7 ms·

Some of these are interesting: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_alcohol_content#Highest_levels https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_alcohol_content#Highest_.

Some of these are interesting: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_alcohol_content#Highest_levels https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_alcohol_content#Highest_... I think anyone who has played with a personal breath test device knows that you can get false readings quite easily, but blood tests are something else altogether.

RandallBrown 5y ago
I have a police officer friend and even his breathalyzer gives pretty dramatically different readings.
- aerostable_slug 5y ago
  The unspoken secret to DUI defense: pay $10k for an expert witness to show up and demand access to the breathalyzer's source code and pertinent documentation. The vendor will refuse and the case will be thrown out. Nobody wants to talk about the (in)accuracy of breathalyzers.
  - throwaway0a5e 5y ago
    >Nobody wants to talk about the (in)accuracy of breathalyzers. That's because like every other bit of tech used to convict people it's designed to err on the side of convicting people not being accurate. If you want a laugh look up the sensors they use in the alcohol ankle bracelets. Then look up the OEM specs, calibration requirements, usage environment requirements and accuracy claims by the vendors and try and reconcile the two (several research papers have been written about this). The whole industry is lousy.
  - outworlder 5y ago
    > The vendor will refuse and the case will be thrown out. I'm skeptical that a case would be thrown out that easily. I have seen expert witnesses getting chewed by the prosecution on minor details. So what if the source is unavailable. It can be argued that the device is tested and regularly calibrated, and that any inaccuracies found will be minor - and certainly not enough to exonerate the defendant. Yeah maybe there might be some inaccuracy - but then the defendant failed the standardized field sobriety tests. And the cop is saying that they were visibly drunk. Now what?
    - aerostable_slug 5y ago
      > Yeah maybe there might be some inaccuracy - but then the defendant failed the standardized field sobriety tests. And the cop is saying that they were visibly drunk. Now what? You pay to have a medical expert come in and explain the myriad conditions that can lead to failing the field sobriety tests. It's simply a question of funding. Even if the case isn't dropped the jury will almost certainly have reasonable doubt. This is partially why, at least in California, major parts of the penalties for DUI are "administrative" in nature and handled by the DMV. Even if you do get acquitted in criminal court, it's another set of hearings to get your license back ($$$), lose the special "I got a DUI" SR-22 insurance requirement, etc.
sva_ 5y ago
> In 2004, an unidentified Taiwanese woman died of alcohol intoxication after immersion for twelve hours in a bathtub filled with 40% ethanol. Her blood alcohol content was 1.35%. It was believed that she had immersed herself as a response to the SARS epidemic. Bizarre
- giantg2 5y ago
  I'd imagine the fumes were quite bad too. Inhalation can be a different beast when it comes to alcohol.
  - sp332 5y ago
    I thought of the fumes too. Clinical studies show that alcohol doesn't absorb well through skin. e.g. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2596158/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2596158/ the wrappings were subsequently soaked with 200 ml of 95% (v/v) ethanol. Although the ethanol-soaked cotton was kept covering the skin with rubber sheeting and adhesive tapes for 4–9 hours, no ethanol was measurable in the blood.
    - giantg2 5y ago
      Interesting. I didn't realize it was that bad at absorption.
    - satellite2 5y ago
      Some also probably entered the bloodstream via the colon / genitals.
- Chris2048 5y ago
  IF she wanted to clean her skin, Why on earth would she bathe for more than 10 mins?! It must have burned!
  - boogies 5y ago
    Perhaps the fumes made her too drunk to leave? Is that possible?

RandallBrown 5y ago

I have a police officer friend and even his breathalyzer gives pretty dramatically different readings.

aerostable_slug 5y ago
The unspoken secret to DUI defense: pay $10k for an expert witness to show up and demand access to the breathalyzer's source code and pertinent documentation. The vendor will refuse and the case will be thrown out. Nobody wants to talk about the (in)accuracy of breathalyzers.
- throwaway0a5e 5y ago
  >Nobody wants to talk about the (in)accuracy of breathalyzers. That's because like every other bit of tech used to convict people it's designed to err on the side of convicting people not being accurate. If you want a laugh look up the sensors they use in the alcohol ankle bracelets. Then look up the OEM specs, calibration requirements, usage environment requirements and accuracy claims by the vendors and try and reconcile the two (several research papers have been written about this). The whole industry is lousy.
- outworlder 5y ago
  > The vendor will refuse and the case will be thrown out. I'm skeptical that a case would be thrown out that easily. I have seen expert witnesses getting chewed by the prosecution on minor details. So what if the source is unavailable. It can be argued that the device is tested and regularly calibrated, and that any inaccuracies found will be minor - and certainly not enough to exonerate the defendant. Yeah maybe there might be some inaccuracy - but then the defendant failed the standardized field sobriety tests. And the cop is saying that they were visibly drunk. Now what?
  - aerostable_slug 5y ago
    > Yeah maybe there might be some inaccuracy - but then the defendant failed the standardized field sobriety tests. And the cop is saying that they were visibly drunk. Now what? You pay to have a medical expert come in and explain the myriad conditions that can lead to failing the field sobriety tests. It's simply a question of funding. Even if the case isn't dropped the jury will almost certainly have reasonable doubt. This is partially why, at least in California, major parts of the penalties for DUI are "administrative" in nature and handled by the DMV. Even if you do get acquitted in criminal court, it's another set of hearings to get your license back ($$$), lose the special "I got a DUI" SR-22 insurance requirement, etc.

sva_ 5y ago

> In 2004, an unidentified Taiwanese woman died of alcohol intoxication after immersion for twelve hours in a bathtub filled with 40% ethanol. Her blood alcohol content was 1.35%. It was believed that she had immersed herself as a response to the SARS epidemic. Bizarre

giantg2 5y ago
I'd imagine the fumes were quite bad too. Inhalation can be a different beast when it comes to alcohol.
- sp332 5y ago
  I thought of the fumes too. Clinical studies show that alcohol doesn't absorb well through skin. e.g. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2596158/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2596158/ the wrappings were subsequently soaked with 200 ml of 95% (v/v) ethanol. Although the ethanol-soaked cotton was kept covering the skin with rubber sheeting and adhesive tapes for 4–9 hours, no ethanol was measurable in the blood.
  - giantg2 5y ago
    Interesting. I didn't realize it was that bad at absorption.
  - satellite2 5y ago
    Some also probably entered the bloodstream via the colon / genitals.
Chris2048 5y ago
IF she wanted to clean her skin, Why on earth would she bathe for more than 10 mins?! It must have burned!
- boogies 5y ago
  Perhaps the fumes made her too drunk to leave? Is that possible?