Alcohol vs marijuana

[azranger]

It's better, not worse....
Since 1982, drunk driving fatalities on our nation’s roadways have decreased 51%, while total traffic fatalities have declined nearly 20%. Among persons under 21, drunk driving fatalities have decreased 80%

Drunk Driving Fatalities - Responsibility.org

I don't know that I agree with those stats. Drunk driving fatalities may be down due to safer cars.... "maybe". Does not say there was not alcohol related accidents. If America thinks that people are not drinking and driving they should go down to their local police department and ask what they are seeing. I can tell you first hand what I have seen, and it isn't what the media wants you to believe. Walk the high way and look at all the beer and alcohol containers along the road. Our families are sharing the road with these people.

 

[Doofy]

It's better, not worse....
Since 1982, drunk driving fatalities on our nation’s roadways have decreased 51%, while total traffic fatalities have declined nearly 20%. Among persons under 21, drunk driving fatalities have decreased 80%

Drunk Driving Fatalities - Responsibility.org

Seems a little odd. Are there as many cars and people on the roads today? I know these younger generations are not as infatuated with cars and driving as we were. Cars are also much safer.

 

[MossRoad]

I don't know that I agree with those stats. Drunk driving fatalities may be down due to safer cars.... "maybe". Does not say there was not alcohol related accidents. If America thinks that people are not drinking and driving they should go down to their local police department and ask what they are seeing. I can tell you first hand what I have seen, and it isn't what the media wants you to believe. Walk the high way and look at all the beer and alcohol containers along the road. Our families are sharing the road with these people.

I do walk the roads looking for cans, and there are noticeably fewer beer cans and bottles than there were when I was a kid. Way fewer. Go follow that link and read the article. Drunk driving is still a huge problem. But it is getting better. Especially among younger people. I know my kids plan an Uber ride or have a designated driver into their evenings. They are repulsed by drunk driving. Very different from the 70s and 80s that I remember.

 

[MossRoad]

Seems a little odd. Are there as many cars and people on the roads today? I know these younger generations are not as infatuated with cars and driving as we were. Cars are also much safer.

With few exceptions, the number of cars on the road has risen every year since the early 60's.

 

[jerrybob]

Unfortunately, YES. America is a mess with uninsured drivers, no license at all, and usually no registration. Not to mention the one's who are drunk, high, or dipsy from Oxy's. It's a mine field out there...

That's why a lot of us carry!

 

[Kentuckyfarmer]

Unfortunately, YES. America is a mess with uninsured drivers, no license at all, and usually no registration. Not to mention the one's who are drunk, high, or dipsy from Oxy's. It's a mine field out there...

I think myself there are probably just as many drivers under the influence out there but that is mostly at night and I don't drive hardly any more after the sun goes down. Not because I can't see it just the nature of being retired and doing what I need to on the road during daylight. But what I have noticed the bigger threat is the use of the mobile phones. The texting is unreal. Both sexes are to blame but the women are the worst by at least 2 to 1. Every time I go to town or where ever I meet cars in the road that are crossing the center line and always the driver is looking down. I have had to half way drive in the ditch to avoid them and once I had to go all the way in the uncoming lane to avoid the idiot that was texting. Couldn't take the ditch because I would have totaled the car and probably been killed at that particular spot in the road.

 

[Bird]

I think myself there are probably just as many drivers under the influence out there but that is mostly at night and I don't drive hardly any more after the sun goes down. Not because I can't see it just the nature of being retired and doing what I need to on the road during daylight. But what I have noticed the bigger threat is the use of the mobile phones. The texting is unreal. Both sexes are to blame but the women are the worst by at least 2 to 1. Every time I go to town or where ever I meet cars in the road that are crossing the center line and always the driver is looking down. I have had to half way drive in the ditch to avoid them and once I had to go all the way in the uncoming lane to avoid the idiot that was texting. Couldn't take the ditch because I would have totaled the car and probably been killed at that particular spot in the road.

Same here.

 

[ovrszd]

With few exceptions, the number of cars on the road has risen every year since the early 60's.

I don't agree with that. I think you missed the year by 15. I'd say every year since post WWII.

 

[ovrszd]

I think myself there are probably just as many drivers under the influence out there but that is mostly at night and I don't drive hardly any more after the sun goes down. Not because I can't see it just the nature of being retired and doing what I need to on the road during daylight. But what I have noticed the bigger threat is the use of the mobile phones. The texting is unreal. Both sexes are to blame but the women are the worst by at least 2 to 1. Every time I go to town or where ever I meet cars in the road that are crossing the center line and always the driver is looking down. I have had to half way drive in the ditch to avoid them and once I had to go all the way in the uncoming lane to avoid the idiot that was texting. Couldn't take the ditch because I would have totaled the car and probably been killed at that particular spot in the road.

I agree.

 

[CobyRupert]

I do walk the roads looking for cans, and there are noticeably fewer beer cans and bottles than there were when I was a kid. Way fewer. Go follow that link and read the article. Drunk driving is still a huge problem. But it is getting better. Especially among younger people. I know my kids plan an Uber ride or have a designated driver into their evenings. They are repulsed by drunk driving. Very different from the 70s and 80s that I remember.

To be fair, was there a 5 or 10 cent return policy when you were a kid? Bottle return laws & "environmental /anti-littering campaigns" (think: Cryin' Indian Iron Eyes Cody) stopped a lot of bottle liter on the side of roads.

Even so I still see a lot of beer cans (or hard ice tea cans, etc..) on the side of the road which tells me a lot of people are drinking and driving.

 

[MossRoad]

I don't agree with that. I think you missed the year by 15. I'd say every year since post WWII.

I can't find any record before 1960.

 

[MossRoad]

To be fair, was there a 5 or 10 cent return policy when you were a kid? Bottle return laws & "environmental /anti-littering campaigns" (think: Cryin' Indian Iron Eyes Cody) stopped a lot of bottle liter on the side of roads.

Even so I still see a lot of beer cans (or hard ice tea cans, etc..) on the side of the road which tells me a lot of people are drinking and driving.

Never on cans in Indiana.

I think what has slowed it considerably is the open alcoholic container in vehicle law here. Not many people driving around drinking anymore. They get hammered in a bar, party, wherever, THEN get in the car and drive drunk.

 

[Sigarms]

I always found it amusing on how many beer cans and beer bottles we found on the road when we were a dry county:laughing:

That said, it seems no different now (per litter on the side of the road) since alcohol is now legal to sell in the county.

Did find a bank receipt with a name for a bag of KFC that was thrown on the road (we'll pick up trash as we go for our walks). Felt like giving the lady a call, but nothing good would come of it so I didn't.

 

[jerrybob]

I think myself there are probably just as many drivers under the influence out there but that is mostly at night and I don't drive hardly any more after the sun goes down. Not because I can't see it just the nature of being retired and doing what I need to on the road during daylight. But what I have noticed the bigger threat is the use of the mobile phones. The texting is unreal. Both sexes are to blame but the women are the worst by at least 2 to 1. Every time I go to town or where ever I meet cars in the road that are crossing the center line and always the driver is looking down. I have had to half way drive in the ditch to avoid them and once I had to go all the way in the uncoming lane to avoid the idiot that was texting. Couldn't take the ditch because I would have totaled the car and probably been killed at that particular spot in the road.

I agree. Last year......my wife and I were driving on a two lane road going out of town and following a newer Honda. This car was all over the road.....across the lanes.....near the edge.....back and forth. My wife had just said.......I think that driver is drunk....be careful.....when the car went off the road.....sideswiped a tree and ended up in a ditch with about two feet of water. We stopped.......I ran to the car to find a young girl......maybe 25 yrs old sitting there.....still holding her phone.......she was uninjured but scared......first words from her.......I was texting and don't know what happened. State trooper happened to be driving by....stopped to help......I told him what happened......he said......happens all the time. Scary thought!

 

[Doofy]

Glad I am to old and stupid to text. I am lucky to email.

 

[Bird]

I think what has slowed it considerably is the open alcoholic container in vehicle law here.

We didn't have the open container law until the mid-70s in Texas. I believe it was 1972 when we got our first law prohibiting drinking while driving. It only applied to the driver; not the passengers, and an officer had to see the driver take a drink AND be able to prove it was an alcoholic beverage AND then the officer could only issue a citation for a fine not to exceed $50 unless that drinking driver was intoxicated, in which case he could be arrested. Yep, lots of our state legislators liked to drink a beer while driving. But MADD and a few others kept the pressure on until they passed an open container law a couple of years later.

 

[ovrszd]

To be fair, was there a 5 or 10 cent return policy when you were a kid? Bottle return laws & "environmental /anti-littering campaigns" (think: Cryin' Indian Iron Eyes Cody) stopped a lot of bottle liter on the side of roads.

Even so I still see a lot of beer cans (or hard ice tea cans, etc..) on the side of the road which tells me a lot of people are drinking and driving.

I mow 2 1/4 miles of State and County roadbanks. The number of alcohol containers I pick up in a year is so low I don't keep track. I'll say five. On the other hand, Eatery trash is almost every time I mow. Another huge violator is wadded up balls of plastic hay bale wrap. I attribute these things to blowing out of the back of pickups. Generally the people in my County do very little littering. On the other hand, the Interstate Hiway that goes thru my County is riddled with trash.

 

[ovrszd]

I can't find any record before 1960.

Yeah, I was pretty sure that's where your date came from. Just saying, other than the Great Depression and times of World War our automobile numbers have always climbed.

 

[k0ua]

Hm... The 9th Circus court seems to think MJ might impair someone:

In Pennsylvania, state police told Lehigh Valley Live that using medical marijuana automatically disqualifies someone in the background check process from buying a gun.

That lines up with a 2016 ruling from the 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals that said it isn’t an infringement of someone’s Second Amendment rights to ban them from buying a gun if they use weed.

“It is beyond dispute that illegal drug users, including marijuana users, are likely as a consequence of that use to experience altered or impaired mental states that affect their judgment and that can lead to irrational or unpredictable behavior,” the court said.

So what do you pot heads think? I have never used any MJ, and I don't have any first hand experience to base a judgement on. I have seen plenty of people under its influence, but that is not the same.

 

[riptides]

Well you have to have experience with pain management, medical marijuana and the ramifications of use as each persons situation is unique. So disqualification just because of use claiming impairment is a judgement call.