Driving/riding under the influence

[Rel]

Not to beat a dead horse, but.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGaiLl4lLcs&feature=youtu.be

Is the story of person who hit, and killed, a member of the California Highway Patrol.

Whether its alcohol or drugs or marijuana, which it was in this case, if there's any doubt that a person is under the influence and they want to operate a motor vehicle, do what you can to stop them.

 

[Blankpage]

Two and a half years in jail, thats it. What's up with that?

 

[clutchslip]

Two and a half years in jail, thats it. What's up with that?

No MAMS. Mothers against Marijuana Smokers.
We are still trying to get everyone doped up. We aren't too concerned about their driving at this point. Maybe 20 years from now we will see the error of our ways. Can you imagine a 4/20 with all those people drinking scotch? The National Guard would have been called and hundreds arrested. Silly double standard, imo.

 

[budman]

If you read my NHTSA summit report you would know that this is a big concern with the Driving safety professionals.

The real test for this is the same as drunks... the physical impairment test.
Having a blow test or a blood test does not work because pot stays in your system for so long.

With the potency of pot these days this will continue to be an issue that will need to be addressed. We will likely see Marijuana legalized in California for recreational use later this year.

Recreation does not include driving.... or riding. Thanks for the reminder Rel.

no doubt the penalties for being under the influence will step up as it becomes legalized.

Very sad story Rel. The young man the killed the officer seem very earnest in his regret.
That is nice to see, but sure does not make things much different.

 

[Aware]

I can't count the number of times I've smelled weed while riding 101 and other highways. I hope, always, that the drivers near me are not actually smoking, but .....

 

[Lolocastsb]

2 years is all he got? Funny, if he had hit and killed a black guy trying to steal someones car on the side of the freeway there'd be riots right now for him not getting enough jail time.

RIP Officer Justin McGrory

 

[T100]

Two and a half years in jail, thats it. What's up with that?

No. 1, he had a good lawyer. 2, He probably was able to demonstrate extreme remorse to the judge and, he probably had a clean record, steady job, etc., etc.

Yea, don't drive/ride impaired. Very bad business.:thumbdown Sentencing can be influenced by how good or bad of a person you are shown to be.

 

[enki]

They dont punish texters, so why should this matter?

 

[louemc]

Not to beat a dead horse, but.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGaiLl4lLcs&feature=youtu.be

Is the story of person who hit, and killed, a member of the California Highway Patrol.

Whether its alcohol or drugs or marijuana, which it was in this case, if there's any doubt that a person is under the influence and they want to operate a motor vehicle, do what you can to stop them.

So sorry to hear this, Rel....:rip:rose:rose:rose

 

[LectricBill]

It was heart-wrenching-warming to see the video of the officer's mother and father hearing Rafael's remorse at the plea bargain and coming to believe not only his sincerity, but actually forgiving him as a good young man that made a tragic mistake.

Today the three of them work to educate others about the dangers of driving stoned.

As Rafael says, the burden of taking a good man's life will weigh on him for his whole life, so yes, he is serving a life sentence. I'm not sure putting him in a cage would change anything, except reduce his ability to carry an important message that only he can tell so effectively.

 

[ToxicMark]

If you read my NHTSA summit report you would know that this is a big concern with the Driving safety professionals.

The real test for this is the same as drunks... the physical impairment test.
Having a blow test or a blood test does not work because pot stays in your system for so long.

With the potency of pot these days this will continue to be an issue that will need to be addressed. We will likely see Marijuana legalized in California for recreational use later this year.

Recreation does not include driving.... or riding. Thanks for the reminder Rel.

no doubt the penalties for being under the influence will step up as it becomes legalized.

Very sad story Rel. The young man the killed the officer seem very earnest in his regret.
That is nice to see, but sure does not make things much different.

True. Assembly Bill 2740 is already in the works. It establishes a per se limit for THC along with some kind of corroborating psycho motor evaluation that I don't think has been fleshed out yet.

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/...0AB2740&search_keywords="Under+the+influence"

We in the forensic community are keeping a close eye on it.

-Mark

 

[Gixxergirl1000]

Watching that video was heartbreaking. Seeing the battered badge... the wedding ring knocked off his hand... so horrible.
A good reminder...

 

[bergmen]

True. Assembly Bill 2740 is already in the works. It establishes a per se limit for THC along with some kind of corroborating psycho motor evaluation that I don't think has been fleshed out yet.

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/...0AB2740&search_keywords="Under+the+influence"

We in the forensic community are keeping a close eye on it.

-Mark

I wonder if a portable forensic toxicology instrument would work here. Take a small blood sample and run it through a mass spec for instance.

I developed a portable low thermal mass gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer that was intended for this type of field analysis but it never took off.

Unlike alcohol (with breathalyzers and blood/alcohol testing), THC is tougher to detect simply in a way that can be used for evidence.

We work with crime labs to develop accurate means of detection of all kinds of intoxicants but these are mostly lab instruments that take awhile to generate results. A quick, simple, inexpensive portable field instrument would seem to be valuable here.

Dan

 

[VicTim]

:rose

 

[ToxicMark]

I wonder if a portable forensic toxicology instrument would work here. Take a small blood sample and run it through a mass spec for instance.

I developed a portable low thermal mass gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer that was intended for this type of field analysis but it never took off.

Unlike alcohol (with breathalyzers and blood/alcohol testing), THC is tougher to detect simply in a way that can be used for evidence.

We work with crime labs to develop accurate means of detection of all kinds of intoxicants but these are mostly lab instruments that take awhile to generate results. A quick, simple, inexpensive portable field instrument would seem to be valuable here.

Dan

Maybe oral fluid for drugs of abuse, but it would only serve as a preliminary drug screening tool. I believe there's a bill pushing that as well.

AB 1356 proposed such a thing last year, but it died.

SB 1462 seems to be another shot at it.
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201520160SB1462

 

[bruceflinch]

:rose RIP Office McGrory

I don't doubt the young man's remorse, but 2.5 years in jail seems kind of easy for the crime, IMO.

 

[Emoney600]

I let people know ahead of time not to invite me over for drinks or smoke if I can't chill there for a couple of hours. I have too much respect for my bike to ride anything but sober.

One big thing I've noticed, back in Germany if we aren't sober it's no thing to hop on the bus or train to get to where we are going. Out here in the Bay is seem's like there is large portion of people who have a strong stance against public transportation. I keep hearing people say public trans, especially the bus, is for broke/poor people as if you shouldn't be on the bus if you own a vehicle. Might explain why I've met so many people with DUI's out here.

Edit: RIP to the officer. That's a real shitty situation.

 

[corndog67]

I don't know about your guys' experience, but I know a lot of people that cannot/will not/aren't willing, to go 4 hours, or an evening out, without drinking, smoking or snorting themselves stupid. Maybe 30-40-50%, of everyone I know. Right now the obsession seems to be wine, or Scotch, since those are considered "Higher Class".

20 years ago, maybe even 30, I used to be one of those guys standing on the side of HWY 9, cupping a joint (because nobody knew what we were doing, because we were smart). One time we took a young, fairly new rider to Hollister, there were probably 8 of us, and asked him if he minded us smoking weed. Nope, he was ok with it, but he didn't partake. So, we stopped at the picnic table on top of the hills near the front fence, burned one. Stopped at the top of the black diamond trail off Rancho Road. Another. At the picnic table by the upper lake, and several more places, probably 7 or 8 in all during the day. Afterwards, he told us that normally, people slow down, after burning one or more, but we went faster everytime we finished, we used to freight train down those trails. Because we were smart.

I don't miss those days. But I don't burn or drink any more, and go to very few parties. Went to Santa Maria Speedway Saturday night, and the usual stumbling drunks were there, being halfway carried to their cars, to drive home.

Some things never change.

 

[mean dad]

No MAMS. Mothers against Marijuana Smokers.
We are still trying to get everyone doped up. We aren't too concerned about their driving at this point. Maybe 20 years from now we will see the error of our ways. Can you imagine a 4/20 with all those people drinking scotch? The National Guard would have been called and hundreds arrested. Silly double standard, imo.

How much time do you suppose he'd do if he had been drunk instead of stoned? Maybe 5? I'll bet a bunch of money it wouldn't be much more than the 2 1/2 he got. Our DUI punishments are a fuckin joke.

Also, anybody have any stats for traffic accidents on 4/20 vs average? Let's put this to bed right now.

 

[mean dad]

I wonder if a portable forensic toxicology instrument would work here. Take a small blood sample and run it through a mass spec for instance.

I developed a portable low thermal mass gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer that was intended for this type of field analysis but it never took off.

Unlike alcohol (with breathalyzers and blood/alcohol testing), THC is tougher to detect simply in a way that can be used for evidence.

We work with crime labs to develop accurate means of detection of all kinds of intoxicants but these are mostly lab instruments that take awhile to generate results. A quick, simple, inexpensive portable field instrument would seem to be valuable here.

Dan

Saliva tests indicate presence of THC, which stays about as long as the effects last. Much more reliable than blood or urine as it's immediate.
There are ways to fool the test, but things'll improve with legalization.

When I worked construction, Kaiser would use the strips to test for weed. Could smoke all night long, but don't do it in the morning before work or you'd test dirty.
They used them for injuries, they'd immediately test for drugs and alcohol.