In the US can you drink alcohol in the passenger's seat?

[Reinier]

Im not even sure if you can here but i think so.

I wondered when I saw somebody on tv trying to dump beer cans out his car when he was arrested

[geoffgarcia]

its not a federal law here, its state law
if you scroll to the bottom of this link you'll see which states have it
http://www.iii.org/media/hottopics/insurance/drunk/?table_sort_713260=6

[Reinier]

Hm. so in most states you cant. kinda uptight if you ask me.

[Y2A]

Yeah in most places you cant have an open container in the car at all. Uptight maybe, but how easy is it to be drinking at the wheel and just hand it over to a friend if you are pulled over and say HE was drinking it?

[MixmasterNash]

Yeah, you can't do that any more in NC. 4 years ago you could, and we celebrated the last legal night with a bottle of Jack in a big ol' Bronco.

Welcome to the world of MADD and crazy drinking laws.

[aidano]

I was talking to a barman the other day and he tells me that bars can't serve beer with more than 5% here (NC). That's a bit harsh I think. I want my Carlsberg Special Brew dammit! Also, alcoholic content of the same brand varies from state to state and city to city.

[JD77]

Welcome to the world of MADD and crazy drinking laws.

While an open container law may be too much, I'll happily support any law that infringes upon others' right to drive drunk if it protects my right to live. Too many people don't know when to say when. I've yet to meet a drunk, even those who can't stand under their own power, who felt they shouldn't be driving in their condition. Therefore, others have to make that choice for them.

[Reinier]

I agree drunk driving should be illegal and rather heavily penalised.

Id say breath tests should be enough though. no open container laws

[MixmasterNash]

While an open container law may be too much, I'll happily support any law that infringes upon others' right to drive drunk if it protects my right to live. Too many people don't know when to say when. I've yet to meet a drunk, even those who can't stand under their own power, who felt they shouldn't be driving in their condition. Therefore, others have to make that choice for them.

I agree. I don't think anyone should be allowed to drive drunk.

But it's gone way beyond that, with the 21 year old drinking age, imposed by federal blackmail, stupid laws on alcohol content, alcohol availibility, etc.

Admittedly, most of this has nothing to do with MADD, but they're a little shrill.

Case in point:

I was talking to a barman the other day and he tells me that bars can't serve beer with more than 5% here (NC). That's a bit harsh I think. I want my Carlsberg Special Brew dammit! Also, alcoholic content of the same brand varies from state to state and city to city.

It's actually 6%. I go to Virginia to get strong beer, seriously. Check out http://www.popthecap.org/ and see what you can do.

[HahnB]

Who wants to drive around on roads where it's legal for the passenger in a car to be doing shots of vodka? If you need to get drunk on your way to something in a car, you have a problem.

[JD77]

Well, if the law is not abused, a drunk passenger isn't very dangerous. The only concern I see is perhaps they could interfere with or distract the driver. We don't have an open container law here and I've yet to work a wreck where this was a factor.

[Reinier]

Who wants to drive around on roads where it's legal for the passenger in a car to be doing shots of vodka? If you need to get drunk on your way to something in a car, you have a problem.

I don't think liberties should be taken away because you're not supposed to need something.

[geoffgarcia]

Who wants to drive around on roads where it's legal for the passenger in a car to be doing shots of vodka? If you need to get drunk on your way to something in a car, you have a problem.
I bet cell phones cause a ton of accidents too, eating while driving, playing with a cd player or kids, speeding...or just bad drivers period!
thing is that BAC is measurable and its easy to point a finger at so it gets a bad rap


politicians dont want to appear weak on anything dealing with education/crime/taxes etc..
its like a battle to see which state can impose the highest mandatory penalties

hell in New Jersey if your driving around with 5 beers in a 6 pack container I think thats grounds for a mandatory trip to the station for a breathalizer

[GonePostal]

I like the open container law. Because 1 it doesn't affect anyone that is reasonable. 2 it gets rid of the possibility of stupid people drinking and driving. If it's legal for open alcohol in the car you can then drink while driving... 1 beer? 2 beers? how many beers before the driver stops. Remember when an idiot get's stopped he can just throw the stuff in the back seat and claim it's just open but he wasn't drinking it.

[MrWebb78]

to answer the question, yes you can drink in the passenger seat.

[MixmasterNash]

I would just like to inform you that I am drinking beer right now, possibly in violation of state law. But damn, the Old Rasputin Imperial Stout I smuggled in from VA is good. And 8.9% ABV.

[Berserker]

Well, if the law is not abused, a drunk passenger isn't very dangerous. The only concern I see is perhaps they could interfere with or distract the driver. We don't have an open container law here and I've yet to work a wreck where this was a factor.
Ya but its not illegal to be a drunk passenger. Though I suppose it could be public intoxication. Which really burns my ass. If I am good enough to walk leave me alone. But in some places now there ticektinmg people for walking drunk. I can see if your making a scene.

Also the .8 thing pisses me off. I don't think it will save one life, just drive up revenue and allow police and politicians to say they did more on the war against drunk driving.

[Berserker]

to answer the question, yes you can drink in the passenger seat.
In only a few states. I was suprised to see you even could now a days.

[HahnB]

I bet cell phones cause a ton of accidents too, eating while driving, playing with a cd player or kids, speeding...or just bad drivers period!
thing is that BAC is measurable and its easy to point a finger at so it gets a bad rap


politicians dont want to appear weak on anything dealing with education/crime/taxes etc..
its like a battle to see which state can impose the highest mandatory penalties

hell in New Jersey if your driving around with 5 beers in a 6 pack container I think thats grounds for a mandatory trip to the station for a breathalizer

That may be, but alcohol chemically prevents your body from fuctioning as it normally would one is sober. A cell phone might distract someone, but it doesn't affect their internal fuctioning like alcohol does.

[MrWebb78]

In only a few states. I was suprised to see you even could now a days.

you can do it anywhere.

[Allenronm]

Hm. so in most states you cant. kinda uptight if you ask me.

Actually, I completely disagree.

It's a practical law.

[JD77]

Also the .8 thing pisses me off. I don't think it will save one life, just drive up revenue and allow police and politicians to say they did more on the war against drunk driving.

.8% would kill most people, but I know what you meant. ;) However, I've seen wrecks where the drunk killed another driver and his BAC was between .08% and .10%. I think it can definitely save lives IF the person arrested is truly impaired at .8% which is entirely possible. Not everyone can handle alcohol. Personally, I'd be passed out puking at .08% I can barely get myself to .04%. :alcoholic

[pokeskickazzz]

I think you should have to take a test before you can drink beer.... too many idiots that ruin it for everybody else... how about a test of "common sense"

[Berserker]

.8% would kill most people, but I know what you meant. ;) However, I've seen wrecks where the drunk killed another driver and his BAC was between .08% and .10%. I think it can definitely save lives IF the person arrested is truly impaired at .8% which is entirely possible. Not everyone can handle alcohol. Personally, I'd be passed out puking at .08% I can barely get myself to .04%. :alcoholic
The problem I have with drunk driving accident statistics is would they have happened wether the person was drinking or not? That goes to my point .08 won't help. Sure you can sigh accidents that happened while the person was .08, but was that the cause? Some people are just bad drivers.

[JD77]

Right now I'm working on one where the drunk was not at fault in a fatality. We don't just arbitrarily place blame on them. That stuff just makes a good news story. The accident investigation willl reveal who's really at fault....drinking or not.

[JD77]

That being said....I bet he would have reacted quicker if he was sober.