Quote Originally Posted by zip View Post
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.