[eisenfaust]

So, theres something that I've wanted to get off my chest for a while, something about being in a high-traffic environment. I wanted to see if this was an experience that my fellow riders had dealt with, and if you guys were as pissed off about it as I am.

First, let me preface the topic by stating that I spend a *lot* of time on the road. I've had my SV less than a month and I'm already knocking on the 3000 mile mark. Its my job (I'm a courier), so I spend quite a bit of time out there.

Now, this is just something I've been noticing a lot more frequently out on the road... usually two to three times a day. People smoking pot while driving. I'll be cruising along on the freeway, and since obviously, you can smell things a lot better when on a motorcycle, I notice the scent of pot drifting by on the road. Doesnt take long to spot the driver... and gah, it just pisses me off so much, in the same way that a guy cruising down the road drinking a beer would. Of course, you hear about drunk drivers all the time... but what about stoned ones? Granted, the effect doesnt seem to be as significant, but still. I've been stoned, I know that its not safe to operate a vehicle while under the influence.

I guess I'm mostly pissed off because of the frequency with which i encounter this particular..... practice. Meh. I already have enough to deal with out there... this is just one more thing.

Guess I'm just venting. Heh.

 

[Marcos Santiago]

Agree 100%. More and more people are smoking pot and driving, and it pisses me off too

No judgements here, but I simply ask those people to stay home and lit it there, stay the $%^# out of the roads and highways

Marcos

 

[sid.v]

its just bad news. it dosent just endanger us as riders but also other motorists. it bad enough trying to watch out for old people. i mostly just get the people who just pull out in front of you even though i have a bright yellow bike. ;D

 

[eisenfaust]

Hey, I'm definitely pro-pot. I think it should be legalized and taxed. Tons of money could be made. I'd rather people smoke an occasional joint or bong than chain smoke tobacco and drink themselves to death. I mean, personally, it does nothing for me, but I dont think it should be illegal when its as benign as it is (compared to alcohol, especially). But it has no place on the road.

 

[spuds]

When i see (or smell) pot when I'm riding...i just start to drive that much more invisible...
you can never tell when a pot-head is gonna do something stupid

 

[Novadesigns]

Man when I see something like that I immediately get the license plate, pull over and call the police! They have always been eager to nail someone doing that. Same thing if I see someone drinking and driving--and here in Texas I see it far too often. Trucks and beer... and retards, evidently.

 

[AlexS]

I agree with Marcos, I don't care that someone smokes, I smoke, I just don't do it and drive.

I don't ride in traffic too often, but I have noticed the smell several times.

 

[Newdriver]

I'd rather be surrounded by smokers on the roadway then moms on cellphones with kids in the car or drunks any day. At least the stoned people are predictably stupid.

-josh

 

[Red Sea Pedestrian]

i hear ya man. you now what's worse, a guy in front of you driving all weird and you pull up next to him at a light and he's doing a line of coke. that my freind is

 

[shekshishekki]

I really have no idea what goes through a person's mind when they think its okay to get high or get drunk while driving...I mean...couldn't it wait till your where you need to be??? I mean i dun give a shit if your a pothead but getting high while driving will just ruin the rest of your life if something happens...Say you run over a motorcyclist or hit another car even, that will most likely land you in jail for a good amount of time completely ruining all your credentials in life (job, police record, bubba from the prison dropping the soap) Is it really worth it to get high at that specific moment? Couldn't it wait??? I really can't comprehend the stupididty of the decisions that ppl make these days ???

 

[Froggin sV]

Drugs Alcohol Driveing

I dont see how anyone acn think that these things go together under any circumstances.
In all honesty what someone does at home is their business. What you do on the road you're aharing w/ me is mine.
And GD I dont want to share the roads w/ someone who is FUBARed

 

[jordan650]

i used to smoke alot of pot :-X...and drive...and almost hit people...but i think the scarier thing to think about is the meth epidemic ...and people staying up for weeks at a time and hallucinating while driving...its reall sad for me to look back at the stupid stuff i used to do :'(...but it makes me really grateful that i didnt hurt anybody but myself while pulling that crap...on the positive side i have seen commercials relatively recently in california about the dangers of driving, not just drunk, but stoned or tweeked out too...so the message is out in the public forum...hopefully some people will listen and it may save a life...

 

[dmroeder]

I agree with everyone on this.  I don't smoke it, but I have a lot of friends that do.  It's their business and it doesn't bother me a bit.  But driving while smoking is just a bad idea.  I don't think I have ran into it yet, but I don't usually ride in high traffic.  It would piss me off something fierce though.

To the comment about meth:  A dude that I work just had to go to his best friends mom's funeral (he practically grew up with the family) because some POS on meth.  She went to the store at night and never came home.  Dude was all f-ed up on meth and hit her head on.  Killed her and he lived.  I can't put it in words how much anger I feel when I read about things like that. 

 

[osirisdean]

i dated a girl who would smoke pot to "calm down" and then hop in the car. with her baby. talk about fvcking stupid and inconsiderate. (we didnt date long, for related reasons.)

just last week i was in traffic and this couple of chicks in front of me in a civic not only smoked a joint, but they hand rolled it, and made it VERY obvious what they were doing, aside from the smell. this was about 100yds from a police station, too.

makes me want to trade in the bikes for a tank.


[disclaimer: i have nothing against pot, it's like anything else. so long as it doesnt become your life and doesnt put anyone else in danger, do whatever bloats your goat.]

 

[merlot]

I use to smoke a lot in college (and still dabble every once in a blue moon), and I did drive once afterwards. I didn't realize it at first, but I was going 10mph under the speed limit. I guess I was being extra cautious due to being paranoid Like I said, that was the only time and I make sure not to operate any vehicles when I partake.

That said I have never noticed anyone doing it on the rode.

 

[True Blue]

I'd have to agree that lighting up and driving is definitely a bad idea. If you want to smoke up, that is fine by me. I'll even take you to Wendy's at 1am when you get the munchies, just don't drive yourself.

On a lighter note, this reminds me of a scene in Super Troopers, "You boy's like MEXICO!" (that's probably not very funny if you haven't seen the movie)

 

[andyauger]

First, impaired drivers don't belong on the road. How badly impaired is a gray area. I know people who shouldn't drive clean and sober, much less on some chemical. Cell phones impair the driver's ability even if they are clean and sober.

More frightening than pot smokers are the number of people who drive while taking doctor-prescribed medicines that impair their abilities. With them you don't have an odor to warn you, and if they smack you the courts generally are lenient on them because they were under a doctor's treatment. Strong antihistamines, hypnotics, pain relievers, psychoactives, the list is endless. In terms of accidents, injuries and deaths alcohol is still at the very top of the list.

I'd like to know what percentage of drivers are on the road and shouldn't be. On the other hand, maybe I wouldn't.

 

[RandyO]

First, impaired drivers don't belong on the road.  How badly impaired is a gray area.  I know people who shouldn't drive clean and sober, much less on some chemical.  Cell phones impair the driver's ability even if they are clean and sober.

More frightening than pot smokers are the number of people who drive while taking doctor-prescribed medicines that impair their abilities.  With them you don't have an odor to warn you, and if they smack you the courts generally are lenient on them because they were under a doctor's treatment.  Strong antihistamines, hypnotics, pain relievers, psychoactives, the list is endless.  In terms of accidents, injuries and deaths alcohol is still at the very top of the list.

I'd like to know what percentage of drivers are on the road and shouldn't be.  On the other hand, maybe I wouldn't.

+1 on that, driving/ridign potsmokers really don't bother me, the biggest danger I see with a potsmoker at the wheel is dropping an ash in his/her lap a few months ago, I was appauled than I found out my daughters father inlaw drive regularly while taking oxycontin.

 

[slappermouth]

From what I've heard, out there in California (particularly the south....the LBC)...

"Rollin' down the street, smokin indo, sippin' on gin and juice" is "laaaaid back".

Probably spread its way north.

Not only is he drunk, and stoned, but he's got his mind on his money, and his money on his mind. Which tells me that he's not very attentive to other motorists.

But in his defense...."It's kind hard bein' Snoop D O double G"

I've noticed the same thing in Florida when I lived there.

 

[PricklyPear]

I think alot of people smoke in their cars because they can't smoke at home.

This isn't Amsterdam. You can't just go to the Grasshopper or the Grey Area and toke up.