www.CostaRicaTicas.com

The machines the transitos use for a roadside breath test are actually pretty large, yellow with black face/buttons and connect to a printer in a yellow case. After the test, the machine makes a printout of your results and you sign that paper and another 'log' sheet where they write your DL#, date, time and result. Transit police are never alone during this process as a Fuerza Publica officer is always there as well to watch the test and take you into custody if you are drunk.

In the one time I was pulled over to do a test, both the transit and fuerza publica officers were very professional and the machine was totally accurate as it showed me at 0.00 mg/L as I hadn't had a drink in perhaps 6 months. We talked, laughed and joked and they both knew I was obviously NOT under the slightest influence of alcohol but still had to blow. They did give me the mouthpiece as a souvenir.

I looked and looked on the internet to find the specific model they were using but came up empty. The closest unit I found in appearance was the FC20 (http://www.breathalyzer.net/fc20kit.html). I can for sure say the machine wasn't some small handheld that looked like a toy as most of the handhelds I saw appear. This unit looked solidly built and gave me an accurate reading.

I also looked through the transit law and couldn't find anything about refusing a breath test but knowing Costa Rican law, where you are really guilty until you prove your innocence, I suspect a refusal would be the same as an admission of guilt and the penalties would be the same.

Please, just take a cab. If you have a car with you, hire one cab driver to drive your car and the other to follow you to give the other cab driver driving your car a ride back. MUCH cheaper than any problems with a transito not to mention no injuring/killing innocent people who may be on the road as well, LIKE ME.

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The only thing that matters is happiness in all it forms...

Thanks for the very good info Steve, as always, but I still wouldn't trust them--look at Sunday's Inside CR--they haven't been calibrated, a necessity.

Thanks for the advice about cabbing it, but I ain't going to kill anybody after 3 Imperials, 3 of them is plenty for my taste, and I don't drink booze.And for the most part where I run in very rural Aguirre Canton outside of Quepos, there aren't cabs.

You are probably more of a threat to me and others, texting and talking on your cell with clients, pointing out highlights along the road and giving info to your passengers while going 80 on the highway. Distractions like those are much more of a hazard then me with 3 beers in an hour or so while vigilantly looking out for huge bolders or potholes or pools on the roads I travel. For sure.

I share your skepticism on the trust issue as both times I've been robbed in Costa Rica, it was police. However, that was long ago and the Laura Administration has made a major push to reduce this kind of stuff in Costa Rica especially against tourists. Notice the police presence in downtown now and the lack of complaints of guys having their passports checked out randomly. Just seems to me putting yourself in a situation where you are drinking but not drunk relies on faith in the police they won't add a little mouthwash to push you from the 'just sober' line into the 'drunk like a skunk' line.

The article says they hadn't calibrated the machines before the new law went into effect (usual Tico procrastination IMHO) but that they would have them all calibrated by Wednesday.

As for not killing anyone while drinking but not drunk, there is no way you can say that. I know TWO board members who were not legally intoxicated, although they had been drinking, and struck either a pedestrian or someone on a bicycle and killed them. One was here in Costa Rica and that gentleman faced a lot of problems before being absolved of responsibility. He now only drinks water... The other was in the States and he too was absolved of responsibility. In both cases, the deceased had been drinking heavily, both were wearing dark clothes and both staggered/swerved into the path of the oncoming car.

If this happens to you, are you ready to face the problems it will cause like not leaving Costa Rica until the case is resolved or perhaps even some preventative detention in the 'gringo' jail here in San Ramon? My friend, never seen a place in Costa Rica where a cab wouldn't come get you. Please, please just err on the safe side for both our sakes

Me...??? Dangerous???

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The only thing that matters is happiness in all it forms...

The only way to protect yourself from those kind of "not leaving the country issues" if you hit someone while sober, drinking, or drunk is don't drive in CR. Those kind of accidents are going to happen anywhere and are despicable if you were drunk.

You are blowing this drinking 3 beers thing way out of proportion.

What you typically do behind the wheel, like being a good guide and pointing out stuff and turning around to make eye contact, or phoning or texting is just as dangerous because of the distraction factor, which is why it is illegal to text and drive or cell talk and drive in the states. Ask John Yonkers, retired CPD who you drove about 2 years ago on my recommendation.

And, my friend, you obviously haven't been to east of the cemetary in Londres. No cabs unless you can arrange for a 4 wheeler.

Anyway, always appreciate those who give out advice.

I think you should seek legal help. If you want, my friend works in office a famous DUI attorney Los Angeles. He might know little about things. Shall I tell him that you might be contacting him up? PM me so I can share his details with you.

hi,my name is Bruce as soon as i get out of my bra and panties,i'll pm you..is there a discount for olympic gold medal winners...

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Jaco is called little USA by all ticos

These are the kind of deep discussions you don't get anywhere else--the true spirit of CRT. Congrats to all posters. A follow-on question is this--Are DUI or refusals reported to US or Canadian authorities? It's bad enough to get popped, rightly or wrongly, in CR--it's worse if it haunts you at home.

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"A man accustomed to hear only the echo of his own sentiments, soon bars all the common avenues of delight, and has no part in the general gratification of mankind"--Dr. Johnson
"Amen, brother"-ED

The pirata I use told me (maybe he's exaggerating, but I don't think so) that DUI here means your car is immediately impounded and you spend the evening, maybe night, in jail.

Why anyone would drink and drive here, and risk injuring someone, and the penalties, is beyond me.

Pay $10 for a phucking taxi for fucks sake.

If I blew a .5 while driving I hope they would take me to the morgue. Seriously I would not trust the cop's breathalyzer as he might show you something hoping for a little money but you will have to take a ride to the jail and get blood pulled and who knows what they do with that. I have never driven a car after even one beer, as I think it impairs you.

I have never driven in another country after even one beer. I have driven in Germany, Switzerland, and Ireland and still do not know their DUI laws because when I'm driving I stick with the water. In Ireland I even waited a day to drive for the alcohol to leave my body.

Sorry I didn't answer your original question.

I don't think in CR you have an option not to blow. Remember - CR has coded Spanish based laws. There is no wiggle room or prescendant. I also think that since most Ticos are very compliant, the cops would view you as a trouble maker. It would go down quickly from there.

In past couple of years, the laws around this have gotten a lot tougher and fines are steep. They are putting up checkpoints all around town for Semana Santa. Not worth the risk IMHO.

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http://TipsCostaRica.com for pratical advice on living in Costa Rica.
In order to write about life, first you must live it! - E. Hemingway.

Hi DGD,
In my opinion the value 0.5 has to be increase...

Yeah PBT’s have now become less integral part of evidence for drunk driving cases as those were easily manipulated and also lawyers were able to find a get around of it. My cousin hired a top DUI attorney Los Angeles and got her charges dismissed.

Those laws are getting tighter everywhere...not looser.

Thank God for uber, I think it has reduced duis here in the states. Probably making all of the vindictive old hags at MADD pissed off.

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" Omit no happy hour that may give furtherance to our expedition."

There should be ZERO toleramce for driving with alcohol in system. Having a static limit is not practical because a full blown alcoholic can probably down a 6-pack in an hour and be fine, whereas a lightweight like me can get a decent buzz with 2 beers.