Breathalyser

[bridlife]

At 10.15 am the other day 2 Guardia motor cyclists , were breathalysing car drivers. This was at the island down the hill by the 2 petrol stations, when you use the mountain route. At the turning heading for the airport.

I guess holidaymakers may have been a target, if they have been partying on their last night.

In the uk there has been a big increase in people failing the breathalyser test ,of a morning.

[Brightspark]

Once blew 0.28
Guardia nearly cried as he couldn't do me for it.
The limit is 0.35, same as the UK I believe.

[amberambler]

I believe that the limit is about half that of the UK.

[Brightspark]

I believe that the limit is about half that of the UK.

Maybe it's changed, I'm going back a few years now but that is what it was at the time.

[isleswing]

According to https://www.gov.uk/drink-drive-limit -

There are strict alcohol limits for drivers, but it is impossible to say exactly how many drinks this equals - it is different for each person. ( Not helpful )

The legal alcohol limit for drivers in the UK is:

•35 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath
•80 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood (0.08%)
•107 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of urine

Spain appears to be 50 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood (0.05%)

Note that the limits for blood and breath are on different scales but are easily confused.

Worryingly, - - - "Driving with an alcohol rate over 0.12% is a crime (up to 6 months imprisonment and licence suspension up to 4 years)" They could probably invoke that for foriegners, whereas they can't touch your UK licence.

We take taxis in the evenings. Then we won't find out our alcohol levels the expensive way.

However, there's no limit in Angola, Congo, Ethiopia, Indonesia or Vietnam, if you fancy "One for the road"

[duncolm]

I always assume that with a 50mg limit a single pint would be risky.

If it's less than two years since you passed your driving test then the limit is only 10mg. Best not even sniff the barmaids apron before driving!

[SheilaW]

Worryingly, - - - "Driving with an alcohol rate over 0.12% is a crime (up to 6 months imprisonment and licence suspension up to 4 years)" They could probably invoke that for foriegners, whereas they can't touch your UK licence.

You might need to revise that statement about your EU licence being safe. This link is from Ireland but these things are being implemented on an EU-wide basis: http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/travel_and_recreation/motoring_1/driving_offences/driving_offences.html

EU Disqualification: Transfers an order made in one EU state to another where the disqualified person resides. Although the 1998 EU Convention on Driving Disqualifications (98/C 216/01) which allows for such transfer of disqualification orders is not yet in force, it is hoped that this will become law soon. The Convention relates to disqualification for offences that involve:
- reckless or dangerous driving of a motor vehicle
- hit-and-run driving
- driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or other substances affecting or diminishing the driver's mental and physical abilities
- driving a vehicle faster than the permitted speed
In advance of the Convention coming into force, the mutual recognition of driving disqualifications between Ireland and the UK (including Norther Ireland) came into operation from 28 January 2010. (Does not include disqualifications resulting from the accumulation of penalty points.)

[bridlife]

But does this EU proposal stand, since strictly speaking Fuerteventura is not in the EU, but Spain is.

[Voldermort]

Worryingly, - - - "Driving with an alcohol rate over 0.12% is a crime (up to 6 months imprisonment and licence suspension up to 4 years)" They could probably invoke that for foriegners, whereas they can't touch your UK licence.

You might need to revise that statement about your EU licence being safe. This link is from Ireland but these things are being implemented on an EU-wide basis: http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/travel_and_recreation/motoring_1/driving_offences/driving_offences.html

EU Disqualification: Transfers an order made in one EU state to another where the disqualified person resides. Although the 1998 EU Convention on Driving Disqualifications (98/C 216/01) which allows for such transfer of disqualification orders is not yet in force, it is hoped that this will become law soon. The Convention relates to disqualification for offences that involve:
- reckless or dangerous driving of a motor vehicle
- hit-and-run driving
- driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or other substances affecting or diminishing the driver's mental and physical abilities
- driving a vehicle faster than the permitted speed
In advance of the Convention coming into force, the mutual recognition of driving disqualifications between Ireland and the UK (including Norther Ireland) came into operation from 28 January 2010. (Does not include disqualifications resulting from the accumulation of penalty points.)

The UK is not a signatory to that agreement (for once) and it is not going to apply in the UK. I think it already does in some parts though.

  Should add the Royal Gibraltar Police have a good slogan this year and its true......If you Drive don`t drink....If you Drink don`t Drive...very true

[SheilaW]

But does this EU proposal stand, since strictly speaking Fuerteventura is not in the EU, but Spain is.

Looks like it won't apply because of the UK action, but Fuerteventura is part of the EU for political decisions like these. But it isn't part of the fiscal EU, which governs taxation (eg VAT) and imports/exports (eg Customs)

[bridlife]

Sorry Sheila, was only asking the question.

[SheilaW]

Sorry Sheila, was only asking the question.

Hey, is that because I used bold? I'm really sorry, I didn't mean anything other than to highlight the fact that it's odd and confuses so many people. It's really only because of my job, working in Fuerteventura but invoicing clients within the EU and outside, that I've had to make the effort to get my head round it all. Perfectly valid question.

[fuertesol]

Just read in CAnarias 7 that new traffico rule is that double the legal drink limit equals a €1000 fine.

[isleswing]

Interesting, also, that UK has the highest allowable blood-alcohol limit wthin the european area, a figure only equalled by Malta. I shall keep out of the debate over the benefit of that.

[Jock719]

It's got to be a zero option when driving I think. I like a dram or two on my hols but I don't take any if driving both in the UK and abroad. Makes it an awful lot easier, and after driving Mrs Jock and the Jockettes to the Vaco Azul, I have a large one or two on the terrace when we get home!

[Spike On Q]

Why the debate whether it is OK to drink a thimble full or half a small glass of alcoholic beverage???

Such small amounts - surely you can do without??

If you want to have a "real" drink - don't drive, if you do drink and drive you will become a potential murderer - simple 

[Brightspark]

Why the debate whether it is OK to drink a thimble full or half a small glass of alcoholic beverage???

Such small amounts - surely you can do without??

If you want to have a "real" drink - don't drive, if you do drink and drive you will become a potential murderer - simple

This much is true, I got caught off guard in the morning when they breathalyzed me, I was out the night before and went to bed without any tea, woke straight up the next morning and headed to work, thought nothing of it (until they pulled me over for their routine checks)

I've been stupid when I was younger like most of us but soon grew out of that, Now if I know I'm driving that night/early next morning I simply won't drink.

[duncolm]

Interesting, also, that UK has the highest allowable blood-alcohol limit within the european area, a figure only equalled by Malta. I shall keep out of the debate over the benefit of that.

The Scottish Government is in the process of bringing limits in line with Europe. Unfortunately it can't be brought into force as the English Home Office are the only ones who can authorise the re-calibrated equipment, and they're not rushing....
It will happen though, and the UK Parliament generally follows suit on this type of thing.

[Voldermort]

We also have the lowest number of road deaths in Europe, so we must be doing something right