| If you are ever suspected of driving under | | | | consumption of underwear nor feces can trick |
| the influence of alcohol and pulled over by | | | | a Breathalyzer into registering a lower BAC, |
| the police, you may be given a Breathalyzer | | | | but it is interesting to note that people |
| test, which will be used to determine the | | | | have tried both. A 28-year-old Canadian man |
| level of alcohol concentration in your | | | | who was stopped on suspicion of drunk driving |
| bloodstream. This device used by law | | | | ate the crotch out of his underwear, |
| enforcement, is portable, reasonably | | | | believing that it would soak up the excess |
| accurate, and gives almost immediate results. | | | | alcohol in his system. Another Canadian |
| | | | driver tried to foil a Breathalyzer test by |
| Given the dire consequences drivers face if | | | | eating his own feces. Either it didn't work |
| they fail such a test, there's a question | | | | or it had the opposite effect and increased |
| that often arises among individuals who are | | | | the BAC readings. The machine registered a |
| concerned about the possibility of being | | | | BAC that was more than twice the legal limit. |
| caught drinking and driving; is there any way | | | | |
| to fool the Breathalyzer into showing a lower | | | | Myth: Zima. The alcohol in the sweet, pale, |
| reading? | | | | malt liquor beverage was thought to be |
| | | | undetectable by breath analysis machines. |
| Listed below are some common myths and facts | | | | Zima leaves little alcohol smell on the |
| about trying to beat the Breathalyzer. | | | | breath, even though it contains as much |
| | | | alcohol as any normal beer, so people |
| Myth: Sucking on pennies. Most people know | | | | (usually the teens who drink the stuff) |
| that sucking on a penny, or any other type of | | | | believed that the alcohol couldn't be |
| change, does not trick the Breathalyzer into | | | | detected by a Breathalyzer. Like breath |
| registering a falsely low blood alcohol | | | | fresheners, the alcohol remains even though |
| concentration (BAC). Even sillier is that | | | | the odor is not there. |
| people who believe it think the penny trick | | | | |
| works because of the penny's high copper | | | | That's a lot of myths. How about a factual |
| concentration. Pennies have been made of | | | | way to decrease a BAC reading? |
| 97.5% zinc since the 1980s. | | | | |
| | | | Fact: Hyperventilation. Breathalyzer results |
| Myth: Breath Mints. The misguided notion that | | | | will vary depending upon the breathing |
| the smell of alcohol equals alcohol itself | | | | pattern of the person being tested. In one |
| fuels the nonsensical belief that breath | | | | study, subjects drank moderate amounts of |
| fresheners can fool a breath analysis test. | | | | alcohol after which their BAC levels were |
| All gums, mints and sprays do is mask the | | | | measured by gas chromatographic analysis of |
| odor of alcohol on the breath, they do not | | | | their breath. Then they took breath analysis |
| change the alcohol content of the breath nor | | | | tests using various breathing patterns. When |
| do they effect the chemical reactions used to | | | | the subjects held their breath for 30 seconds |
| determine the amount of alcohol present. All | | | | before exhaling, their BAC readings increased |
| breath fresheners can do, particularly | | | | by over 15%. When they hyperventilated for 20 |
| mouthwashes, is possibly increase the amount | | | | seconds immediately before taking the tests, |
| of mouth alcohol registered. Even though | | | | their BAC readings decreased by over ten |
| breath analysis tests have ways of | | | | percent. |
| distinguishing mouth alcohol from lung | | | | |
| alcohol, the last thing a person would want | | | | On the other hand, hyperventilating could |
| to do is increase the BAC reading. | | | | make you dizzy and affect your performance on |
| | | | other common roadside sobriety tests, such as |
| Myth: Belching. Many police officers believe | | | | walking in a straight line or balancing on |
| that Breathalyzer results can be compromised | | | | one foot. |
| if the subject belches while being tested, | | | | |
| due to the increase in mouth alcohol caused | | | | These are just a small handful of the "beat |
| by the belch. This belief is more fiction | | | | the Breathalyzer" tales. What's the moral to |
| than fact. According to a 1992 University of | | | | most of these fables? If you think you can |
| Wisconsin study, belching had no effect on | | | | fool the Breathalyzer, you're probably just |
| breath analysis test results even when | | | | fooling yourself. If you really want to beat |
| subjects belched directly into the | | | | the breathalyzer, just don't drink and drive, |
| instrument. | | | | and you'll have nothing to worry about. |
| | | | |
| Myth: Underwear and Feces. Yuck! It almost | | | | Authored by L.E. Knowlton. |
| goes without saying that neither the | | | | |