Did you know: An officer won’t ask you to recite your alphabet backwards.
Welcome back. Thanks for joining us for the second installment in our two part series on lies we tell ourselves about drunk driving arrests. In the previous article we covered myths like sucking a penny to throw off the breath test and lying to police about how much you’ve had to drink. Moving on, we’re going to look at a few more common misconceptions about driving drunk and DUI arrests.
Myth: A cup of coffee or a cold shower can overcome the effects of alcohol.
Truth: Only in your dreams.
Drinking a cup of coffee while you’re intoxicated might help you stay awake a little longer, but it isn’t going to do anything for the alcohol level in your bloodstream. Ditto the cold shower. Adding stimulants to your system while you’re drunk won’t counter the effects of the booze, they will simply help you perk up a little, or perhaps feel as if you’re a little more alert. So if you’ve had too much to drink, your best option is to get a ride or wait for the alcohol to slowly wear off. Don’t count on a cold shower or a mug of caffeine to solve your problems – because they won’t!
Myth: Refusing to take a breath test means they can’t prove you were drinking.
Truth: Not true, and refusing a breath test can get your driver’s license suspended.
As we mentioned in the previous article, you do have the right to refuse a roadside breath test in Michigan. However, this won’t save you from getting arrested for drunk driving. What it is likely to do though, is cost you a one year suspension of your driver’s license. No officer is going to ask you to take a breath test and then when you refuse, say “Oh well, I tried!” and let you go. If the officer suspects that you are intoxicated, they will arrest you on suspicion of drunk driving, and then simply get a warrant to have your blood drawn. Your blood sample, which you cannot refuse if it is ordered by a judge in Michigan, will be tested for alcohol or drugs. If the results show that you were driving under the influence, you can expect to be charged.
Myth: The arresting officer will ask you to say the alphabet backwards
Truth: Nope. Even sober people can’t say the alphabet backwards.
Z…Y…X…W seriously, no one can do this! The idea that an arresting officer will ask you to recite the alphabet backwards to prove your sobriety is a common misbelief. Think about it, even sober people can’t say their alphabet backwards. And why should they be able to? No one ever learns it that way, so it doesn’t make sense that anyone would be able to recite it like that. In most cases, the officer asks you to walk in a straight line, to touch your nose, and to recite your alphabet the right way with your eyes closed. The reason for the closed eyes is because intoxicated people often use vision to maintain balance. Closing your eyes while drunk can result in swaying, compulsively opening your eyes, and spreading your arms to steady yourself – all of which the officer will be watching for.
Myth: Hyperventilating before taking the breath test will help you beat the test
Truth: Sorry, wrong again!
Honestly, we’re not even sure where this myth came from, or who thought it would sound convincing, but then again… Loch Ness Monster. Need we say more? The truth is that there is no way to breathe that will help you beat the roadside preliminary breath test (PBT). Same goes for an ignition interlock device, sometimes called a BAIID. It’s impossible to change or influence the reading of a breath test administered by an officer, by breathing in a specific way. This is because, as we explained in the previous article, PBT and DataMaster machines (which is what Michigan cops use to determine how much you’ve had to drink) measure the evaporated alcohol molecules in your exhaled breath.
Once again, we want to remind you that the best way to avoid being arrested for drinking and driving is to only drive when you haven’t been drinking at all. However, we understand that people make mistakes and sometimes misjudge what they are capable of. So if you or a loved one have been accused of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, contact The Kronzek Firm immediately at 866 766 5245. Our highly skilled defense attorneys have spent decades defending people against drunk driving charges, and we can help you too.
