[AshSimmonds]

Bubble O'Bill helps man beat drink-driving charge

    * Ice-cream treat gave false alcohol reading
    * Court gets demonstration of anomaly
    * Man's in-car alcohol interlock device removed

A MOTORIST has licked any doubts about his claim that an ice cream gave him a blood alcohol reading.

A magistrate yesterday ordered him to buy and eat the offending confection to test his assertion that a Bubble O' Bill had given him a reading when he blew into his alcohol interlock device.

After a few bites the man recorded a blood alcohol concentration of 0.018.

The experiment took place after the driver applied to Frankston Magistrates' Court to have the interlock device removed from his car.

The prosecutor had queried why the machine had recorded a "fail", which stops the user starting their car.

But the man was adamant he had not been drinking and that the reading was caused by the Bubble O' Bill he had eaten when he stopped at a service station.

Magistrate Rod Crisp told the driver to put his claim to the test by heading across the road to buy one so police could check his story. A police officer conducted a preliminary test that confirmed he was 0.00.

The man consumed part of the icy treat, then police tested him again.

The reading of 0.018 was duly reported back to Mr Crisp, who granted the driver's application to have the device removed.

The man had not waited the recommended 15 minutes after eating or drinking before blowing into the machine.

The devices can record readings for alcohol when some food or drink residues are still present in the mouth.

Victoria runs one of the world's biggest interlock programs, said VicRoads spokeswoman Mary Fall.

"Thousands of trips where someone might have driven under the influence of alcohol have been prevented from interlock devices," she said.

"We certainly see them as an effective tool in terms of stopping drink driving."

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,24942027-1243,00.html

[futurism]

to have had the interlock device fitted, the guy must have previously lost his licesnse which would mean he failed an actual blood test wouldnt it?

So bubble o bill or not, an actual blood test will give a correct figure and you will lose your license
the intelock device fitted subsequently is all thats being challenged in this court case

whats the point im trying to make? none really, dont expect to fit an ice box in your car to carry around a bubble o bill in the event you are pulled over, cause all that will do is increase the breath test and make you more likely to be subjected to a blood test (just as mouth wash, which apparently causes cancer, cherry ripes and various other things do).

[Rat Boy]

I miss Bubble-O-Bills...

[BlackMerc]

I think the moral of the story, is carry around that article and claim you've been eating bubble-o-bills when you get pulled over.

[Greg Jamieson]

Any others out there with problems with Smart Start Interlock??? Mine has a 12  button keyboard & was fitted May 2011 in Melbourne & is newish model with camera option(that I dont have)

* I preface the following comments by stating that I have NEVER at any time attempted to start car with ANY alchohol whatsoever for at least 12 hours previously. The consequences are too serious.

I had mine fitted recently and it has been a disaster (apart from them stuffing my stereo & satnav...but not their fault..sure!
* FIRST TIP - NEVER EVER use Listerine - I accidentally had it in my mouth for 2-3 seconds B4 I realised, I spat it out, waited 5 minutes and blew 0.456. Only after another 5 (panicked)  minutes of gargling & swallowing water did it show a PASS

* I was told breath test to get car started then it will ask for re-test soon after (usually 2- 4 minutes) - Thats fine but when it asks for a test again twice in a 20 minute trip its ridiculous.
 
* MAJOR ISSUE - Getting anything done on the car. Both workshops it has been to in last 2 weeks, have numerous client cars with Interlocks but neither has EVER seen a unit so impossible to use...one said he almost passed out after 15 tries.
THAT means having to stay with the car any time anything needs to be done, including car wash, tune-up (where car is turned on & off numerous times). Who has the time to sit in a workshop all day?

* The workshops mentioned, as well as my family have seen but cannot believe that I can blow into the unit the EXACT same way and it will say ABORT HUM or some other crap 5 out of 6 times

* When you are stuck in main road traffic on a wet road at night & there are no turn-offs, & the thing demands a test what are you supposed to do???
The traffic took longer than the allowed 5 minutes to clear enough for me to find a safe place to stop & do test - yet that reads as FAIL TEST...
Do the courts then expect you to keep blowing into the unit.. WHILE DRIVING.. until a PASS result is achieved???
THAT would be as safe as talking on mobile or texting etc

* Why cant installer give a code to an authorised (VACC etc) repairer so they can work on car, then acll for a new code to be installed when the work is completed?

* The idea of the interlock is not questioned, it is the numerous "ünintended consequences" that are making driving a hell

I'll be pleased to hear from anyone with similar issues with this Smart Start unit, particularly anyone in Melbourne, Australia

Thanks