SBPDPIO
On April 18th, 2024, the Santa Barbara Police Department will visit local bars and restaurants to educate customers on the importance of monitoring how much they drink and to “know your limit.” The “Know Your Limit” campaign will be from 4 PM to 10 PM in the Lower State Street and Funk Zone areas of Santa Barbara.
The “Know Your Limit” program raises awareness about the dangers of drinking and driving and is an interactive way to show how much, or little, it can take to reach the legal limit to operate a vehicle. Officers will ask customers how many drinks they have consumed and whether they believe they are still able to drive safely.
Officers will then invite volunteers to take a breathalyzer test to see if they are able to guess their blood alcohol content (BAC). Customers are provided information on alcohol intake and average BAC levels.
It is illegal for anyone 21 or older to drive with a BAC of .08% or higher.
According to the California Driver Handbook, it takes two drinks consumed within one hour by a woman between 120-160 pounds and three drinks by a man between 180-220 pounds to be over the legal limit of .08%. One drink is based on 1.5 oz. of liquor (40% alcohol), 12 oz. of beer (4.5% alcohol) or a 5 oz. glass of wine (12% alcohol). The BAC lowers at a rate of .01% for every 40 minutes between drinks.
“The goal is to help people understand the effects of alcohol so they can make smart decisions about how they get home,” SBPD Sergeant Stephanie Trujillo said. “It only takes a few drinks to impair, and that’s why it is important that people know their limit.”
The average cost of a first-time DUI offense is approximately $13,500, accounting for vehicle impound fees, fines, attorney fees, auto insurance hikes and other penalties. Plan ahead and avoid the risk of a DUI by designating a sober driver.
Funding for the “Know Your Limit” program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
This seems a little bit like a trap. Officers bringing a breathalyzer to bars for patrons to test, and what if someone is extremely over the limit? Do they arrest them or give them a ride home?
Seriously? Are you drunk? It’s not illegal to be over the limit in a bar, only if you get behind the wheel. Get an Uber.
And you are unaware of the laws. Drunk in public (or “public intoxication”) is a misdemeanor in California. It is punishable by up to six months in county jail and $1,000 in fines.
“It is against the law for any person to be in public under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs and unable to care for his or her own safety or the safety of others (Section 647(t) Penal Code).”
“The law states that no person may sell or give alcohol to anyone who is obviously intoxicated. Therefore, every person who sells, furnishes, gives, or causes to be sold, furnished, or given any alcoholic beverage to any OBVIOUSLY intoxicated person is guilty of a misdemeanor.”
http://www.abc.ca.gov/education/licensee-education/intoxication
Which has nothing to do with having your BAC tested, derp derp, it’s about behavior: “obviously intoxicated”
derp derp
A bar is a public place so if someone is obviously drunk they can get cited and the bartender too.
This isn’t about being obviously drunk, it’s about having your BAC tested. derp derp
“Officers bringing a breathalyzer to bars for patrons to test, and what if someone is extremely over the limit?”
Being over the limit in a bar is irrelevant; being “obviously intoxicated” is.
derp derp
Semantics. If someone blows a 2.2 BAC they are publicly intoxicated even if they appear composed. In other news, you must be really fun to be around.
ANON – I hate to be that guy, but technically, a public intoxicated can be any BAC. It’s subjective and entirely determined by the arresting officers. You could have 1 beer and if you piss them off, they can “decide” you’re too intoxicated for your safety and for the safety of those around you. Trust me. Unfortunately, I learned that the hard way as a mouthy young man lol! ;P
You, a mouthy young man, I don’t believe it! (I joke, but you set yourself up for that one, lol).
m2457 – you better believe it haha!
SAC – Are you saying you were not intoxicated at the time of your arrest but only arrested because you pissed off the cops? What were the circumstances that led to your arrest and what was the disposition of your case?
LOL Doulie!
No details needed, but I learned my lesson. But, something like that happened to a buddy of mine though – not drunk, but was throwing up on the side of the road due to sudden illness and then mouthed off to some rookie cop who started hassling him. Click clack, off to the drunk tank!
SAC – What was the disposition of your friends case (arrested after puking on the side of the road)? How was it learned the cop involved was a rookie?
DOULIE – again, that’s nunya.
Further, when I had my incident, I tried to fight it and found out through legal research and speaking to the public defender what the standard for a 647(f) is. You can do as you seem to doubt me. Google it.
and DOULIE, the “disposition” you keep demanding is entirely irrelevant. The fact, and my point, is that a cop can arrest you and put you in the overnight cell for public intoxication no matter how drunk you are, or if you’re drunk at all, if they determine you are a danger to yourself. It’s subjective.
Case closed.
Oh, blame the cops does he? That’s rich. Interesting story. Makes sense though.
No one is blaming the cops. Please make an effort to read the comments. I was merely explaining that it’s in the cops’ discretion when they deem someone unable to care for their own safety. There is no breathalyzer, no threshold, nothing. Very simple concept.
The disposition of your case and your friends case is very relevant. You opened the door for questions by reporting these arrests. The disposition of each arrest lends credibility to your comment(s) that you were in fact arrested. I question the credibility of the arrests based on the changes in information you presented. Much of the work cops do is subjective. To believe a cop, especially a rookie, would place their job on the line for a drunk is hard to accept. Can it happen, yes. What’s the big deal that questions about a minor crime that occurred years ago and probably as a young adult won’t be answered?
DOULIE – I truly regret entertaining your question and engaging. I shan’t do it again.
But, ONCE AGAIN, the disposition is IRRELEVANT. The point is, a cop can arrest you for being publicly intoxicated regardless of your BAC. Google it. Figure this out on your own.
There is no “test” for a 647(f). If a cop thinks (or decides) you’re a risk, they can haul you off to the sobering tank and release you in the morning. If you’re an ass about it, they can charge you and it’s pointless to fight, BECAUSE ONCE AGAIN FOR THOSE IN THE BACK, NO TEST IS NEEDED. It’s entirely subjective.
How many more times to I need to explain this to you?
THE POINT: You can be hauled off in cuffs even if you’re not “legally intoxicated.” And yes, you can be charged and convicted unless you can prove you were not intoxicated. Good cops will just take you to the sobering center with no charges filed. Not in my case though.
“The disposition of each arrest lends credibility to your comment(s) that you were in fact arrested. ” – Tell me you don’t know anything about criminal procedure without telling me you don’t know anything about criminal procedure. If you are hauled only to the sobering center with no charge (which means no disposition), then you are STILL ARRESTED. Once the cuffs are on, you’re under arrest. Arrest doesn’t mean charges/booking/judgment. So once again and FINALLY: The disposition is IRRELEVANT to the fact that you can be ARRESTED for 647(f) even if you’re under the legal limit.
And that’s all you need to know.
Obviously they did it inside the bar as a preventative and educational measure. It wasn’t a sneak up to their car in the lot job 🙄