Alcohol breath tester opinions

[Freybird]

I'm hearing too many expensive stories from friends whom thought they were fine to drive. I'm considering a personal breathalyzer. Does anyone have one, and if so, can you provide your make, model and satisfaction?
Thanks in advance and I hope this helps others as well!

[Dueller]

First, if ya gotta ask "Have I had too much to drive?", you probably have.

While I'm not familiar with personal BT's, I have a PBT (portable hand held) model used by law enforcement. It is very simple and highly inaccurate...most often reading much higher or lower than the Intoxilizer 8000, the "real" thing used at PD's for testing. For example, PBT's usually don't distinguish between mouth alcohol vs. deep lung breath alcohol concentration. This is one of the reasons PBT's are not admissable in most jurisdictions to show level of intoxication but are usually admissable to show probable casue to take the real test.

Final note...the current federally mandated level of .08 BAC is unbelieveably low. Most people don't think they're impaired until they reach the .13-.15 level.

[Freybird]

Your PBT is highly accurate, but reads much higher or lower than the Intoxilizer 8000? So which is more accurate?

[MRM]

The intoxilizer is much more accurate. It has a lot of features that the PBT doesn't have. It would take more time to explain than I have, but basically the intoxilizer draws air on its own, calibrates the air sample (0.00%) against a known solution of alcohol in the machine before having you blow in for several seconds, with a repeat. The air that you blow is tested for consistency to make sure the alcohol concentration isn't spiking or dropping, which would indicate mouth alcohol or outside air contamination. You do that twice and the machine compares the two samples for consistency. If the two samples aren't close enough, the test is not considered accurate.

[wludavid]

Highly inaccurate. Dueller corrected himself. Personally, I don't trust them. They're too hard to use, and not accurate. You might blow a 0.05 at the bar, and then your last beer enters your bloodstream and you go to 0.09. You get pulled over and you go to jail and get blood-tested. By that time all the beer has entered your bloodstream and the [accurate] tests read 0.10. And that's after getting in the car at an honest 0.05!

Unfortunately, Dueller's suggestion that even asking means you shouldn't drive isn't very useful. One of the first things to be affected by alcohol is the prefrontal cortex, where we (attempt to) make rational decisions. You might be feel fine, but your decisions have been impaired. Those third and forth pints become a good idea, and you're FINE to drive. Maybe, maybe not.

My advice, FWIW, is to make a plan if you're going to drive home. Something like: cocktail, burger, beer, water. If you deviate from that plan, don't reassess your level of intoxication, as your decisions are already being affected. Either stop drinking or make other plans to get home.

[wludavid]

Furthermore, don't believe the myth that most DUIs are issued to alcoholics. The majority of convictions are handed to normal guys, who just don't like to talk about it.

It hasn't happened to me, but it sure as hell scares me!

[arcsine]

For me it is easy; if I am going to be driving, I don't drink.

This way, I do not have to remember wives tales of remedies that can allow you to get away with it, no reliance on testing machines that will be an authority figure and say that I am OK, no worries if impairment of judgment has occurred, no concerns of being pulled over and the hassles that follow and will never cause an accident when under the influence.

I do not have an aversion to alcohol, but in this situation the cost far outweighs the benefits.

[Jeff Higgins]

So when will there be a hand-held I.Q. tester, or better yet, ignition lockout?

[Freybird]

Unfortunately, Intelligence quotient doesn't directly correspond to driving ability or driving etiquette
Well said WLUDavid. I never exceed more than a beer an hour (food and h2o alternations always) and never more than 3 beers a night, but at 130lbs body weight, that may still be too much. It scares hell out of me also, and that's why I inquire.
So, can some of the factors which make them inaccurate be lessened, like waiting half an hour or more after last drink to test and waiting for several clear tests before driving, or are they still too inaccurate? If not, Dueller, can anyone purchase the Portable Hand Held such as yours? Checking Ebay now.