Why Drive Drunk/high?

This is probably a random question that won't have a satisfying answer, but here goes. Why do people think it's OK to drive if they are drunk or high? I always thought it was a small handful of people who did this, but have recently come across it more and more.

Multiple friends of mine or my roommates have come over before to drink, expecting to drive home after, and they often get pretty upset when one of us takes their keys. I also just found out that a good friend of mine was in a serious accident yesterday because she got in a car with a drunk guy, so I can't stop thinking about it right now. She will probably never walk again and I really don't get it.

I have no problem with alcohol or drugs, in fact, I regularly enjoy both, but not dying is still a concern for me, even then.

So, has anyone here ever driven high/drunk before? Can you tell me your thought process?

 

There was a thought process?

 

Well I'm assuming their heads aren't completely void, but maybe that's too much credit, Tyrsonswood.

 

So sorry to hear that. Very sad.

I don't get it either. I really only think to imbibe when at home or within walking distance of home. I don't even like it when just in taxi distance. Part hermit and part fearing losing the FAA medical. But really it's not that hard, if need be I can over do it when I get home.

 

well, i suppose it depends on the person and the situation. i think the most common reason is simply that a majority of people prefer to drink/do drugs outside of their home, and then have no other way to get back home afterward. then there's people who get drunk/drugged and like to go out and do things while they're buzzed. and there's the people who just like to be assholes when they're drunk or high, so if there's nobody to pick a fight with they'll just go drive like maniacs instead.

 

I've driven after a couple of drinks and smokes but nothing to limit where if I think I'm too impaired then I will just not drive. Generally after a toke or a couple of drinks I hand keys to missus unless she also been drinking. If so, walking shoes come on.

 

I was right, not a very satisfying answer. I get going out but busses and taxis do exist.

 

Busses don't run at all hours here, taxis are expensive. Not that I condone driving impaired, but I also won't condone sending a person bankrupt because they had the responsibility of getting home in one piece and decided not to drive.

 

I do think there is a difference between one or two drinks and being drunk for most people. Some of the people I have confiscated keys from could not make it up stairs though.

 

Oh yeah, definitely. Basically I don't want to risk my license or kill myself or someone else. It's very selfish and I get angry and blood pumping just from seeing people drive like idiots on the roads as it is. I hate street racing. And I hate people that think they can push their shitty street cars to do the things it wasn't designed to do. That frustrates me and a poor family traveling on holiday doesn't need some dickhead pretending theyre Michael Schumacher.

I stick to two drinks. I know that I will blow over with two drinks but I also know if I tell police officer I only just finished my second drink 30sexonds ago that legally he has to let me wait 15-20mins so that mouth alcohol won't effect my reading. In this 20 mins I should either blow under or over by very little and when taken to station I will be under for sure. I haven't been pulled over though and the one time I was and thought I might be in trouble I turned out to be under anyway.

 

sure, so do small town where most people live and buses and taxis don't exist.

 

Couches?

 

I suppose I understand it slightly more in a small town, but I live in a large city where busses run 24/7 and taxis are available until 4AM. Many busses also have a back door that broke people hop on for free if you can't even afford that. The city my friend was in is very similar. Why on earth risk it then?

 

selfishness is the main reason

everything else is just an excuse


and no ive never driven drunk or high but ive been on the receiving end of a selfish idiot who thought he could make it home plastered

 

I have no car to drive so I can't drive when I am drunk

 

I'm a little offended you put drinking and pot in the same category. Driving while high on marijuana has actually proven to be better than sober driving--perhaps you're more aware of your "handicap" and can get in the zone. Drinking is along the lines of assault where you truly have no control
(I haven't even read this article in particular, but I've seen similar reports)
http://blogs.seattletimes.com/pot/2015/02/11/federal-study-drivers-who-have-consumed-pot-are-not-more-likely-to-crash-than-those-who-are-sober/

Driving high isn't even an offense--mostly because there's no tests to prove it, but also because high drivers are more safe than sterotypes would have you presume. Weed is the most popular drug, but there's a reason you don't hear of high accidents all the time.

 

weed is the most dangerous when you get paranoid, it's hard to drive well when you're staring into the rearview mirror.

 

Guess I can't relate. I've heard of people quitting weed cause they get too anxious.

But I have polar opposite effects. Feel so relaxed --can't deny the studies though, you can find numerous articles of driving high, sober, and drunk in that order of crash numbers

 

Drunkenness provokes honesty. When people are drunk they expose their values. Many people have no values, only social pretenses, that are dropped when drunk. So one who values nothing, including his own life, will have no problem driving drunk.

 

I agree they are different things, and driving drunk is riskier than driving stoned, but they both fit in the category of driving intoxicated. It depends on how strong the weed is and of course on how much a person has smoked but no, most people do not drive better than if they were sober when they're properly stoned. This is a fact, and also based on experience.