Patron Campbell Brooks, who had had nothing to eat since lunch, said he drank "two or three 120-ounce beers in an hour and a half", blew over 400 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath.
"I do feel capable of driving," Mr Brooks said. "But I leave my car at home now. It's not worth the risk. I reckon it's cool the police are doing this education thing."
Mr Adrian said under the new laws it didn't take much to be over the limit.
"We're not here to stop people having fun," he said. "But now it's time to think of alternatives compared to what your behaviour was five years ago. In Dannevirke plenty of people are walking home from the pub, which is good to see."
Mrs Webster acknowledged it was hard in rural areas, but said it's about changing cultures and Nathan Davis, the senior sergeant for the Tararua Police, agreed.
"It's about changing the definition of normal," he said. "Most pubs have courtesy vans now so it will be those people who go to a friend's house for a meal and have a couple of drinks with a mate who'll be caught drink driving on their way home."
At Merrylees Hotel on Friday Mark Nathan blew over 400, but said he felt fine to drive.
"Shockingly enough, yes I do feel fine," he said. "This education by the police is brilliant and gives you a really good indication as to where you are in regards to this new law."
One hotel patron said he was also walking because 14 months ago he'd blown 475 and lost his licence for drink driving for the fourth time.
"I'd drunk eight stubbies the night before and was caught the next morning at 9.30," he said.
Trevor Waghorn's wife was his sober driver.
"She's 79 and only ever has one gin, with lots of ice and water," he said. "I'm 80 and I have a couple of 5 per cent beers. People need to know their limits and having the police conduct this education exercise is a great idea. If I have one beer I know I can't drive."
And although it was Mrs Waghorn's birthday on Friday, she stuck to her routine of just one gin and when tested, she had a zero alcohol reading.
Mr Adrian said he was impressed with the feedback from patrons at Merrylees, the Dannevirke Service and Citizens Club and the Mangatera Hotel on Friday. A police checkpoint on Allen St later in the night failed to find any drivers over the limit.
"We hadn't had any in the first week of the new law coming in," Mr Adrian said.
Mrs Webster said the education campaign was a success, "if it saved just one life".
"People have been neat and were talking and taking the message on board," she said.
At the Dannevirke Services and Citizens Club president Peter Shore said people were worried about what the new law meant for them.
"This police education is good for everyone," he said. "We offer light beers and our courtesy van is available. We want everyone to stay safe and, of course, we all think we are, but there's no excuse for anyone not to use our courtesy van."
Club patron George Seatter blew under 250 and said he appreciated the police making sure everyone was informed about the new limits.
At the Club two patrons had each consumed a jug, one of light beer, the other a standard beer. The patron who had drunk the jug of light failed to register on the breathalyzer, while the other blew over 400. However, Mr Adrian said there were also a lot of variables, including a person's mood, medication and if they'd consumed food. "It's better to have a sober driver than risk it."
