Alcohol & overnighting

[Treecol]

Just had a thought about this country initially. We don't drink much, but what if we were to be wild camping and both of us had a drink & we were required to move on? Is it an offense to be in a MH on public land, and have consumed alcohol?

 

[Hymer 1961]

My guess is if you have the landowners permission and you are parked safely then you should be ok. Otherwise generally speaking wild camping unless you are in Scotland carries a risk.
To answer your question. If you think there may be a possibility you could be asked to move on then don’t drink any alcohol otherwise you could find yourself in hot water if over the limit, apply a little common sense.

 

[TheBig1]

the offence is in charge of a motor vehicle whilst under the influence of alcohol or drugs

to make it stick there has to be reason to think you will drive whilst still under the influence, including the next morning

 

[romany]

The only experience Ive had was about 20 years ago when the police arrived at little seas Haven park and proceed to breathalise anyone who came out of the club and got in a vehicle,those who ended up being prosecuted were told they were on publicly open land and there fore covered by drink driving laws,
I know some people challenged their prosecutions but never heard what happened its always made me very wary of drinking when overnighting

 

[Stealaway]

You can't move on if you're drunk and over the limit- tell them to think again

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[Jim]

[AMS=article, 12][/AMS]

 

[irnbru]

Otherwise generally speaking wild camping unless you are in Scotland carries a risk.

Scotland is no different to the law, in fact it’s stricter with the alcohol level.

 

[Jim]

The only experience Ive had was about 20 years ago when the police arrived at little seas Haven park and proceed to breathalise anyone who came out of the club and got in a vehicle

Yes over the years I've seen lot of drink driving on big sites, the clubhouse often surrounded by cars so they don't have to walk the 300 yards to their van.

 

[Fletton]

My moho is my "house" when parked up... and provided I wasn't being charged with any other offence... Would gladly challenge them in a courtroom.

However, if Mr Plod came and knocked... I'm sure it wouldn't come to that - as some degree of common sense would (should) be applied.

 

[romany]

Yes over the years I've seen lot of drink driving on big sites, the clubhouse often surrounded by cars so they don't have to walk the 300 yards to their van.

I've never understood the mentality by the time you've faffed about finding your keys you might as well walked

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[romany]

My moho is my "house" when parked up... and provided I wasn't being charged with any other offence... Would gladly challenge them in a courtroom.

However, if Mr Plod came and knocked... I'm sure it wouldn't come to that - as some degree of common sense would (should) be applied.

Interesting should it happen don;t forget to let the rest of us know how you get on

 

[GSD]

Scotland is no different to the law, in fact it’s stricter with the alcohol level.

 

[Odd-no-more]

The best thing is to lock the ignition key in the gas locker or garage. If you get a stroppy cop they can't get you for being in charge if you don't have the key. Won't work if your MOHO is keyless and I would not drink at all unless you are on private land (pub etc.) with permission.

 

[Fletton]

I have seen and read a plethora of discussions posted on many a forum going back years...

I have even read threads where folk have officially asked on Police forums with no definitive answer.... basically "fence sitting"

I have yet to see a thread - or read a news article - where any occupants have been charged.

I think this issue is one of those questions that has no answer... and best not asked officially... because if the legal system is put under pressure to give the definitive.... It may not be in "our" the public's favour...?

 

[hilldweller]

The best thing is to lock the ignition key in the gas locker or garage.

So you can't get your key when the cop is there but amazingly you can get it next day to drive off.

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[Odd-no-more]

So you can't get your key when the cop is there but amazingly you can get it next day to drive off.

They have to show an intention to drive, that won't be easy if they can't find the key, you don't have to tell them where it is. If they do prosecute it would show the court you did not have an intention to drive. Otherwise anyone who owned a car could be prosecuted after drinking at any time, it is not just the opportunity to commit a crime, they have to prove an intention.

 

[TheBig1]

If you are over the drink drive limit at midnight, then you will almost definitely be over the limit still at noon the following day. Is your alcoholism that bad that you cant abstain from drinking 24 hours before you drive again?

If not, there are AA meetings in towns all over the uk

 

[Stealaway]

How can you still be over the limit 12 hours later?

 

[hilldweller]

they can't find the key, you don't have to tell them where it is.

They don't have to find a key. You drove it there with a key. They know you are going to drive away with a key.

The offense is being in charge, not holding a bunch of keys.

 

[TheBig1]

How can you still be over the limit 12 hours later?

alcohol takes nearly 24 hours to leave your blood, you may think you are ok, but still legally over the limit

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[Stealaway]

So if you are 5 points over at midnight how much over are you at noon the next day? How would you know not to drive? What you are telling me is never to drink - ever!! Just on case?

 

[Sucoz]

I used to be a sales rep, every year we had a conference where the drink was free, people would drink as much as possible. The next morning breathelizers were available to everyone, I only ever saw 1 person fail and he couldn't stand up the night before.
I'm not for one moment saying this is good practice or condoning it, but I was always shocked that many people weren't over the limit.

 

[Odd-no-more]

I don't drink much and we always stay on a site so I'm safe, but care is needed if you drink a lot and plan to drive in the morning.
We used to go to the 70s weekends at Butins one of the things I liked was not driving all weekend I would stop drinking at midnight on Sunday and not drive until midday on Monday. Some of our friends would go for an early start, I always thought they were taking a risk.

 

[TheBig1]

you should see the number of parents caught over the limit on the morning school run, it's very worrying

 

[tony_g]

http://morning-after.org.uk/?page_id=82

Morning after calculator. Others out there too.
Couple of pints of 5% beer and 250ml of 13% wine, clear in 10 hours. Stop at 10pm. On the road 9am to be on the safe side. Not exactly alcoholism is it?

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[Grianan]

http://morning-after.org.uk/?page_id=82

Morning after calculator. Others out there too.
Couple of pints of 5% beer and 250ml of 13% wine, clear in 10 hours. Stop at 10pm. On the road 9am to be on the safe side. Not exactly alcoholism is it?

Max we have is a single gin ... 3 1/2 hours to be clear according to that. Can’t see it being less than 7 hours but most likely 10 1/2 hours do surely should be out of system but then.
We don’t park anywhere where we think there’s a risk we’ll be asked to move on.

 

[Neil Bedwin]

Am I the only lucky one?

I like rum....a lot! When we are parked up for the night I will have a couple....then maybe a couple more.
If we ever have the police knocking my wife doesn't drink, ever, and she is in charge of the vehicle

ps. she also loves driving the MH.

 

[grumps147]

Am I the only lucky one?

I like rum....a lot! When we are parked up for the night I will have a couple....then maybe a couple more.
If we ever have the police knocking my wife doesn't drink, ever, and she is in charge of the vehicle

ps. she also loves driving the MH.

Damned lucky, she’s usually three parts gone well before me

 

[TCG]

alcohol takes nearly 24 hours to leave your blood, you may think you are ok, but still legally over the limit

Have you got data to support that statement, my understanding is that you lose one unit per hour after you have stopped drinking..
so if I have a bottle of wine with my dinner circa 7.30pm you are saying that I am still pissed at dinner the following night... don’t think so

 

[EastAngler]

Have you got data to support that statement, my understanding is that you lose one unit per hour after you have stopped drinking..
so if I have a bottle of wine with my dinner circa 7.30pm you are saying that I am still pissed at dinner the following night... don’t think so

That's my understanding as well. I am a member of a gliding club and, as you would expect, the rules / law on drinking are explicit. Quoting from the membership form that we all have to sign, with my bold highlighting:

IT IS AGAINST THE LAW TO FLY IN A GLIDER WITH AN ALCOHOL CONCENTRATION IN YOUR BLOOD EXCEEDING 20mg per 100ml.This is ¼ of the Drink/Drive limit and is effectively a zero tolerance limit!

This means:

• No alcohol within 8 hours before flying; no more than 5 units for a man, 3 units for a woman, in the 12 hours before your flight
• 1 unit is ½ a pint of ordinary strength (3.6%) beer or ½ a standard glass of 12% wine
• It takes an hour to absorb one unit of alcohol so if you have consumed a substantial amount during the 24 hours before your flight you could still be over the limit.