Why is it that people pulled over for suspicion of DUI/DWI have always just had "a few beers"?

arrestedamilliontimes

In some states you can be arrested for only having one drink. Sometimes, this law is just applied too harshly, and they do arrest a person who is not actually drunk.

007

they are trying to justify their stupidity.

jcurrieii

No...not legally.

In order to be legally intoxicated (and chargeable as DUI), you have to have over the requisite serum alcohol percentage (which where I live is 0.08% by volume).

I have heard of one case where a woman was tested and had a 0.04% BAC or less, but when the cop walked out into the street, walked up to the moving car and turned the ignition off, the woman driving, she was passed-out from the alcohol.

DWI is generally reserved for those driving while intoxicated by a narcotic substance.

I know of a cop that managed to get off on a DUI charge because he was tested over an hour after he drank, and was arrested less than 5 minutes after drinking the booze. He got off, because it generally takes about 20 minutes for the alcohol to enter your system, and he had his shots rapid fire before leaving immediately for a 10 minute drive home. Had the cop that arrested him for DUI performed a FST or a breathalyzer on the spot, he would have passed, because the alcohol was not in his system at the time (although, by the time the testing was completed, he'd've been leaglly drunk! ;) )

Now, as for the guys being pulled over only having "a few beers"...people loose count. The driver may have thought he'd only had 4-5 beer over a 5-6 hour stay at the bar, despite the fact that he'd consumed 10-12. (One serving of alcohol works its way through you in one hour. So, if you drink one *serving* (not drink) per hour, you will never be legally drunk.)

Curious1usa

Getting popped for a DUI/DWI is the proverbial hand in the cookie jar. The answer of just "a few beers" is a result of innate human behavior - the driver does not want to lie, but neither does he/she want to get into trouble - logic does not apply (intoxication is a legal/medical determination).

UNITool

Generally they know that the cop's not gonna buy it if they said they had nothing (they can smell it on them), but they're not going to say: "Yes, officer; I've been drinking. 9 or 10 beers and a few shots of Jaeger. Arrest me now."

David M

"Few" is ambiguous, at best. It is a "limited" confession to say you only had a few beers. A breathilizer test will soon "clear things up".

honey

oh yea! It only takes one drink to put you in the slammer now days. Love, honey

Ryan A

Im a paremedic and I treat drunks all the time. Its never a few beers by the way. Its always 10 or 15 or a fifth of vodka. Also, the legal limit, well in these parts is 0.10. Depends on the definitation of intoxication.

Wisdom

They lost count after 15.

e-kat

intoxication is measured by blood alcohol level, measured either by breathalyzer or blood test. It doesn't matter how much you drink, or how little. It depends on your body weight, metabolism, and how fast your body converts the alcohol to sugar. A 300 pound man can drink as nuch as a 105 pouind girl, and while he will be sober, she will be drunk. A normal 180 pound person can metabolize a 12 oz beer, or 4 oz of wine, or 1 oz of hard liquor in an hour.

laduron7

It's an excuse for themselves and others. People who get behind the wheel after drinking have to justify it to themselves as well as the cops.

John S

In 1982 I was pulled over, because I couldn't hold a lane. When asked that question I replied that I had more to drink then I could remember. While mostly true not everyone just had a few.

toadyboy

new laws state if ur blood alcohol level is greater than.08 ur legally drunk that is like having 1 beer and driving

mikeysco

How interesting. I don't think anyone has ever told me they'd had a "few beers"...it's almost always "a couple of beers."

"A couple" often turns out to be seven or eight, if not more.

And I think they do it for the same reason someone else mentioned...they don't want to lie (and likely recognize it would be a waste of time) and figure "a couple" is a reasonable number.

Chilly Willy

Depends on the time you drank and the time you were pulled over..Make sure that you don't use mouthwash when you get into a car and drive

Just Suspend Me

No it's okay to drive with a nice buzz...as long as you are a disciplined driver like myself...dui is for bad drivers...they should go to jail..the poeple who can drive fine buzzed should be able to.

Robert G

1) it isn't always. It isn't even CLOSE to always. It might not even count as most-often. My dad was once pulled over for suspicion of drunk driving, even though he hadn't had any ethanol in his drink for weeks if not months. So, when the cop said he was being pulled over for not staying within his lane, and asked how many drinks my dad had had, his answer was nowhere near "a few beers".

2) becasue whereever it is that they had been consuming the ethanol, they've probably been advised by other patrons to say exactly that.

3) because giving an answer that includes a real number MIGHT not be correct, and in many states, it is a crime to provide false information to a law-enforcement officer, even if it isn't a crime to have been doing what the law-enforcement officer thinks you were doing wrong, whereas giving an ambiguous reply is not illegal at all. Stupid sometimes, but not illegal.

4) because there is nothing illegal about consuming any amount of beers and then driving, but rather for continuing to drive after the statutory blood percentage limit has been exceeded.

5) because so many people are unaware of the fact that they are not required to provide ANY information to a badge-bearer or anyone, so long as they might be suspected of committing ANY crimes. Crack your window just enough to slip out the required documents, and otherwise, say not a single thing.

**drew**

it beats telling the officer I had a twelve pack and chased them with whiskey doesnt it.

the level of intoxication will always come out in the blood/breath/urine test that they are sure to give you after youve been arrested

docie555@yahoo.com

When a cop pulls you over - only open the window a few inches to hand him your paper work. And ask them first - why did you pull me over. Admitting to drinking is an admission of guilt......

austin d

probaby they are just drunk enough that they say few cause they lost count after A Few.

irish_matt

drunk is drunk i was riped when thy got me

gunnmetalblue

Because they are stupid, and think the cop will say :

"Oh, well if you've only had a few, you must be fine to drive. My mistake. Please continue on your journey. Have a nice day!"

Steve B

Because either that's the least guilty response they can think to come up with (the officer already having told them he can smell the alcohol on their breath), or they are so drunk that all they can remember is the first "few beers".
I did have on guy tell me that he couldn't recall how many drinks he had because he had been drinking all night, and he thought he was too drunk to remember something like that, and besides, who was counting?
As long as your blood alcohol level is under the legal limit (.08 in most states) you are OK to drive. I don't recommend self determination on when you've reached the .o8 level however. If your going to drive, DON'T DRINK!

k9mom â™¥s my Nora dog

Actually, if you pay closer attention you will notice not all the people pulled over have always had "a few beers." Some have only had one.

Merry Christmas!

eyelovetodance

yeah

ahsoasho2u2

UNDER ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, A DRUNK HAS ALWAYS HAD JUST A FEW, A COUPLE?
A DRUNK NEVER KNOWS HOW MANY THEY HAVE HAD?

bonzeben200

no, some people can drink that alcohol is water. my mother drank 2 full bottles of vodka and blew a point 01 me, i took one shot and fell over. my advice is to found out how much of what type of alcohol you can drink and how much of it

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