Two-wheeler rider has one beer, fined Rs 10,500 as alcometer shows 57 pc blood alcohol level

BENGALURU: A drunk man on a two-wheeler, who had consumed a beer costing Rs 160, was fined Rs 10,500by the traffic police. Shivakumar, a resident of Bagalagunte, was caught by the police without a helmet and fined Rs 10,500.

The biker, who was frustrated after losing his helmet, had consumed a beer and was riding his bike when  he was caught by the Rajajinagar traffic police who were conducting a drunk driving check near the APMC near Goraguntepalya on Friday.

The beer contains only 8 per cent alcohol (content). But when Shivakumar was stopped and inspected, the alcometer showed 57 per cent blood alcohol.  The rider, had earlier lost his helmet and was upset when was headign home from a mall. Beer has a low alcohol content, but the effect depends on a person’s physical capacity.

Shivakumar was fined Rs 500 for riding without a helmet and Rs 10,000 for drunk driving. The police asked him to pay a total of 10,500 rupees, but when he did not pay, they seized the bike.

The next day, he paid the fine and got his two-wheeler back. Shivakumar said that even though the beer had low alcohol content and questioned how the test showed a higher reading. “Was there some problem with the beer? Or was the alcometer faulty?” Shivakumar questioned.

Speaking to Public TV,  Shivakumar said, “The police caught me when I was riding a bike and asked whether I was drunk. I agreed, and they checked the blood alcohol level . They said if the alcometer shows below 40 perc ent, he is supposed to pay a fine and they would let me go. If the alcometer shows above 50 per cent, he needs to be fined. I blew into the alcometer with all confidence as beer contains 8 per cent of alcohol, but instead it showed 57 per cent blood alcohol. I am really upset as I lost Rs 10,000 just for a beer costing Rs 160. I am dailywage worker and that was hard-earned money”.