The first article Dragonbones posted said [quote]The policy is scheduled to be implemented in June and will apply to drivers of all motor vehicles.[/quote]
So, you definitely shouldn’t have been nailed for 1 beer last night.
Buy cycle.
Made some calls…It’s bullshit. Go get your bike back. You still have to be over the legal limit (no matter how low) before they can fine you. How the hell can they figure out everyone’s body chemistry to see how quickly the beer would leach from your system. Did he ask you how often you exercise? Take your blood pressure? Measure your amount of body fat? Your last physical? Your age? Body weight?
You breathe in the machine, you pass or fail. End of story. You passed, you (hopefully)kept some paperwork that says so.
Go get your bike.
Are there any links to support or deny the existence of a “zero tolerance” policy? I haven’t been able to find any…
[quote=“nemesis”]Are there any links to support or deny the existence of a “zero tolerance” policy? I haven’t been able to find any…[/quote]What Dragonbones and MJB posted seems clear enough to me. I really hope this doesn’t become another one of those Forumosan urban myths that crop up from time to time. (I’m fully expecting another “right turns on red light legalised” post one of these days!)
[quote=“Dragonbones”]I asked a couple colleagues who said fines had gone up, but they weren’t aware of any zero tolerance. 
EDIT: one just brought over a printout of what he says is the latest, from www.judge.Taipei.gov.tw, and from a quick scan of the Chinese, it looks like it stipulates the following fine ranges for the below breath test results:
.25mg to under .55mg, 15k-30k fine
.4mg to below .4mg (sic) 30k-45k
.55mg up, 45k-60k.
Refusal to take the test, or two failures within one year or no license: 60k, vehicle confiscation, license confiscation and 3 year ban on retaking the license test.
(Presumably that should have been .25 to .4, .4 to .55, and .55 on up)
EDIT 2: Relevant stories:
taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/ … 2003404704
taipeitimes.com/News/front/a … 2003395865
taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/ … 2003355863[/quote][quote=“MJB”][quote=“Toe Save”]There is a new zero tolerance policy (as of Feb.). I too barely registered.[/quote]
Made some calls…It’s bullshit. Go get your bike back. You still have to be over the legal limit (no matter how low) before they can fine you…[/quote]
[quote=“joesax”][quote=“nemesis”]Are there any links to support or deny the existence of a “zero tolerance” policy? I haven’t been able to find any…[/quote]What Dragonbones and MJB posted seems clear enough to me. I really hope this doesn’t become another one of those Forumosan urban myths that crop up from time to time. (I’m fully expecting another “right turns on red light legalised” post one of these days!)
[quote=“Dragonbones”]I asked a couple colleagues who said fines had gone up, but they weren’t aware of any zero tolerance.
EDIT: one just brought over a printout of what he says is the latest, from www.judge.Taipei.gov.tw, and from a quick scan of the Chinese, it looks like it stipulates the following fine ranges for the below breath test results:
.25mg to under .55mg, 15k-30k fine
.4mg to below .4mg (sic) 30k-45k
.55mg up, 45k-60k.
Refusal to take the test, or two failures within one year or no license: 60k, vehicle confiscation, license confiscation and 3 year ban on retaking the license test.
(Presumably that should have been .25 to .4, .4 to .55, and .55 on up)
EDIT 2: Relevant stories:
taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/ … 2003404704
taipeitimes.com/News/front/a … 2003395865
taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/ … 2003355863[/quote][quote=“MJB”][quote=“Toe Save”]There is a new zero tolerance policy (as of Feb.). I too barely registered.[/quote]
Made some calls…It’s bullshit. Go get your bike back. You still have to be over the legal limit (no matter how low) before they can fine you…[/quote][/quote]
Thanks for that. Now I know for sure.
[quote]Drunk Driving Checkpoints
– January 23, 2006 –
Drivers with a breath alcohol concentration test reading of over 0.25 mg/liter will be fined from NT$15000 to NT$60000. The driver’s vehicle impounded, he/she will be banned from driving and his/her driving license will be suspended for one year. The driving license will be suspended for 2 years while intoxicated and causing injuries of the others. In the event of serious injuries or death, the driving license will be revoked for life and the driver will also be banned for life from sitting for another driving test. [/quote]
This is the latest information regarding drunk driving on the City’s own website
I understand however that the government are quite terrible at keeping their information pages up to date so I have requested the most up to date information regarding alcohol toxicity levels and driving/riding, so I am waiting for a response.
At least their site may be quoted when having issues with the police at least as vindication for not knowing any better at this point.
[quote]Q1.
What is the Blood Alcohol Content limit for drivers in Taiwan?
A1. The legal limit is 0.25mg/litre for breath alcohol level tests, approximately 0.05% Blood Alcohol Concentration.[/quote]
Source: Taiwan Beverage Alcohol Forum
WHY OH WHY did you gents say you had a beer or a glass of wine when asked by the clappers (sorry coppers) . Why the Flock did you not simply say NO, like any Taiwanese person would do???
And DEMAND to go down to the station for a proper test with witnesses. Tell them you are calling your lawyer NOW (and call your wife/gf) . They dont like lawyers and all that jazz. And they dont like having the station chief gettin involved.
And please do NOT admit to drinking ANy alckey fur petes sake !!!
Go get that bike back. Get a lawyer to accompany you. They didnt test you, NO CASE.
[quote=“tommy525”]They didnt test you, NO CASE.[/quote]Apparently they did test him, but it “barely registered”. Assuming that was actually below the limit, then still no case, according to all that various people have been able to find out from various official sources.
Barely registered is still above the limit. As I understand “zero tolerancy”, .000000001 is still above the limit.
And if I can’t afford 30K, I can’t afford a lawyer. I may go get it back, now that I have calmed down somewhat. Then I will attempt to fight the fine. It’s all I can do really.
[quote=“Toe Save”]
Barely registered is still above the limit. As I understand “zero tolerancy”, .000000001 is still above the limit.
And if I can’t afford 30K, I can’t afford a lawyer. I may go get it back, now that I have calmed down somewhat. Then I will attempt to fight the fine. It’s all I can do really.[/quote]
There is no fine to be imposed. You actually have to break a law to be fined for it.
If you tested under the posted legal limit, have legal paperwork, insurance and a valid motorcyle license, smile and be on your way dude.
Barely registered is still above the limit. As I understand “zero tolerancy”, .000000001 is still above the limit.
And if I can’t afford 30K, I can’t afford a lawyer. I may go get it back, now that I have calmed down somewhat. Then I will attempt to fight the fine. It’s all I can do really.[/quote]
Bring your Gf or some other mandarin speaker down with you and argue your case. They may be able to dismiss it . If you make enough of a fuss, they will be tired of you and let you go.
Barely registered is still above the limit.[/quote]Yeah, if you really believe there’s a new “zero tolerance policy”, despite all the evidence to the contrary in this thread.
Barely registered is still above the limit.[/quote]Yeah, if you really believe there’s a new “zero tolerance policy”, despite all the evidence to the contrary in this thread.[/quote]
Agreed! I haven’t seen any evidence yet of a zero alcohol tolerance in Taiwan.
Again this is another government main web page in Chinese from the ministry of transport’s own site referring to the fines and laws regarding drink and driving. There is now plenty of evidence provided that shows there is no zero alcohol tolerance law in Taiwan.
Below is a rough interpretation of the site page linked below plus rules as understood regarding rules of payment regarding traffic fines. Please inform if it is incorrect. I am not wholy responsible for its interpretation.
Government Main Site information page on present alcohol law:
There is no zero tolerance of alcohol in Taiwan. 0.55mg is the limit for alcohol in the blood stream and there are differing fines for people over that limit depending on their level of cooperation with the police. If one pulls over but refuses the test, then there is an additional fine of 900NT-1,800NT for not taking the test as well as a potential fine of up to 150,000NT for being over the legal limit.
Refusing to pull over altogether will result in an additional 60,000NT fine.
One’s vehicle will be impounded until payments are received.
Payments still have to be made even after the vehicle has been impounded. (Information not included in link.)
There will be a day when the payment is demanded so not retrieving the vehicle and expecting the fines to be nulled is incorrect. Fines must still be paid.(Again, information not included in above linked page.)
Finally I received an email today from the government concerning drinking and driving limitations and punishments.
[quote]Dear Jamie,
With regard to your inquiry about the law regarding alcohol and being in charge of a motor vehicle, the relevant information is as followed:
Statute Governing the Punishment of Violation of Road Traffic Regulations
The driver of a motor vehicle who has been determined through analysis to have a breath alcohol concentration of 0.25 mg/liter or a blood alcohol concentration exceeding 0.05 percent shall be fined between NTD$15,000 and NTD$60,000, the vehicle driven shall be impounded at the site and the driver’s license shall be suspended for one year. In the case where another person is injured, the driver’s license shall be suspended for two years. In the case where another person is seriously injured or killed, the driver’s license shall be revoked and the driver may not retest for a license.
Motor vehicle drivers subject to the aforementioned license suspension who commit a repeat offense during the period of suspension shall fined NTD$60,000, the vehicle driven shall be impounded at the site and the driver’s license shall be revoked. In the case where another person is seriously injured or killed, the driver’s license shall be revoked and the driver may not retest for a license.
Motor vehicle drivers who refuse the aforementioned analysis shall be fined NTD$60,000, the vehicle driven shall be impounded at the site and the driver’s license shall be revoked. In the case where another person is seriously injured or killed, the driver’s license shall be revoked and the driver may not retest for a license.
Article 185-3 of the Criminal Code: Motor vehicle drivers who have consumed drugs, anesthetics, alcohol or other such substances and cannot safely operate a vehicle shall be sentenced to imprisonment for less than one year in jail, detention and/or a fine of less than NTD$150,000.
Yours truly,
Foreign Affairs Division
Taipei City Police Department[/quote]
This clears things up once and for all then.
How did things work out for you?
How did things work out for you?[/quote]
Still waiting for the court date. But a friend has expressed interest in buying her, for the same price as the fine, so…
I still don’t get it.
How can a fine be imposed if you are below the legal limit?
If you were above the legal limit then I can understand that they took the bike, if not I would have gone to the station with them, and protested so hard that it would have ended up in front of a judge.
I have been fined for speeding a few times. (Sorry guys, freeway only and I like to DRIVE).
They usually print out a fine for you which you pay at the post office. If they tried to shake you down, then well, I would have ignored it or asked to go to the station.
Since there was some discussion here about Alcohol Blood Levels…
An Interesting Story About Drink Driving in Taiwan… 5 July 2008
chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/loca … driver.htm
The Story in Brief…
[i]A test of his blood alcohol level resulted in a reading of 0.92mg/ml, almost double the 0.55mg/ml that the Justice Ministry uses as a criteria for charging drunk drivers of endangering public safety.
But the defendant appealed to the Taipei District Court, arguing that the alcohol did not have any influence on him driving safely.
He said he proved that by walking steadily along a straight line when police required him to do so.
But the judge said blood alcohol levels alone could not be invoked as proof that the defendant could not drive safely.
Although Chen escaped the criminal charge, police were cited as saying that he would still have to pay a fine coming with the traffic ticket.[/i]
:loco:
Yeah, I saw that. Ain’t that called precedence.