Breathalyzing drivers of motorhomes

[BriannYe]

Today on the E6 120km towards Tromso the police were breathalyzing all motorhome drivers. The time was approx 10.00am
So if visiting Norway I would suggest you be very careful what alcohol you consume as a driver. Last night I only had alcohol free beer so showed 0 alcohol.

 

[lorger]

It surprises me they don’t do this more often, some of the drivers on overnight ferries must be over the limit in the morning, not just MH drivers all drivers.

 

[Scottish Scrutineer]

It surprises me they don’t do this more often, some of the drivers on overnight ferries must be over the limit in the morning, not just MH drivers all drivers.

They used to regularly do just that when you came off the ferry at Europort. On the freight ferry coming back home, each lorry driver was given 6 bottles of beer. Litre Bottles of Genever/Jenever, or Absolut Vodka were €5. A bottle of Jenever was a regular ‘Thank you’ to thhe loaders at the dock at Maasport who ensured we were last on board so we could get off promptly the next morning

 

[Ernesto]

A sign of the times I guess......guilty, unless proven innocent.

 

[Emmit]

Strictly speaking, (unless things have changed???)
In the UK a breath test cannot be demanded of a person suspected of driving a motor vehicle unless one of the three below conditions is met.

1. Driver/Rider when an accident occured.
2. Driver/rider committing a moving traffic offence
3. Driver/rider suspected of having alcohol/drugs in their system.

That why we don't have mass breathyliser stops in this country.

 

[The Saints]

That suspicion could arise as a result of somone driving off a ferry when it's likely they could have been drinking on board.

 

[gus-lopez]

Reminds me of last night & the delivery man. he is driving with a can of estrella in his cup holder

 

[Bill-H]

Strictly speaking, (unless things have changed???)
In the UK a breath test cannot be demanded of a person suspected of driving a motor vehicle unless one of the three below conditions is met.

1. Driver/Rider when an accident occured.
2. Driver/rider committing a moving traffic offence
3. Driver/rider suspected of having alcohol/drugs in their system.

That why we don't have mass breathyliser stops in this country.

That third one is the catch-all. I've stopped you because I suspect you've been drinking etc

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

Strictly speaking, (unless things have changed???)
In the UK a breath test cannot be demanded of a person suspected of driving a motor vehicle unless one of the three below conditions is met.

1. Driver/Rider when an accident occured.
2. Driver/rider committing a moving traffic offence
3. Driver/rider suspected of having alcohol/drugs in their system.

That why we don't have mass breathyliser stops in this country.

But they do at Christmas time and Nrs year?

 

[Tonks]

A sign of the times I guess......guilty, unless proven innocent.

I don't see it as that in any way whatsoever. I see it as perfectly sensible road safety measures. Those who are responsible drivers aren't going to fall foul of being breathalysed.

Norway has a VERY strict drink drive limit, which is also minuscule, and their penalties are severe. Personally, if I were driving there, I wouldn't be drinking at all.

In New Zealand, it's pretty common for breathalyser stations to be set up near big events where people are likely to drink, and I think it's a good move. Pity we don't have the resources to do similar here.

I have often wondered what results would be found if random checks were being done after some of the motorhome/van/music festivals. I should think there were a number of over the limit drivers leaving Malvern, if the state of some folk by Saturday and Sunday afternoons and evenings is anything to go by. It's even more alarming if you consider the size of some of the vehicles they're likely to be driving.

I'm heading for Busfest (also at the Three Counties Showground) in a couple of weeks, and my biggest worry is the number of folk who go with the intent of drinking for 80% of the event.

Strictly speaking, (unless things have changed???)
In the UK a breath test cannot be demanded of a person suspected of driving a motor vehicle unless one of the three below conditions is met.

1. Driver/Rider when an accident occured.
2. Driver/rider committing a moving traffic offence
3. Driver/rider suspected of having alcohol/drugs in their system.

That why we don't have mass breathyliser stops in this country.

The Road Traffic Act 1988 section 163 gives the police the power to stop any vehicle at any time. Once stopped, if they have any reason to suspect you've been drinking, they can demand a breath test as per your list above. It's that legislation which allows the pre-Christmas drink-drive campaigns to function.

 

[David and Sally]

That third one is the catch-all. I've stopped you because I suspect you've been drinking etc

Easier than that. Random documents check, oh by the way, I smell alcohol.

 

[gus-lopez]

That third one is the catch-all. I've stopped you because I suspect you've been drinking etc

Might as well say "because I can"

 

[Emmit]

I don't see it as that in any way whatsoever. I see it as perfectly sensible road safety measures. Those who are responsible drivers aren't going to fall foul of being breathalysed.

Norway has a VERY strict drink drive limit, which is also minuscule, and their penalties are severe. Personally, if I were driving there, I wouldn't be drinking at all.

In New Zealand, it's pretty common for breathalyser stations to be set up near big events where people are likely to drink, and I think it's a good move. Pity we don't have the resources to do similar here.

I have often wondered what results would be found if random checks were being done after some of the motorhome/van/music festivals. I should think there were a number of over the limit drivers leaving Malvern, if the state of some folk by Saturday and Sunday afternoons and evenings is anything to go by. It's even more alarming if you consider the size of some of the vehicles they're likely to be driving.

I'm heading for Busfest (also at the Three Counties Showground) in a couple of weeks, and my biggest worry is the number of folk who go with the intent of drinking for 80% of the event.





The Road Traffic Act 1988 section 163 gives the police the power to stop any vehicle at any time. Once stopped, if they have any reason to suspect you've been drinking, they can demand a breath test as per your list above. It's that legislation which allows the pre-Christmas drink-drive campaigns to function.

However, yes they have the right to stop a vehicle BUT (big but) they still have to have the suspicion that the driver has been drinking. It is NOT sufficient suspicion that Christmas is coming. There has to be suspicion of the driver, IE breath smelling, eyes glistening, etc.
Lord help the policeman who stops me and spuriously breath tests me without that suspicion. And I'm speaking as a retired policeman.

 

[Emmit]

But they do at Christmas time and Nrs year?

I refer you to the comment I made to Tonks.

 

[Emmit]

That third one is the catch-all. I've stopped you because I suspect you've been drinking etc

From a foggy memory the words are "reasonable cause to suspect".

If you blow nil, what was the suspicion.
Remember, Senior officers can't instruct lower ranks to be in breach of the police disciplinary Regs and if you've blown nil, I repeat, what was the reasonable suspicion.

 

[mikash]

A sign of the times I guess......guilty, unless proven innocent.

Can't speak for other Nordic countries, but random breathalyzer testing has been a thing in Finland for ages. Although the resourcing cuts have reduced the number a lot nowadays I guess. I think I've been tested maybe twice in last ten years, so it's not exactly daily occurence, but a lot depends on when and where you typically drive. Holiday traffic, around big events and so on. There's also often preannounced elevated monitoring of all kinds around when school starts, to keep all kinds of risky behaviour down to minimum and give the new batch of first graders some breathing room when they begin to move in the traffic on their own.

 

[westhamman]

I agree with Derek. The Police historically could and did what we wanted, random stops and searches were common. Now they don't and look at how the country has gone,do we feel safer.

 

[DandJ]

3. Driver/rider suspected of having alcohol/drugs in their system.

That third one is the catch-all. I've stopped you because I suspect you've been drinking etc

You'd have to be a bit more specific..such as, "you appeared to be swerving across the road", "you were speeding up and slowing down" rather than suspecting them of having been drinking....(unless you've parked opposite a pub car park and watched them stagger out....in which case you really shouldn't have let them set driving in the first place)

 

[Camdoon]

Had 4 run-ins with the Police in Europe.

1. was in France in a small village near Le Mans in 2014. The roads met in a t-junction and they were stopping everyone going through the town at 10 at night. They tried to breathalyse my son but came round my side and breathalysed me. Also had no deflectors on my headlights so shut them off leaving no lights on so learned that they were not bothered about them and there was no requirement to carry a breathalyser.
2, Stopped immediately after a payage on the s26 between Reims and Calais by a policeman who, I can only assume, wanted to practise his English.
3. Was collecting my offspring from the Huesca festival 2022 (lots of drink and wine throwing) earlyish of a morning (little drink the night before). The Spanish police had set up numerous road blocks but as a non-Spaniard was waved through 3 of them.
4. This year, was in Logrono and had a fair amount to drink but as I was doing a long drive finished drinking about 9 at night. The route back to the UK takes you into the south of Pamplona (the bull running was on) which we were hitting about 9 in the morning. On the way in we saw a road block on the other side of the road but was content that 1. they do not stop Brits and 2. they would not be covering the next road as it may have been too far out of town. So reached Pamplona shortly thereafter and onto the road north by which time everyone in the van had woken up and wanted a coffee, at that my sat nav stated there were police ahead so I was happy to get a coffee down my throat and turned into the services. Here waiting at the services was a policeman. So at this I am thinking they dont stop Brits but he did - yikes - 1. I am the only driver, 2 the dog had been jabbed and every other thing which would have to be sorted. He gave me a mouth piece to open then I had to fit it to the breathalyser. After 2 attempts he started talking to the car behind so I made to move off and he said stop. So at the 3rd attempt he is going mas, mas, mas; now the night before I had been drinking with my sons who were shouting mas, mas, mas with every drink that was getting poured so this was not helping. I finally managed to blow enough and I was ok - tried not to show any sense of relief - I held onto the nozzle and showed it at the main check when we left the services. Phew.

 

[TheMobileWanderer]

From a foggy memory the words are "reasonable cause to suspect".

If you blow nil, what was the suspicion.
Remember, Senior officers can't instruct lower ranks to be in breach of the police disciplinary Regs and if you've blown nil, I repeat, what was the reasonable suspicion.

I would suggest that the reading has nothing to do with the suspicion. I know one traffic guy who used the various things he saw, to deduce that a driver had been drinking. Weaving within a lane, windows down on a freezing night, stalling at traffic lights, and other things which gave him a personal stoppage to arrest rate of over 99.9%. However on one occasion in over 20yrs, he got it wrong. Driving was woeful and the guy was unsteady on his feet. There was enough to arrest without using the roadside breath test (go stright to arrest and to the breathalyser).

Unfortunately the reason given by the driver turned out to be true. He had MS. He was always unsteady and he stopped driving shortly afterwards because he hadn't been aware his driving was so bad as to seem that he was drunk.

 

[Zains Pops]

Coming off the Hook of Holland overnight ferry in Holland, they were testing drivers at random as we discharged., its all too easy to think hey, I can have a few as I'm not driving tonight and I'm sleeping in a cabin, forgetting that at 6am they wake you up and unload. I was OK but quite a few were moved over for further inspection.
The same trap awaits on air flights, OK I'm not driving, I'm flying home so a few in the bar waiting to board and a follow up during the flight, forgetting that say from Spain you can be driving out of the airport two hours after take off, I suggest many would have an issue if tested.

 

[Emmit]

I was once 'flashed' at by a seemingly lovely looking lady in the Armeniac??? (Sorry, can't afford it!) area of SW France on a Sunday lunchtime.
Round the corner were a line of gendarmes.
Despite the recent drink of lager shandy (one half of a 330ml lager fifty/fifty with lemonade) I blew Nil. The bobby even gave me the tube as a souvenir.
Plenty of Bonne Aime and we were on our way.

France CAN breathylise without suspicion.

 

[bobandjanie]

I had the breathalyser at 10.00 about 10 years ago in Belgium I delayed things for a while because on previous occasions you had a small thing in your mouth and blow until they tell you to stop.
The one in Belgium was about 2" and it doesn't go in your mouth you blow into it, when I saw it the giggles started with me saying blimey I can't get that in my mouth. Bob.

 

[jerryz]

My wife Timm 55 years old was stopped by police checkpoint in Thailand after a night out , her breath glowed bright red and she was busted 3 times over the limit ,, she complained that i had drunk far more than her , true and smoked 3 joints and I was pissed and stoned which was true ,, so they passed the machine to me , it stayed green LOL ,, she was making such a fuss and insulting them they told me to take her home as they could not stand her nagging and abuse LOL ,,,,,,result ....

many years ago in my teen years and 20s and 30s I was always designated driver on nights out with my mates ,, Sussex police hated me as I never ever showed up on the breathalyser or blood tests over the limit ,
I burn alchohol very fast and a medical study at sussex university in 1986 showed that the more booze they gave me , my reaction times and focus stayed within normal limits normal , 5% of people have same so 95% dont . , I hardly drink these days I like quality over quantity but I definitely get pissed and stoned .

possibly its a combination of my metabolism and may be also due to my type 2 diabetes ate 40 ...



View attachment 1112062

 

[jerryz]

My wife Timm 55 years old was stopped by police checkpoint in Thailand after a night out , her breath glowed bright red and she was busted 3 times over the limit ,, she complained that i had drunk far more than her , true and smoked 3 joints and I was pissed and stoned which was true ,, so they passed the machine to me , it stayed green LOL ,, she was making such a fuss and insulting them they told me to take her home as they could not stand her nagging and abuse LOL ,,,,,,result ....

many years ago in my teen years and 20s and 30s I was always designated driver on nights out with my mates ,, Sussex police hated me as I never ever showed up on the breathalyser or blood tests over the limit ,
I burn alchohol very fast and a medical study at sussex university in 1986 showed that the more booze they gave me , my reaction times and focus stayed within normal limits normal , 5% of people have same so 95% dont . , I hardly drink these days I like quality over quantity but I definitely get pissed and stoned .

possibly its a combination of my metabolism and may be also due to my type 2 diabetes ate 40 ...

 

[Bernie P]

I got stopped last year in Katrineholm Sweden, Document check and a breath test. They were stopping everyone (from all directions) at the T-junction just outside the site. They were quite nice about it, said they )Swedish Police) do it on a regular basis to keep the locals on their toes.

 

[Wildbill]

I don’t have a problem with being stopped and tested.
For any reason we lost a family member to a morning after drunk driver.
If you drink and drive you have something to worry about.
If you don’t it’s a five minute inconvenience
WB

 

[jollyrodger]

Stopped by an Overly officious gendarme who thought we were parked too close to the beach at
St gilles croix de vie.
Didn't understand English when I showed him disabled badge and parked in a disabled spot.
Papiers monsieur
Showed him an agreed valuation for the moho which had registration ,which he checked
Identity, so gave him my tamar crossing pass with name and photo .
Gave it back and swaggered off on his merry way,English not his favorite subject
Sometimes life is good

 

[Bevbun]

Strictly speaking, (unless things have changed???)
In the UK a breath test cannot be demanded of a person suspected of driving a motor vehicle unless one of the three below conditions is met.

1. Driver/Rider when an accident occured.
2. Driver/rider committing a moving traffic offence
3. Driver/rider suspected of having alcohol/drugs in their system.

That why we don't have mass breathyliser stops in this country.

Think you find we do! I got stopped New Year’s Day on way to work along with many others ,they were just trying to catch us out ( and rightly so!)

 

[Ernesto]

I don't see it as that in any way whatsoever. I see it as perfectly sensible road safety measures. Those who are responsible drivers aren't going to fall foul of being breathalysed.

Norway has a VERY strict drink drive limit, which is also minuscule, and their penalties are severe. Personally, if I were driving there, I wouldn't be drinking at all.

In New Zealand, it's pretty common for breathalyser stations to be set up near big events where people are likely to drink, and I think it's a good move. Pity we don't have the resources to do similar here.

I have often wondered what results would be found if random checks were being done after some of the motorhome/van/music festivals. I should think there were a number of over the limit drivers leaving Malvern, if the state of some folk by Saturday and Sunday afternoons and evenings is anything to go by. It's even more alarming if you consider the size of some of the vehicles they're likely to be driving.

I'm heading for Busfest (also at the Three Counties Showground) in a couple of weeks, and my biggest worry is the number of folk who go with the intent of drinking for 80% of the event.





The Road Traffic Act 1988 section 163 gives the police the power to stop any vehicle at any time. Once stopped, if they have any reason to suspect you've been drinking, they can demand a breath test as per your list above. It's that legislation which allows the pre-Christmas drink-drive campaigns to function.

Except by the sounds of the original post, the police were simply profiling motorhome drivers and using that as a reason

Be interesting if they only stopped white working age males and let all ethnic minorities through …imagine that reaction.

Im against all bad driving and drink driving deserves to be punished. I just feel random profiling like this is lazy and (largely) ineffective at a national level. As others have said, it used to be more common and now its not - yet drink driving deaths are way down. If it was effective, the numbers should have gone the other waay.