NationStates Jolt Archive

Ever wondered how pissed do you'd have to get to pass out while filling up your car?
Luckily for us, this guy took it upon himself to put our minds at rest.
'Drunk' father falls asleep filling car at petrol station

A two-year-old was rescued from a car after her allegedy drunk father passed out at a service station while filling the vehicle.

Police allege the man had driven the car to the Mobil service station in Rotorua about 9am on Sunday. He was breath-tested after he woke up after about 40 minutes.

The man, from Auckland, was charged with drink-driving with an alcohol reading of 1729mcg per litre of breath. The limit for drivers aged 20 and over is 400mcg.
http://media.apn.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/27sleep230b.jpg
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10431089

Can't quite understand why the heading puts drunk in quotation marks. What else was he?

Ever wondered how pissed do you'd have to get to pass out while filling up your car?
Luckily for us, this guy took it upon himself to put our minds at rest.

http://media.apn.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/27sleep230b.jpg
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10431089

Can't quite understand why the heading puts drunk in quotation marks. What else was he?

I'd imagine it's a healthy dose of CYA. They can't say he was drunk until it's been really proved he was drunk. Or something.

So... 1729... what is that in BAC(Blood-Alchohol Content)? .17?

Just curious, as I want to know how much that is in a more familiar number.

And: He is a dumbass. That is all.

Can't quite understand why the heading puts drunk in quotation marks. What else was he?

...completely fucking shitfaced?

I'd imagine it's a healthy dose of CYA. They can't say he was drunk until it's been really proved he was drunk. Or something.

If NZ media law is anything like UK media law, you are correct - it's a criminal offence (contempt of court) to say someone is guilty before they've been convicted. Same reason the story uses the phrases 'allegedly drunk' and 'police allege'.

I thought it was in quotes because 'drunk' was a relative term. I don't consider myself drunk until I'm over a BAC of .2.

So... 1729... what is that in BAC(Blood-Alchohol Content)? .17?

Just curious, as I want to know how much that is in a more familiar number.
I get confused about the different numbers myself, so took the time to check up on them:
under NZ law the legal limits are 0.08 mg Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) or 400 mg/L Breath Alcohol Concentration (BrAC)
(0.03 mg BAC / 150 mg/L BrAC for if you're under 20)
So I assume to convert BrAC to BAC, you times by 0.0002 (or by two, then divide by 10000 whichever's easiest)

So, as far as I can work out, his reading was equivalent to 0.3438 mg BAC - 4.5 times the legal limit. And that was after at least an hour of not drinking.


If not for the kid in the car, (and the inherrent dangers of a drunk being on the road), this story'd be hilarious.

The petrol station attendants should have shaved his eyebrow and tied his shoelaces together.

Can't quite understand why the heading puts drunk in quotation marks. What else was he?

The 'BBC' website does 'that' all the time as well. It gets quite 'annoying'. I 'think' they do it where they've 'only' got limited 'sources' for a story, and don't 'want' to be 'sued'.

I have a feeling it's not just the BBC that does that.

But on another note, who drives around that shitfaced at 9am with a 2 year old? :confused:

I thought it was in quotes because 'drunk' was a relative term. I don't consider myself drunk until I'm over a BAC of .2.
wow...your mother must be very proud of you.

"Your son's a doctor, you say? pah! My child doesn't consider himself pissed until he's 2.5 times over the legal limit!"

Let me guess: You're an airline pilot who flies longhaul across the Alantic.

The 'BBC' website does 'that' all the time as well. It gets quite 'annoying'. I 'think' they do it where they've 'only' got limited 'sources' for a story, and don't 'want' to be 'sued'.

Doing 'that' is reponsible 'journalism', if you don't 'like' reponsible 'journalism', you can always 'read' the Daily Mail.

Or start your own paper and see which happens first - getting jailed for contempt of court or getting sued for defamation.

Seriously, the media do so many things that you could legitimately complain about, why do you feel the need to pick on petty things like this?