On Sat, 12 Sep 2009 23:36:24 -0400, Tom Francis - SWSports wrote:


The problem with these kinds of news reports is that you don't know what
prompted the investigation initially. It might have been an open
container - there may have been visual or verbal clues - could be
anything. I was stopped once after a 24 hour shift when we had a rash
of medical incidents and I was the only available medic - I had maybe
half hour of sleep or so and was stopped on the way home - I guess I was
less than driving a straight line. Everything came back negative, but
the cop was still suspicious, but he called the Chief and he explained
the situation - he came out, I parked the car and the Chief took me home
from there.

You just can't have an opinion based on incomplete information.

Times may be a-changing. Here in NJ, we have Maggie's Law, which allows
sleep deprived drivers to be charged with vehicular homicide if any one
is killed because of a drowsy driver. There have been studies
demonstrating that people who have been awake for 24 hours are impaired
to the same level as someone with a blood alcohol level of .10. Which
raises all sorts of interesting liability issues:

http://www.insurancejournal.com/news...8/12/31404.htm

On Sat, 12 Sep 2009 22:53:48 -0500, thunder
wrote:

On Sat, 12 Sep 2009 23:36:24 -0400, Tom Francis - SWSports wrote:


The problem with these kinds of news reports is that you don't know what
prompted the investigation initially. It might have been an open
container - there may have been visual or verbal clues - could be
anything. I was stopped once after a 24 hour shift when we had a rash
of medical incidents and I was the only available medic - I had maybe
half hour of sleep or so and was stopped on the way home - I guess I was
less than driving a straight line. Everything came back negative, but
the cop was still suspicious, but he called the Chief and he explained
the situation - he came out, I parked the car and the Chief took me home
from there.

You just can't have an opinion based on incomplete information.

Times may be a-changing. Here in NJ, we have Maggie's Law, which allows
sleep deprived drivers to be charged with vehicular homicide if any one
is killed because of a drowsy driver. There have been studies
demonstrating that people who have been awake for 24 hours are impaired
to the same level as someone with a blood alcohol level of .10. Which
raises all sorts of interesting liability issues:

http://www.insurancejournal.com/news...8/12/31404.htm

Believe me - I know from sleep deprivation and driving. Ashamed to
admit it, but it's true.

And I think it should be treated the same as drunk driving - the
results are the same.

On Sun, 13 Sep 2009 08:01:29 -0400, Tom Francis - SWSports wrote:


http://www.insurancejournal.com/news...8/12/31404.htm

Believe me - I know from sleep deprivation and driving. Ashamed to admit
it, but it's true.

Haven't we all? I have mixed emotions about the law, however. It seems
to me, a public service campaign citing the dangers of drowsy driving
might have been a better way to go. Vehicular homicide seems a little
harsh for someone who may not even know he has broken a law, let alone
know the dangers of drowsy driving.

And I think it should be treated the same as drunk driving - the results
are the same.

I can't deny that. Yet, while there are people who have never tasted
alcohol, let alone driven drunk, I'll bet there are few who haven't
pushed the envelope when it comes to drowsy driving. Still, people are
dying because of our stupidity.

I wonder how long it will be before liability for sleep deprivation hits
the workplace. Working in the oil field, I can remember some very long
hours, adding danger to the already risky job. I still have all my
fingers, but sometimes I wonder how I retained them. ;-)

On Sun, 13 Sep 2009 07:35:20 -0500, thunder
wrote:

On Sun, 13 Sep 2009 08:01:29 -0400, Tom Francis - SWSports wrote:


http://www.insurancejournal.com/news...8/12/31404.htm

Believe me - I know from sleep deprivation and driving. Ashamed to admit
it, but it's true.

Haven't we all? I have mixed emotions about the law, however. It seems
to me, a public service campaign citing the dangers of drowsy driving
might have been a better way to go. Vehicular homicide seems a little
harsh for someone who may not even know he has broken a law, let alone
know the dangers of drowsy driving.

Good point.

And I think it should be treated the same as drunk driving - the results
are the same.

I can't deny that. Yet, while there are people who have never tasted
alcohol, let alone driven drunk, I'll bet there are few who haven't
pushed the envelope when it comes to drowsy driving. Still, people are
dying because of our stupidity.

Also a good point. I've often wondered if it's because our society has
become so complex that we can't help but be distracted in one way or
another.

At the Battle of Hue, I was up for 36 hours straight and finally
collapsed - flat out collapsed and woke up in Danang a day later -
have no idea how I got there. I know I walked out to the LZ for
evacuation because I was told I did - don't remember anything about it
though and about half of the time I was there.

Not a thing.

I wonder how long it will be before liability for sleep deprivation hits
the workplace. Working in the oil field, I can remember some very long
hours, adding danger to the already risky job. I still have all my
fingers, but sometimes I wonder how I retained them. ;-)

Oh - we could swap stories I'll bet.

I damn near fell off a production platform I was so freakin' tired -
lucky an oil worker was right there and grabbed me before I wandered
off the side. :)

Damn - now that I think about it...

I'm going to take a nap.... :)