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Originally Posted by bmwspice
But it bugs me that each state can have a different limit. That proves there isn’t a known safe limit.
It also bugs me a passenger can’t have an open container. Pull the car over. If the driver blows a zero then there’s no harm. But that’s not the over zealous law.
What about a driver with a beer? Absolutely illegal but if that same driver had the single beer before getting in the car he’s under the limit and no problem.
It reminds me of the HS kids who got expelled for having Tylenol bc the school had a zero tolerance policy. Zero tolerance should mean “no warnings for having real illegal drugs” not losing your mind over an innocent kid with a headache.
It also reminds me of all the people who are aghast about drive thru liquor stores. You’ve heard the jokes. But liquor stores and bars are two different things. How do people get home with their alcohol purchases when they go inside to purchase? Why don’t people have an issue with liquor stores having parking lots?
All this to say, I’m all for prosecuting people who drive IMPAIRED but the whole “any alcohol is too much” belief is hysteria and doesn’t make anyone safer.
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I have a few theories for these questions. First, everyone's body is different and metabolizes differently. A 250lb adult drinking 2 shots is not the same as a 150lb adult taking 2 shots. Also, this doesn't take into account that the 250lb person may only have 1 kidney. So yes, you are right, we don't know what is considered "safe" because everyone's limit is different.
I don't see a problem with passengers drinking, but the law does. I'm assuming it is because of the temptation to drink and drive. If you remove the temptation, you don't have to worry. A driver with one beer, in California, is okay to drive as long as BAC is within limits.
Liquor stores can have parking lots because you are supposed to transport alcohol in the trunk, which should be inaccessible to the driver while driving.
Tylenol might seem like an innocuous drug, but it is a drug and an overdose will destroy your liver and could kill you. The only way to remove it is to pump your stomach or have you swallow a lot of Mucomyst (which smells like sulfa). Tylenol is a very common tool for suicide and you know you can't trust kids with meds. Hence why I agree with a zero tolerance policy. If a kid has a headache, see the school nurse.
I don't think there is hysteria over alcohol and I do believe these laws help to some degree.