Fairy tales are supposed to be harmless stories told to children – but believing in adult myths about how to beat a Breathalyzer test after you’ve been drinking can lead to major problems.
The “foolproof” methods for lowering your blood alcohol content (BAC) reading aren’t just fictions that keep getting passed around, but they’re often counterproductive. Consider these:
Myth 1: Smoking will cause the Breathalyzer to malfunction.
It’s true that smoking can throw off some low-quality breath alcohol testing devices, but lighting up when you see the flashing lights of a police car behind you won’t have any useful effect on the high-grade equipment that the officer uses.
Myth 2: A penny under your tongue will lower your reading.
This is one of the most pervasive stories, and it’s been around for decades now. The idea is that the copper in the penny will create a chemical reaction with the Breathalyzer’s function and lower the reading. Not only is this a fiction, it’s a choking hazard.
Myth 3: Hyperventilating before taking the test will lower your reading.
This actually may have some truth to it – if you choose to believe one decades-old study. But, you need to think carefully about trying this, because there’s no way that a trained police officer is going to ignore your actions. They’ll simply make you take the test again or use your attempts to evade the test as probable cause for a drunk driving arrest.
In reality, the only way to avoid a drunk driving charge is to never drink and drive. If you made a mistake, however, it shouldn’t have to damage your entire future — and the right legal guidance may keep that from happening.