Is it possible to say the ABCs backwards?

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Is it possible to say the ABCs backwards?

Posted: 8/29/2001 9:07:46 AM EDT

I know when you get pulled over for suspected drinking and driving that sometimes LEOs ask you to say your ABCs backwards. This would be hard for most people while they are sober. Is there a specific reason they ask this? Do they expect you to do it?

The Confused
Smalls
Semper Fi

Posted: 8/29/2001 9:12:08 AM EDT

[#1]

I was thinking about this last night! I tried to say them backwards and it took me 5 minutes. I would be in jail in no time.

Posted: 8/29/2001 9:14:05 AM EDT

[#2]

Sure, I started out working on a survey crew and my first Party Chief's sister thought it would be cool to teach him the alphabet, so she taught him .... backward ..... he flunked first grade.
That old guy can still say it faster backward than me forwards.
Don't you just love those helpful siblings.

Posted: 8/29/2001 9:14:37 AM EDT

[#3]

Yeah I tried doing it right before I wrote the post. I took me a few minutes also. I could do 2-4 letters at a time. It sucked. Maybe LEOs tell you to do that so they can watch you think and see what you do?!? shrug... No idea.

Semper Fi
Smalls

Posted: 8/29/2001 9:17:36 AM EDT

[#4]

It's possible, but you have to be really drunk.

Posted: 8/29/2001 9:18:07 AM EDT

[#5]

I was pulled over once and got this specific sobriety test administered to me. I was sober, but had a car full of drunk friends.

I flat out refused this test. I told him I couldn't do it and that it was stupid. He just said ok and went on to another one.

I think it might be a trick test. Since that happened I have asked a few friends and I don't know anybody that can say them backwards without going forwards in their head first. I can imagine that quite a few drunks have tried to do it when requested though. Probably a quick way to tell....If they try they are drunk, if they look at you like you are crazy they are sober.

Michael

Posted: 8/29/2001 9:18:12 AM EDT

[#6]

It's hard because you can't sing along with the "Alphabet Song". [>:/]

Z Y X
W V U
T S R
Q P O
N M L K J
I H G
F E D
C B A

Holy tinfoil -- look at line seven! [:O]

Posted: 8/29/2001 9:18:51 AM EDT

[#7]

Yeah. No problem. I used to practice it when I was a young Marine who liked to go to bars. Now I'm an older former Marine who likes to go to bars.

I don't drive when drinking, as I make it a policy to only go to bars in walking distance. This was easier to do when I lived in Chicago, I've got to tell ya!

Semper Fi!

Ken Little

Posted: 8/29/2001 9:23:19 AM EDT

[#8]

Yeah...I bet the cops really like it when the get somebody that can say them backwards perfectly because they practice all of the time.

You know they are thinking, "Man, listen to this boozer, he must practice all of the time".

Michael

Posted: 8/29/2001 9:53:05 AM EDT

[#9]

You want to know why the cop's do it now this was told to me buy a few PD guy's. "Because only a drunk or someone who had been drinking would try to say it Z-A."

Most people can't do it so they will just give up but most drunks think that if they can do it they can prove that there sober and most of the times they screw up big time. The average person can't say more then 5 of the letters of the alphabet backward as fast as they can with out having to stop and think about it. Thats what I was told why they do it if any PD guys can back this up that would be great.

Posted: 8/29/2001 9:58:57 AM EDT

[#10]

So lets say you get pulled over under suspicion of drunk driving. But you haven't had anything to drink all day. And they ask you to say your ABCs backwards. What should you do? Just say "Screw that just give me a breathalizer"?

Smalls

Semper Fi

Posted: 8/29/2001 10:02:56 AM EDT

[#11]

Smalls, I'm not sure how many HPD even know the alphabet forwards.....

Posted: 8/29/2001 10:05:11 AM EDT

[#12]

Celt, I'm sure there isn't many. Although HPD is a hard PD to get into.

Smalls
Semper Fi

Posted: 8/29/2001 10:40:49 AM EDT

[#13]

Obstruction of justice.

Posted: 8/29/2001 11:28:42 AM EDT

[#14]

I'll tell you why they do it.

This has to be the reason because I've seen it happen at least 3 times on COPS and each time the cop smiles and has a look like, "I got 'em."

Invaraiably the suspect is asked to say the alphabet backwards and says, "No way, I can't even do that when I'm sober."

Doh! Just admitted he's drunk. Good luck getting out of that now that it's on tape.

Posted: 8/29/2001 11:37:31 AM EDT

[#15]

As a police officer, I can honestly say I have never asked a suspected drunk driver to say the alphabet backwards. I always ask them to say it forwards, without singing or rhyming. However, on more than one occasion, I have asked the driver to say the ABC's, and they have replied, "I can't say it backwards." [rolleyes] But I never told them to say it backwards. I think they've been watching too many COPS episodes.

SeMPer Fi

Posted: 8/29/2001 11:52:55 AM EDT

[#16]

I don't watch COPS. This happened to someone I know awhile ago. When the LEO asked him to say his alphabet backwards he turned around and started saying it. The LEO shoved him into the back of his car. Handcuffed him and hauled him off to jail.

Semper Fi
Smalls

Posted: 8/29/2001 10:53:17 PM EDT

[#17]

In my opinion it just shows that the officers are not trained worth a shit in the SFST battery. Standardized Field Sobreity Test Battery for those who didn't know. The only certified, scientifically validated SFST tests are HGN, One Leg Stand, and the Walk & Turn. Any officer that knows how to correctly administer these three tests can tell with a high rate of accuracy the impairment of a person.

Posted: 8/30/2001 10:30:24 AM EDT

[#18]

Its deffinatlyt possible. My older brother trained himself to do it and hes pretty damn fast. After being pulled over enough times and close calls he decided to learn it. Now you just say it real fast without thinking and they'll probably leave you alone.
[sniper]

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Is it possible to say the ABCs backwards?

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