Thread: Discussion: BAC limits, readings and trace quantities in foods.

Has anyone noticed that when you get pinged for speeding the first thing is "Have you got any reason for speeding sir". As soon as you say no you've admitted guilt an your done NEXT

I don't see what the issue is? zero means zero. The alcohol content in most foods would not effect your BAC level to the extent of putting you over the legal limit, however, if your going to consume foods with a high alcohol content don't drive, go to work or operate machinery.

Originally Posted by dobbo

however, if your going to consume foods with a high alcohol content don't drive, go to work or operate machinery.

Or post

If you blow over the limit in Qld don't you have to have a blood test to confirm it?

I'll ask a mate of mine today who is a Qld traffic cop to find out the real deal.

Straight from the Qld learner's book.

If you are to be breath tested, a police officer will ask you to provide a preliminary breath test by blowing into a
roadside breath testing device.
If you are over your alcohol limit for your age and type of licence you hold, or the type of vehicle that you are driving,
you will be detained and taken for further breath or blood testing at the officer’s discretion. If it is confirmed that
you are over your alcohol limit, you will be charged with the offence of drink driving.
Refusing to take the roadside breath test is an offence and you will be detained and taken for a further breath or
blood test. If you again refuse to take this breath or blood test, you will be charged with a second offence of
refusing to supply the specimen. The court may deal with your refusal to take the breath test (other than the
roadside breath test) or a blood test in the same manner as if you were found to be over the high alcohol limit.
If you are over the general BAC (0.05%) but under the high BAC (0.15%) your driver’s licence will be automatically
suspended for 24 hours from the time your alcohol level is confirmed. When this suspension period has ended,
you may resume driving until your case is decided by a court.
If your BAC is equal to or higher than 0.15%, or
• you fail to provide a specimen of breath or blood, or
• if you are charged with a low level drink driving offence while an earlier such charge is still pending, or
• with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle while adversely affected by a high-level of alcohol (0.15% BAC or above),
then your licence will be immediately suspended until your case is dealt with by the court.
If convicted of drink driving, or failing to provide a specimen of breath (other than a roadside test) or blood, you will
be fined and disqualified from holding or obtaining a driver licence for a stated period.

Originally Posted by CraigE

There is no threshold. 0 is 0 nothing else. It is unlikely any foods will have any effect however it is possible to get a minor reading. Usually by the time you undertake the second test (and this is the one you would be booked on) on the evidentiary machine you would be zero. This testing protocol is what allows for this. We use exactly the same on the mine site. Most foods actually have the alcohol cooked out of them. There are some that do not and it is your obligation to know what you are eating.

Chewing gum will show a false posative, & there is another 2 foods....

Originally Posted by RobHay

Jeeeezzzzzz You have'nt tried my Missus' Rum Balls have you...If you had you would'nt be making a statement like that.....3 will put you over, 6
you are paraletic

MMM my address is.........

Not disputing this as some rum balls are kickers. Usually still not enough to get a reading 1/2 an hour later without something to help them along. But still possible as some people soak them in rum or liquers. As long as you are under the limit, all is good. The majority of food the alcohol is cooked out of, with cold desert item the exception.
However this is no excuse or any different from drinking. You need to know what you are ingesting, same as saying my mate spiked my drink holds no sway with drugs.
We have done a bit of testing in the past in our own time and at home with just such items and callibrated hand held units and have never got past 0.020 straight after.

Originally Posted by twitchy

Chewing gum will show a false posative, & there is another 2 foods....

Sorry most of that is an urban myth. I have done drug and alcohol testing as part of my job for some time and chewing gum does not give a reading. Not with a quality callibrated machine. Even mouth wash does not read. Having said that this is the reason for a second test at least 15 minutes later. I have heard every excuse under the sun and none of them hold. 99% of people busted eventually conceed they had been drinking.
There are various reasons an initial test may read positive and only 1 of them is not alcohol related, but medical.

Originally Posted by Utemad

Or post

If you blow over the limit in Qld don't you have to have a blood test to confirm it?

I'll ask a mate of mine today who is a Qld traffic cop to find out the real deal.

Blood tests are generally if the charge is disputed or you are involved in a serious mva.