How many Drinks before you are legally drunk?

It never mentions the legal limit, it does not go to my weight, and I never drink alcohol,* so it is of limited use to me.

*We dedicated a new lobby at the theater two years ago, that was the first drink since my daughter's shower in 1983.

 

If you have to ask, there will be a time that you will be driving drunk.

The safe limit is just one drink and wait two hours.

 

Body metabolism varies dramatically from hour to hour within the same person. Therefore a hard rule such as what Rude person's has above is the the only rational start point. Screw the charts, that will only provide a stupid loophole for those over the limit. I had a case where after an hour of intense biking I had one beer that set my head spinning for vastly longer than normal. I was not driving till I had a lot to eat and the spinning was long gone. I got home late, but that is what I would want anyone else to do.

 

It's .05 in British Columbia, Canada, just up the road. I believe even that's around 2.5 beers for me.

I like Mike's method: keep it to one beer (or 5 oz wine, etc etc), and at least a couple of hours before another.

 

I drive much better when I'm way over the limit. as long as I stay home, alone, sitting down. Its the points I drive, not the four wheeled thingys.

 

In some states like Virginia, it is illegal to operate a lawn mower on your own property while under the influence.

 

I am a big fan of drinking, and a big fan of driving.

I enjoy drinking really quite a lot. When the opportunity arises - and it rarely does now, with work and kids and everything - I take full advantage.

But I also know that it makes me completely unsafe on the road. Even when I'm really nowhere near as drunk as I'd like to be, I know I can't drive.

So, tomorrow night is New Year's Eve. We've got several people coming round to our old place (which we haven't sold yet - Mum and Dad get here tomorrow, and they're using the old place while they're in Australia for 3 weeks), because it has a spectacularly good view of Sydney's famous New Year's Eve fireworks. There'll be champagne, and beer, and vodka water melon (using a syringe to replace the water in the water melon with vodka), and other such delights.

But I'm driving (I have to get the wife and kids back to our new house, and then take a couple of my wife's colleagues to an outer suburb), and will therefore not touch a drop. I know I could have a few drinks over several hours and be legal. But I also know that, even legal, my reactions and judgement will be impaired, and given how many drunk drivers there'll be, I know I'll need all my wits about me.

So I don't really care how much I can have and still be legal: I don't think being legal will help me when some idiot swerves in front of my and I don't have the reaction speeds to cope.

 

No need to put one's self in this situation. There are many designated driver services available.

BeMyDD: Designated, corporate and event drivers who drive your car safely and affordably, smartphone designated driver service apps

Or just call a taxi.

Go ahead, have fun, then get home without incident.

 

Prebook a cab with a trusted firm now. Even if it's $100, it's cheaper than the resulting lawsuit should you kill someone when driving drunk.

I have seen so many accidents in the late evening or early mornings and it's not pretty. It doesn't affect your manhood to not drive drunk. Just get a cab and enjoy yourself.

 

I learned early in life NOT to go out on New Year's Eve.

When I was 6 or 7 and lived in New York City, my dad NEVER went to Time Square on New Year's Eve.

When I moved to Houston, TX in 1992, I was told NOT to go out on New Year's Eve. The next morning, I had heard that three individuals were shot and killed at local bars.

I have NOT ever went out on New Year's Eve at all.

It's called an early L-E-E or L-T-E.; i.e. "Life ending event" or "life terminating event."

 

Used to be called death.

 

Our American friends like to flower things up a bit.

You're not a mechanic, but a vehicle service technician etc.

I fear it's because they miss too many U's out of words such as colour or labour, and have to make up for it somewhere else.

Bless 'em

 

I'm not advocating drunk driving by any means, but did you know?

Texting while driving is 2X more dangerous than drunk driving (Car & Driver).

 

I've always called it "Amateur Night."

 

"Pro" only means that the individual is paid.

The only pros are Police, Paramedics, Hospital personnel, wrecker and cab drivers.

Everyone will be an "amateur." Some will never become "professional" in any capacity. They will only be D-E-A-D.

 

If I have 1 drink... I don't drive for 2 hours.

If I have Long Island... 3 hours before I get behind the wheel again.

 

AFAIK, you can be DUI even if your BAC is < 0.08%. If your BAC is 0.08% or higher, it automatically constitutes DUI. However, for a person with low tolerance (like myself), your driving ability may be significantly impaired long before reaching 0.08%.

For example, if you are driving with a BAC of 0.05% and fail a field sobriety test, I believe this is still considered DUI.

As others have stated, drinking and driving is not a risk worth taking. Waiting 2 hours after each drink (and drinking 2 glasses of water after each drink) is a good approach. And remember, if you have a mixed drink, you can't be sure how much alcohol you are consuming (unless you mix it yourself).

 

If you have Long Island *on* Long Island, better give it a bit longer