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

[waxthis]

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

Forgot about the lawers cut.. All I'm syaing here is that the idea of jail time might make more of a difference, lowering the BAC wont do anything.

[OneGuy67]

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.

I'm confused as to what you are trying to convey here. Do you believe that the example is incorrect and the norm would be a higher BrAC or a lower BrAC? How is the reporting swaying people towards the NTSB or MADD? While I would agree that if an ignorant person saw this example and said to themselves they could now drink 4 beers in an hour because the TV said so, then they deserve what comes to them.

There isn't a standard limit set per poundage or age. It is as Ronin has stated that metabolizing is a consistent standard, as everyone metabolizes in a consistent manner, roughly a .015 per hour, but the amount available to metabolize does change based upon several factors. Food consumption is a big one as it closes the pyloric valve, which is the muscle between your stomach and your small intestine. This allows for a slower absorption of alcohol, verses having no food in the stomach and the alcohol flowing directly into the small intestine and being quickly absorbed into the blood stream. One reason why bars are required to serve/have food available as part of their licensing. Gender is another. Females have more water and fat in their bodies, which affects their absorption rate. I've forgotten a lot about the science of it since I no longer teach on the subject.

[Bailey Guns]

Forgot about the lawers cut.. All I'm syaing here is that the idea of jail time might make more of a difference, lowering the BAC wont do anything.

Can't forget about the lawyers!

And I look at this in a similar way I look at the new magazine law. It will deter some people...those that would've already been deterred by the current levels. People like you and me who probably obey the law and fear the penalties for getting a DUI. Just like we're the only type of people that will be affected by the mag law.

The hard-core types with several DUIs won't give a rat's ass about it dropping. They're gonna drink and drive anyway.

[MarkCO]

Actually, the point is there are some people who DO drink, in fact get drunk, but don't DRIVE drunk...that is called "personal responsibility". From the "liberal" perspective that says you can't be too tough on people who kill others while driving drunk, we "have" to do something, so they enact laws. If MORE people were responsible, then letting a few drunks rot in jail, or the death penalty for willful and wanton disregard for human life in the case of a drunk killing someone, we would not have to even be having this discussion.

Sorry, but some of you are probably young and foolish and still in, or at least still clinging to the "Superman" cloak of youthful invincibility. Those of us with a few more years WERE there at some point and you might consider that the hindsight and such gained wisdom has some merit. When a drunk takes your kid, parent, friend from you due to their totally shelfish action of driving drunk, it might alter your perspective as well.

So say we get rid of the legal limits, BUT, you kill someone while driving drunk, get the electric chair. You damage property or put someone in the hospital, pay them back and go to jail...no more license insurance for what 10 years...Would that work better?

The "limits" have no influence on the selfish drunk, nor the responsible drinker. It is the middle pack that the limits seek to control because they have no self control, and we see where that got Ted Kennedy...Do we put their parents in prison for raising a irresponsible selfish offspring?

[Chad4000]

what you guys are all talking about is just the penatly for NOTHING happening.. DUI check point = jail time??????

the idea would be, make the penalties VERY stiff if something actually happened. even on your first DUI, if you actually crash a car, 30 day and all these horrible fines. if you hurt somebody, jail time etc...

[bigshane]

I'm confused as to what you are trying to convey here. Do you believe that the example is incorrect and the norm would be a higher BrAC or a lower BrAC? How is the reporting swaying people towards the NTSB or MADD? While I would agree that if an ignorant person saw this example and said to themselves they could now drink 4 beers in an hour because the TV said so, then they deserve what comes to them.

The example is irresponsible and should say 2 beers like every other source has for decades.

[muddywings]

I'll agree with some and disagree with others. I don't have a problem with them lowering the limit but I don't think the lower limit will cause people to stop drinking and driving. IMHO-first offense....hey people make mistakes, pretty big fine to teach you a lesson. Second offense, ok, you are an idiot, jail time and big fine. Third offense, you can't learn and Darwin hasn't helped so since you will probably kill someone sooner or later-life in prison or get the needle.
I've said this before, we have evolved to a point as a species that we have caused evolution to become obsolete and therefore we allow the weak and stupid to continue to breed vs die off.
STOP THE BREEDING!!!

[Ronin13]

In the words of my 1SG:
"If you're gonna drink, don't drive. If you're gonna drive, don't drink." Simple enough... /thread.

[Dave_L]

In the words of my 1SG:
"If you're gonna drink, don't drive. If you're gonna drive, don't drink." Simple enough... /thread.

^This. Its why I rarely drink anymore because it's too much of a pain in the ass. I don't like sleeping on floors or couches anymore so unless I have a spare bed to crash in or a DD home, I'm staying sober.

[Bailey Guns]

In the words of my 1SG:
"If you're gonna drink, don't drive. If you're gonna drive, don't drink." Simple enough... /thread.

I think that advice is probably good advice for young men and women in the Army with little real life experience...the type of person you would expect a 1SG to be talking to. But for a responsible adult I really don't see a problem with having a beer with dinner over an hour or hour and a half and then driving home.