Cold Kiwi drink drivers, all 4 of them

[Spuds1234]

That March Hare check point was rubbish. Fucking baking in the sun for 30-40 minutes just to leave the rally site.

It was heaven to start moving on the road finally and cool down a bit.

[98tls]

That March Hare check point was rubbish. Fucking baking in the sun for 30-40 minutes just to leave the rally site.

It was heaven to start moving on the road finally and cool down a bit.

Mate you think 30 miutes was harsh,we had to park up under the big oak before the gate until they fucked off,stinking hot with gear on.Still point taken though.

[Spuds1234]

Mate you think 30 miutes was harsh,we had to park up under the big oak before the gate until they fucked off,stinking hot with gear on.Still point taken though.

I would have loved to have parked up with shorts and a t-shirt on and enjoyed the sun but I had to be somewhere in the afternoon. Made for a more spirited ride back to Christchurch.

[F5 Dave]

I wonder about the science of alch testing 'the morning after'. Lets say you get a skinfull & sleep it off. What happens is you brain is releasing all those chemicals in our brain to make the neurons misfire giving you the drunk feeling. Mmmm nice. It isn't the alcohol itself making you impaired.

So the next day your various guts have done as much as they could to remove the toxins from your blood but there is still a measurable amount of alcohol flowing about. Is this alcohol having the same affect on your brain once you've spent a bunch of these produced chemicals? or a lesser amount?

Just saying, but it makes if getting ratarsed at a rally worth being the last to leave a prudent move.

[jasonu]

I wonder about the science of alch testing 'the morning after'. Lets say you get a skinfull & sleep it off. What happens is you brain is releasing all those chemicals in our brain to make the neurons misfire giving you the drunk feeling. Mmmm nice. It isn't the alcohol itself making you impaired.

So the next day your various guts have done as much as they could to remove the toxins from your blood but there is still a measurable amount of alcohol flowing about. Is this alcohol having the same affect on your brain once you've spent a bunch of these produced chemicals? or a lesser amount?

Just saying, but it makes if getting ratarsed at a rally worth being the last to leave a prudent move.

In Auckland the cops used to set up check points on Saturday and Sundays early am to get those who thought they had 'slept it off in their cars' but were still apparently 'impared'.

[Jeff Sichoe]

From that March Hare article

Some riders had asked police if they could be breath-tested before they got on their bikes to leave the event, but were informed they would be tested once they left the showgrounds on their machines, he said.

"I was there at 7am when several people asked police if they could be tested and were refused point blank.

Now that fucken stinks, doesn't it.

People are obviously CONCERNED they may be over the limit, but the police won't give them peace of mind before they get on their bike...

Stinks like shit

[nadroj]

The best I have seen was a checkpoint on a one way just before the PD centre one saturday morning. Wasn't just DIC they caught.

[The Lone Rider]

From that March Hare article

Now that fucken stinks, doesn't it.

People are obviously CONCERNED they may be over the limit, but the police won't give them peace of mind before they get on their bike...

Stinks like shit

That was me, and a couple of others I was with who first approached them when they appeared.

We were told they would only test us if we were operating a vehicle.

We asked if they felt it was irresponsible to require people to operate a vehicle and ride it out onto a pubic road, when they may potentially be a danger to others.

The reply we got was along the lines of "Don't you think it's irresponsible to drink all night?"

I then rephrased my previous question, suggesting it was a good idea for people who felt fine but weren't sure, to be allowed to be breath tested.

I got the same reply as before, with the addition that they didn't have time to breath test everyone who walked out asking for it (this was at 7am or so)

They were then asked if they thought it better to error on the side of caution (given that it was a road safety concern), and allow people to be breath tested before operating a vehicle, as opposed to having them breath tested while already operating one.

They politely told us to fuck off and that they'd talk to us when we are operating a vehicle.

--

Might add a number of people got pissed off with the long lines to get out of the rally because of the road block, so they pulled a few fence posts and went through a small paddock and out to the road, thus avoiding the long lines and road block.

[scumdog]

OK< not going into the pros and cons of the March Hare story but one thing I will say:

IF they had tested everybody who wanted to be tested before they left the rally a fair number would probably be over.

If the test device showed a positive reading it would then 'purge' in that it takes a minute or two to clear that alcohol from its system before it is ready for the next test.

And from experience it seems that if a breath screening device is produced near a group of people they all want tested, even non-driver/riders, "just to see"

So if you think on how much time it took to test everybody at the time and add the 'purge' time X however many tested you can see you may well have been there longer.

MAYBE if there were enough staff and testing device they MAY have been able to screen random people who walk up and say "Can you test me?"

In the meantime I would suggest you buy your own testing device/kit.

It won't stand up in Court if you get done after it showed you were OK - but I understand they err on the side of caution - and it gives you an indication.

[jellywrestler]

In the meantime I would suggest you buy your own testing device/kit.

I did just that, bought two Sobercheck 3000 models ( the one Consumer magazine recommended as being the best) after a while they don't work as they need recalibrating.
Sent them away in the same pack paid the fees and they came back and read differently, frightening cause i'd been relying on these giving me a fair indication for several years and while i always erred on the side of caution just where do these machines leave you if when they've justed been calibrated and aren't reading the same????

[sil3nt]

People are obviously CONCERNED they may be over the limit, but the police won't give them peace of mind before they get on their bike...

If your concerned then don't fkn ride! Not hard is it

[Bald Eagle]

They politely told us to fuck off and that they'd talk to us when we are operating a vehicle.

Which begs the question in reasonableness, if they where aiming for safety allowing optional testing so riders could elect not to drive would be a better outcome. As against we only want you when your driving so we get the 'enforcement stats' up.

[tigertim20]

OK< not going into the pros and cons of the March Hare story but one thing I will say:

IF they had tested everybody who wanted to be tested before they left the rally a fair number would probably be over.

If the test device showed a positive reading it would then 'purge' in that it takes a minute or two to clear that alcohol from its system before it is ready for the next test.

And from experience it seems that if a breath screening device is produced near a group of people they all want tested, even non-driver/riders, "just to see"

So if you think on how much time it took to test everybody at the time and add the 'purge' time X however many tested you can see you may well have been there longer.

MAYBE if there were enough staff and testing device they MAY have been able to screen random people who walk up and say "Can you test me?"

In the meantime I would suggest you buy your own testing device/kit.It won't stand up in Court if you get done after it showed you were OK - but I understand they err on the side of caution - and it gives you an indication.

I understand where you are coming from in terms of the device needing time between positive readings, BUT, If the cops in that instance were there because they wanted to make sure people were safe, then they would have produced many more machines, so that people could be tested to check.

The part of your post I highlighted is also a good idea.

I notice that now rallies are starting to provide machines for use by rally goers to check themselves out before leaving the rally, which I think is a great move.

Cant you get devices overseas that check breath and are connected to the vehicles ignotion system? e.g. wont start untill you blow a safe reading?

[scracha]

If your concerned then don't fkn ride! Not hard is it

Some people got homes to go back to. Doesn't make sense to waste an extra 4 hours "drying out" if you're actually under the limit now does it?

We were told they would only test us if we were operating a vehicle.

Whereas the local cops here are quite happy to breath test us upon request when leaving a pub. Produces quite a few surprises...both "oh my gawd, I'm still over" and "how can I be fit to drive". Either way, it's about safety and education.

Clearly the cops at the bike rally's are more concerned about statistics and revenue gathering.

[sil3nt]

Some people got homes to go back to. Doesn't make sense to waste an extra 4 hours "drying out" if you're actually under the limit now does it?

Doesn't make sense to drink all night if you have to go home in the morning now does it?