random drink driving checkpoints

kev1.3s · 30-03-2012 11:23PM #1

hi I was traveling on the N11 this morning about 6.45 when I was stopped at a drink driving checkpoint, I'm not a heavy drinker any more but I've got a problem with these early morning checkpoints anyway but that aside I can hand on heart say that it has been a full seven days since I had a couple of pints, anyhow I took the test and low and behold it came up positive, not enough for to be taken in but enough to get a warning from the guard.
I then informed the Guard that I had not had a drink in a week or so and her response was did I have a cigarette this morning which I replied no, I don't know what the **** a fag has to do with it anyway but my question is if these machines are not reliable why the **** are they being used to disrupt our day?
And before anybody asks I didn't use mouthwash this morning!

Run_to_da_hills · 30-03-2012 11:28PM

These machines are only used as a guide for the cops and cannot be used in court, if they suspect you were DD over the limit they will bring you down to the station and do a proper test or else call in a doctor to take blood samples.

stovelid · 30-03-2012 11:30PM

You must have performed oral sex on an alcoholic last night.

30-03-2012 11:30PM

kev1.3s wrote: »

hi I was traveling on the N11 this morning about 6.45 when I was stopped at a drink driving checkpoint, I'm not a heavy drinker any more but I've got a problem with these early morning checkpoints anyway but that aside I can hand on heart say that it has been a full seven days since I had a couple of pints, anyhow I took the test and low and behold it came up positive, not enough for to be taken in but enough to get a warning from the guard.
I then informed the Guard that I had not had a drink in a week or so and her response was did I have a cigarette this morning which I replied no, I don't know what the **** a fag has to do with it anyway but my question is if these machines are not reliable why the **** are they being used to disrupt our day?
And before anybody asks I didn't use mouthwash this morning!

They only show if you have drink taken above a certain level.

When you are brought to the station, you will do the test that would be used in court...

kev1.3s · 30-03-2012 11:44PM

I understand that but if I was taken to the station this morning it would have seriously ****ed up my day over a faulty piece of equipment.
I would understand if I'd had a couple of bottles last night but to have taken no alcohol at all and the machine to register it.

the groutch · 31-03-2012 12:16AM

mouthwash is often the cause of this

chin_grin · 31-03-2012 12:18AM

the groutch wrote: »

mouthwash is often the cause of this

Genius! Never thought of doing that. Great place to hide it. Hweh hweh hweh.

Grr, damn you and your ninja edits!

Run_to_da_hills · 31-03-2012 12:18AM

the groutch wrote: »

mouthwash is often the cause of this

And wine gums.

haminka · 31-03-2012 12:20AM

mouthwash, even stewed fruit with your porridge or chocolate with let's say baylies filling can cause positive readings

Arnold Layne · 31-03-2012 12:22AM

Were you the recipient of a golden shower after your partner's night out?

Podge2k7 · 31-03-2012 12:24AM

Drink!!!!

ColeTrain · 31-03-2012 12:25AM

Sherry trifle for breakfast was a bad choice.

donegal_road · 31-03-2012 12:25AM

I play music and a band member was getting a lift home after the gig with another member who hadn't been drinking (3 years ago), she was breathalyzed at a checkpoint and passed, but my mate was in the passenger seat and asked could he have a go on the breathalyzer.. he had 5 pints of Guinness and 3 small bottles of red wine, and he passed the test. The Guard said to him that if he had been stopped, he would have passed the test, but wouldn't recommend he take the chance again in the future.

gurramok · 31-03-2012 03:42AM

Am I on the wrong roads, I havent seen a drink driving checkpoint in maybe 2 years or so.

Also, has there ever been a checkpoint on the M50 in Dublin? Never saw one before.

Leeg17 · 31-03-2012 03:53AM

Smoking a cigarette may produce a false positive and the instructions on the breathalyzer say to wait at least 20 minutes (or so we were taught).

Most likely your mouthwash OP.

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy · 31-03-2012 03:53AM

gurramok wrote: »

Am I on the wrong roads, I havent seen a drink driving checkpoint in maybe 2 years or so.

Also, has there ever been a checkpoint on the M50 in Dublin? Never saw one before.

Id be surprised if it was legal to setup a check point on a motorway.

troposphere · 31-03-2012 03:57AM

Aren't these handheld devices known to be unreliable?

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy · 31-03-2012 04:01AM

troposphere wrote: »

Aren't these handheld devices known to be unreliable?

A guard doesnt even need to use one, he or she may form an opinion based on eyes/breath/slurred voice then arrest you and take you to the station for an intoxiliser test

fasttalkerchat · 31-03-2012 04:27AM

donegal_road wrote: »

I play music and a band member was getting a lift home after the gig with another member who hadn't been drinking (3 years ago), she was breathalyzed at a checkpoint and passed, but my mate was in the passenger seat and asked could he have a go on the breathalyzer.. he had 5 pints of Guinness and 3 small bottles of red wine, and he passed the test. The Guard said to him that if he had been stopped, he would have passed the test, but wouldn't recommend he take the chance again in the future.

The problem there is that if the guard thinks you're drunk or can smell drink they can take you to the station for the full test regardless of the roadside result.

fasttalkerchat · 31-03-2012 04:29AM

jar_of_coins wrote: »

Id be surprised if it was legal to setup a check point on a motorway.

They put up temporary speed limits and close all but one lane. The customs do it up north to check for the cheap stuff.

flanum · 31-03-2012 05:44AM

id be very surprised if ye failed a breathalyser at the side of the road and the garda then waved you on!!! id be very surprised!... surely its logged onto his device and he has to log that back into his station!!!

Spook_ie · 31-03-2012 06:07AM

BTW Diabetes can give false positives....see a GP

Also some diets can affect the readings

Potential-Monke · 31-03-2012 10:51AM

flanum wrote: »

id be very surprised if ye failed a breathalyser at the side of the road and the garda then waved you on!!! id be very surprised!... surely its logged onto his device and he has to log that back into his station!!!

It gives 3 readings: Zero, Pass and Fail. Zero is, well, no alcohol. Pass means there is alcohol but none to the extent that it will be over the limit if brought to the station. And fail if it's over the limit.

Anyway, it's only a tool to help the Garda make the decision. He cannot base his opinion on that and that alone.

M cebee · 31-03-2012 11:02AM

donegal_road wrote: »

I play music and a band member was getting a lift home after the gig with another member who hadn't been drinking (3 years ago), she was breathalyzed at a checkpoint and passed, but my mate was in the passenger seat and asked could he have a go on the breathalyzer.. he had 5 pints of Guinness and 3 small bottles of red wine, and he passed the test. The Guard said to him that if he had been stopped, he would have passed the test, but wouldn't recommend he take the chance again in the future.

i heard of people who passed the breathalyzer after 8 or 9 pints

frozenbanana · 31-03-2012 11:05AM

Potential-Monke wrote: »

It gives 3 readings: Zero, Pass and Fail. Zero is, well, no alcohol. Pass means there is alcohol but none to the extent that it will be over the limit if brought to the station. And fail if it's over the limit.

Not anymore, the legislation changed recently and so did the roadside test. It's only pass and fail now.

I find it hard to believe the OPs story that he was allowed to go after failing the test. It's just doesn't happen, there is no discretion here. Besides, what's the point of doing the drunk driving checkpoint if you're going to let drunk drivers go?

Mouthwash, apple juice etc. only affect the reading for few minutas after yiu had it, more often than not it doesn't affect it at all

dxhound2005 · 31-03-2012 11:07AM

kev1.3s wrote: »

hi I was traveling on the N11 this morning about 6.45 when I was stopped at a drink driving checkpoint, I'm not a heavy drinker any more but I've got a problem with these early morning checkpoints anyway but that aside I can hand on heart say that it has been a full seven days since I had a couple of pints, anyhow I took the test and low and behold it came up positive, not enough for to be taken in but enough to get a warning from the guard.
I then informed the Guard that I had not had a drink in a week or so and her response was did I have a cigarette this morning which I replied no, I don't know what the **** a fag has to do with it anyway but my question is if these machines are not reliable why the **** are they being used to disrupt our day?
And before anybody asks I didn't use mouthwash this morning!

There is extra Garda activity in the South East at the moment.

http://www.garda.ie/Controller.aspx?Page=9076&Lang=1

stovelid · 31-03-2012 11:08AM

donegal_road wrote: »

I play music and a band member was getting a lift home after the gig with another member who hadn't been drinking (3 years ago), she was breathalyzed at a checkpoint and passed, but my mate was in the passenger seat and asked could he have a go on the breathalyzer.. he had 5 pints of Guinness and 3 small bottles of red wine, and he passed the test. The Guard said to him that if he had been stopped, he would have passed the test, but wouldn't recommend he take the chance again in the future.

A guy my wife knows in England always swears he passed after being stopped driving after quite a few pints in him. Never knew whether to beleive it or not but maybe it is true.

Kiera · 31-03-2012 11:10AM

gurramok wrote: »

Am I on the wrong roads, I havent seen a drink driving checkpoint in maybe 2 years or so.

Also, has there ever been a checkpoint on the M50 in Dublin? Never saw one before.

A checkpoint on a motorway? How do you think that would end?

Gary ITR · 31-03-2012 11:44AM

I came through the old M50 toll not long before it closed and there must have been 50 guards the other side with sections coned off breathalying people as they came through

Isn't that where Niall Quinn was caught too? Haven't seen anything like that on the M50 since

Kiera · 31-03-2012 11:48AM

Gary ITR wrote: »

I came through the old M50 toll not long before it closed and there must have been 50 guards the other side with sections coned off breathalying people as they came through

Isn't that where Niall Quinn was caught too? Haven't seen anything like that on the M50 since

Obviously it was easier back then with the toll. Now that it's a straight road it would be impossible to pull cars up going 100km.

knotknowbody · 31-03-2012 12:06PM

kev1.3s wrote: »

anyhow I took the test and low and behold it came up positive, not enough for to be taken in but enough to get a warning from the guard.

frozenbanana wrote: »

I find it hard to believe the OPs story that he was allowed to go after failing the test. It's just doesn't happen, there is no discretion here. Besides, what's the point of doing the drunk driving checkpoint if you're going to let drunk drivers go?

It pisses me off when people don't read posts properly he didn't fail the breath test he had a positive reading that was below the fail threshold. Please people read the post properly it's for your own good, otherwise you just make yourself look stupid.

random drink driving checkpoints

Comments