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