Facebook, The Blog and Arrive Alive

Those of you who know me personally know of my involvement with Arrive Alive, home of the Arrive Alive Disposable Breathtester. Together with our French partners, I’m pleased to report that we’ve sold hundreds of thousands of units to customers in Canada and the United States over the last three years.

Arrive Alive’s initial sales were to police forces in the United States who used our product to test suspected drunk drivers at the roadside. This was exciting for us because, though our product is used as an official breathtester outside of North America, we found the US market particularly hard to crack. What’s exciting for us now is that several California wineries have made our product available in their tasting rooms as a responsible, pro-active reminder to those on wine-tours that alcohol and driving don’t mix. [If you've ever driven the curvy roads of the NAPA valley, you'll know that we're confident that we've saved a life or two.]

At Arrive Alive, we’re not against drinking or having a good party. We are, however, adding some responsibility to the conversation. To a great extent, our sales are fuelled by lawmakers who have made you take responsibility for your drinking guests. In many jurisdictions, you may be legally responsible for an impaired guest who makes a disastrous decision to drive home. Agree or or disagree, your guilt in these situations depends on your ability to prove that you took reasonable steps to care for your guests safe passage.  two.] What’s more, several liquor stores / cold beer and wine stores are carrying our product.

Recently, I imported the my blog feed to my Facebook profile which is available only to my friends, many of whom I’ve not seen for a very long time. Already, I’ve seen an uptick in traffic here at the blog and at the Arrive Alive main site. Thanks for clicking through and checking us out. I started the blog in 2008 as a free resource about DUI laws, Liability Cases and the alcohol industry. (I’ve done a poor job posting stories on the latter.) I felt that since I was doing the research anyway that it wouldn’t be a bad idea to share what I’ve found. As a result of my efforts, I’ve received emails from students and event organizers across the US who’ve expressed appreciation for a resource that does not bombard the visitor with promotional messages.  Feel free to send a link along to someone who you think might benefit. I’ll keep blogging.

 

At-a-glance: Terms for driving over the legal limit differ depending on where you live. You may know the charge as “Driving Under the Influence” (DUI), or “Driving While Intoxicated/Impaired” (DWI) or just plain Drinking and Driving. While the terms may differ, the legal-driving-limit for drivers over 21 is the same in most North American jurisdictions – “point-zero-eight”, or 0.08 Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) meaning that a person is legally intoxicated when the level of alcohol in the bloodstream exceeds 0.08 grams of alcohol per 100 millilitres (ml) of blood.  In many US jurisdictions, there are separate ‘zero tolerance laws’ that apply to drivers under the legal drinking age of 21.

What’s fundamental to this conversation is that the term legal-limit should never been confused with the term ‘drunkenness’ because the legal limit is passed well before we notice signs of drunkenness in someone, even ourselves.  

Arrive Alive Alcohol Breathtester

LiveJournal Tags: Arrive Alive,Social Responsiblity,Holiday parties,Alcohol Testing

It’s no gimmick!! The Arrive Alive Alcohol Breathtester is the world’s only disposable alcohol breathtester to be certified by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
The ‘Blow in the Bag’ design requires the user to fully inflate a ‘balloon’ and then squeeze the contents into a test chamber which provides an accurate reading in 2 minutes. All instructions are included in the package. Be a responsible host! Great for parties and events. Click to learn more about Arrive Alive

DRUNK AND BROKE: DUI program preps for big growth spurt

Cal Coast News – San Luis Obispo,CA,USA
How big is the DUI business? A first-time charge of DUI can cost an individual thousands of dollars to defend; a conviction will total at least $10000, … Click for more

LiveJournal Tags: DUI Law,DUI Business

Supermarket man gets home alive ..

Over the Labor Day weekend, while attending a barbecue at an old friend’s place, I met up with people who were very intrigued about my role in Arrive Alive and our product the Arrive Alive Disposable Alcohol Breathtester. I’ve been in these conversations dozens of times. This time, as in so many instances the typical reactions ranged from “that’s cool” to “I bought one at the supermarket and it didn’t work.”This marks the first time that I’ve chosen to address the Arrive Alive Disposable Breathtester here. It won’t become a common practice but from, time to time, it’s something that I’ll opt to do.

To answer the questions directly:

:: Yes, ours is a cool product. It’s a very cool product! I know of no other low-priced product that can convince a drunk-driver to change his mind.

:: No, you didn’t buy our product at the local supermarket. We haven’t sold to any. Our product is pre-calibrated and issues a pass/fail reading as opposed to a digital display – simply, we’re interested in determining whether a person is “over” not in determining “how far over” they might be. One version of our product is precalibrated to a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of .05, and is sold, mostly, to clients who give them away at company functions or at events they sponsor; a second version, pre-calibrated to .08 BAC, is sold exclusively to police.

:: Yes, they do work. In fact they work so well that ours is the only disposable alcohol breathtester whose reliability is certified by the International Standards Organization (ISO). (Anyone involved in the manufacturing process will recognize ISO’s importance with respect to quality control.) Further, we’ve earned other quality certifications from Germany, Spain, France and Brazil. Our product is also used as an official roadside breathtest device by police in each of these countries. At a cost of of a couple of dollars a unit, we provide police and party hosts with big bang for the drunken buck.

In the face of all the electronic gadgets on the market, our product and the way it’s used seems a little antiquated by popular standards. It’s marketed as a “blow in the bag” product – the user inflates a testing balloon by blowing into it’s specially designed mouthpiece. Once fully inflated, a testing chamber is inserted into the mouthpiece where it stays while the user squeezes the balloon to the point of complete collapse. With this finite amount of air being forced out through the testing chamber, reliable, accurate results are rendered within 2 minutes.

I usually carry a couple of units in the glove compartment of my vehicle. It’s not uncommon for me to demonstrate them at parties, just as I did on the weekend. “Supermarket” man was over the limit but didn’t “feel” drunk despite the fact that he’d just knocked back his sixth rum and coke of the young evening. He did pass the keys to his wife and I was happy that, once again, I’d played a role in helping avoid potential disaster.

To learn more, or see pictures of our product, visit us at http://www.arrivealive.biz.

Choosing to walk ..

It’s Labor Day weekend. In virtually every jurisdiction in North America, police are stepping up their presence to cope with one of the busiest DUI weekends of the year. Regardless of where you live, roadblocks and surprise checkstops abound. Unfortunately, it’s become an annual dance this time of year.

About a month ago, my son and I visited with close friends on a Friday night. I was looking forward to the visit and he was eager to see a friend he hadn’t seen since the end of the school year. Not long after our arrival the boys slipped into another room for some online gaming and I enjoyed wine from a wine glass that never seemed to empty.

Later, when it was time to go, I chose to walk. I wasn’t “drunk” – the word still conjures up images of Dudley Moore as “Arthur” – but I felt I was legally impaired. Since I need to drive in order to do my job, the decision to walk for 10 minutes wasn’t a difficult one. I was concerned though about how my son would react. Would he think his Dad had somehow “slipped”?

During the walk, we talked about my decision not to drive. I explained that if I lost my license I’d lose my ability to earn an income. Besides, it would be hypocritical to drink and drive and have a role in Arrive Alive at the same time. We both laughed. The walk, though far too short, was very good for us as father and son. He was happy for the show or responsibility and was very curious to know why other people couldn’t just make the same choice. I offered that some people consider driving drunk to be an adventure of sorts; a thrill. I also explained that many more people just don’t “get” that one can be legally impaired without exhibiting the signs of drunkenness that readily come to mind, such as slurred speech and obvious loss of coordination.

I smiled. Under the streetlights I was confident that he understood. At the same time I was fearful of the decisions he will make when he’s of driving age. My heart goes out to parents with children who are now driving.

Underage Drinking Serious Problem in the US

Underage Drinking Serious Problem in the US
Voice of America – USA
Officer Bill Morrison says that has not deterred many young people from drinking. He says two-thirds of the 12 to 15 drinking and driving fatalities in …

Prince George Realtor Promotes Responsibility

Prince George Realtor Promotes Responsibility

	NewswireToday – /newswire/ – Las Vegas, NV, United States, 03/02/2007 – Real Estate Agent uses promotional product that saves lives in the community with a new alcohol breathalyzer with her advertising information on the product from Arrive Alive.
	This year, Prince George Realtor Tracy Lofroth has opted for a more responsible way of promoting her business. The Arrive Alive Alcohol BreathTester is a disposable alcohol breathalyzer, fits discreetly inside a jacket pocket or purse and prominently features Lofroth’s picture and responsible drinking message. Tracy intends on giving the units away at local events where alcohol is served. “Arrive Alive, the company that produces the units, gave us some ‘testers last year to use at our company Christmas party. They turned out to be a big hit!”, said Lofroth who’s entering her third year as an agent with Remax Centre City (Prince George). “I gave this a lot of thought and couldn’t think of a more community-friendly promotion.” Arrive Alive company President, Perry Cook praised Tracy on her decision. “Tracy came to us with a clear event strategy in mind. Before coming to use she’d already made arrangements with local event organizers to see if they’d be accept some donations to as a reminder to people that there are options to driving home drunk.” “The product I’m using is calibrated to trigger a positive reading at a Blood Alcohol Concentration of 0.05 – slightly less than the legal driving limit and they’re easy to use. I’m really pleased with the reaction so far. It’s been very positive. People understand that I’m trying to ensure that a fun evening doesn’t end in tragedy,” said Lofroth. For more information contact Tracy Lofroth Remax Centre City Prince George, BC 250-961-5153 tracysells@mag-net.com

Dear Arrive Alive

Last week, I mentioned that Arrive Alive had contacted some of our recent clients to find out how they were using our product, the Arrive Alive Disposable Alcohol Breathtester. Since we sell to a unique cross-section, we thought some of the responses would give you some good insight to both the struggles and strategies those inside and outside of the alcohol industry are managing in order to cut down on DUI. This response was very personal and very welcome ..  Thanks Teresa.

Dear Arrive Alive,

As a private individual, I’m not sure my input will be helpful to you, but here goes:I ordered your product for the kids I love. I have two boys, 18 and 21 years old; they and their friends are really, really fine people. Who sometimes drink. What to do?

I accept that kids are going to drink. When I was a teenager (in the stone age), we all drank to excess regularly. None of the risks have changed since then, except the legal consequences, which are much more severe. Parents use a lot of different approaches to alcohol use with their kids. Some teach no-tolerance. Some use legal scare tactics. Some pretend it doesn’t happen, and some try to teach their kids how to drink.

All of us want the same thing: our kids to be safe and not hurt anyone or get into trouble.The boys and their friends discuss drinking with me openly and frequently. I’ve modeled responsible alcohol use all their lives. They know the law. They are all much, much better about having a designated driver than my peers. And now they each carry a few Arrive Alive breath testers in their glove boxes, just in case. If this prevents just one accident or DUI, it is money well spent. Sincerely,

Teresa
Redwood Valley, CA

A note from Arrive Alive ..

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If you look at my profile on this site, you’ll see that I’m a partner in Arrive Alive – home of the only ISO Certified Disposable Alcohol Breathtester on the market (http://www.arrivealive.biz) today.

My work here is an extension of my work with Arrive Alive. My goal is to keep both “projects” arms length but not entirely separate from each other. I’m intent on establishing the blog as a resource for information but I also recognize the positive business implications of keeping it fresh.Like many small companies, we’ve tried to be innovative in how we market ourselves.

Over the last week, we invited some of our most recent clients to write and give us some context to how the Arrive Alive Alcohol Breathtester is being used ‘out there’.

In our invitation, we asked the following questions

(a) How are you using the Arrive Alive Disposable Breathtester?

(b) What are you hoping to accomplish by using this product?

(c) Are you making it available for resale?

(d) What strategies are others in the area adopting to combat drinking and driving?

Four questions, that’s it. We didn’t offer up any cash, or free merchandise. We offered to edit – for typos and readability only – and we gave each client final approval before posting. We did offer to link to their website from the blog and from our corporate site at www.arrivealive.biz, however.

As expected, some people didn’t respond. Others politely declined. I was surprised to see how many people did respond though. The responses themselves varied some just answered the questions and others were very candid about why they’d purchased our product.

Over the next few days, I’ll be posting their responses here. I’m excited to share their stories.

Thank you so much to those who have responded.
- Norm

The ISO Certified Arrive Alive Disposable Breathtester, is used as a roadside testing device in the US, Germany, Spain, France and Brazil. It’s also used as a unique promotional product by well known companies such as Shell, Esso, Heineken and Evian water. For more information contact Arrive Alive at 1-888-960-0091 or go to www.arrivealive.biz.