Dreams about four wheels come true Just three decades ago in Poland it was much easier...
Permille of alcohol on the road
(photo Moje Auto)
All holidays, longer weekends and holiday days have in common - unfortunately - an increase in the number of identified drunk drivers. But police statistics clearly show that most of these people do not get behind the wheel immediately after drinking alcohol, but are the so-called "yesterday's". However, being unaware that you are still under the influence of alcohol does not free anyone from responsibility. Especially since we risk the health and lives of other people!
Let's be aware of our behavior after drinking alcohol
First, let's be clear. Alcohol is a legally sold stimulant and its consumption - except for minors, of course - is allowed. However, this must be done within reason, one of such barriers is being a road user. Yes, yes - a cyclist, motorcyclist or pedestrian is also an intoxicated person who may cause a threat or be held criminally liable.
That's why I follow a simple rule: if I plan to drive a car or bike, I give myself at least 24 hours to sober up. On the other hand, if I don't have a car, I decide in advance how to get home safely. And possible treatment of hangover symptoms.
Therefore, an important question is whether the mentioned 24 hours are enough time for the alcohol to evaporate from the body. After all, how we react to even one beer depends on many factors - our well-being, rest, weather, time of day and similar circumstances. Therefore, one day it may be a neutral dose, and the next day it will literally knock you out! And the more alcohol we consume - calculated as a percentage - the more adequate the break should be.
And I don't know, if we didn't curse reality, we wouldn't cheat certain laws of biology. We will not artificially accelerate the "evaporation" of the consumed dose of alcohol. Our body needs an appropriate amount of time for this. And very often we think that after a few hours of sleep, a refreshing shower and a hearty meal, the matter is solved. And police statistics are filled with such people.
We check the level of alcohol in the blood
We can find out in many ways whether we can get behind the wheel - which also applies to two-wheeler users. The first is to visit the police station and undergo a breathalyzer test. The problem is that we have to get there either on foot or as a passenger, which is not always easy to do.
(photo: My Car)
That is why personal breathalyzers are becoming more and more popular. Today, the offer on the market is very wide, which not only makes it difficult to choose, but also puts us at risk of buying the proverbial crap. The measurement taken with it will not only be false, but above all, it may have a real impact on road safety. And this - in my opinion - is an incomparably greater threat than being stopped by the police, blowing into a balloon and suffering legal consequences.
Therefore, it is worth taking a closer look at a given product and looking for other people's opinions about it. You can choose more expensive equipment that requires maintenance from time to time calibration, and its indications are extremely precise. I use the cheaper one one-time breathalyzer test, and even two to verify the results, which I always treat with great tolerance. It is a disposable mouthpiece and an electronic device that measures the alcohol content in the exhaled air. Both solutions have in common their small size, which means they fit perfectly in the glove compartment in the cockpit or in the armrest of my car.
(photo: My Car)
Another solution is an application on your smartphone. Of course, we won't measure the exhalation with it, but only after entering a few data we will get an approximate result. In my opinion, too risky and far from the facts.
For the record, let me remind you that the permissible amount of alcohol in a driver's blood in Poland is 0,2 per mille. An indication between 0,2 and 0,5 per mille is called "after drinking alcohol" and this is enough to temporarily lose your driving license. In turn, above 0,5 per mille, a person is under the influence of alcohol and driving in this state is classified as a crime.
Sober, but as if drunk
The concentration of alcohol in the blood of drivers is not the only hazard on the road. Loss of psychomotor skills is also caused by intoxicants and... fatigue. It has already been proven that driving for a longer period of time leads to distraction and vision impairment, which has an effect similar to the effects of alcohol. That's why more and more new cars are equipped with a driver fatigue assistant in the form of an icon in the cockpit in the shape of a coffee cup.
This effect is enhanced by lack of sleep. According to transport psychologists, lack of sleep within one day increases our reaction time by half, which is compared to an alcohol concentration of 0,5 per mille. I don't know about you, but I have already found out that trying to resuscitate myself with a larger dose of caffeine or energy drinks only works for a short time, and then I become even more tired. Regardless of whether I'm driving a car, cycling or going on a hike, my basic drink is plain water.
Once again, we touched upon an important topic that is difficult to cover in one blog entry. So I will come back to these issues, and in the meantime, maybe you will share your experiences?
