Smoking and driving .. the debate

[bterzz]

I'm curious to what everyone thinks.

Personally, when i'm driving high, I am more aware of my surroundings because I'm more relaxed and I just focus on what is ahead of me rather then focusing on the radio, my cell phone, who is behind me, the milf with the dog at the park, etc.

When I'm nice and stoned I just cruise nice and slow and mellow. Not concerned with passing the old grandpa or anything like that. Much more patient and much more aware.

I have lots of experience driving stoned, though..

 

[spadedNfaded]

When i was younger i used to drive around and smoke allllll(seriously) the time.. "cruises" if you will.

I found it very easy to drive high, like you said you watch your surrounding more, stay focused.

I was the designated driver for any and all drugs we did while we were out. mostly weed though. No one i knew could negotiate a car like i could when we were stoned.

Now though, i kinda don't like it as i have fallen out of practice. I smoke in place now. lol

- SubN

 

[Pirate]

Yeah...........You just opened a can of worms. LOL

IMO...........Smokers should not smoke and drive if they want MJ to become legal. This will surely lead to a public rejection of it. Whether some beleive it or not............Cannabis alters your response and can put you into an altered state so to speak(for lack of a better description). Its called being high.

Better to smoke at home or wherever. But not while driving.
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[spadedNfaded]

I agree Pirate.

I wasn't supporting the idea of it I should've stated that in my original post.

When kids are young and they got no where to go to puff, ya know, a good highway cruise always hit the spot. I'm not saying you should do it, by any means.

A drug is a drug and they're not safe to do in a 1-5ton piece of metal moving at any rate of speed. I don't care what you do to yourself in your home, but when you figure other people's safety into the mix it gets a bit spicy. I guess that could label me as a hypocrite and if i gotta accept it for other people's safety., then i will.

- SubN

 

[Bobby Stainless]

Shit.

I am high ALL the time, but I don't smoke and drive, because you have to carry it with you.

Besides, I speed.

 

[bterzz]

I respect everyone's opinions and I understand I may have possibly opened a can of worms.

I would never agree that it's the best idea, but sometimes I like to medicate and have to go somewhere to do something. Obviously it would be more wise to schedule my driving around my medicating times, but I like to medicate all the time.

I didn't mean "smoking while driving" I meant "driving while stoned" .. I guess I should have worded that better.

Stay safe!!

 

[Feyd]

after hanging out with friends who have given me a few moments of pure terror behind the wheel stoned, I'd just go ahead and say nobody should operate something that could kill while under the influence of anything.

 

[Gans]

Cannabis alters your response and can put you into an altered state so to speak(for lack of a better description). Its called being high.

So does caffeine. (and many other substances people use every day before or while driving)

Have you ever drank a coffee or caffeinated soft drink before or while driving?



(I'm not advocating driving high, just pointing out something that I don't think many people think about)

 

[Linenoise]

So does caffeine. (and many other substances people use every day before or while driving)

Have you ever drank a coffee or caffeinated soft drink before or while driving?



(I'm not advocating driving high, just pointing out something that I don't think many people think about)

Yeah but have you ever drank a cup of coffee or a can of soda and gotten as high as from smoking a joint?

I will agree that driving while stoned is not in the same category as driving while drunk, but I must concede that driving high does impair a person's senses and can be a contributing factor to accidents. I would also say the same about eating, talking on the phone, putting on make-up, or shaving. All of which (along with stoned) fall into the same category as it pertains to sensory impairment, imo.

 

[Gans]

Yeah but have you ever drank a cup of coffee or a can of soda and gotten as high as from smoking a joint?

I'm probably the wrong person to ask about that, as my tolerance for caffeine is very low and affects me greatly. (which is why I avoid it)

I get very jittery off of even the slightest amount and can't focus or anything. I can definitely see myself losing focus and crashing a car if I was high on caffeine.

I could never see myself crashing a car while high on cannabis. (though I hardly ever drive high these days)

 

[Growler]

What about taking cold medicine? Even dayquil can mess up your reaction times, and how many people take that and drive?

Now im not advocating smoking and driving (I have done it twice... yes twice in 3-4 years of smoking on a semi regular basis) and was extremely paranoid when I did it (the second time more than the first as it was dark out and every car was a cop car ), and i dont recomend it to anyone.

I think that this is an interesting topic.

 

[Bulldog11]

I smoke pot every day all day. It is for medical reasons, so unless I fail a sobriety test then I should be able to smoke then drive. Just as people with medication such as depression or pain meds can drive if careful and can pass a sobriety test. I know for sure I would NEVER fail a sobriety test no matter how much pot I smoked, it just wont happen.

 

[Hash Zeppelin]

I drive better when I'm high. I am just more patient, and better tempered.

 

[Pirate]

I agree Pirate.

I wasn't supporting the idea of it I should've stated that in my original post.

When kids are young and they got no where to go to puff, ya know, a good highway cruise always hit the spot. I'm not saying you should do it, by any means.

A drug is a drug and they're not safe to do in a 1-5ton piece of metal moving at any rate of speed. I don't care what you do to yourself in your home, but when you figure other people's safety into the mix it gets a bit spicy. I guess that could label me as a hypocrite and if i gotta accept it for other people's safety., then i will.

- SubN

Shit..........when I was a kid back in the 80s we would cruise all night long higher than hell never batting eye.Bonk rips cruiseing down the freeway at 2 am like fools. But way back then...................the weed was nothing like it is now. Plus being an adult now makes me think "slightly" more adultly. (I just made up that word)
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[Nathindica]

I can drive perfectly fine when im high as a kite. BUT there's always those situations when impeccable reaction time is necessary. like deer... pedestrians... other shitty drivers etc...

i think with reactions that need to happen in split seconds being high as balls or completely sober can make quite a difference. We may all feel confident based on our own driving experience... but perhaps we just havent been in one of those decisive situations? Some people i know have never touched another object with their car... one person i know has been in 5 separate accidents and not a single time was it his fault.

just depends which guy you are i guess.

point is... being sober while driving will ALWAYS be the better option. hands down. that is, in terms of safety. fun.. on the other hand... haha

 

[flubnutz]

i'm with the guys on this. no smokin and drivin, just like no drinkin and drivin, don't want to hand the opposition a reason to knock it, not to mention ruining your life. a buddy's dad talked about it to us years ago ... said he didn't care if someone got stoned, only had a problem if the person got into a car and plowed into him cuz he was stooopid. i think a lot of people feel that way. stay safe brothers and sisters.

 

[geopolitical]

The only study I've ever seen on the subject showed a net decrease in hazardous driving actions on the part of the stoned subjects compared to sober control. But I seriously doubt anyone's done a strait up double blind (how could you?) on this subject to see what the results would be.

Personally being very lightly stoned doesn't seem to affect my driving, but I really prefer to be on a bicycle when I'm stoned at all, it's a much nicer experience for me.

 

[Nathindica]

i concur. ride a bike. or better yet... get on a skateboard.

 

[Cerb]

Don't drive impaired. It's that simple. You may think you know what's going on, and you may very well be correct, but do you really want to gamble with yours and others' lives if you aren't?

 

[Feyd]

Don't drive impaired. It's that simple. You may think you know what's going on, and you may very well be correct, but do you really want to gamble with yours and others' lives if you aren't?

Ed Zachary.