Driving whilst high

[MinnBobber]

Was just looking at the MN med mj law as they are having some public meetings to discuss.
I only now became aware that law prohibits driving under the influence of med mj

(4) operating, navigating, or being in actual physical control of any motor vehicle,
aircraft, train, or motorboat, or working on transportation property, equipment, or facilities
while under the influence of medical cannabis.

 

[WakeAndVape]

Was just looking at the MN med mj law as they are having some public meetings to discuss.
I only now became aware that law prohibits driving under the influence of med mj

(4) operating, navigating, or being in actual physical control of any motor vehicle,
aircraft, train, or motorboat, or working on transportation property, equipment, or facilities
while under the influence of medical cannabis.

You from MN?

 

[MinnBobber]

You from MN?

Yes,
MN but this state sucks.
Hopefully our med mj will expand and eventually (soon) also allow rec mj

 

[WakeAndVape]

Yes,
MN but this state sucks.
Hopefully our med mj will expand and eventually (soon) also allow rec mj

I'm from the same place...i know. Lol.
BUT a small amount (48grams?) And under is decriminalized and gets a ticket only.

 

[Joel W.]

I was a drunk. I have drifted my cars off the road and into the ditch around a certain corner while driving drunk at least 3 times trying to make tire screeching noises.

Adrenalin is not helpful when you are too drunk to even notice. When I was really drunk, there was never any way of getting me sober except time.

When I got my DWI, the trooper asked me if I thought my driving was impaired even though I was just speeding that time, I said yes because I was hammered and too drunk to realize just how much trouble I was in for. . There was no fighting that one...lol...

Mmj is a totally different animal on a user who has a high tolerance. Imo.

 

[Bravesst]

I actually take being a good driver very seriously. I drove a fire apparatus early in my career, in Manhattan, in full blown rush hour traffic, doing 60mph on the yellow line. Driving is a skill that should be totally mastered. I feel everyone should take a road test at least every two years, cannabis or not.

Alcohol and pot are so different, they should not be discussed in the same forum. Of course the MJ user must be an adult who has experience (as with any substance, we all react differently) and have a certain level of tolerance that's been proofed. Also, there can be zero alcohol involved, bc a lot of booze plus pot means more drunk, not high.

If you start drunk, you can only get drunker.

 

[grokit]

Pass a driving safety/performance test while high and there you go, you have solved the puzzle

 

[Bravesst]

I used to say to my first wife (half jokingly), "I can drive my fire truck in reverse better than you can drive a car in drive - so shut the FUCK up about my driving." Okay, maybe that was a bit over the top, but let's take that test, make it mandatory, and manual transmission only!

AGREED - PROBLEM SOLVED

 

[Snappo]

MJ enhances my driving experience AND proficiency ...period.

 

[MinnBobber]

MJ enhances my driving experience AND proficiency ...period.

......................................................

It enhances the driving experience BUT not the working of peripheral controls.
Got vaped for a movie but on the way there accidentally switched from FM 1 stations to
FM 2 stations which I never use and there's a reason---- Could not seem to get back to FM 1 choices.

This happened about 2 seconds after I tell myself, wow the music really sounds great today.

 

[WakeAndVape]

not telling

Great f**king answer! Lol

 

[randybishop]

I do it and I make all kinds of rationalizations about it.

I know I can't stop vaping, so I am currently looking for strain with the least psychoactive effect.

Drivers stoned on marijuana test their driving skills

 

[Snappo]

Drivers stoned on marijuana test their driving skills

It may be that the driving skills of those tested were of a much younger age with very limited experience in driving years as compared to my own - I would greatly skew their test results ...of that I'm sure i.e., MJ enhances driving attentiveness and proficiency in older more experienced drivers.

 

[ZC]

It would be interesting if they had done a test drive with all of them completely sober, to compare their normal driving to their stoned driving. Everyone has a different aptitude and skill level for driving so we're not necessarily seeing how stoned driving effects these people without being able to compare it to their normal driving. It's also worth noting that having instructors, cameramen, and police all on scene makes it a very unfamiliar driving experience where they might not perform the same as they would in a normal daily driving routine. They also might not be familiar with the car itself. I know I'm a little less comfortable driving new cars vs driving my car.

This is three drivers in a very specific environment so there's a lot more that goes into an actual scientific study on driving effects. Though I think it's safe to say if these drivers couldn't handle stationary cones, they wouldn't do too well on an actual road where they have to anticipate and react to other driver's actions.


On another note, a lot of people seem to justify stoned driving with the idea that it doesn't impair them as much or the same way as alcohol. But I don't think that matters. It still impairs you, even if on a gradient it isn't "as bad" as alcohol, it's still an impairment and that makes it dangerous. There are a thousands things that could impair your driving, from driving too tired, too drunk, driving and texting, driving and eating, etc.

There are a lot of impairments and some of them are more dangerous than others: but they're still all impairments and thus driving while influenced by any of them puts your life and the lives of others in danger. Driving is one of the most dangerous things we do, and on the whole we don't respect it enough.

 

[weenstoned]

On another note, a lot of people seem to justify stoned driving with the idea that it doesn't impair them as much or the same way as alcohol. But I don't think that matters. It still impairs you, even if on a gradient it isn't "as bad" as alcohol, it's still an impairment and that makes it dangerous. There are a thousands things that could impair your driving, from driving too tired, too drunk, driving and texting, driving and eating, etc.

There are a lot of impairments and some of them are more dangerous than others: but they're still all impairments and thus driving while influenced by any of them puts your life and the lives of others in danger. Driving is one of the most dangerous things we do, and on the whole we don't respect it enough.

Honestly this view just kind of strikes me as similar to how some people view cannabis in general by totally ignoring reality. Instead of overblowing the risks of cannabis you're overblowing the risks of stoned driving. Saying that no impairment is justifiable is wishful thinking, you're not a robot you can't control everything (especially other drivers). I don't do dangerous stuff (drink and drive, ride a motorcycle), but I will continue to do what the evidence tells me is relatively harmless.

 

[ZC]

Honestly this view just kind of strikes me as similar to how some people view cannabis in general by totally ignoring reality. Instead of overblowing the risks of cannabis you're overblowing the risks of stoned driving. Saying that no impairment is justifiable is wishful thinking, you're not a robot you can't control everything (especially other drivers). I don't do dangerous stuff (drink and drive, ride a motorcycle), but I will continue to do what the evidence tells me is relatively harmless.

Of course no one's a robot and of course other drivers aren't under anyone's control. Of those impairments I listed, of course I slip up and do some of them occasionally. We're all human. It's just my view that driving is deadly dangerous and should be treated as such. It's not a matter of cannabis being dangerous itself, it's just that it slows reaction times, and I feel that's enough to make driving more dangerous. Please don't misinterpret: I'm not trying to scold or judge anyone else for their behaviors. You do what you feel is safe for you. I'm just sharing the mentality I have when it comes to driving stoned.


I'm curious, of those of you who feel perfectly comfortable driving stoned, do you think it should be legal to do so? Do you think there should be a legal limit of (active) thc in a driver?

 

[weenstoned]

I think it is impossible to set one limit to apply to all people given tolerance. I have no problem with the book being thrown at me if I cause an accident, but assuming that driving while stoned is basically attempted murder is way off base.

I don't own a car so I drive pretty rarely and occasionally experience some anxiety about driving. However, the fact that driving is actually super easy (albeit potentially dangerous) and fucking idiots are driving around constantly yet not getting into accidents is pretty reassuring.

 

[GetLeft]

It enhances the driving experience BUT not the working of peripheral controls. Got vaped for a movie but on the way there accidentally switched from FM 1 stations to FM 2 stations which I never use and there's a reason---- Could not seem to get back to FM 1 choices.

I frequently find that distracting peripheral details (what I mean here by peripheral is 'not the most important') are more readily sacrificed by the brain when high. 'Missed a turn? Wow! I must be wasted.' Or just maybe I was so focused on driving this vehicle safely down the highway at 55 mph that the issue of exactly which route I use to get there is determined (somewhere inside my brain) to be secondary in degree of importance. This change in my driving is an upgrade in my mind.

On the other hand, I can be straight as an arrow, and find myself driving down the highway at 70 with one hand on the wheel while fussing on the radio buttons with the other. Many people consider this to be a sign that they are good drivers ('multitaskers'). Not me. I scare myself sometimes by my driving. Mostly when I'm not high.

@ZC says "On another note, a lot of people seem to justify stoned driving with the idea that it doesn't impair them..."

I know we're all creatures of our environment. We use the language that we learn. But with mj, the word impair can't be brought into the conversation without substantiation. (And indeed, @grokit 's youtube video calls the whole impaired driving theory at least a little into question) With mj, it ought not be assumed that consumption = impairment, as is the case with many other controlled (more or less) substances. That's why this conversation is lingering, I think. The classification of mj as a dangerous substance equal to if not greater than many far more harmful mind/body altering substances (including, let's say, the imbalance of neurotransmitters brought on by stress?) is so effectively engrained in even the most open minded people that it's hard to even suggest to someone--even your fellow member stoners of FC--that in most cases it's probably perfectly ok to drive high (not wasted, of course). We all have our comfort levels and we all have our opinions. But we shouldn't be prejudiced; and we shouldn't adopt other people's prejudices.

 

[kellya86]

Do you think there should be a legal limit of (active) thc in a driver?

There is legal thc limit in uk even though it's completely illegal here.
This thread has really divided people.

 

[Amoreena]

The people being tested, in addition to being in an odd situation and unfamiliar car, were given a strain (undoubtedly strong) that their bodies weren't familiar with. I believe that would increase its effect on them. Plus the test subjects were not given an opportunity to say they felt too high to drive. IMO, the test was designed to prove what whoever conducted it wanted it to.

Nowadays, I don't get high unless no plans to drive for at least an hour. I used to smoke joints while driving but product was less potent back in then.

 

[WakeAndVape]

If there is a THC driving limit, there should also be a limit on what prescription drugs you can drive under and amounts (not just the do not drive warning on the bottles)...but wait a minute...fuck police just as hard as combustion!

We all SHOULD have a finely tuned personal compass that guides OUR decisions, not ours and the decisions of others.

The good thing about this thread is, when I first posted about driving whole stoned...i was reading through posts feeling reflective, debating, 'is getting high and driving right for me?'

After what I FELT (not saying it's how it was intended) high horse stoners, condemning those who would murder family's and mow down little orange cones, because they were fueled by pot.

I was driving the other day and vaping.
I started to feel too high, so I put the vape down! Problem solved, crisis averted.

Anyway point is I'm going to keep getting high off weed and weed alone while operating a vehicle

 

[fidget]

After what I FELT (not saying it's how it was intended) high horse stoners, condemning those who would murder family's and mow down little orange cones, because they were fueled by pot.

I was driving the other day and vaping.
I started to feel too high, so I put the vape down! Problem solved, crisis averted.

Anyway point is I'm going to keep getting high off weed and weed alone while operating a vehicle

I wish there was a dislike button.
You started to feel too high - so you put the vape down.
How about putting the vape down and pulling over?

 

[WakeAndVape]

I wish there was a dislike button.
You started to feel too high - so you put the vape down.
How about putting the vape down and pulling over?

There is a dislike button...it's called NOT hitting the like button.
And personally I could give a fuck how you feel. Really and truly.

Back to that personal compass thing. If I felt I was too high TO DRIVE I would have pulled over.
But I said I STARTED to feel too high so I STOPPED VAPING.

Was your post intended to help me realize the error of my ways? Or are you on that Internet high horse passing judgement and felt the need to let me know how it is?

 

[fidget]

There is a dislike button...it's called NOT hitting the like button.
And personally I could give a fuck how you feel. Really and truly.

Back to that personal compass thing. If I felt I was too high TO DRIVE I would have pulled over.
But I said I STARTED to feel too high so I STOPPED VAPING.

Was your post intended to help me realize the error of my ways? Or are you on that Internet high horse passing judgement and felt the need to let me know how it is?

So vaping hits you instantly?
If not then you were clearly going to feel even higher before you felt less high than the point at which you decided to stop vaping (because you were starting to feel too high).

 

[WakeAndVape]

So vaping hits you instantly?
If not then you were clearly going to fell even higher before you felt less high than the point at which you decided to stop vaping.

Before I cross that polite threshold...

...I pose a question.

Do you think I am going to waste my time trying to convince someone on the Internet that my actions were correct for me?

You clearly have no other motives than pointing fingers, what type of response do you expect?

...now if you excuse yourself, while I wait on a real reply.

Thanks.