Speaking Of Quantifying The Unquantifiable

When it comes to driving under the influence of alcohol, the police have ways to measure if you've been drinking. Some ways are to observe you as you drive and pulling you over while another is to set up traps - both possibly leading to a breathalyzer test.

If you go over the (arbitrary) limit - arbitrary because there is no magical number that befits us all. Some take alcohol better than others. Reminds me of the episode on WKRP when Dr. Johnnny Fever's reflexes improved with each passing drink during an exercise with a police officer attempting to prove a person's time reaction is reduced as they drink more - then you're screwed. You get a ticket, lose points, get your car impounded and may even face jail time.

Drinking and driving is a problematic social problem and this is one way the police try and contain it. Unfortunately, while law enforcement may have a 'zero tolerance' leaning towards the problem, it's a different case with the courts. It seems like too many repeat offenders are let off too easily.

There is no war on alcohol. There was once upon a time and look at how that turned out.

But there is a war on drugs; including marijuana. The courts are hard on that; especially in the States.

Confession. Cover your eyes and ears. I've been in a car where the operator of a vehicle was stoned. Meh. We were young. Never once did I feel in danger as my friend didn't seem to forget the rules of the road. He did all the stops, red lights and generally kept impeccable courteous road etiquette.

Not saying people should do it nor am I suggesting this anecdotal story is the norm, just stating my experience.

Unlike alchohol though, even if there was enough to pull him over, there is no "marijuana trap." Cops are not equipped to "quantify" drug intake. All they can do, I think, is look at you in the eyes and determine if you've been passing a doob. They know most of the time the truth but can't really act on it unless they find some on you.

Good luck with that.

The truth is more often than not, people are likely to get away with driving under some form of influence since there aren't enough cops on the road. In fact, cops may be more lenient on marijuana use than we think. In Canada anyway they seem to be.

Not sure how to tie all this up...so I'm going to stop...here.