What happens if you are caught over the limit?

[gregmcc]

they make you blow into the machine and if that says something then yes they take you to the hospital

In the cell you have to blow something else!

[CrazYmonkeY159]

I had 2 340ml beers at a casual braai, 3 hours later I decide to leave. After getting stopped by the cops on the way home (road block) and them seeing a six pack in the back seat they ask if it'd be ok if they breathalyzer me, I concur, I think I blew 0.21 (the limit is 0.24)

I definitely wasn't even tipsy at all -_- however dont drink and drive, If I drink more than 3 beers I just crash on a mates' couch for the night, risk is too high.

Don't drink and drive

[dualmeister]

You don't want to go there. Firstly, you'll spend the night in jail, and be treated very badly by police officers. You never know who's going to be in the same cell as you. It sucks. It can be scary. At best it is really boring and uncomfortable in there. They take your phone, wallet and other belongings. You'll worry about if you'll ever get it back. They usually try to steal your stuff. When it happened to me, the next morning, they acted like my phone was lost, or that the person with the key to the storage isn't there.

A nurse at the police station will draw blood and seal it in a package. They'll take your fingerprints. You'll have to give a statement, on paper.

Then, they might charge you bail, or something like R500, after which they'll let you go. This is only that day and the next at the police station. They give you a court summons which you better not lose.

So your court summons has a date, time and court number. So you'll be forced to take a day off work and go to court. Get to the court house, and none of the courts are numbered. You're left not knowing where the **** to go. Asking around. You're around the lowest of people there, mixed in with all the other criminals - it's very unpleasant.

Most people will hire a lawyer to help them through this mess. I'd recommend to. My lawyer charged me R2 000 per court appearance. The court kept postponing, which costs me R2 000 each time. I ended up with just under R30 000 in legal costs. I'm still in debt because of it, two years later.

So, if your lawyer is good, he can negotiate for you to do community service, instead of you getting a criminal record. This is what happened to me. So I had to do 80 hours of community service. Most people I know of get more. Some even get up to 200 hours. That's 8 hours each Saturday for a little over 6 months. Trust me, it ****ing sucks. But at least you don't get a criminal record.

So what it comes down to is a lot of time finding legal representation and going to court and building up a case for yourself, so to speak. It's A LOT of stress. Most stress I've ever had in my life. Then it's a ****ton of money down the drain. Then it's another ****ton of time down the drain for you.

I still haven't mentally, emotionally or financially recovered from it. It ****ing sucks. Do not go there.

Pretty much sounds like a friend of mines experience. Except, he could not get a court date for 3 months. So that's 3 months of stressing / not knowing. Then it happened while out of town so he had to drive 90 minutes to get there. Plus it happened in a company car which he had to keep a secret from his employers

[TheHiveMind]

I had 2 340ml beers at a casual braai, 3 hours later I decide to leave. After getting stopped by the cops on the way home (road block) and them seeing a six pack in the back seat they ask if it'd be ok if they breathalyzer me, I concur, I think I blew 0.21 (the limit is 0.24)

I definitely wasn't even tipsy at all -_- however dont drink and drive, If I drink more than 3 beers I just crash on a mates' couch for the night, risk is too high.

Don't drink and drive

Mouth wash would've pushed you over the limit

[samr1wp]

In the cell you have to blow something else!

Papa wag vir jou

[TheHiveMind]

Papa wag vir jou

But what do they look like with beer goggles on?

[samr1wp]

But what do they look like with beer goggles on?

[sutekj]

Pretty much sounds like a friend of mines experience. Except, he could not get a court date for 3 months. So that's 3 months of stressing / not knowing. Then it happened while out of town so he had to drive 90 minutes to get there. Plus it happened in a company car which he had to keep a secret from his employers

I told my employer exactly what happened to me. Luckily I've a good relationship with my boss. He even wrote me a testimonial for my case, telling the prosecuting attorney that I'm a good person and ****, and that he's sure this was a one time transgression that's not likely to happen again. I had to go to court something like 6 times. I mean, what do I tell me boss where I'm going? I need to make up some excuse. Was easier just to tell the truth.

[chrisc4290]

You can get cheap breathalysers now so you can check yourself. They are mandatory in France

What do you mean some forum members are special! We are all special (in our way...) Of course you get sarcastic types, you meet them over the counter sometimes

[Dolby]

If you blow a 0.25 (over) .... surely the cops won't even bother taking you in, as by the time they take blood you;re going to be lower?

[Celine]

you'll get the red carpet treatment.

[Nick333]

You get fccked. Figuratively and literally.

[Hemi300c]

Firstly don't drink and drive

Secondly, get stopped by the Traffic Police, they test they arrest and take you off to the cells. Remember they (Traffic Police) have no authority to arrest and the SAPS have to arrest you and take you off to prison/holding.