this post was submitted on 24 Oct 2026
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[–] new_world_odor@lemmy.world 33 points 4 days ago (1 children)

It's not a discrepancy, alcohol is processed over time. It's her body working through the stuff in the ~30 mins or so that it presumably took to get to booking her. Yeah we can assume the levels aren't 100% accurate but this tech is decades old so probably pretty close. There are many problems with policing; imo this isn't one of them.

[–] NotMyOldRedditName@lemmy.world 9 points 4 days ago (2 children)

Once the cops have someone on a DUI pulled over, its probably a relief to see them blow something so high because they know they have enough time to get to the precinct for further tests.

[–] new_world_odor@lemmy.world 8 points 4 days ago (1 children)

I mean sure but not that much, afaik the tests at the scene (for BAC, not the subjective tests) are pretty solid as far as evidence goes. In this case it probably mattered even less, blowing a .25 equates to looking pretty fucking smashed for most people so the test is basically just checking a box lmao

[–] tyler@programming.dev 2 points 3 days ago (1 children)

No the roadside tests are bad. They’re not very accurate, which is why you should always refuse to give one roadside. Wait until you’re at the police station.

[–] new_world_odor@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

I would say you're mostly right. The margin of error is bigger than I thought it would be, after checking myself here. Also some states do equip their state patrol with vehicle-portable devices that are not the handheld. Depending on where someone is, they might not get a choice to take it at the station instead (that seems to vary quite a bit by jurisdiction just at a cursory glance). But ultimately I support the philosophy of giving cops as little ammunition as possible. Just make sure you can actually do it.

I've read that those portable tests on the scene aren't super accurate. Another commentor said they aren't generally acceptable as proof of DUI in the courts either. None of this is solid fact from research though.