3 ms·

Addiction and substance abuse are complicated topics, but ideally somebody partaking of tobacco, drugs, or alcohol is aware of the risk to their own person of d

Addiction and substance abuse are complicated topics, but ideally somebody partaking of tobacco, drugs, or alcohol is aware of the risk to their own person of doing so, and has freely chosen to partake regardless. Unfortunately, though I'm well aware of the mortal danger excessively large and powerful personal vehicles pose to me and my family on the road, the only ways I can opt out of that danger are to a) not drive (edit: or walk, or cycle, or...) on public roads, or b) drive a very large and heavy vehicle myself, thus putting yet more people in mortal danger. Neither is acceptable. In short, yours is not a good analogy because the danger posed by the use of harmful addictive substances is to the self, while the danger posed by driving an F-450 XLT Cummings Power Stroke 8.0 Liter Ranch King Harley Davidson Edition is to others.

kortilla 3y ago
> In short, yours is not a good analogy because the danger posed by the use of harmful addictive substances is to the self, You didn’t read what I wrote. I specifically called out being under the influence. A drunk behind the wheel of the Corolla is far more dangerous to pedestrians than a teetotaling truck driver. Similar to anyone at a high risk of heart attack or stroke that gets behind the wheel.
- caconym_ 3y ago
  I assumed that wasn't what you meant since it's an obvious non sequitur. Driving drunk is already illegal, and the fatality rate is down over 60% since its high point in the early 80s when we really started taking it seriously as a nation. That's the sort of impact taking a public health hazard seriously can have on human lives that might otherwise be snuffed out by it.
mensetmanusman 3y ago
This ignores the fact that many vehicle fatalities are due to drugs/alcohol, ergo they do affect you.
- caconym_ 3y ago
  Already addressed: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38492800 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38492800

kortilla 3y ago

> In short, yours is not a good analogy because the danger posed by the use of harmful addictive substances is to the self, You didn’t read what I wrote. I specifically called out being under the influence. A drunk behind the wheel of the Corolla is far more dangerous to pedestrians than a teetotaling truck driver. Similar to anyone at a high risk of heart attack or stroke that gets behind the wheel.

caconym_ 3y ago
I assumed that wasn't what you meant since it's an obvious non sequitur. Driving drunk is already illegal, and the fatality rate is down over 60% since its high point in the early 80s when we really started taking it seriously as a nation. That's the sort of impact taking a public health hazard seriously can have on human lives that might otherwise be snuffed out by it.

mensetmanusman 3y ago

This ignores the fact that many vehicle fatalities are due to drugs/alcohol, ergo they do affect you.

caconym_ 3y ago
Already addressed: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38492800 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38492800