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Comment by tyfon | Hacker News Reader

Yeah, I've seen those tests on "cops". I drink maybe two bottles of beer in a year and I'm sure I would have failed some of those tests like saying the alphabet backwards!

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Tests like the one to "Say the alphabet backwards" are not designed to test intoxication but to elicit a response similar to "I can't even do that sober". This type of reply can then be used as a confession.

A police officer explained to me that some of the other tests are using testing for things other than the obvious (for instance, even if you follow the pen, your eyes jump in a way that's a tell-tale sign of intoxication)

"Vertical nystagmus". Which is all well and good, but many people have that entirely apropos of alcohol consumption.

What would be the best response to that? Both "I cannot do that sober" and "I cannot do that drunk" sounds incriminating enough.

Where are you getting that idea? As far as I know, that’s the punchline of a common joke. I’ve never heard the claim that it’s actually the purpose of sobriety tests.

That's why I practice the alphabet backwards when I'm drunk.

It makes a good drinking game.

Lol is that a thing? Say the alphabet backwards?

Sure is.. Here is one that has been practising just that [1]. The cop even remarks on how she's never seen anyone do that!

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beNPsSRV_5U

Comments under this video claim that this scene is from comedy TV series "Reno 911".

That's from the TV show Reno 911.

Lol. That is from Reno 911, unfortunately it left out the last part which is awesome: https://youtu.be/D6VQDNIZH7U

All these people arguing over "recite the alphabet backwards" but AFAIK no actual, non-comedy-show police department uses that as a sobriety test.

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