h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Once again there is a big difference between having failed a drug test and driving whilst under the influence of drugs.

Should anyone who drinks be prevented from driving even if they never drive whilst under the influence?

Thankyou Ferretbadger. I was just about to point out that an alcohol test generally tells whether the person is under the influence of alcohol. A drug test, on the other hand, tests for metabolites of the substance and generally can tell, depending on the drug, whether you have used it anywhere up to 30 days previously.

I do not believe that people should operate equipment while under the influence of any mind altering substance, except possibly mild amounts of caffeine. But what they do in the privacy of their own homes is another thing altogether. I feel strongly that if we can test for actual impairment for alcohol, we ought to be able to test for impairment for drugs, rather than for whether the person has EVER used.

My older brother used to drive the midnight to dawn shift as a taxi driver because he was an insomniac (also an alcoholic) - he drove at night because he was too afraid to to be in his own bed. And I don't doubt that he often drove under some sort of 'influence'.

And once when hitch-hiking with my boyfriend (I was 17) got picked up by a semi-trailer driver who said - 'hey, I'm not supposed to pick people up but you guys look like you needed a ride!' - and the nightmare commenced. This guy was obviously on *something*. His face never stopped twitching, he talked a mile a minute and I kept thinking - 'okey dokey, we are about to die' - as he was speeding like a maniac on two-lane northern Ontario winding highways. In the dark. Gaaaaa!

I can't imagine that these two experiences of mine are anything out of the ordinary. Unfortunately. People who DRIVE for a living are sometimes those who shouldn't be allowed behind the wheel at all.

az

It's not even necessarily drugs/alcohol ... I've halucinated while driving due to lack of sleep.

I think this is part of the reason why it would take a 9/11 type event (number of deaths) happening *every week* for flying to be as dangerous as driving.

The situation certainly sucks, that's for sure.

I think we're all agreed on 'driving under the influence is wrong', but I don't know how long it takes for cannabis to leave your system enough for it to no longer affect your judgement. A day? Two days? That probably needs to be determined, and passed on to those who administer the tests.

From what I can tell he is truly trying to do things properly; however I would say that someone with an addictive personality is more likely to get hooked second time around. It may help with the heroin withdrawal but will it end up replacing one habit with something else?

Well that's a worry, I'm not aware of him smoking dope on a regular basis, just at really bad times with his withdrawl.

> I think the legal limit for drinking and driving should be lowered to
> nowt, not all this "oh, I can just have one" crap that it is now.

Well I agree with the principle - if I'm going to be driving I don't have a drink.

The problem is defining it under law. The limit cannot be zero. With a finite metabolism level = zero when time = infinity. What you really mean is the limit should be below the detectable level.

But I have problems with that too. If the limit is set to "below a detectable amount", then what happens when technology improves and the detectable amount becomes lower? That means the law is defined by technology, which should never be the case.

Well the limits are presently set at the point where those who did the tests thought that alcohol would make a siginificant difference to peoples driving skills.

I dont know a lot about driving. I do know a lot about drinking and as such I tend to agree that the limits should be lower to the point where if someone 20 stones who has been workingout all day still tests positive for alcohol wherever that arrives at on the blood tests should be the new limit.

TRUE STORY: I moved into a new place my friend who did the driving had about four cans of 4.1% alcohol lager with me and the others who did the lifting and carrying. "Big" Si went off home he got pulled round the corner by the police and breathalysed...and got away scot-free.

Now I know other people who looking at their performance after just one drink who I wouldnt trust with a shopping trolley let-alone a tonne of automated metal capable of travelling far quicker than they can think.

We need a "No drink" drink driving limit not to penalise those who can hold their drink but to protect us from those who cant.

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