Breath Test

[Bizarra]

Don't try it - it doesn't work (from yesterday's paper)

JPR Williams, one of the legendary figures of Welsh rugby, sucked pennies after being stopped for drink-driving in the misguided belief that it would help him to cheat a breath test, a court heard yesterday.

Williams, who was capped 55 times for Wales during the 1970s, five times as captain, was stopped on his way back from a rugby dinner in Richmond, West London, on January 30. He had been driven back to Cardiff but decided to use his own car for the final eight miles of the journey to his home.

He was sitting in the back of a police car when the officer who had stopped him noticed that he was sucking coins.

Hannah Norton, prosecuting, told Cardiff Magistrates' Court: "While in the police car, Mr Williams had to be instructed twice to remove items from his mouth, those being three one penny coins. There is a myth that the copper in coins can interfere with the breathalyser."

The court heard that Williams (61) an orthopaedic surgeon, had failed one test earlier that day. He was stopped again after a car similar to his red Audi was reported stolen. A blood sample after the second test showed 142 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood. The legal limit is 80 milligrams.

Nigel Daniel, representing Williams, said: "Dr Williams was under the foolish apprehension that after a four-hour journey he would be fit to drive. It was a costly mistake.

Williams, who was appointed MBE for services to sport, was fined £380 with £100 costs and banned from driving for 17 months.

[Raistlin]

Claim: If you've had too much to drink and are pulled over by police, sucking on a copper penny will cause a chemical reaction that will fool the breathalyzer, causing it to register negative blood alcohol.

Status: False.

Variants:

Some say the trick will cause the breathalyzer to show an absurdly high level of blood alcohol, allowing a defendant to make a case for test malfunction.

Some say the successful use of this trick in the past is why the mint changed the composition of pennies from pure copper to mostly zinc.

Variations on the copper penny gambit:

Sucking on mints or cough drops

Eating garlic or onion.

Eating peanuts

Eating curry powder

Taking a very deep breath of fresh air before the test

Chewing vitamin C tablets

None of these work either

[Jamesbelfast]

Why on earth did someone who is a surgeon think this trick would work or he could be fit to drive considering the amount of alocohol he must have consumed.

Totally irresponsible in my opinion.

The effect putting something in your mouth or stomach is entirely an urban myth as the breathaliser test measures the change in the breath exhaled from the lungs - that's why they make you do a long breath into the test equipment.

[Bizarra]

Why on earth did someone who is a surgeon think this trick would work or he could be fit to drive considering the amount of alocohol he must have consumed.

Totally irresponsible in my opinion.

The effect putting something in your mouth or stomach is entirely an urban myth as the breathaliser test measures the change in the breath exhaled from the lungs - that's why they make you do a long breath into the test equipment.

I totally agree, James That was the 1st thing that crossed my mind. A Surgeon should know better, on both counts

Thank goodness, he is never likely to be opening me up

[balli hi]

Claim: If you've had too much to drink and are pulled over by police, sucking on a copper penny will cause a chemical reaction that will fool the breathalyzer, causing it to register negative blood alcohol.

Status: False.

Variants:

Some say the trick will cause the breathalyzer to show an absurdly high level of blood alcohol, allowing a defendant to make a case for test malfunction.

Some say the successful use of this trick in the past is why the mint changed the composition of pennies from pure copper to mostly zinc.

Variations on the copper penny gambit:

Sucking on mints or cough drops

Eating garlic or onion.

Eating peanuts

Eating curry powder

Taking a very deep breath of fresh air before the test

Chewing vitamin C tablets

None of these work either

I take it you've tried it then Raist surprised your still driving :lol2:

[Raistlin]

Claim: If you've had too much to drink and are pulled over by police, sucking on a copper penny will cause a chemical reaction that will fool the breathalyzer, causing it to register negative blood alcohol.

Status: False.

Variants:

Some say the trick will cause the breathalyzer to show an absurdly high level of blood alcohol, allowing a defendant to make a case for test malfunction.

Some say the successful use of this trick in the past is why the mint changed the composition of pennies from pure copper to mostly zinc.

Variations on the copper penny gambit:

Sucking on mints or cough drops

Eating garlic or onion.

Eating peanuts

Eating curry powder

Taking a very deep breath of fresh air before the test

Chewing vitamin C tablets

None of these work either

I take it you've tried it then Raist surprised your still driving

I, I, I'm an excellent driver