Thanks for the explanations Fearnest, Jake and Mang.

We have laws over here in some places such as prohibitions on consuming alcohol on the street in some towns and cities but the offense is in the act, not on whether one is carrying a container containing alcohol either open or closed.

I am surprised that a car could be construed as a "public place". Drinking and driving over here is discouraged from the use of the breathalyser and heavy fines and penalties if over the legal limit. If I was driving with a flask of whisky in my sporran rather than in me, no offence would have been committed.