Beat a breathalyzer...with peanut butter?

[RoryN]

Apparently, some people swear by this.

Any testimony?

 

[KRCummings]

I don't believe any of the stories about beating a breathalyzer. Plus, people who do try to beat them and those who spread stories about beating them are advocating drunk driving.

 

[DavidJericho]

A breathalyzer is really easy to beat: Don't drink.

 

[OscarTheGrouch]

A breathalyzer is really easy to beat: Don't drink.

no.. dont get caught driving after drinking.

 

[KRCummings]

no.. dont get caught driving after drinking.

I prefer the don't drink option.

 

[~Avalon~]

A breathalyzer is really easy to beat: Don't drink.

*claps* good man

 

[OscarTheGrouch]

I prefer the don't drink option.

I only (rarely) drink at home.

 

[RoryN]

I don't believe any of the stories about beating a breathalyzer. Plus, people who do try to beat them and those who spread stories about beating them are advocating drunk driving.

Perhaps those who spread stories about how to beat them actually encourage the design of better breathalyzers, as opposed to keeping it a secret "within circles". Think further.

So, any experiences?

 

[KRCummings]

Perhaps those who spread stories about how to beat them actually encourage the design of better breathalyzers, as opposed to keeping it a secret "within circles". Think further.

I doubt it.
It's people who think it's ok to drink and drive and do whatever they can to get away with it. Scum.

 

[JazzManJim]

It's not true.

Modern breathalyzers are sophisticated chemical detectors. Peanut butter might mask the smell of alcohol but not the presence. And you wouldn't be given a test soon after ingesting the peanut butter either. Most times, there's a 30 minute time period after you've had anything like that in your mouth. So any effect that it might possibly have would be negated by time.

 

[Ham Murabi]

I figure if pepper can fool drug dogs it will probably work on breathalyzers. So if you've been drinking and are pulled over, keep a big old bottle of pepper nearby. Unscrew the cap and toss it down. I'm not sure what will happen, but I hope the video shows up on youtube.

 

[JBCorbell]

It's not true.

Modern breathalyzers are sophisticated chemical detectors. Peanut butter might mask the smell of alcohol but not the presence. And you wouldn't be given a test soon after ingesting the peanut butter either. Most times, there's a 30 minute time period after you've had anything like that in your mouth. So any effect that it might possibly have would be negated by time.

Agreed. The only way that peanut butter could possibly work would be to stuff it in the tube to prevent your boozy breath from getting in. That would be fairly noticable.

 

[JBCorbell]

I figure if pepper can fool drug dogs it will probably work on breathalyzers. So if you've been drinking and are pulled over, keep a big old bottle of pepper nearby. Unscrew the cap and toss it down. I'm not sure what will happen, but I hope the video shows up on youtube.

LMAO!

 

[RoryN]

I doubt it.

Then you'd be wrong. A little research shows that new testing devices for BAC have been developed because of methods of subverting them - like peanut butter. They will show an error when foreign substances which are enough to interfere with a good reading are detected.

 

[GuiltyPleasure]

fishermen's Friends work well - possibly because the cop can't take the smell of them and lets you go.

 

[KRCummings]

Then you'd be wrong. A little research shows that new testing devices for BAC have been developed because of methods of subverting them - like peanut butter. They will show an error when foreign substances which are enough to interfere with a good reading are detected.

So if you knew that then why did you ask in the first place?
And I still don't buy that there has ever been any good way to beat one, just stories by drunks who should be in prison anyway.

 

[DavidJericho]

So if you knew that then why did you ask in the first place?
And I still don't buy that there has ever been any good way to beat one, just stories by drunks who should be in prison anyway.

Anything a PhD chemist, and a bunch of egg-head engineers can think up, can be promptly rendered useless buy a few drunks.


...I think that's the argument.

 

[JazzManJim]

Agreed. The only way that peanut butter could possibly work would be to stuff it in the tube to prevent your boozy breath from getting in. That would be fairly noticable.

The thing is, though, that you don't even need a beathalyzer test to get a DUI/DWI conviction in court. Field Sobriety tests performed by the officer and, if necessary, witness information from others who saw the person (civilians, other police officers and so on) intoxicated can be enough to get a conviction.

Additionally, in same states (mine being one of them) a serious attempt to spoof the breath test is tantamount to refusing to take the test and results in an immediate suspension of your drivers license with further MVA action. Normally, the suspension would be a 30-day suspension pending an MVA administrative hearing.

 

[JazzManJim]

And I still don't buy that there has ever been any good way to beat one, just stories by drunks who should be in prison anyway.

Well, you have to consider that those stories would have to originate from someone who had successfully beaten such a test, i.e. a drunk person.

 

[RoryN]

So if you knew that then why did you ask in the first place?

I was interested in seeing what sort of gut / quick-to-judge reaction I'd get. It's the sort of subject that generates a lot of responses. And it's a slow night.

I do more designated driving than I should. Ironically, the world is not kind to the designated driver. I've had waitresses sneer at me when they found out I wouldn't be ordering beer.

 

[KRCummings]

The thing is, though, that you don't even need a beathalyzer test to get a DUI/DWI conviction in court. Field Sobriety tests performed by the officer and, if necessary, witness information from others who saw the person (civilians, other police officers and so on) intoxicated can be enough to get a conviction.

Additionally, in same states (mine being one of them) a serious attempt to spoof the breath test is tantamount to refusing to take the test and results in an immediate suspension of your drivers license with further MVA action. Normally, the suspension would be a 30-day suspension pending an MVA administrative hearing.

Michigan law is like that. You refuse the test they take your license right there. Not sure about Indiana but I think it's the same.

 

[KRCummings]

Well, you have to consider that those stories would have to originate from someone who had successfully beaten such a test, i.e. a drunk person.

They'd originate there but that doesn't mean it actually worked. I'd wager that most times the stories were told the night after making bail.

 

[Olivianna]

The thing is, though, that you don't even need a beathalyzer test to get a DUI/DWI conviction in court. Field Sobriety tests performed by the officer and, if necessary, witness information from others who saw the person (civilians, other police officers and so on) intoxicated can be enough to get a conviction.

sadly, some guy in bombay recently ran over (and killed) 7 people, but they weren't able to convict him of all the charges because they had no hard evidence that he was actually drunk (he was, according to witnesses). he will serve only 6 months...

 

[JBCorbell]

The thing is, though, that you don't even need a beathalyzer test to get a DUI/DWI conviction in court. Field Sobriety tests performed by the officer and, if necessary, witness information from others who saw the person (civilians, other police officers and so on) intoxicated can be enough to get a conviction.

Additionally, in same states (mine being one of them) a serious attempt to spoof the breath test is tantamount to refusing to take the test and results in an immediate suspension of your drivers license with further MVA action. Normally, the suspension would be a 30-day suspension pending an MVA administrative hearing.

Also, if there is a suspicion that the breathalyser has been spoofed, a blood sample can be demanded.

 

[JazzManJim]

sadly, some guy in bombay recently ran over (and killed) 7 people, but they weren't able to convict him of all the charges because they had no hard evidence that he was actually drunk (he was, according to witnesses). he will serve only 6 months...

Bombay, India?

I imagine the rules of jurisprudence work a bit differently.