Utah Will the new laws in Utah impact your ski travel?

[SBrown]

With all due respect, there are a lot fewer things to hit in a plane!!

Absolutely, but I think the principle stands. It's not just texting ... there is so much going on, and you can't put the toothpaste back in the tube. Some of these AV interfaces require a master's degree to operate. I know you are supposed to get everything programmed ahead of time, but that doesn't exactly always work. I still can't figure out the climate control in my husband's car. I haven't had driver's ed in ... a while ... but just saying "don't do it, period" doesn't usually work that well. Especially when the officer pulling you over has a laptop mounted to his dash. Anyway, common sense goes a long way....

 

[Monique]

0.05 doesn't mean anything to me, so I googled a chart. It is 2 to 2.5 drinks in a hurry at 200 pounds, with a burn rate of 0.015 per hour. That sounds overly strict, but workable. It is only one drink for you little people, though.

I am naturally a slow drinker, which helps.

Ahah! I knew my extra weight would help me out somehow!

But - wait - what is "a drink"? The margaritas I make have 2 oz of tequila and an oz of triple sec. I suspect that counts as ... 1.5 drinks?

Actually, that attitude could get me in trouble with the new UT limits because I never plan to get drunk and drive, but since I'm a lightweight it could happen if I'm having a good time with a fun bunch of people and get careless.

I have definitely been caught out, but almost always when I didn't have to drive. (I guess I never actually "have" to drive - gotta change the way I think about that.)

In a perfect world, the law would have graduated levels of DUI for higher penalties.

I had never considered this. Interesting. Must ponder.

Personally, I'd rather drink nothing than just one or two... er umm less than a LOT. That's why I don't drink at all anymore.

Whereas if I'm drinking, I'm probably happiest at one drink, and the goal is to keep it at that level. Mildly buzzed. People are so different about this - it's interesting.

 

[Shifterkart]

I know many people who like to go out to dinner and enjoy a couple drinks. With .05 you are dangerously close with two drinks and many women will be at or even over the limit. I guess the real question is where does this end. It was .12, then .10, then .08, and now .05. I have a feeling the only acceptable answer to some will be .00. Heck, Heineken's non alcoholic beer is called 0.0.

 

[Shifterkart]

But - wait - what is "a drink"? The margaritas I make have 2 oz of tequila and an oz of triple sec. I suspect that counts as ... 1.5 drinks?

....or those wonderful IPA's I enjoy?

 

[crgildart]

I'm still wondering how Utah will be with regard to public intoxication. People talk about not drinking til within walking distance or when not driving at all. You don't have to be driving. You can also get arrested for walking if you appear to be having too much fun while walking. What's the limit for public drunk there and has it also changed?

 

[François Pugh]

It Probably would not affect me. I can take alcohol or leave it, and sometimes leave it; it's no big deal. HOWEVER.....

0.05 is like me, 155 lbs yesterday, drinking a pint (20 British fluid ounces) of Smithwicks. I can easily see me having a pint of beer while my boots thaw out in the lodge and driving home within 1/2 hour of finishing it. I do not feel like a criminal doing so. From my experience, I think 0.05 is too low for an expereienced driver and drinker. Maybe for someone who has no experience at either it would be a suitable limit. I have yet to see the data that show an adult who has experience in both drives any worse at 0.05 than a new driver at 0 BAC.

Maybe someone can point me at it.

Sure drunk driver's who kill people because they are tanked are an abomination, but they are more likely to be at 0.25 BAC than 0.05, and often a repeat offender at that.

I've looked at the charts based on weights giving average BACs for drinks and time, and have some experience drinking alcohol. I'm fine with having a 0.08 limit. I would not want me driving at 0.08. I believe I drive fine at 0.05. Convince me otherwise; I have an open mind.

 

[Mendieta]

It Probably would not affect me. I can take alcohol or leave it, and sometimes leave it; it's no big deal. HOWEVER.....

0.05 is like me, 155 lbs yesterday, drinking a pint (20 British fluid ounces) of Smithwicks. I can easily see me having a pint of beer while my boots thaw out in the lodge and driving home within 1/2 hour of finishing it. I do not feel like a criminal doing so. From my experience, I think 0.05 is too low for an expereienced driver and drinker. Maybe for someone who has no experience at either it would be a suitable limit. I have yet to see the data that show an adult who has experience in both drives any worse at 0.05 than a new driver at 0 BAC.

Maybe someone can point me at it.

Sure drunk driver's who kill people because they are tanked are an abomination, but they are more likely to be at 0.25 BAC than 0.05, and often a repeat offender at that.

I've looked at the charts based on weights giving average BACs for drinks and time, and have some experience drinking alcohol. I'm fine with having a 0.08 limit. I would not want me driving at 0.08. I believe I drive fine at 0.05. Convince me otherwise; I have an open mind.

It seems to me that actual statistics confirm you hunch. The real dangerous driving seems to kick in above 0.10 BAC

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...M_tfof1jjHMXEWYEg&sig2=qYIDLihxVv_PexbZgEAVyA

(Hope the link works fine)

 

[bbinder]

Absolutely, but I think the principle stands. It's not just texting ... there is so much going on, and you can't put the toothpaste back in the tube. Some of these AV interfaces require a master's degree to operate. I know you are supposed to get everything programmed ahead of time, but that doesn't exactly always work. I still can't figure out the climate control in my husband's car. I haven't had driver's ed in ... a while ... but just saying "don't do it, period" doesn't usually work that well. Especially when the officer pulling you over has a laptop mounted to his dash. Anyway, common sense goes a long way....

Ah, but remember that you need a whole lot more training to get a pilot's license compared to a driver's license. And this training includes teaching how to multi-task while keeping safe. The only way that most drivers learn about the ramifications of multi-tasking is when they have an accident or a really close call.

 

[Monique]

Ah, but remember that you need a whole lot more training to get a pilot's license compared to a driver's license. And this training includes teaching how to multi-task while keeping safe. The only way that most drivers learn about the ramifications of multi-tasking is when they have an accident or a really close call.

In the US, getting a driver's license really is sort of a "gimme." When I think about how little I had to do to prove that I was "ready" to drive ...

 

[Rainbow Jenny]

I just had to look up drinking law around the world when I saw this thread as I've heard of stricter law in Japan, which turns out to be 0.03%.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drunk_driving_law_by_country

I try to abstain when staying over 8k ft for a couple nights or it messes with my sleep pattern.

And some of you know about my unglamorous plastic drinking flask on the slopes...

Oh yeah, of course I'm going back to ski Japan!

 

[SBrown]

Ah, but remember that you need a whole lot more training to get a pilot's license compared to a driver's license. And this training includes teaching how to multi-task while keeping safe. The only way that most drivers learn about the ramifications of multi-tasking is when they have an accident or a really close call.

That's what I meant by "principle" ... not equating it, just saying that maybe it should be acknowledged that drivers are multitasking too, even when not texting, and it should be dealt with. The things cars do these days....

 

[Monique]

That's what I meant by "principle" ... not equating it, just saying that maybe it should be acknowledged that drivers are multitasking too, even when not texting, and it should be dealt with. The things cars do these days....

I hate the trend toward software-rendered buttons, too. I can do a lot of things by touch while keeping my eyes forward. I have yet to be able to do *anything* with my phone or a nav system without looking straight at it. And yes, I said phone - because sometimes I want to start a new podcast or fast forward Pandora.

 

[raytseng]

I have a feeling the charts might err a bit on the conservative side. In other words, the worst case of maximum alcohol effect rather than true "average" affect.
A true .08 you really will be impaired and significantly affected. A .05 you should be feeling a bit "tipsy".

On Mythbusters, they did a bunch of drunk myths, and to really get to .08 as blown on an Police Officer's breathalyzer.

On one driving drunk show (testing tiredness versus drinking) where announcer said completely empty stomach:
Tori at 170 lbs had to take 3 shots straight to get to .06
Kari (at a lesser weight) took 2 shots straight to get to .06
This matches the chart to some degree.

But on another show (testing sobering up) no mention of empty stomach, so I assume "normal" non-hungry behavior:
Both Adam and Jaime each had to take 5 shots and "only" got up to .07. So this is much more alcohol needed than the chart says.

Of course your mileage may vary. Everyone may have had a personal experience may have where they imbibe one drink and feel fine, but in a different scenario that same amount of alcohol hits them a lot harder.

Point is a real .08 in my opinion really is pretty impaired and so that limit is pretty high.

 

[luliski]

I love a beer after skiing, but usually I have it wherever I'm staying, or I drink it slowly and with food and water. More than one beer, and I just want to sleep.

 

[scott43]

I hate the trend toward software-rendered buttons, too. I can do a lot of things by touch while keeping my eyes forward. I have yet to be able to do *anything* with my phone or a nav system without looking straight at it. And yes, I said phone - because sometimes I want to start a new podcast or fast forward Pandora.

"Ergonomics" are anything but a lot of times...

 

[scott43]

Someone was telling me about some place (maybe it was Australia) where police could stop a car for no reason other than to give a breathalyzer test. Because of the 'instant high alcohol effect', the police have to ask you if you have been drinking before testing. If you say "yes," then they have to wait a specified amount of time before administering the test.

Police in Canada are allowed to stop you for no other reason than to check to make sure you have ownership and insurance in the car. Once they get to your car, they can use the old sniff test to see if they detect alcohol (or weed or whatever else you're oiled with..) and they can then do breathalyzer or impairment testing. It's a big thing here, police fight hard for it because they arrest the vast majority of drunk drivers in this fashion. RIDE checks have a very low hit rate.

 

[SkiNurse]

I will be more likely to stay at Goldminer's, Alta Lodge, Peruvian, etc than somewhere else.

It's cheaper than a DUI....

 

[Carl Kuck]

... I recall a discussion on EpicSki a long time ago about someone who took one trip to Utah to ski and was annoyed by the lack of availability for a tourist to be served (not sure the beverage) while residents could be served. ...

This changed right before the Olympics IIRC, the "private club" membership is now a thing of the past. As far as I've experienced the only minor hitch (and it's very minor as far as I'm concerned) is having to buy food. Hey! Look! Chicken wings!!!

But for anybody that says they won't ski Utah again, please - keep that promise! The snow sucks, there is no powder, nor are there cool people to ski with. Go to Squaw, you'll be much happier there.

 

[SkiNurse]

Ahah! I knew my extra weight would help me out somehow!

But - wait - what is "a drink"? The margaritas I make have 2 oz of tequila and an oz of triple sec. I suspect that counts as ... 1.5 drinks?

https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/overview-alcohol-consumption/moderate-binge-drinking

 

[Tricia]

This changed right before the Olympics IIRC, the "private club" membership is now a thing of the past. As far as I've experienced the only minor hitch (and it's very minor as far as I'm concerned) is having to buy food. Hey! Look! Chicken wings!!!

But for anybody that says they won't ski Utah again, please - keep that promise! The snow sucks, there is no powder, nor are there cool people to ski with. Go to Squaw, you'll be much happier there.

I didn't know that was a thing. It does make sense though. I usually wait until I put food in my belly before I drink.

As for people who may not ski in Utah because of the new law - everyone posting here seems to be talking about drinking sensibly and not driving when drinking.