Somehow, I am not dead.

Dymetrie · 13-03-2008, 14:00

Yesterday in the office we were having a big long discussion which managed to encompass many strange and unconnected topics. It was fun.

One of the things we discussed was young Kevin who, being a numpty, is currently banned from driving for getting caught over the limit.

Part of his ban includes having to attend a course about drink driving and the dangers of alcohol. For this he gets homework.

Included in the homework are sheets about what constitutes a unit of alcohol, how many units certain things contain, and also a fantastic chart which shows the effects of a certain number of units.

Levels of note are:

0 Units - No risk
2 Units - Increased risk
5 Units - 5xChance of accident (legal limit!)
6 Units - 7xChance of accident
8 Units - Impulsive
10 Units - Aggressive
11 Units - 25xChance of an accident
12 Units - Double vision, memory loss
19 Units - Possible unconsciousness
25 Units - Oblivion/coma
31 Units - Death possible

So I had a look at all this and decided to figure out what the effects of my usual Saturday night in were.

We start with 8 pints of 4% lager at 2.3 units a pint.

Already we're at 18.4 units. Allegedly I am possibly unconscious. Funny how after that I carry on...

1 bottle of white wine, about 11-12% so another 9 units.

Hmmm 27.4 units... Oblivion/coma time? nope, now for some more.

1 bottle of red wine, about 14-15% so another 10.5 units.

37.9 units of alcohol!

HOLY **** I AM POSSIBLY DEATH!!!!

Of course, I don't always consume that much alcohol on a Saturday night. Sometimes it's more

For reference, and if anyone else wants to figure out if they are also possibly death, then the unit amounts are:

White wine - 9 units a bottle, 2.1 units per 175ml glass, 1.5 units per 125ml glass.
Red wine - 10.5 units a bottls (it doesn't give unit amounts per glass here :/)
Beer, 3.5% - 2 upp (units per pint)
Lager, 4% - 2.3 upp
Premium Lager/Beer/Cider, 5% - 2.8upp
Super strength lager, 9% - 4
Strong Cider, 8.5% - 4.4
Vodka/rum/gin, 37.5% - 0.9 units per 25ml, 1.3 units per 35ml
Whisky/brandy, 40% - 1 unit per 25ml, 1.4 units per 35ml

Happy calculating peoples

Dee · 13-03-2008, 14:03

Possible death at 31 units? What a load of ****e, if thats the case, Ive been dead more times than I can count

Made for a good read though, thanks Dym

Pumpkinstew · 13-03-2008, 14:24

Doesn't alcohol also leave your blood stream at a rate of about 1 unit per hour?
I assume it's more rapid if you've drunk a lot.

That chart is presumably a worst case as well, so unless you're an 8 stone female with 1 kidney and a failing liver it's probably not very applicable.

Dymetrie · 13-03-2008, 14:27

Oops.

Forgot to mention that that chart was based on an average 11 stone male.

There's also one for an average 9 stone female with different TERROR levels.

Mark · 13-03-2008, 14:37

The chart, of course, takes no account of alcohol tolerance, or lack thereof. I've heard of people managing 20+ pints without being dead. That thanks to a considerably overside liver it seems, which might not bode well for later life.

Now, if I tried that, I really would be dead.

Mondo · 13-03-2008, 14:44

I think you got to factor TIME into the equation.

That is x units in the blood at one given time, not x units drunk over the course of the entire night. Considering the Liver can remove 1 unit an hour, may be more if you have a larger liver being male...etc, the number of units is not the amount you've drunk since you started.

If you drink 8 pints in 1 go in the space of 2 minutes, then Possible unconsciousness or coma would be very much possible.

Desmo · 13-03-2008, 14:47

I hardly drink these days. Only if I go into town which is once or twice a month.

Tak · 13-03-2008, 14:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dymetrie

an average 9 stone female

*mutter grumble sulks*

The amount I drink has gone up over the past couple of years but I think that is more because I have stopped worrying that every sip of alcohol will turn me into my mother. There is a difference between fancying a drink and needing a drink.

karbon · 13-03-2008, 14:51

i think i've been dead 3 times this month....

Dymetrie · 13-03-2008, 14:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by chart thingummy

The body destroys alcohol at a fixed rate for each person and CANNOT be sped up by cold shower, black coffee, exercise or even patent 'cures'.
One unit of alcohol takes AT LEAST 1 hour to be eliminated by the body

So by those guidelines then my Saturday evening drinking over the span of approximately 9 hours means that there would still have been 28(ish) units of alcohol left in my blood stream when I went to bed...

But that's not as much fun

13-03-2008, 14:00	#1
Dymetrie A large glass of Merlot Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Letchworth with a Lightsaber Posts: 5,819	Somehow, I am not dead. Yesterday in the office we were having a big long discussion which managed to encompass many strange and unconnected topics. It was fun. One of the things we discussed was young Kevin who, being a numpty, is currently banned from driving for getting caught over the limit. Part of his ban includes having to attend a course about drink driving and the dangers of alcohol. For this he gets homework. Included in the homework are sheets about what constitutes a unit of alcohol, how many units certain things contain, and also a fantastic chart which shows the effects of a certain number of units. Levels of note are: 0 Units - No risk 2 Units - Increased risk 5 Units - 5xChance of accident (legal limit!) 6 Units - 7xChance of accident 8 Units - Impulsive 10 Units - Aggressive 11 Units - 25xChance of an accident 12 Units - Double vision, memory loss 19 Units - Possible unconsciousness 25 Units - Oblivion/coma 31 Units - Death possible So I had a look at all this and decided to figure out what the effects of my usual Saturday night in were. We start with 8 pints of 4% lager at 2.3 units a pint. Already we're at 18.4 units. Allegedly I am possibly unconscious. Funny how after that I carry on... 1 bottle of white wine, about 11-12% so another 9 units. Hmmm 27.4 units... Oblivion/coma time? nope, now for some more. 1 bottle of red wine, about 14-15% so another 10.5 units. 37.9 units of alcohol! HOLY **** I AM POSSIBLY DEATH!!!! Of course, I don't always consume that much alcohol on a Saturday night. Sometimes it's more For reference, and if anyone else wants to figure out if they are also possibly death, then the unit amounts are: White wine - 9 units a bottle, 2.1 units per 175ml glass, 1.5 units per 125ml glass. Red wine - 10.5 units a bottls (it doesn't give unit amounts per glass here :/) Beer, 3.5% - 2 upp (units per pint) Lager, 4% - 2.3 upp Premium Lager/Beer/Cider, 5% - 2.8upp Super strength lager, 9% - 4 Strong Cider, 8.5% - 4.4 Vodka/rum/gin, 37.5% - 0.9 units per 25ml, 1.3 units per 35ml Whisky/brandy, 40% - 1 unit per 25ml, 1.4 units per 35ml Happy calculating peoples __________________ Khef, Ka and Ka-Tet....

13-03-2008, 14:24	#3
Pumpkinstew Absinthe Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Mostly Oxford, Sometimes Bristol Posts: 1,156	Doesn't alcohol also leave your blood stream at a rate of about 1 unit per hour? I assume it's more rapid if you've drunk a lot. That chart is presumably a worst case as well, so unless you're an 8 stone female with 1 kidney and a failing liver it's probably not very applicable. __________________ Get old, or die tryin' PSTEWREVIEWS - Chunks of Meaty Reviews, Mixed with Your Five a Day of News, Comment and Opinion, Floating in a Broth of Suspect Grammar and Seasoned Liberally with Mixed Metaphor. Tasty.

13-03-2008, 14:27	#4
Dymetrie A large glass of Merlot Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Letchworth with a Lightsaber Posts: 5,819	Oops. Forgot to mention that that chart was based on an average 11 stone male. There's also one for an average 9 stone female with different TERROR levels. __________________ Khef, Ka and Ka-Tet....

13-03-2008, 14:44	#6
Mondo Absinthe Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 2,174	I think you got to factor TIME into the equation. That is x units in the blood at one given time, not x units drunk over the course of the entire night. Considering the Liver can remove 1 unit an hour, may be more if you have a larger liver being male...etc, the number of units is not the amount you've drunk since you started. If you drink 8 pints in 1 go in the space of 2 minutes, then Possible unconsciousness or coma would be very much possible. __________________ My Website / MSN / Email / Flickr / Blog

13-03-2008, 14:47	#7
Desmo The Last Airbender Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Pigmopad Posts: 11,915	I hardly drink these days. Only if I go into town which is once or twice a month. __________________

13-03-2008, 14:03	#2
Dee Combat Spanker Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 5,292	Possible death at 31 units? What a load of ****e, if thats the case, Ive been dead more times than I can count Made for a good read though, thanks Dym

13-03-2008, 14:37	#5
Mark Screaming Orgasm Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newbury Posts: 15,194	The chart, of course, takes no account of alcohol tolerance, or lack thereof. I've heard of people managing 20+ pints without being dead. That thanks to a considerably overside liver it seems, which might not bode well for later life. Now, if I tried that, I really would be dead.

13-03-2008, 14:51	#9
karbon Long Island Iced Tea Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Glasvegas Posts: 475	i think i've been dead 3 times this month.... __________________