Myth #4: Passing the breathalyzer

You aren't drunk you are just feeling good.  I'm not as think as you drunk I am, right?  You've driven many times "tipsy" without any problems.  

What you need to consider is this:

• You have been very lucky to not have been caught and your luck may be running out.
• You are not considering that wonderful malfunction of a tail light that may go out while driving.
• You are not considering the other person on the road who is also "tipsy" that may run into you.
• You are not considering the road side block that was set up while you were drinking.

Okay, so you haven't considered this BUT you can pass the roadside exam...you can play it cool.  I was fortunate to be a part of a training for new DUI police officers.  Yes, I was given alcohol over a period of time so they could practice recognizing the signs of a driver who has been drinking.  (Fun for me).  For about three hours we sit in a room and drink (all of which is being documented so they know exactly how much we have drank).  There was about six of us in the "class" and we entertained ourselves playing drinking games.  Once our time was up we were taken into the training room and put through a series of roadside exams.  I'm a friendly kind of gal, I was pleasant.  (I have done this twice and changed up my thought process but I will explain that later).  We did not know the results of our breathalyzer going into the training.  Each group of "trainee's" took us through the roadside tests.  I passed with flying colors...or so I thought.  When the training was over each group of trainee's (about six groups, four to a group) were given the results.  I was going to jail.  NO WAY!!  I passed each test, I was pleasant...what the heck!  When my results for the breathalyzer was announced I had a blood alcohol count of .09%....I was legally drunk.  (and here I thought I was in the clear...didn't feel drunk plus these were rookie DUI cops in training...oops).

So my next time doing this I'll show them.  I decide to drink "just enough" alcohol so they could smell it but not be drunk.  I also decided I would not be a jerk but I wasn't going to be "pleasant" as I was last time.  I'm the smart one, right.  I have to admit I had a whole lot of fun doing this.  Being "obnoxious" (which really comes as a second nature to me) and not be drunk...I got this covered.  Results are in and I'm smirking because five of the six groups were taking me to jail...haha joke is on them.  Blood alcohol level........ is .06%......WHAT!!!!!  That is just over the DWAI (Driving While Ability Impaired).  

Okay, so I can't pass a roadside but I've heard there are ways to beat a breathalyzer so I can fail the roadside and still pass the breathalyzer so who cares right?  Here's a few:

1. Chewing gum:  Okay, this may "mask" the odor of alcohol but does not, I repeat, DOES NOT, change your blood alcohol level in the breathalyzer.
2. Placing a penny under your tongue:  Gotta love this urban legend.  A smart, or sober, person can rationally figure out why this would not work.  It was believed that the "high copper" in pennies would beat the breathalyzer....pennies, since the 1980's are 97% zinc.
3. Drink Zima:  Okay, Zima doesn't "smell" like alcohol so they may not suspect it immediately but Zima has alcohol in it and that is what the breathalyzer reads.  
4. Belching into the breathalyzer:  Sorry guys but the University of Wisconsin study discovered belching had no effect on breath analysis test results even when subjects belched directly into the instrument.

So how do you beat a roadside test or breathalyzer?  Don't drink and drive, that's how.

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