Drinking at lunchtime

[maxd]

Anyone have any idea if 2 pints at lunctime would leave you over the drink-driving limit a few hours later?

[scubadiver]

It varies depending on your personal physiology, but an approximate rule of thumb is that you will break down one unit of alcohol every 45 minutes. So 2 pints equals 4 units equals 3 hours to break down all the alcohol molecules. Not that I am condoning driving after drinking however. Get a taxi.

[Moog]

Right I'm not definite about this but amongst my friend it's been assumed that your body loses one unit of alcohol per hour, so if you drank 2 pints = 4 units [assuming it was ordinary strength beer] and you lose 1 per hourso by 6 the alcohol should be gone - like I say this may be an "old wives tale" type thing. Anyway if it was 2 pints of ordinary beer, that should only put you on the legal limit not over it

[Philtaz]

It's possible. Define a 'few hours'? The smarter thing might be to have two pints of shandy, or even better/safer don't drink for 8 hours prior to driving a car.

[Closer]

whats the point of having a limit at all ? Why isn't it just zero tolerance. Personally I often drink a couple at lunchtime with a large dinner, and then drive in the evening or even straight after as I know when I'm affected and when I'm not, whether I'm within the limit is another matter. If there was a legal limit of zero then there would be no confusion at all.

[Doolallygirl]

Don't drink the 2 pints at lunchtime if you know you have to use your car. If something worries you don't do it. I NEVER drink alcohol and drive in the same day, my safety (and my life for that matter!) means too much to me.