wellington1

Has anyone in the UK any experience of using the type of car imobiliser that runs off a breathalyser? I feel this would give myself and my ABF's parents slight peace of mind that he is not endangering others when the insanity of drink driving is even a possibilty.

ResignedToWait

To put it bluntly, if you had that installed in the vehicle, your A would just find another way to get around, and you'd be out hundreds of dollars (pounds) for upkeep and installation fees.

The A always finds a way.

wellington1

But surely if he can't drive it lessens the risk? And it would be him installing it and him upkeeping it.

redatlanta

If he installs it he can un-install it. Its not like a state service where if the breathalyzer removed that they would be notified.

These measures simply do not work.

Mountainmanbob

here in the USA I had one many years ago (when I was a bad boy)

I don't think this to be a wrong idea in any way

and probably not that expensive (guessing 75 to 100 US dollars a month ?)

MM

ladyscribbler

Someone on here, not remembering who just off hand, had an Interlock system installed on her ah's car. He started renting cars and driving around drinking in the rentals. Save your money and think about how you want to spend your life. Do you really want to be babysitting a grown man trying to make sure he stays sober? There was another recent poster who was doling out Antabuse to her ah and giving him random home breathalyzers to make sure he stayed sober. It didn't work. He was drinking within a few days. He has to want sobriety. You and his parents can't want it for him.
You mentioned that drinking and driving was a boundary he wasn't allowed to cross. He has crossed it and now you are redrawing your boundary and trying to control his behavior. This is only going to make you accept more unacceptable behavior. Some alcoholics have very low bottoms, or their bottom is death. Nothing you do will alter the course of his disease, and trying to will make you as sick as he is.

Mountainmanbob

when chiming in here on site
at most times I try to remember to add to my posts

this ((may)) happen
another great little word to throw in is ((if))

for -- are all cases the same -- (if) it's God's will I think the answer to be no

I guess that I'm on the other side of this Recovery process
for I have known many who have been saved from the liquid devil
and millions of addicts who were raised in the hippie days no longer touch drugs

maybe it's the places that I hang out
of the ones that used to party hard I see many living a clean and sober life today
in churches, AA meetings, family members and get togethers, clubs of all forms, stores, schools (sites such as this)
and just plain old neighbors on this common mountain road that I live on

my Higher Power (God) came to heal the sick
please let us not forget
many were and are being healed today

MountainmanBob

caboblanco

I don't think this device is the same price and maintenance fee for someone that recieved it through a court ordered judgement. that would be absurd

ResignedToWait

Bob, while that may be true...I guarantee that 100% of those people that got better and kicked their addiction were only successful because they themselves wanted to get better.

I'd wager a lot of money to say that not a single person ever kicked their alcohol addiction by being forced to comply with someone else's controls.

Mountainmanbob

here in Calif these are private run businesses

court ordered ones get no discounts, neither do they pay extra
we don't receive the device through the court system
the courts only tell us that in order to drive it must be installed

the open market pretty much sets the going price
but
the States do keep them under certain operating regulations

MM

caboblanco

I heard when you go for a monthly download that costs $80..most of that money goes to the state. I mean $ 80 for a download? c mon

Seren

My husband's son-in-law had a device like this installed in his car after a drunk-driving incident in 2008.

I'm afraid I can't tell you about the costs, and my experience is US based.

I was able to watch the training video and talk to the young man about what was involved when it is court-ordered.

• You have to breath into it to start the car.
• You are signaled to breath into it during random points while driving (this does require you to pull over into a parking lot or do so at a red light).
• If you do not breath into the device when signaled to do so, the device records that.
• If you breath into the device and it registers alcohol, it records that as well.
• Sometimes, even mouthwash or toothpaste will trigger a positive reading on the device.
• You are told to carry a bottle of water with you at all times in case a false positive happens. The training video tells you to swish your mouth out with the water and test again.
• An accumulation of points could mean that your probationary period would be extended, or worse, you go to jail.

I do not know what happens if someone voluntarily installs a device in their own car.

redatlanta

I had a friend who had this installed in her car court ordered after 2 DUI in 6 months.

A couple of times when she had really boozed it up all night she called and asked me to walk over and blow in it for her so the car would start. I declined. She also ended up getting the car towed several times when she went to a bar and left the car overnight in lots marked "do not leave your car overnight it will be towed".

I get the point here is to keep him from drinking and driving, not sure this will work. It may for a couple of weeks but when he gets tired of it he will just take it off the car.

Where there is a will there is a way.

Mountainmanbob

that would not work for very long
because as one drives the device also at unknown times
will ask of the driver to blow into the machine again
if the driver does not do this while driving at random times
the horn starts honking and I think that the lights start flashing
with my music on one day this happened to me

MM

Mountainmanbob

true that's about the cost per month
takes them about 10 minutes to collect data and forward to the State

both the State and developers of the device make good money on this process
they have a racket going and they know it

I heard that here in Calif
the developer of the device
had a lot to do with making it a State mandatory (law)

MM

redatlanta

Yes the device she had would beep at other times while driving - this was to get to work which was about a mile and a half away. I suppose she thought in that short time unlikely to get a second beep. But for that mile and a half drive and intoxicated person would be behind the wheel.

Its my understanding that the devices the states use now have some type of identification system in them perhaps a video I think.

If a person had this because court ordered then it would be more effective. Voluntarily put in the car there is no consequence. The device can be removed and thrown in the trash. Why bother?

Mountainmanbob

I understand what you are saying here
and it is a good point made that as they say in AA
one must be willing

the question would be if and when this willingness comes

if we may let us take one example

the drunken drug addict who against his will is sent to prison
sobers up not particularly because he wishes to
but
somewhere down the road in his prison sentence
he finds the true desire to stay sober
true he became willing -- found the desire
but
can we not say that the courts had positive input here

or
the little MountainLady here on the mountain
insisted that I go with her to Christian counseling years back while drinking
yes I had a desire to stop drinking and save our marriage
but -- did she not play a positive part ?

possibly these ones were or are God sent ??

I do understand as I have witnessed from both sides this disease up very close
sometimes these ones wish for and seek no help from others
some even realize that it is destroying their homes and ones around them
that they possibly may even die from their sin
yet there is no turning back from the door of destruction which they stumble towards in a deep fog

thank you and have a nice day (wished for all)
Bob

hopeful4

I am not sure who, but someone on this forum has the video device for their XAH during custody. I know they have to blow every six hours I believe and it is on video. She said it is well worth the $ for her piece of mind.

Hopefully whomever it is will step in here soon.

Good Luck!

Mountainmanbob

I would have to blow mine every time while starting the vehicle
then randomly after that while driving
they don't want you to know when to expect it (makes sense)
MM