Random Breath test

[Lady Whistledown]

Thanks, I would like to know! Yes, I probably would, but it's not quite so easy when they're already driving, they could be having some sort of psychotic episode or something!

We get calls all the time about that sort of thing. It's no problem. A lot of the time it's just tired drivers, but we'd always prefer to stop them and check.

Plus if somebody is having psychotic episodes which impact on their driving, the DVLA need to know anyway, so we'd want to have a chat.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

[MENTION=1320]Notters[/MENTION]

That text number is 65999

 

[Notters]

[MENTION=1320]Notters[/MENTION]

That text number is 65999

Ta!

 

[Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo]

Well perhaps if you see one of these people swerving all over the road, you could let the police know, then they could have the chance to deal with them, y'know?

This happened to myself and the missus recently. We were off out on a Saturday night for dinner and a car a couple of cars ahead of us was all over the road. Struggling to go around any bends in the road without heading into the oncoming lane, driving very very slowly. I was convinced the driver was drunk and got the other half to call 999 and report it for the sake of other road users. We got to a roundabout and the driver started heading back the way they'd come, we saw it was a lady of advancing years driving the car and she could barely see over the wheel. A couple of days later my other half got a phone call from an officer thanking her for phoning and reporting the incident, turns out the driver was suffering from dementia and shouldn't have been driving. Quite glad it ended without incident and that no-one was injured.

Back to the original topic I have been stopped twice by the police, first time I was slightly over the speed limit on the way back from my Dad's 50th, I'd not been drinking but my brother and uncle who were in the car had been. As they smelt alcohol they asked me to take a breath test and I did without any problems, the officer was obviously in a kind mood as he didn't ticket me for speeding just told me to watch my speed. Second time was around Xmas time a few years ago and I was stopped at a check point near Alfriston when I was taking my Dad, Step-Mum and a couple of their friends to a meal, I'd not been drinking and the officer was happy to wave me on without a breath test.

 

[Sheebo]

I didn't think they were allowed to stop you without ANY cause for suspicion, but personally don't object.

They can stop you at any moment they want to if you're driving a motor vehicle on a road, in order to establish who is driving and their qualifications to do so.

They can require a breath test from you for one of three reasons: (1) they suspect you've consumed alcohol (2) you've committed a moving traffic offence (3) you've been involved in a road traffic collision.

Was it the case they had to have a reason a while ago? About 7-8 years ago I was driving back from Eastbourne in the early hours with 5 people in the car. I dropped a mate off somewhere and there were about 3 police cars down his road. A short while later I get pulled over. 'We've had reports (maybe even a phone call?!) of a car matching this description driving erratically'. I knew this was utter bullshizzle as there were hardly any other cars in the road and assumed it was just a story as they wanted to stop me / breathalyse me...

One thing I'll never forget was him saying 'are you sure you weren't showing off with 5 people in the car?' I just pointed at my banged up H reg polo and said to him do you really think I'd be showing off in that - it struggles to go over 40 with a car full..! We had a chuckle and a breathalyser and I was on my way

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Was it the case they had to have a reason a while ago? About 7-8 years ago I was driving back from Eastbourne in the early hours with 5 people in the car. I dropped a mate off somewhere and there were about 3 police cars down his road. A short while later I get pulled over. 'We've had reports (maybe even a phone call?!) of a car matching this description driving erratically'. I knew this was utter bullshizzle as there were hardly any other cars in the road and assumed it was just a story as they wanted to stop me / breathalyse me...

One thing I'll never forget was him saying 'are you sure you weren't showing off with 5 people in the car?' I just pointed at my banged up H reg polo and said to him do you really think I'd be showing off in that - it struggles to go over 40 with a car full..! We had a chuckle and a breathalyser and I was on my way

Like I said. They can stop you simply because you're driving. They have to have a reason to require a breath test.

People report other drivers quite regularly. If it was late at night, it's entirely plausible that somebody might have called police about your driving. On the basis that you saw three cars waiting for you, I'd be fairly sure that is what happened, as they wouldn't all be in the same place otherwise.

As it was, they checked you over, decided you were fine & sent you on your way.

 

[spongy]

Back in December 2013 we had just found out Ms Spongy was pregnant so she (brilliant for me) was on all driving duty.

We had been out for a meal at the Yew Tree for a birthday party and were heading home. With me quite drunk in the passenger seat. We were on the road to the Cuilfail tunnel when we came across a road block with the police doing breath tests.

We pulled up and the officer leaned in and asked if she'd been drinking. The car stank because I was pissed but she obviously hadn't. She replied with a polite "no officer, I'm 6 weeks pregnant so couldn't drink even if I wanted to"

And in what at the time seemed a really funny thing to do I said "she always says that when she's had 4 glasses of wine".

Ms Spongy face dropped and I've never seen anyone look so guilty when completely innocent. She couldn't say a word, I started laughing, the officers eyes lit up thinking he had a possible arrest.

Then Ms spongy turned to me and said something to me which I cannot repeat on here but the officer found my impending doom rather amusing, laughed, warned me for being a div and let us go on our way.

Much to my relief.

I still smile when I think of it. The look on her face was a picture, she hated me for the rest of the evening. Things drunk people do eh?

 

[Hampster Gull]

Chew gum

 

[fat old seagull]

There'll be plenty of roadside drug tests this summer, given the new legislation which came into force in March

Firstly, had he been stopped for bleaching the bottom of his trousers?
And secondly, when he was raising his legs toward the end of the vid, it reminded me of Leon Best in the penalty area.
And lastly, whilst accepting that driving whilst in that condition is a total no-no....it did make me chuckle. Especially when I consider he probably thought he'd done quite well.

 

[Sheebo]

Like I said. They can stop you simply because you're driving. They have to have a reason to require a breath test.

People report other drivers quite regularly. If it was late at night, it's entirely plausible that somebody might have called police about your driving. On the basis that you saw three cars waiting for you, I'd be fairly sure that is what happened, as they wouldn't all be in the same place otherwise.

As it was, they checked you over, decided you were fine & sent you on your way.

I prob didn't explain that well. I was asking if the law had changed from 7/8 yrs ago...

Also I meant there were 3 cars parked along his road in different areas and one blatantly saw there were lots of people in the car and followed then pulled me over a mile or 2 later. And believe me I wasn't driving erratically - slowly maybe! I wasn't offended I just assumed they had made that bit up so they could pull me over - or maybe just so they could breathalyse me. I have no issue with it if that was the case & am extremely against drink driving...

 

[Pickles]

Might be handy to get a policeman , such as Darren Balkham , to give the ins and outs on this properly?

 

[Lady Whistledown]

I prob didn't explain that well. I was asking if the law had changed from 7/8 yrs ago...

Also I meant there were 3 cars parked along his road in different areas and one blatantly saw there were lots of people in the car and followed then pulled me over a mile or 2 later. And believe me I wasn't driving erratically - slowly maybe! I wasn't offended I just assumed they had made that bit up so they could pull me over - or maybe just so they could breathalyse me. I have no issue with it if that was the case & am extremely against drink driving...

How can I put this...your perception of your own driving isn't always the same as other people's. Besides. You say you were driving slowly. Somebody driving noticeably slowly could easily be a pissed driver trying a little too hard not to be noticed.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Might be handy to get a policeman , such as Darren Balkham , to give the ins and outs on this properly?

Are you taking the piss?

 

[Biffer]

Are you taking the piss?

Speak to Darren if I were you.
It's hard to think of any reason why Edna would feel she's such an expert on the subject.....

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

There'll be plenty of roadside drug tests this summer, given the new legislation which came into force in March

Just a curious question, why do they police spend so long doing the roadside tests when the guy is so obviously off his head at the first attempt, he should be in the station having a drugs test immediately, I can only think they are trying to bag a £250 bonus for the 'you have been framed' clip.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Just a curious question, why do they police spend so long doing the roadside tests when the guy is so obviously off his head at the first attempt, he should be in the station having a drugs test immediately, I can only think they are trying to bag a £250 bonus for the 'you have been framed' clip.

Because (at that time) there was/is a need to prove a level of impairment under S4 of the Road Traffic Act (driving whilst unfit through drink or drugs).

If I was to go to court and say "Yeah, it was obvious to me that he was off his tits, your worships", that's not nearly as convincing evidence as recorded & documented footage of somebody who can't even touch his own nose with his fingertip.

Also, we have to prove impairment in order to require a medical practitioner to take a blood specimen, which is necessary to find out if there are drugs involved, which ones, and how much.

Does that answer your question?

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Might be handy to get a policeman , such as Darren Balkham , to give the ins and outs on this properly?

Are you taking the piss?

Don't be like that. He's got a point.

Much better to get the proper insight from a PoliceMAN, given that it involves CARS and driving and that.

 

[Postman Pat]

Back in December 2013 we had just found out Ms Spongy was pregnant so she (brilliant for me) was on all driving duty.

We had been out for a meal at the Yew Tree for a birthday party and were heading home. With me quite drunk in the passenger seat. We were on the road to the Cuilfail tunnel when we came across a road block with the police doing breath tests.

We pulled up and the officer leaned in and asked if she'd been drinking. The car stank because I was pissed but she obviously hadn't. She replied with a polite "no officer, I'm 6 weeks pregnant so couldn't drink even if I wanted to"

And in what at the time seemed a really funny thing to do I said "she always says that when she's had 4 glasses of wine".

Ms Spongy face dropped and I've never seen anyone look so guilty when completely innocent. She couldn't say a word, I started laughing, the officers eyes lit up thinking he had a possible arrest.

Then Ms spongy turned to me and said something to me which I cannot repeat on here but the officer found my impending doom rather amusing, laughed, warned me for being a div and let us go on our way.

Much to my relief.

I still smile when I think of it. The look on her face was a picture, she hated me for the rest of the evening. Things drunk people do eh?

I had a similar situation last Xmas. Been to a mates house to watch football, the driver hadn't been drinking, but myself and the other passenger had consumed his share! Got stopped by random test by the viaduct at Lewes Road.

Copper leaned in and asked if the driver had been drinking, when he said no the copper said " no offence sir but this car smells like a brewery". My mate and I probably didnt help by acting like loons.

Needless to say he passed and we were soon on our way agreeing that it was a positive thing if they caught a few drink drivers out.

 

[dazzer6666]

I had a similar situation last Xmas. Been to a mates house to watch football, the driver hadn't been drinking, but myself and the other passenger had consumed his share! Got stopped by random test by the viaduct at Lewes Road.

Copper leaned in and asked if the driver had been drinking, when he said no the copper said " no offence sir but this car smells like a brewery". My mate and I probably didnt help by acting like loons.

Needless to say he passed and we were soon on our way agreeing that it was a positive thing if they caught a few drink drivers out.

Agree with this personally.......the more drunk drivers that are stopped the better, if that means I have to get tested now and again that's fine. Doesn't ever sound like the breath tests are random - usually some form of indicator present (car smelling like a brewery being at the more obvious end of the scale I guess [emoji3])

 

[BensGrandad]

Effectively random testing is permitted as surely the police officer could just say the driving was erratic or wandering who could argue.