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Anybody use a breathalyser?

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    Anybody use a breathalyser?

    Now that the law in Scotland means a lower alcohol limit I'm a bit concerned about about still being over the next morning. I don't drink on a school night so going to work isn't a problem but if I have a drink on a Friday evening when is it safe to drive?

    The guidelines are vague and don't take into account several factors so I thought buying a breathalyser just to be sure. The £5-50 offerings seem to be mostly innacurate or just plain crap so I'm looking for something more 'pro' up to £300 or so.

    Anybody use one, got any recommendations?
    Me, me, me...

    #2
    Originally posted by Cliphead View Post
    Now that the law in Scotland means a lower alcohol limit I'm a bit concerned about about still being over the next morning. I don't drink on a school night so going to work isn't a problem but if I have a drink on a Friday evening when is it safe to drive?

    The guidelines are vague and don't take into account several factors so I thought buying a breathalyser just to be sure. The £5-50 offerings seem to be mostly innacurate or just plain crap so I'm looking for something more 'pro' up to £300 or so.

    Anybody use one, got any recommendations?
    Save yourself the upfront cost.
    Drink as much as you like and drive like a twunt and a friendly helpful local plod will allow you to use a pretty expensive and accurate one - for free!

    True the follow up cost of using this free service might be a point against.

    Comment


      #3
      Originally posted by Dactylion View Post
      Save yourself the upfront cost.
      Drink as much as you like and drive like a twunt and a friendly helpful local plod will allow you to use a pretty expensive and accurate one - for free!

      True the follow up cost of using this free service might be a point against.
      Aye, those days are gone...
      Me, me, me...

      Comment


        #4
        Only used the cheapo versions, they don't seem to last more than 4-5 uses in my experience.
        ...maybe it's my breath......

        Comment


          #5
          Originally posted by Cliphead View Post
          Anybody use one, got any recommendations? ...
          Paint a long white line on your drive. If you can walk down it without falling over, you're good to go

          Seriously, that's a good question, and an AlcoSense may be what you are after. Specifically, the AlcoSense Elite seems the obvious choice for a minted contractor.

          In France, breathalyzer kits are now compulsory in cars, and for a froggie gendarme it's a special treat to stop an unwitting UK tourist and cop them with a swingeing fine for not having one (along with all the other clobber drivers must have there, such as triangles and first aid kits, correctly dipped headlights, etc etc).

          (I think consumer breathalyzeres were banned in the UK until not long ago, on the grounds that they would be inaccurate if incorrectly used or cheap models sold and in that event might give a misleadingly low reading.)
          Last edited by OwlHoot; 10 December 2014, 18:57.
          Work in the public sector? Read the IR35 FAQ here

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by OwlHoot View Post
            Seriously, that's a good question, and an AlcoSense may be what you are after. Specifically, the AlcoSense Elite seems the obvious choice for a minted contractor.
            The Elite model looks good according to the reviews so that one goes on the shortlist. Cheers Hooty
            Me, me, me...

            Comment


              #7
              I got a perfectly good one for about £60 a couple of years ago, though IIRC it was reduced from about £100 on Amazon at that time. Looks like it's a bit cheaper now: AlcoSAFE KX6000s Pro Breathalyzer - Highly Accurate (Sleek Silver Colour): Amazon.co.uk: Car & Motorbike

              It seems reliable enough to me. I experimented with it when I first got it, using it after I got home from the pub and so forth, and it seemed to accurately reflect differing amounts I'd drunk, to the extent that I could consistently see the same difference in its figures for, say, five pints as opposed to four. Similarly for the morning after, when it seems to clearly reflect how rough I feel

              It defaults to giving you a red light at half the UK limit, but you can configure that in the settings to reflect the different Scottish limit. The red, amber, and green lights aren't really the important feature anyway - the digital readout shows one decimal place of whatever it's measuring, where 0.8 is the UK limit. (I looked up the alternative scale it uses when I got it and checked their calculations, and 0.8 whatsits are indeed equal to 35 thingies, and are mentioned in the English law as an equivalent measurement.)

              It encouraged me to wait an extra two or three hours before checking out of the hotel after last year's Xmas do, as I was still at about 0.2 before I went down for breakfast, and I prefer to wait until it's back to zero if possible. I'd recommend it, with the obvious proviso that it can only ever be a guide and has no legal validity whatsoever.

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by Cliphead View Post
                Now that the law in Scotland means a lower alcohol limit I'm a bit concerned about about still being over the next morning. I don't drink on a school night so going to work isn't a problem but if I have a drink on a Friday evening when is it safe to drive?

                The guidelines are vague and don't take into account several factors so I thought buying a breathalyser just to be sure. The £5-50 offerings seem to be mostly innacurate or just plain crap so I'm looking for something more 'pro' up to £300 or so.

                Anybody use one, got any recommendations?
                You're not dead

                Good to see you
                Knock first as I might be balancing my chakras.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Yep, the morning after thing worries me. I'm sure I've probably sailed a bit close a couple of times.

                  Bring your breathalyser to the party, Nick - we need some party games

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by mudskipper View Post
                    Yep, the morning after thing worries me. I'm sure I've probably sailed a bit close a couple of times.

                    Bring your breathalyser to the party, Nick - we need some party games
                    I thought pin the tail on the agent(with DA and knitting needle) would keep everyone entertained all night?

                    Comment

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