How unusual is it to be administered a field sobriety test and then be allowed to drive away?

Traffic stop, got lucky wrote:

How unusual is it to be administered a field sobriety test and then be allowed to drive away?

Always be on the lookout for cops asking questions. Unless you have done something like drive erratically or deviate the lane, you don't need to submit to a field sobriety test or even a breath test.

One time I started asking the questions in response to their attempt to make me take a field sobriety test. I did this because I had nothing to lose. I was sober. They had to let me go.

stopped wrote:

Traffic stop, got lucky wrote:

How unusual is it to be administered a field sobriety test and then be allowed to drive away?

Always be on the lookout for cops asking questions. Unless you have done something like drive erratically or deviate the lane, you don't need to submit to a field sobriety test or even a breath test.

One time I started asking the questions in response to their attempt to make me take a field sobriety test. I did this because I had nothing to lose. I was sober. They had to let me go.

Well, I was pulled over for speeding like 34mph in a 20mph zone. I had had about 2.5 drinks over the last 2-3 hours and that was it. When the officer asked me if I'd been drinking, I said yes. And when he asked how much. I said 2 drinks. He immediately asked me to step out of the car and the process of a field sobriety test began.

I did the eye test first, then the walk the line test, then finally the one leg stand test. During the one leg stand test, I chose to balance on my left leg because I remembered from physical therapy sessions for my running that my left side had better balance than my left. I remember counting to about 20 one thousands doing this stance and asking the officer how much longer he wanted me to hold the stance for. He just said keep going (counting) until I ask you to stop. I counted to 30 one thousand and he said ok that's enough. Then they got out a breathalyzer and said it was optional. I said honestly officer I had one drink at this restaurant at 9pm, another at this restaurant an hour later, & then half of someone's beer at another restaurant a little bit later. All of the restaurants/bars were within walking distance of each other on the shopping mall strip. So then the officer just told me to go back into my car and sit tight.

About 3-4mins later officer came back and said I was probably at about a 0.04 right now which in state of Colorado is close to a DWAI charge for people 0.05-0.08. Bottom line is that he then let me drive away with no Dwai, no speeding ticket or anything...so I guess I got lucky. He just told me to drive home like a grandma. Honestly though I was still pretty terrified throughout the whole process. This could have messed up my professional license and my career. I was probably so anxious that I could have appeared slightly drunk attempting the FSTs just from severe anxiety.

Never, ever, ever submit to a field sobriety test. It is subjective by nature and will only ever be used as evidence against you.

Do you lump breathalyzer tests into the field sobriety test?

Just get out the car and run.

I had a similar experience. Had two beers over the course of a couple of hours along with some pizza.

Get in my car, headlight is out. I have a spare bulb in the my glove box, but it's 1:00am, I don't live far away, and I don't feel like messing with it.

Of course I get pulled over, and the same thing happens, I tell him what I drank, do the field test, I actually did the breathalyzer and the officer says, "Have you ever been arrested?"

I said, "No." and he told me to put my hands on the car, patted me down, cuffed me, and put me in the back of his car. He proceeded to check out my car and came back into his car and started doing paperwork. After about 10 minutes of silence I asked what I blew and he says, "Oh like a 0.02." I said "OK," and waited.

A few minutes later I asked what I was being arrested for, and he said "You're not being arrested, we're just waiting for a tint meter, your window tint is a little dark."

After some more silence, I heard on his radio that the tint meter was over an hour away and they should just write the ticket or let me go. The wrote a ticket for the headlight bulb and let me go.

back in my younger, stupider days...well, not so much stupider...

i "beat" the eye test twice. should not have been driving, thankfully nothing bad happened due to my stupid decisions to drive

I had a field sobriety twice and was allowed to drive away.

One time I was completely sober but it was 3 am and I had some drunks in the car with me.

Of course I passed the test but was still given the ticket for the red light on left that I ran.

Another time I had been drinking but had my last drink a couple hours before I was on the road.

I did the field test and had a breathalyzer.

I don't know what I blew but I was let go with a warning.

One thing, I fully cooperated and was polite and I think that helped. Also, I am white so that helps too.

There was a third time where I was pulled over for speeding and had been drinking, again hours before I drove.

While the cop was talking to me a car speed by being chased by another cop. My cop handed me back my license and said "be safe" and took off. No ticket. Pure luck!

Why do they waste all that time doing stupid tests in America instead of just handing the driver a breathalyser

ukathleticscoach wrote:

Why do they waste all that time doing stupid tests in America instead of just handing the driver a breathalyser

The field test is silly. I was pulled over once after having less than 1 full beer. Cop could smell it on me and had me blow in the field breathalyzer. It didn't even register and he let me go. No silly 'stupid human tricks' on the side of the road.

Ask a few cops about the wrecks they've worked involving alcohol and you might gain a different perspective.

I got pulled over once when I was drunk way beyond the legal limit. Should not have been driving to say the least. I didn't have to do a breathalyzer but I did a field sobriety test and I guess I passed. Let me go. Told me to 'go home and grow up". I was about 25 then. It wasn't the first time I drove drunk but it was the last.

Star wrote:

I don't know what I blew

That's the trouble with being intoxicated.

One time I got pulled over for going 35 in a 25 and blew a .00 (this was at 3am)

My guess would be this has never happened.