Breath Testing

As long as the request is in good faith, I think it is a bit short sighted for the Police to refuse to voluntarily breath test people who want to check they are under the legal limit. I mean it is saying we won’t check you when you ask sitting in the bar, but will the moment you get behind the wheel.

Having said that, I do agree that having breath-testing machines in bars has mixed results. You certainly do get competitions to score the highest – but admittedly only amongst those not driving. So the drivers stay under the limit, but the passengers get more drunk.

Many years ago myself and one other attended the Young Liberals annual convention in Hobart, Tasmania. And this lasts seven days with a major social event every night. The final night was a ball, with free alcohol and the venue had a breath-testing machine. There was a certain amount of competion between the Aussies and us two Kiwis for the high score. The end result was that the Kiwis won (of course) but then later that night were ahem affected enough that upon running into the captain and crew of a US nuclear sub in a nightclub, extended an offer on behalf of the NZ Government to come and visit us for a goodwill tour. We also thought we should let the Government know what we had done so thought it was a good idea to fax Don McKinnon that night to let him know of the invite. I understand that his MFAT officials spent a furious 24 hours talking to the Pentagon to try and check that the submarine wouldn’t in fact be turning up 🙂