dollars are at stake.

[waxthis]

I'm confused... you think that DUI penalties are lenient now? Have you or anyone you know gotten a DUI lately? Let me break it down for you, little brother, DUI in 2006, probably $10,000 total- or would have been but he got hooked up on the lawyer end. Friend, DUI in 2011, has paid at least $16,000 in the 18mos since, not to mention probation, and interlocker on his car that he has to pay MONTHLY for... Total expected to climb above $18,000 before he is free and clear later this year. On average, as of 2012, a DUI in CO will end up costing $12,000 for non-injury/non-accident DUI charge. Drug charges don't cost that much.

Oh I know they CAN be stiff................A lawer will NOT be able to get you out of the mandatory Jail time with my idea. Think good old Todd will pay $18k???????????????????????????

[Bailey Guns]

Think good old Todd will pay $18k???????????????????????????

Yeah, I do. Or close to it. With his lawyers and status? He'll pay that much.