Image Credit: l3ty ~DeviantArt |
Can you drink? Sure you can. But being in dark about how much alcohol exactly is there in your system before you hit the wheels doesn’t have to be a guessing game. Take a scientific approach. Measure it. Use a breathalyzer. You may think you’re not drunk but a breathalyzer can certainly decide otherwise. A BAC above 0.07% can severely strain at the shards of your otherwise normal life. You may be able to escape 99% of the times but that 1% of the chance is not worth it; not at least in this economy when a mere $25 could have saved you all the trouble and expenses.
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Breathalyzers are available starting from $25 for small cell-phone sizes to highly accurate gizmos that can tell you with pin-point precision whether you’re safe to drive or not. |
Ashok: “Get Lost” All rights reserved. |
Oh, and don’t just brush this off as something that happens to others. It could happen to anybody. Worse is to assume that as long as you feel you’re not drunk, you’re really not drunk. I was taken aback myself when I found out that just 3 beers could mean a BAC of 0.09 for me. Gah! Such a contrast to Ashok (left) who, despite downing 5 beers ends with a BAC reading of 0.04
Also, the effect of alcohol on every individual varies. So, testing below the recommended limit of 0.08 is no guarantee that you’re fit to drive! Use your own judgment. |
Just to give you an idea, here are my BAC readings after just one and two beers respectively.
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For those of your wondering whether eating, mints or any other tricks actually affect your Blood Alcohol level, here’s the answer; Nothing, nothing can dampen the readings on a breathalyzer. The only thing that can lower your BAC is time. Everybody has different metabolism rates so the amount of alcohol that gets absorbed in your bloodstream varies from person to person. Drinking on an empty stomach merely gives you a high quickly but drinking after food does not appreciably reduce your BAC. Neither does eating after drinking.
So, have fun but know how safe you are to drive. Stay away from trouble. Peace!