After three glasses of wine, Ryan's reading was 330mcg, at which time she said she felt as though she would be fine driving. She said the test confirmed her belief that 1.5 drinks was her limit when driving. A lot of her friends abstained if they were driving because they had no idea how much they could safely drink, she said.
Ryan stopped after her fourth wine, which at 410mcg tipped her over the current limit. Though she didn't feel drunk, she said she was affected.
Both women, who at 67kg and 72kg are under the average NZ female weight (75kg), had a light lunch at least five hours before drinking.
As a seasoned drinker - "I drink almost every night, but not a lot" - with recent form from having attended the Melbourne Cup, a hens' night and a wedding, Atkinson said she was "disappointed" and surprised to be over the limit after two drinks. "I must have a small liver."
After three wines - and nibbles - her reading of 430mcg put her over the current limit. "I would definitely have driven after that many. That means I drove home drunk last week," she said.
Atkinson had been more cautious during a decade living in Australia, where the limit was cut 30 years ago to the level New Zealand is about to adopt. She thinks that the higher limit here gave her a false sense of security.
Alan Perrott blew 250mcg after three beers in the first hour. Photo / Dean Purcell
The men - canvas magazine writer Alan Perrott, 93kg, and online journalist Robert Smith, 110kg - were able to drink more before going over the new limit - three to four drinks for Perrott and seven for Smith.
Perrott blew 250mcg after three beers in the first hour, dipped back to 240mcg after four, presumably after food took effect, and hit the current limit of 400mcg after five wines and two beers.
Smith didn't go over the 250mcg limit until after his seventh drink - a mix of wine, beer and spirits.
Perrott was glum about hitting the new legal limit after three beers - "I've barely whet my whistle". After reaching five, and a reading of 290mcg, he said that while his concentration seemed OK, "I wouldn't want to be driving my family".
Smith, who'd had a late lunch, said he seemed to have a high tolerance for alcohol but was surprised by how low his readings were. Smith's wife, Janie, noted that at six drinks and 190mcg, "he's not even doing his drunk walk [big steps]".
After his seventh and last drink and at 280mcg still currently legal, Smith ruled out driving. "I wouldn't trust myself behind the wheel." And off he went, taking rather big steps.
Weight and body composition are factors in the big difference in readings between the men and women in the panel. "Women have less body fluid to distribute the alcohol and so get a higher blood-alcohol concentration per dose of alcohol," Professor Doug Sellman, director of the National Addiction Centre, told the Weekend Herald.
He said lowering the legal limit would save lives and millions of dollars. "This is terrific because this is the first proper alcohol reform we have had in a generation and what is surprising is how little the Government are congratulating themselves.
"This is one up for the public of New Zealand," Professor Sellman said. "It is not so good for practising alcoholics or for those with a vested interest in maintaining a heavy drinking culture."
The hospitality industry is not expecting to take a hit. "We think that most of the public think the limit has already been dropped and have already adjusted," said Bruce Robertson, head of Hospitality New Zealand.
People tended more to nominate dedicated drivers or switch to soft drinks.
Mr Robertson said the Weekend Herald's results appeared to be in line with recommendations made in Australia of two standard drinks in the first hour and one for each subsequent hour, whereas Professor Sellman said to be "pretty sure" women should only have one drink in the first hour and men two.
Q&A
What are the new drink-driving limits?
From December 1, 2014 the alcohol limit for drivers aged 20 years and over lowers from 400mcg of alcohol per litre of breath to 250mcg. The blood alcohol limit lowers from 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood, (0.08), to 50mg (0.05).
For drivers under 20, the limit stays at zero.
How much will I be able to drink and legally drive?
It depends on many factors, including gender, size and how much you have eaten. Two drinks for men and one for women in the first hour is recommended.
What happens if I'm caught over the new limits?
If you fail an evidential breath test recording 251-400mcg of alcohol per litre of breath you cannot elect an evidential blood test and will be fined $200 and incur 50 demerit points. The licences of drivers who accumulate 100 or more demerit points within two years will be suspended for three months.
If you fail an evidential breath test recording over 400mcg (or a blood test result of more than 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood) you will face criminal charges.
If you show a blood test result of 51-80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood you will be fined up to $700 and incur 50 demerit points.
- Source: NZ Police
