Help me on Drink Driving law 2018

Masala

Hi. Am trying to make sense of the googling I am doing on what is the new law and see how it applies to 1 glass of wine.

Drink aware advice that 1 x 100ml is equal to I x Standard drink. It further advises that that's equal to 9 grams of alcohol. But the legislation is based on 50ml per 100ml of blood.

So... how do I convert from the grams to ml to see what a glass of wine registers in a 100ml of blood

Sorry..... I never good on the new metric. I came through pints and quarts and miles and feet!!

Ps.... this is not a 'how many pints can I drink before getting caught by the guards' thread.

endacl

To many variables to give a standard answer.

Kevin Finnerty

I've one word to that whole barrage of words OP,

TIKKA!

lmimmfn

Thinly veiled 'how many pints can I drink before getting caught by the guards'

JackieChan

Masala wrote: »

Hi. Am trying to make sense of the googling I am doing on what is the new law and see how it applies to 1 glass of wine.

Drink aware advice that 1 x 100ml is equal to I x Standard drink. It further advises that that's equal to 9 grams of alcohol. But the legislation is based on 50ml per 100ml of blood.

So... how do I convert from the grams to ml to see what a glass of wine registers in a 100ml of blood

Sorry..... I never good on the new metric. I came through pints and quarts and miles and feet!!

Ps.... this is not a 'how many pints can I drink before getting caught by the guards' thread.

The amount of alcohol you would find in a persons blood will differ between people depending on age, sex, weight, when and what you last ate/drank, a long with many other factors. So while you can give a generalisation there is really too many factors to have any meaning.

Graces7

JackieChan wrote: »

The amount of alcohol you would find in a persons blood will differ between people depending on age, sex, weight, when and what you last ate/drank, a long with many other factors. So while you can give a generalisation there is really too many factors to have any meaning.

So the only real answer is? Don't drink if you are driving. Easy enough?

OldMrBrennan83

lmimmfn wrote: »

Thinly veiled 'how many pints can I drink before getting caught by the guards'

Why is it thinly veiled? That's exactly what people should know.

dan1895

NEW metric system??

the beer revolu

Graces7 wrote: »

So the only real answer is? Don't drink if you are driving. Easy enough?

But for how long before driving?
2 hours? 12 hours, 24 hours?

Graces7

the beer revolu wrote: »

But for how long before driving?
2 hours? 12 hours, 24 hours?

depends surely on your motivation. If you are seeking to avoid being caught by the Gardai when you are having a night out, or if you are genuinely concerned about the safety and welfare of other road users - which the laws are about.

drinking is not worth the hassle and dangers it brings.

OldMrBrennan83

Graces7 wrote: »

depends surely on your motivation. If you are seeking to avoid being caught by the Gardai when you are having a night out, or if you are genuinely concerned about the safety and welfare of other road users - which the laws are about.

drinking is not worth the hassle and dangers it brings.

In the real world you still might need to be able to drive a car the next day after having a few drinks the night before and there's nothing wrong with knowing what your limits are.

Guy:Incognito

Patww79 wrote: »

Why is it thinly veiled? That's exactly what people should know.

Why bother risking anything for 1 glass of wine?

Can people really not manage to go without drink when they are driving?

OldMrBrennan83

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

Why bother risking anything for 1 glass of wine?

Can people really not manage to go without drink when they are driving?

I drive 99% of days. So I've two choices: never drink again for fear of being bagged the next day or aim to find out when I'm ok to drive the next day after a few.

the beer revolu

Patww79 wrote: »

I drive 99% of days. So I've two choices: never drink again for fear of being bagged the next day or aim to find out when I'm ok to drive the next day after a few.

This was really the point I was trying to make.
Time is always a factor.
Saying don't ever drink and drive can only apply to people who either don't drink or don't drive.

Nonoperational

Plenty of info about this online. Body eliminates approx 1 standard drink per hour. If you're a 40kg female that never drank it'll be less, if you're a 100kg alcoholic it'll be far more. For most people, have 4 pints between 8-11pm, drive at 7am should be fine.

the beer revolu

Graces7 wrote: »

So the only real answer is? Don't drink if you are driving. Easy enough?

OK.
I will be driving tomorrow afternoon. Do you think I can have alcohol today?

Masala

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

Why bother risking anything for 1 glass of wine?

Can people really not manage to go without drink when they are driving?

That's the same as saying if you don't want points for speeding... then don't drive!! If you can drive to 80kph in a zone .. then you allowed to drive 79kph on that street and still be legal

It's not illegal to drink and drive ... otherwise the law would say 0% alcholol in the blood is the limit. The question is trying to equate 50mls to a glass of wine.

Balanadan

Gone are the good old days of about 5 years ago where you could go for a rake of pints and drive home. It's very much frowned upon these days, by much of society as well as law enforcement. A cultural shift, if you will.

OldMrBrennan83

Balanadan wrote: »

Gone are the good old days of about 5 years ago where you could go for a rake of pints and drive home. It's very much frowned upon these days, by much of society as well as law enforcement. A cultural shift, if you will.

Yeah that's what everyone is saying.

Graces7

Balanadan wrote: »

Gone are the good old days of about 5 years ago where you could go for a rake of pints and drive home. It's very much frowned upon these days, by much of society as well as law enforcement. A cultural shift, if you will.

and a good shift. As all of us who have lost loved ones to this scourge will attest.

This is not about legalism but about life and death, and about being responsible and accountable.

OldMrBrennan83

Graces7 wrote: »

and a good shift. As all of us who have lost loved ones to this scourge will attest.

This is not about legalism but about life and death, and about being responsible and accountable.

You've answered nothing that has been asked in reply to you.

_Brian

Masala wrote: »

Hi. Am trying to make sense of the googling I am doing on what is the new law and see how it applies to 1 glass of wine.

Drink aware advice that 1 x 100ml is equal to I x Standard drink. It further advises that that's equal to 9 grams of alcohol. But the legislation is based on 50ml per 100ml of blood.

So... how do I convert from the grams to ml to see what a glass of wine registers in a 100ml of blood

Sorry..... I never good on the new metric. I came through pints and quarts and miles and feet!!

Ps.... this is not a 'how many pints can I drink before getting caught by the guards' thread.

I think it’s easier to use their standard unit idea as a guide.

So say a bottle of beer is a standard unit, the average male body eliminates 1 standard unit per hour.
So if you have four bottles of beer you should be clear after 4 hours.

Markcheese

Is a normal bottle of beer (330ml) a standard drink though?

average_runner

Standard rule is a bottle takes an hour. So if you have 5 drinks and stop at 11pm, you be easily ok the next day.

There is no definite rule per person so if in doubt dont drive. Quite simple.

_Brian

average_runner wrote: »

Standard rule is a bottle takes an hour. So if you have 5 drinks and stop at 11pm, you be easily ok the next day.

There is no definite rule per person so if in doubt dont drive. Quite simple.

Easily, remember your body is processing the first drink as your drinking away, it’s not like your having the five drinks all at once at 11pm

If you had your five drinks over three hours you’d be able to drive by 1am.

If you drank a bottle of beer every hour you’d essentially always be ready to drive within an hour of stopping.

Graces7

Patww79 wrote: »

You've answered nothing that has been asked in reply to you.

Yes I know. The questions were imo not really worthy of answering and were already replied to more than adequately by other posters to whom I refer you .

I did also raise aspects that have been ignored

Not about to argue with you; others are dealing with the real aspects of this subject that is infinitely painful to so many folk .

Over and out from me.

Discodog

It's bit like saying you can't break the speed limit but not giving you a speedometer. The law needs to differentiate between those who accidentally go just over the limit & those who drink & don't care.

I would reduce the sentences, for being over the limit by up to 20% & treble the sentence for being 50% over.

thomasm

Buy a breathtlyser, I’ve was surprised a few mornings when I’ve used it at first and did not drive. However it then helps you know what you can drink and how long your body takes to process it out of your system and when you are safe to drive

Edward M

You could buy your own breathalyser and check yourself if you wanted to be certain.
Just a note, I went to the local shop the other night at about 8:30, a mile from home, came on a checkpoint and was breathalysed, had no drink in, but I have often gone after a couple thinking I was ok, just down the road, who knows if I had a couple of cans what could be the result?

cbyrd

Patww79 wrote:

In the real world you still might need to be able to drive a car the next day after having a few drinks the night before and there's nothing wrong with knowing what your limits are.

The rule of thumb to be sure is one hour per drink from when you stop drinking. So if you've have seven drinks, stop at 11pm, then you should be fine by 6am. This is to cover differences in sex, weight, height, food intake and tolerance.
It's the one I always followed.

Seth Brundle

Discodog wrote: »

It's bit like saying you can't break the speed limit but not giving you a speedometer. The law needs to differentiate between those who accidentally go just over the limit & those who drink & don't care.

I would reduce the sentences, for being over the limit by up to 20% & treble the sentence for being 50% over.

The government want to reinforce the message that no alcohol is ok if you're driving. Whilst there needs to be a small allowance to overcome accidental consumption e.g. mouthwash they should not encourage consumption by saying that there are different degrees of unacceptability

Victor

Masala wrote: »

But the legislation is based on 50ml per 100ml of blood.

This is off by a factor of 1,000. It's 50mg per 100ml of blood.

The rules: http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/travel_and_recreation/motoring_1/driving_offences/drink_driving_offences_in_ireland.html

Driving or attempting to drive a mechanically propelled vehicle in a public place while there is present in your body a quantity of alcohol such that, within 3 hours after so driving or attempting to drive, the concentration of alcohol in your blood exceeds a concentration of:
- 50 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood for experience drivers
- 20 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood for other drivers

Note that the second category also applies to bus & truck drivers and some others.

Masala wrote: »

Drink aware advice that 1 x 100ml is equal to I x Standard drink. It further advises that that's equal to 9 grams of alcohol. But the legislation is based on 50ml per 100ml of blood.

So... how do I convert from the grams to ml to see what a glass of wine registers in a 100ml of blood

You can't convert directly without knowing other information.

The alcohol content of wine, like any other drink will vary. While the label % will be reasonably accurate, it won't be perfectly accurate. But let us say the glass of wine has 9 grams of alcohol.

Humans have blood equal to about 7% of their body weight. This will vary.

Let us say an adult human weighs 70kg. This will vary.

Blood has a density of about 1 kg/litre. This will vary.

So, 'our' human has 5 kg (5 litres) of blood. This is 5,000 millilitres.

That's 9 grams of alcohol per 5,000 millilitres of blood.

This is equivalent of 180 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood.

Now this is well above the legal limit. The difference is accounted for by a number of factors. Not all alcohol is absorbed. The alcohol that is absorbed takes time to be absorbed. When absorbed we start to both burn it in our livers and remove if from our blood with our kidneys. These factors will vary from person to person.

So, as a general rule. Don't drink and drive at all. If you have been drinking, allow at least 1 hour per unit of alcohol before you drive. If you are below average weight or have a low alcohol tolerance, allow more time. If you've been drinking, make sure you re-hydrate and eat before driving.

vandriver

Victor wrote: »

You can't directly without know other information.

The alcohol content of wine, like any other drink will vary. While the label % will be reasonably accurate, it won't be perfectly accurate.

Humans have blood equal to about 7% of their body weight. This will vary.

Let us say an adult human weighs 70kg. This will vary.


The rules: http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/travel_and_recreation/motoring_1/driving_offences/drink_driving_offences_in_ireland.html

Note that the second category also applies to bus & truck drivers and some others.

And taxi drivers?

OldMrBrennan83

Graces7 wrote: »

Yes I know. The questions were imo not really worthy of answering and were already replied to more than adequately by other posters to whom I refer you .

I did also raise aspects that have been ignored

Not about to argue with you; others are dealing with the real aspects of this subject that is infinitely painful to so many folk .

Over and out from me.

There's a shock.

Anyway, as has already been said later on; get a breathalyser. I bought one yesterday (had been asking about them in motors forum) after sitting for probably hours longer than I needed to yesterday morning before I could go anywhere.

OldMrBrennan83

cbyrd wrote: »

The rule of thumb to be sure is one hour per drink from when you stop drinking. So if you've have seven drinks, stop at 11pm, then you should be fine by 6am. This is to cover differences in sex, weight, height, food intake and tolerance.
It's the one I always followed.

Just one thing to remember is that most people drink cans or pints, so each one of them is really two drinks.

Victor

Patww79 wrote: »

two drinks.

Two units.

OldMrBrennan83

Victor wrote: »

Two units.

Yeah but the post I quoted seems to be calling a drink a unit, when pints and cans are two units, so two drinks.

Discodog

Seth Brundle wrote: »

The government want to reinforce the message that no alcohol is ok if you're driving. Whilst there needs to be a small allowance to overcome accidental consumption e.g. mouthwash they should not encourage consumption by saying that there are different degrees of unacceptability

There is a world of difference between someone who has one drink & accidentally goes over the limit & the guy who has 6 pints. Punishing the same is wrong. Ireland is following the UK. There will be a hardcore of drinkers who simply won't care. I have actually heard people say that they might as well be done for 6 pints.

Heckler

cbyrd wrote: »

The rule of thumb to be sure is one hour per drink from when you stop drinking. So if you've have seven drinks, stop at 11pm, then you should be fine by 6am. This is to cover differences in sex, weight, height, food intake and tolerance.
It's the one I always followed.

Nope. Like Brian said earlier. You start processing alcohol as soon as you start drinking. A lot of people have this notion that you start counting from the time you stop drinking. Start counting from the time you start drinking. i.e. have 4 pints between 6pm and 9pm. Thats 8 units. Tipsy till 5am ? Nope. Only till 2am.

Seth Brundle

Discodog wrote: »

There is a world of difference between someone who has one drink & accidentally goes over the limit & the guy who has 6 pints. Punishing the same is wrong. Ireland is following the UK. There will be a hardcore of drinkers who simply won't care. I have actually heard people say that they might as well be done for 6 pints.

So the slogan should really be "Never ever drink and drive but if you do then don't drink too much"?

Discodog

Seth Brundle wrote: »

So the slogan should really be "Never ever drink and drive but if you do then don't drink too much"?

No but someone will get caught this morning taking their kids to GAA. They won't deliberately drink & drive. They had a few drinks at home last night & were sure that they were safe & under the limit this morning. They get the same ban as the guy who went to the pub & didn't give a damn.

indioblack

Graces7 wrote: »

So the only real answer is? Don't drink if you are driving. Easy enough?

Spot on.
I gave up the booze a couple of years ago - found I liked it too much.
Bit of a drag at parties. Everyone laughing their heads off and I'm the one that has to drive them home.

3rdDegree

Heckler wrote: »

Nope. Like Brian said earlier. You start processing alcohol as soon as you start drinking. A lot of people have this notion that you start counting from the time you stop drinking. Start counting from the time you start drinking. i.e. have 4 pints between 6pm and 9pm. Thats 8 units. Tipsy till 5am ? Nope. Only till 2am.

Is this a joke? If not, then absolutely dreadful advice!

endacl

the beer revolu wrote: »

But for how long before driving?
2 hours? 12 hours, 24 hours?

A couple of years ago I did a gig with a friend who did the driving. Not being the driver, I had two pints as we were playing, and being somewhat ‘old school’ regarding the regulations, so did he. We played from 9-11, and headed off. We were pulled in at a checkpoint, and genius had left his license at home, and failed the test based on the lower level, and was duly arrested. I didn’t fancy being stranded, and asked the guard to test me too, to see if I’d be safe to drive his car. I blew a zero.

Now, the lesson I take from this isn’t that I’m grand to drink two pints over two hours and be ok to drive. I’m male, 40s, 6’4” and 17 stone and in good health. I processed two pints quickly that night. My pal didn’t. The lesson I take is that you never know and it’s best not to chance it.

Upshot of the night: the guards kept him waiting about an hour in the station before testing him again, he blew under the limit, and off he went.

RiderOnTheStorm

The problem with the grams of alcohol in the drink then in your blood, is that the amount of blood you have in your body is a huge variable. A glass of wine consumed by a small 8 stone adult and same glass in a 16 stone adult will result in different levels.

thomasm wrote:

Buy a breathtlyser.......it then helps you know what you can drink and how long your body takes to process it out of your system and when you are safe to drive

This is best way for you to know your levels.

Seth Brundle

Discodog wrote: »

No but someone will get caught this morning taking their kids to GAA. They won't deliberately drink & drive. They had a few drinks at home last night & were sure that they were safe & under the limit this morning. They get the same ban as the guy who went to the pub & didn't give a damn.

The reason for not allowing driving whilst you've alcohol is because of the scientific fact that it impairs ones ability to drive.
So how much alcohol do you think is ok to have in you when bringing kids to a gaa match? Id say none.
If you make allowances then you're saying some levels of alcohol are safer than others. You're either fit to drive or you're not: there is no middle ground.

Corb_lund

Seth Brundle wrote: »

The reason for not allowing driving whilst you've alcohol is because of the scientific fact that it impairs ones ability to drive.
So how much alcohol do you think is ok to have in you when bringing kids to a gaa match? Id say none.
If you make allowances then you're saying some levels of alcohol are safer than others. You're either fit to drive or you're not: there is no middle ground.

The sanctimonious people are out in force. The law says 0.5 is fine so you saying nil is contradicting that.

Going to be a boring world soon.

GarIT

Seth Brundle wrote: »

The reason for not allowing driving whilst you've alcohol is because of the scientific fact that it impairs ones ability to drive.
So how much alcohol do you think is ok to have in you when bringing kids to a gaa match? Id say none.
If you make allowances then you're saying some levels of alcohol are safer than others. You're either fit to drive or you're not: there is no middle ground.

I completely disagree. You ask how much alcohol is ok, whatever the limit is defines how much is ok.

There is a middle ground. I can't walk after having 12 pints. If I had one two hours ago it wouldn't be noticable. Some levels of alcohol are safer than others that's basic logic.

Yes I agree you're either fit to drive or your not, and that line is drawn where the limit is not at 0.

I regularly go out and have 2 pints on a 4+ hour night out and drive home. I've done the maths and I'm fairly confident I'd be under the limit.

TCM

Patww79 wrote:

Why is it thinly veiled? That's exactly what people should know.

People should not drink & drive, then there's no problem.

Seth Brundle

Corb_lund wrote: »

The sanctimonious people are out in force.

Am I sanctimonious because I disagree with an opinion?

Corb_lund wrote: »

The law says 0.5 is fine so you saying nil is contradicting that.

The law says that you are allowed to have a blood alcohol level up to 0.5 but does not say that it is ok to drive with any amount of alcohol.
I'd stand by my claim that it is not ok to have any alcohol in your system.
Nonetheless my point was against graduated punishments.

GarIT wrote: »

You ask how much alcohol is ok, whatever the limit is defines how much is ok.

Why do you think does the law not say zero then?
The only reason it has a minimum tolerance is to avoid readings from other sources such as mouthwash. It is not there to say you can have this much and it's safe but beyond that level it's not safe.

GarIT wrote: »

I regularly go out and have 2 pints on a 4+ hour night out and drive home. I've done the maths and I'm fairly confident I'd be under the limit.

"Fairly confident"?
For the craic, on one of those occasions would you drive to a garda station and tell them that you've just driven there after having two pints and get them to breathalyze you?

In fairness and I've admitted it here many times before: I've driven many many times in the distant past with alcohol on me. I hold my hands up and say it was completely stupid and dangerous. Would I drive with any alcohol on me now (regardless of the law)? Nope.

GarIT

Seth Brundle wrote: »

Why do you think does the law not say zero then?
The only reason it has a minimum tolerance is to avoid readings from other sources such as mouthwash. It is not there to say you can have this much and it's safe but beyond that level it's not safe.


"Fairly confident"?
For the craic, on one of those occasions would you drive to a garda station and tell them that you've just driven there after having two pints and get them to breathalyze you?

In fairness and I've admitted it here many times before: I've driven many many times in the distant past with alcohol on me. I hold my hands up and say it was completely stupid and dangerous. Would I drive with any alcohol on me now (regardless of the law)? Nope.

I have a feeling you're going to correct me and decide I'm wrong but I think the law allows a non-zero amount because it's ok to have more than zero. I understand and agree with the moves towards zero tolerance but it is a scale and not black and white. Someone who has had one unit of alcohol is no more dangerous that someone who is tired, has an intense migraine, has bad hayfever, has been in an in argument or is angry, is driving a wife in labour, has some other injury (I've heard of someone who drove themselves to hospital with a burst appendix and a woman in labour who drive herself in).

I'm sure I'd be a better driver after 5 pints than my granddad is on his best day but they still let him drive. about 6 months ago he drifted onto the wrong side of the road, just an hour ago he was driving with his wipers on full speed in the light drizzle because he didn't have the motor skills needed to turn it on without just whacking the stick. Yet if you try to make him stop driving it's his legal right to and you need a doctor to say he can't drive but do you think he will go with me to the doctor if I tell him were going to the doctor so they can stop him driving?

Lots of things can make you an impaired driver, zero alcohol is safer than some but being under the limit but not zero isn't as bad as you make it out to be.

I wouldn't walk into a garda station not because I'd be worried about it but because that's a ridiculous scenario. I have thought of buying a breathalyzer though, it seems like something handy to have.

When I say fairly confident, I've done the maths and it works out that I should be at 0 alcohol. I have no more than 2 pints and have them finished before 9 and don't drive until a decent bit after 12.