Contained Road Rage: Driving Stories

[northape]

Nobody is trying to put it on the same level as alcohol. But if one day an accident happens and you kill someone, you will have to live out the rest of your days asking yourself the question "would it have still happened if I wasn't stoned that day?"

People like to tell themselves all kinds of stories to justify why they're taking the drugs they're taking. You're free to live your life the way you want, but I agree with Varallo - driving while under the influence of any substances is one of the stupidest and most irresponsible things one can do, and thousands of people lose their lives on the roads every single day because of certain individuals that don't think DUI is a problem and that they're "fine".

I had a friend who liked to drive intoxicated (both cannabis and alcohol). He always talked about how it makes him chill and better at driving. Years later, I see it as a simple excuse. Clearly, drugs affected his thinking and driving. I hope he's changed, but most likely not. On the other hand, I see people looking down at their phone while driving almost daily. It's the same kind of thinking and addiction, imo. How do they reason? I don't have any spare focus for this bs; my attention is on the road

 

[The Kraken]

You would NOT do well where I live, . . . unless you like getting shot for that foul mouth.

Anyone who wants to resort to violence as a response to words can shove it, dumbasses

 

[The Kraken]

Mofos texting and driving is insurmountably worse than being a lil stoned and driving.

 

[The Kraken]

You're free to live your life the way you want, but I agree with Varallo - driving while under the influence of any substances is one of the stupidest and most irresponsible things one can do,

Slow down, you don't know what does what for who. People drive under the influence all the time. I know plenty of people on benzos and shit while they drive. That's not to say that people should be driving altered out of their minds, but people drive after having a few drinks, they're under the influence, but not necessarily drastically altered. There's levels and gradients to the shit.

 

[northape]

Slow down, you don't know what does what for who. People drive under the influence all the time. I know plenty of people on benzos and shit while they drive. That's not to say that people should be driving altered out of their minds, but people drive after having a few drinks, they're under the influence, but not necessarily drastically altered. There's levels and gradients to the shit.

That's why I joked about American culture. We Europeans are very conservative

 

[Icon]

Nobody is trying to put it on the same level as alcohol.

while under the influence of any substances is one of the stupidest and most irresponsible things one can do

Are you not putting it on the same level? Or how can they all be the stupidest?

certain individuals that don't think DUI is a problem and that they're "fine"

I thought that was a distinctive trait of alcohol - lowering inhibitions and diminishing judgement. There's a lot of videos of blackout drunk people thinking they're sober. When I was too high to drive, it was very obvious. And even when I'm driving high on an average day, the fact of it encourages me to be EXTRA careful, because so much as knocking a petal off someone's flowers could affect my employment. I just take that even more seriously when I'm in a flow state.

Mofos texting and driving is insurmountably worse than being a lil stoned and driving.

Absolutely.

 

[Nydex]

Slow down, you don't know what does what for who. People drive under the influence all the time. I know plenty of people on benzos and shit while they drive. That's not to say that people should be driving altered out of their minds, but people drive after having a few drinks, they're under the influence, but not necessarily drastically altered. There's levels and gradients to the shit.

So does that make it an okay thing to do in your eyes? Does it diminish the point I was trying to make? Would one not ask themselves the question I suggested should an accident happen? Or do we live on doing our thing, believing nothing bad can ever happen? I'm confused, perhaps @northape is right and I'm "too european" to understand it. Oh well. To each their own, I guess.

 

[The Kraken]

I'm saying it's not black and white enough for you talk down on anyone or insult anyone's intelligence. Maybe explore it with them before casting the net of judgement.

 

[EmeraldAtomiser]

I understand why you feel that way, but disclaimer I am a functional stoner. I can recall the first time I ever got high, my friends wanted to take me out and asked if I wanted to drive, but I could barely even walk to the car! I absolutely did not drive but I'll never forget the offer because it struck me as totally insane.

15 years later, it has long stopped having disorienting effects on me. It's basically just a mood enhancer / stabilizer for me. I think it's pretty unfair to put it on the same level as alcohol, but to each their own.

Marijuana is a master plant, of that there is no doubt. For whatever reason, some folk are inexorably drawn to incessant saturation of their vibration in its energies. 'Stoner' is their societally accepted derogatory brand, and whilst this (ab)use of any substance, especially a master plant, is going to bring some less desirable consequences, it does mean that a 'functional stoner' is more than capable of using a small dose in a beneficial and functionally enhancing way.
The pearl clutching outrage at the very thought of the usage of any kind of 'mind-altering' substance, whatever the dose and whatever the circumstance, for what ever the claimed benefit, seems rather closed-viewed.

 

[blig-blug]

When I was too high to drive, it was very obvious

It's also obvious to drunk drivers that they're "fine".

The main problem I see here is that others will bear the consequences of an error in judgement.

At the end of the day, anyone can do whatever they deem fit. But speaking in favor of doing it goes against the harm reduction ethos of the Nexus, as I see it. We hold higher standards for acts that are much less likely to harm anyone else beyond the person doing them.

 

[The Kraken]

Sometimes getting behind the wheel, super anxious, causes instances of drastic measure too...

Again, I'm not endorsing it, but I prefer we lend a hand in understanding before we start calling people stupid and shit.

 

[northape]

Just to add some perspective, in Scandinavia we have the highest consumption of SSRIs and coffee. Many people driving cars are on pills. Culturally, it isn't considered drugs, but a necessary medication. So, like one-fifth of the population (most likely much more) is in an altered state and making daily decisions while on pills. If you add an extreme amount of illicit drugs and fake driver's licenses to the mix, it all goes south pretty quickly. Still, a well-educated middle class citizen would be very careful in his choices, but I saw lots of lower class people do all possible crazy things.

 

[blig-blug]

I think what was called stupid is the act, not a person. And, as a general rule, it holds up well.

There are always exceptions, but I think it's clear from a glance at the attitude page that the Nexus is for harm reduction.

Let's not take things personally and just follow the rules of the place. If we were talking about IV'ing kitchen DMT with non-sterile material, the conversation will have been shut down without controversy. And it would be an action with less potential danger to others.

 

[The Kraken]

I think what was called stupid is the act, not a person. And, as a general rule, it holds up well.

There are always exceptions, but I think it's clear from a glance at the attitude page that the Nexus is for harm reduction.

Let's not take things personally and just follow the rules of the place. If we were talking about IV'ing kitchen DMT with non-sterile material, the conversation will have been shut down without controversy. And it would be an action with less potential danger to others.

Okay, if want to knit pick, yes it was the act that was referred to. Doesn't make any less inappropriate and off-base, which respectful communication is also part of the Attitude.

I ain't takin anything personally, but I will check what I see fit.

 

[northape]

I warned you about our European attitude. In Tantra, Europe is the head and America is the voice. Europeans are heady and Americans are vocal.
And we are all part of one body called Mama Earth

 

[blig-blug]

So, like one-fifth of the population (most likely much more) is in an altered state and making daily decisions while on pills

Yes, I agree. Also, add sleep deprivation, mood issues, etc.

All negative factors that no one would go out of their way to advocate for while handling heavy machinery. If driving wasn't socially necessary and commonplace, people would be much more cautious. It is what it is, that doesn't mean arguing in favor of it has a place here. In my opinion, of course, I'm not a mod.

Okay, if want to knit pick, yes it was the act that was referred to. Doesn't make any less inappropriate and off-base, which respectful communication is also part of the Attitude.

I didn't mean to be nitpicky, it's just that to me there's a huge difference between qualifying a person as stupid and an act as stupid. Many brilliant people do stupid actions sometimes, and we normal people do them often. The one under discussion being one of them.

 

[northape]

Yes, I agree. Also, add sleep deprivation, mood issues, etc.

All negative factors that no one would go out of their way to advocate for while handling heavy machinery. If driving wasn't socially necessary and commonplace, people would be much more cautious. It is what it is, that doesn't mean arguing in favor of it has a place here. In my opinion, of course, I'm not a mod.

I'm not in favor of either side, but I agree with @The Kraken that we need to judge on a case-by-case basis. There are no hard rules anywhere.
Rules are for those who follow them, as my sister says

Are we still in the Humor section?

 

[Nydex]

but I will check what I see fit.

As will I. I can give you a hundred metaphors and analogies to the "functional" driver under influence.

Driving is not about how well you handle the average situation - it’s about whether you have full capacity to respond to the rare, critical one. The car in front of you slams the brakes. A child darts into the street. A truck drifts into your lane. Someone blacked out at the wheel and are cutting your red light at 60mph. You don’t get to choose when they happen. So the argument isn’t moral or emotional - it’s probabilistic.

A "functional" drunk or high driver is like a surgeon that is "slightly buzzed" on just one small glass of wine before an operation. Yes, they might operate at 99% of their usual capacity and be practically indistinguishable to their fully sober version from a bystander's perspective. And most of the time, they’ll perform the surgery fine. But the risk multiplier is real, measurable, and unethical to impose on others. It's a voluntary disrespect of the premise that when human lives are at stake, anything less than full capacity is negligence.

I'll admit I might come across a bit too offensive when talking about this, but I've seen more than enough innocent people lose their lives because of negligence on the road, whatever the reason. Again, to each their own. If you like to believe you can drive better when under the influence, then all the power to you. Who am I to judge, after all? For all I know, it might very well be the case for some people. But if we're looking at this from a probabilistic perspective, I find it inarguably irresponsible and refuse to do it myself.

 

[northape]

I agree with both @Varallo and @Nydex about the general approach to the issue, but having been exposed for years to a lower part of society, I can say with certainty that that is just an ideal. There are lots of people who don't give a F about others, people who never think about consequences, and simply mentally ill people. Society is trying to push equality on us, but nature doesn't work that way. We are all unique in a way, and our rules should mirror that.

Some people do drive better at low doses of their favorite substance, just like I need my morning coffee before even thinking about driving somewhere.
Most likely all of us are more in agreement, than this thread trying to show.

 

[northape]