Laurence Fishburn gets high before riding

[dean owens]

i have to say i'm with northernpete on this. i'm very much a libertarian. i believe in your right to life, liberty and happiness and government shouldn't get in the way of any of that. and if you want to make bad choices that lead to no job and poor health, the government shouldn't get in the way of that either (socialized meds, welfare, etc.).

BUT, when what someone else does gets in the way of my pursuit of life, liberty and happiness that's when the government (the people - "who watches the watchers") steps in to protect me from others. even though i disagree with premarital sex, the government has no business making laws saying you can't have premarital sex. but it has every right to pass laws about having sex with children for their own protection.

drinking and driving falls into the category. there is no study you can point to that says that drinking doesn't impair decision making. you might think it doesn't (and maybe it will never catch up to you) but it does. i had a brother who drank on a regular basis - not always drunk, but always drinking. he would drink and drive all the time. i remember being young (8-9) and riding while he was having a beer and driving. well, two years ago his luck ran out. i no longer get to see my brother or talk to him - all because he could still drive after having a beer or two.

[fireguzzi]

Forgiveness is powerful, and I have not forgiven the person who killed my mother because that person was driving drunk. (a former friend of mine) Judging by the way I feel now, which is seven years later, I will never forgive him.

Your buddies might forgive you for making an impaired "smart and or bad decision" and consequently killing their mother brother sister son or daughter, but I wouldn't count on it.

I am not for more and more laws fines rules or freedoms being taken away. But certain laws were made because of statistics and a little common sense and I am glad to have some of them. If you are over the legal limit and driving then I agree with the law. You are dangerous and a threat, it doesn't matter if you think you are ok to drive or if you are being honest with yourself, an impaired decision is just that.
As far as getting stoned goes, I feel the same.
To me it's not worth it.
But you are free to live as you wish, until you get caught killed or a manslaughter charge. Then you are not free at all.

[badinfluence63]

fireguzzi,

While I can not take away your loss and it is unfortunate, it is equally unfortunate that as a consequence of your inability to forgive you carry around a hate that causes you to cast misguided hateful diatribes and taking out your hurt on others. While losing your mother to a drunk driver is unimaginable, I am not a drunk and I didn't do it. I can only be responsible for myself and I do that very well.

I wish I could empassion you to consider starting the healing process by forgiving. Do you think your mother would want you to carry around that burden with you all your life?

[badinfluence63]

deanowens,

Again poor choices cause unfortunate circumstances. I am sorry for both yours and fireguzzis loss. I didn't do it and its not gonna guilt me into something that doesn't apply to me. I am not a drunk and I am not in denial. And while you may feel your loses justifies your imposing your position on others....it don't. I'm sorry. And I will continue to live my life my way. It neither threatens me or anyone else despite what you say. No offense.

[fireguzzi]

In no way was I casting misguided hateful diatribes. I was stating the facts as they now stand with me and how I think a lot of people would react. I was not verbally attacking you at all, only stating what I think. I am in no way blaming you consciously or sub consciously for my mothers death. Nor am I taking my hateful feelings from my inability to forgive out on you. I understand my pain and it is far too personal to direct it at someone I have never met on the internet. I assure you my other post was not an attack on you, only my opinion and experience with your philosophy.

My only attack to you is to say that I think your philosophy is selfish.
I don't think it is worth it to have a good... no great ride if it even slightly increases my chances of taking a life. We are pressing our luck enough just to get on and in these machines that we hurtle down the road.

I wish I could empassion you to consider starting the healing process by forgiving. Do you think your mother would want you to carry around that burden with you all your life?

The way I feel is real. Dead "procreating" real. If I could make the way I feel change then I would have done it. But I haven't been able to yet.No offense but your comment means nothing to me. I have thought about forgiveness but its not in me. I think I will wallow in my hatred for awhile longer. Thats real emotion, from a real person sitting in front of a computer. A person who has a child that will never meet their grandmother.

Again, I am not blaming you. Mostly just venting now. (and that is good for me) I am not directing anything angry at you.
Only saying that I think your view is selfish. Not an angry opinion, just an honest one.

[badinfluence63]

Fireguzzi,

The mere fact you ride a motorcycle puts you at odds and risk. And you think that 3-4-5 beers increases that risk. I say bullshit. And I think you think I drive drunk, which I do not. Theres a difference between drunk and altered states. Its not the same thing. One beer puts you in an altered state 2-3 beers or 3-4 beers and a shot as well puts you in an altered state but will most likely zap you with a DUI and thats bullshit. People have gone over board and think its okay as the means justifys the end. I disagree. Usually its only after some influential family member has been affected then the law stiffens in an attempt to legislate peoples behavior and choices. Typical knee jerk reaction. And while you think I'm selfish I think you and people like you should concentrate on worrying about themselves like I have sucessfuly done, by watching out for me which in turn watches out for everyone else. Instead you and people like you think the answer is controlling and making misguided decesions for other people. I have been riding like I have and the closest I ever came to biting it had nothing to do with alcohol.

36 years and you call it lucky. No its skill, good judgment and knowing myself. Luck is when preperation and oportunity come together. You must think everyone who has 4-5 beers jumps on there bike and whoops it up, pops a wheelie and drives away wrecklessly. To me that where the problem is, making the bad decision to go with that euphoric and false alcohol fueled andrenalin.

To this day I always pack a blanket and a bottle of Jack Black and when I know I have passed that point of altered states to the drunk level I pull out the blanket and the Jack and there I set for the night. Thats a decesion I make, have been making for 36+ years and its worked out. Has nothing to do with luck either. At 51 the blanket and the bottle are more out of habit and me ripping and tearing it up days, while spanding 36+ years are far and few between these days. Oh the memories..........I'd do it all again despite your stated position. It was/isn't luck. Its skill. A skill that over time and over legislation has diluted n the masses. Legislation and heavy handed public opinion isn't the answer.

And again I am so sorry for your loss, forgiving will set you free and I don't mean that in a mean spirited way. Holding a grudge will eat you from the inside out and you won't even know it. Celebrate your moms life, the beautiful person I am sure she was, and mostly what she instilled in you that makes you you. Not forgiving means the person who stole your mother is robbing you now.

[fireguzzi]

You are still making a lot of wrong assumptions about me.

Thanks again for the lesson about forgiveness. I never would have thought about that in the last seven years without you.
I will let you know when I get to that point.

I'm going hunting now. Where's the beer.

[badinfluence63]

fireguzzi,

You are still making a lot of wrong assumptions about me.

And you me. Emails, postings and forum contact has a way of leaving a bit to be desired. The fact that we haven't flamed each other in this controversial topic speaks volumes.

Thanks again for the lesson about forgiveness. I never would have thought about that in the last seven years without you. I will let you know when I get to that point.

I am sure the forgiveness issue has been a constant in your life. I can guarantee while forgiving does not bring you mom back, you will feel a burden lift off your shoulders that you have been carrying around for 7 years. While I have not had to forgive someone of that magnitude I have found forgiving has made dealing with an existing/ongoing dilemna in my life manageable. No I didn't catch my wife cheating because I wouldn't have access to a CPU in prison, I don't think.

I'm going hunting now. Where's the beer.

[Kal]

Mine have me. I have never had a DUI and I have ridden like I said in various states of altered proportions. And it was good. No great! Luck is when preparation and opportunity come together. Some people are just better prepared then others

I've buried people killed by those in an "altered state of concsiousness" so you'll have to forgive me if I have no sense of humor about it.

You shouldn't ride/drive if you are not in control of the vehicle. End of. And no being lucky enough not to have an accident or be pulled over while over the limit is not being in control of a vehicle.

[Wrider]

You shouldn't ride/drive if you are not in control of the vehicle. End of. And no being lucky enough not to have an accident or be pulled over while over the limit is not being in control of a vehicle.

That reasoning is one of the reasons I've never drank or gotten high. I'm always designated driver. My ex had also buried people who drove in in an "altered state of consciousness" and, like me, was willing to drive 100 miles each way to pick up friends that needed it...
Wrider