Thought-provoking blog about DUI in the States

[Thorin]

Well, the neighbour got in his truck with his girlfriend and drove off while smoking marijuana.  Now, before he drove off, I talked to him and told him not to drive while smoking up.  I told him I'd call the cops.  So he did, and then I did.



That made me wonder whether marijuana use actually affects driving performance, which lead to reading several published studies tonight.  Apparently cannabis does impair your judgement and hand-eye coordination, but in most tests it was found that people were aware of their impairment and compensated by slowing down, leaving more room, and generally driving more cautiously.  It was also pointed out in each study that cannabis seemed to have a lower effect on judgement and hand-eye coordination than alcohol.



Of course, all the yay-cannabis-is-great-it-can-do-no-wrong-so-legalize-it sites quoted the studies and quickly assumed that since the studies showed less impairment than alcohol meant it was safe.  Of course that is not what the studies say, but people always twist words to their own designs and machinations.



Be that as it may, I came across the DUI Blog, an interesting (if one-sided) discussion on all the things that are wrong with the DUI laws down in the States.  I figured Darren would find this interesting reading, for sure.  What I like is how the author points out the many fallacies in the law - keeps one thinking, you know?

[Shayne]

Ive often wondered that too.  My old boss (who is a MASSIVE chronic) put it to me like this.  Weed makes you paranoid, so if anything you're gonna get pulled over for going to slow, or driving to perfect.  Second of all, weed makes you passive, you dont hear stories of guys high on weed going home and beating on their wives.



Im a passive anarchist by nature.  I say, legalize it all, and let Darwin sort them out.



As for you calling the cops, while i wouldnt (anarchist), i am happy to see a pro-active person standing up for what they believe in, rather then turning a blind eye.   You get my hero cookie for the day (no sarcasim).

[Darren Dirt]

I think I've found that blog before *shock* but in general, I am of the opinion that since the way B.A.C. is measured is questionable (i.e. dozens of other elements in your breath/blood can produce false positives -- even from acid reflux of all things, let alone breath fresheneres etc. -- and it is based on an average body ratio therefore young/old fat/thin etc. can alter the results drastically -- see this for example) and since the B.A.C. level has gone down over the years (used to be that MADD is "Mothers against DRUNK driving" now they are the main push behind the propaganda first against "impaired driving", now "Don't DRINK (at all) and drive" i.e. alcohol abstinence)



... well, I'm sure Penn & Teller could do an entire show on how also the stats are inflated, the instant-guilt-presumption results in making criminals out of lunchtime single-drinks, etc.



Oh wait this was about pot wasn't it?



I don't "use" either substance, but I think one free individual controlling what another free individual puts into his body is the issue, not *what* the substance is that they wish to control/restrict/ban/FORCE (think vaccinations, Ritalin, etc)...  :x

[mayshane998]

The herb has different components - the THC which makes people get high and do crazy stuff, and the CBD which is being used in medical marijuana. Really depends on the strain that people smoke. Medical and recreational cannabis are legal in my state and I've been growing the ww.ilovegrowingmarijuana.com/tahoe-og-kush/. I could still drive from Denver to Saltlake after I smoke.

[Thorin]

First-ever post and it's a 13+ year thread resurrection, nicely done!

I've done a lot of long-distance driving.  Yes, you probably could get from Denver to Salt Lake City (8.5 hour drive plus stops, so probably 10+ hours) after smoking weed.  You wouldn't be doing it as safely as possible.  Your slowed reactions increase the chance of colliding with something that you could have avoided if you were sober, same as if you were drunk or very tired or driving at night with poor lighting or in fog or a blizzard.  If you decide to compensate for that by driving significantly slower, you then become an obstruction to others who don't see a need to drive slower (good lighting, no fog, no blizzard, not at night) and who may end up following too close or choosing less-than-optimal passing strategies.  If the weed ends up making you sleepy and you pass out, you stand a significantly greater chance of crashing and killing yourself and/or others.

But hey, why care about others' lives so long as you get to smoke your weed whenever wherever doing whatever, right?