Maybe breathalyzers will be no more in our region. We can only hope! (costs, vehicles)

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by h_curtis

Nice try, but I am talking about police using a device that isn't accurate.

Police perceptions aren't 100% accurate either.

[gg]

Originally Posted by Hopes

Police perceptions aren't 100% accurate either.

No one's perception is 100% accurate, but if you are going to mess someone's life up and potentially have someone lose their job, you better have an accurate device to decide someone's fate. I don't blame police, but the policy. Police, fireman, cyclists, dog walkers and others will make mistakes, but to rely on a device that isn't accurate is obviously wrong.

[robrobrob]

Originally Posted by h_curtis

PA Lawyer Wants To Do Away With Breathalyzers « CBS Pittsburgh

Hope this is a statewide thing. These stupid devices are no accurate at all and there are way too many people that have lost jobs, had lives destroyed and more because of these devices that don't work properly.

Curtis, there are essentially two ways to prove someone was impaired while operating a car. One, is from physical observations. So, regardless of whether or not someone blew a .136 or a a .254 they still can be covicted of a DUI. Also,the article said the Judge found the machines inaccurate at low levels and at high levels. He found them to be accurate in the middle. The other way is breath or blood. So, even if the tests are thrown out the person could still be found guilty of DUI. In my experience it is rare when someone passes the field sobriety test and fails either the blood or breath test.

Frankly, my guess on why the Pittsburgh Police still use them is that they don't want to transport the person to the hospital and wait while blood was drawn. Who cares if it takes a week or so to get the results.

[Tallysmom]

Don't you have to the right to tell them no? Out here if we are stopped for a possible DUI, we can get arrested, and then get the blood test, which is far more accurate.... and usually takes way longer for them to administer....

By the way -- I NEVER drink and drive ... my alcohol tolerance is SO low that I'm near plastered half way through one drink.

[soniqV]

The issue is not the inaccuracy at high or low levels, though that is a concern. The much bigger issue is false positives, and whether or not a cop believes that you swerved because of a gust of wind, or can't say the alphabet backwards, or just in general have bad balance. If he doesn't, and you are a diabetic, low-carber, painter who was recently working, asthmatic who recently used an inhaler, or just suffering some acid reflux... Enjoy your surprise trip downtown to spend some quality time with fine upstanding people while you get poked with needles. Or, if you're unlucky enough to be in the wrong jurisdiction, just get charged without any additional testing.

Again, it may not seem like a big deal because it would seem a rare case for all these factors to align. But they do happen. So to endorse such things is to accept that you are intentionally putting innocent people through the ringer. Some people can live with that attitude I guess; ruin lives to save lives. Personally I think it's reprehensible.

[groar]

well the solution seems simple enough- take people back to the station and run a blood test. if breathalyzers can return false positives, they shouldn't be the sole method used to determine BAC. but that doesn't mean you can't use them at all.

[soniqV]

If you have no objection to cuffing innocent people, stranding their vehicles, forcing them to give up hours so you can take them downtown and jab them with needles against their will... then, uh, yeah I guess it's a simple solution.

[hinsey86]

Originally Posted by soniqV

If you have no objection to cuffing innocent people, stranding their vehicles, forcing them to give up hours so you can take them downtown and jab them with needles against their will... then, uh, yeah I guess it's a simple solution.

So what would you recommend as the fairest way to detect and properly address those driving under the influence?

[julian17033]

Originally Posted by h_curtis

PA Lawyer Wants To Do Away With Breathalyzers « CBS Pittsburgh

Hope this is a statewide thing. These stupid devices are no accurate at all and there are way too many people that have lost jobs, had lives destroyed and more because of these devices that don't work properly.

Here are statistics for 2010 which are currently the most up to date compiled data of such.
Source; Crash Facts :: PA DUI

• 459 people died in alcohol-related crashes.
• 91% of the alcohol-related occupant deaths (drivers and passengers) were in the vehicle driven by the drinking driver; 75% were the drinking drivers themselves.
• 72% of the drinking drivers in traffic crashes were male.
• 72% of the alcohol-related crashes were during the hours of darkness, usually on weekends.
• On average each day, 34 alcohol-related traffic crashes occurred.
• On average each day, 1.3 persons were killed in alcohol-related traffic crashes.
• On average each day, 26 persons were injured in alcohol-related traffic crashes.

In my opinion if you even have one drink YOU DO NOT DRIVE PERIOD!!!

Breathalyzers are an extremely important tool in order to fight this scourge and blight upon the roads of this country.

If you don't like it that's your problem if you end up killing someone because of your stupidity then it's everyone's problem!!!

[gg]

Originally Posted by hinsey86

So what would you recommend as the fairest way to detect and properly address those driving under the influence?

Seems if there is one accurate way to tell if someone is over the limit, then the answer is blood test. You can't have officers having faulty equipment.