Alcohol Policy

[TRAYLORTRASH]

Originally Posted by route66paul

Many of us geezers take daily meds and have for years, some of them pain meds. to someone who does not take them all the time, they do make a big change, but to those of us who are one them all of the time usually know exactly how long to ride before there will be problems. That rule would be very hard to enforce. many medicines have the warning about sleepiness or dizziness, and they do have an affect on everyone. but to tell someone who is on them daily(his normal state), would be wrong.

My dr says that I am ok to drive, that I know when to stop, she is not ok with motorcycles, but that is everyone, not just me.

I do hafta agree with you there Paul... I have 2 ruptured discs in my neck, and I refused surgery simply because they couldn't gaurantee the outcome. Needless to say I will probably be on pain meds for a long time, and after taking them for so long you really don't have that reaction anymore, do I believe I can ride after taking them... Some of them yes, but if it is something that I know will cause me some problems then believe that I am smart enough to stay home.

[GJarrett]

Honest question: how do you tell? If I'm drinking, mountains of recent medical research have proven that the first thing to go is not my coordination, or reflexes, or my speech, or etc; but rather my brain's ability to reason and process decision-making. That's why after a few we all think we're "ok" to drive/ride and then the next morning we realize heck no we weren't ok at all. At least if you're drinking, there's a BAC level bar to tell you no/nogo. What is it when you're older and on legally prescribed meds?

I'm getting up in age too and just now started having to consider taking meds I don't want to. So if I get on them, who's my judge/accountability partner to let me know when I can drive? If i'm on my own, what's the no/nogo line and how do I keep on this side of it when my reasoning skills are already diluted by the same meds that I'm on to survive?

With age and wisdom comes accountability and I pray we all have it. I think I do now and am glad I don't look at this issue through the same eyes and maturity I had thirty years ago.

[route66paul]

Unlike alcohol, prescribed meds affect you the same every time that you take them. If you keep a log for a month, you will have a very good idea how you will be affected by the meds and how long to expect it. The problem is when we get off of our schedule, or we huet just riding. You have to know when to pull over and get a room. I have, occasionally before noon, because of too much pain. If you are responsable, you have a pretty good idea where you are. This is also somewhat true for diabetics. controlled diabetes is an art, but for many, it can be done. There are those who should not ride,or even drive, because of a spastic pancreas. Anyone out there a diabetic that wants to add to this?

[yldbill]

Don't drink and never have,but I;ve been the one to see these drinkers say "I can have acouple and it doesn't effect me" that is B.S. Any amount has some effect on a person. I for one don't want some drunk causing me to bite the pavement. If a motorcycle is hit by a person driving a cage that "had a couple" everyone on this forum would be calling for blood,is it any different if this accident is caused by a fellow rider.

[Maverick_Fatboy]

Why drink? It's a rush just riding...

[Mr-Jester]

I'm a believer in the rider is mature enough to make the deicsion whether they should have a beer or not; nevertheless, we don't do rides to bars in our chapter. Poker runs don't make stops at bars, and on the rare occasion we end a ride a restaurant that people deicde to drink, we end the ride there, which ends the chapter official responsibility. -Jim

Originally Posted by FLHX - 07

Earlier this year (after POT) our chapter adopted a zero tolerance alcohol policy on all chapter rides. As always however, after kickstands down, it was party time!

In the past our chapter NEVER had any alcohol problems (21 years). No one would ever arrive intoxicated or even having been drinking as far as anyone knew. If we stopped during a ride for chow, most would have a beer, maybe two. We have a very responsible group.

Now we go to Milwaukee. Beer is available everywhere! Yeah HOG and HD is not responsible as they pass liability to the vendors. However, they still made sure those vendors were there. I know this is nothing new for HD/HOG, they preach one thing to us and do the other everywhere they go.

We have lost some members because of our policy. It's not that they needed or even wanted a drink during a ride. It's the simple fact people don't want to be told when and where they can have a drink. I agree and so do many of our officers. I think we're ready to go back the way we were.

Just wondering what some of your thoughts are.

[Uncle Salty]

Originally Posted by route66paul

Unlike alcohol, prescribed meds affect you the same every time that you take them.

Drugs, prescribed or not, have many of the same effects as alcohol including disrupting the brain's ability to reason and process decision-making. I have found that two beers has a very predictable effect on me. I bet I've tested this more times than you have taken your meds. And I've got bottles of pain medication in the cabinet. I have two bad discs and a bum knee. I know about pain meds and alcohol.

Originally Posted by route66paul

You have to know when to pull over and get a room.... If you are responsable, you have a pretty good idea where you are.

This statement can be equally applied to certain drugs and alcohol. If one shouldn't drive under the influence of alcohol, the same can be said for many drugs. I'm not saying to drink and drive. Just saying many drugs are the same or worse than alcohol. Just because one takes pain meds for a good reason doesn't exempt him from the facts. The fact is we all want what we want and many of us make excuses to validate it.

[FLSTFI Dave]

Originally Posted by ViennaHog

What happened to personal responsibility? When I read posts like the above my head begins to hurt. If you drink and ride, it's your fault and not anybody else's. What's so difficult to understand?

I agree fully. Personal responsibilty seems to be gone in this Country.

Originally Posted by Mark F Barnes

Don't drink so it's no issue for me, however I will not ride with drunks, not to mention it's against the law. Just my two Lincolns.

Big difference in me having a beer at a lunch stop, and then riding than being a Drunk and riding.

Me having one or even two beers and riding is not against any law, I would pass the breathalizer.

Me being drunk and riding is not only stupid, but it is against the law.

[zoo]

Originally Posted by FLSTFI Dave

I agree fully. Personal responsibilty seems to be gone in this Country.



Big difference in me having a beer at a lunch stop, and then riding than being a Drunk and riding.

Me having one or even two beers and riding is not against any law, I would pass the breathalizer.

Me being drunk and riding is not only stupid, but it is against the law.

In some states its to the "slightest degree". Sorta sucks, huh?

I'm more like a one or two beer limit guy.

But then there are also some states (damn near all of them as I recall) who still put people in jail for the mere possession of weed.

The herb.

Go figure.

Zoo

[idbeast]

Originally Posted by route66paul

... This is also somewhat true for diabetics. controlled diabetes is an art, but for many, it can be done. There are those who should not ride,or even drive, because of a spastic pancreas. Anyone out there a diabetic that wants to add to this?

I have been Insulin Dependant for 39 years, and the Doctors are amazed I'm in as good of shape as I am for having had it this long.
I wear both an Insulin pump, and a continous glucose monitor, to take care of any problems... as few of my close friends know about my Diabetes and understand what I would need them to do if I ever asked for help, however most people are amazed when they hear I'm diabetic because I don't show it. I'm a Road Captian, take advanced Riding courses twice a year, and ride over 16,000 a year, I can ride tight formation, and tight twistys and no one is corcerned with following me or having me follow them!!! Anytime!!!
However I WON'T ride with someone who has been drinking...

[zoo]

Originally Posted by idbeast

I have been Insulin Dependant for 39 years, and the Doctors are amazed I'm in as good of shape as I am for having had it this long.
I wear both an Insulin pump, and a continous glucose monitor, to take care of any problems... as few of my close friends know about my Diabetes and understand what I would need them to do if I ever asked for help, however most people are amazed when they hear I'm diabetic because I don't show it. I'm a Road Captian, take advanced Riding courses twice a year, and ride over 16,000 a year, I can ride tight formation, and tight twistys and no one is corcerned with following me or having me follow them!!! Anytime!!!
However I WON'T ride with someone who has been drinking...

Right on. And ride on! Hell, the only one you're going to kill is probably yourself.

Hold on, doesn't the Road Captain ride in front?

Zoosters would only let a guy like you ride in back. Perhaps on a trike.

[idbeast]

Originally Posted by zoo

Right on. And ride on! Hell, the only one you're going to kill is probably yourself.

Hold on, doesn't the Road Captain ride in front?

Zoosters would only let a guy like you ride in back. Perhaps on a trike.

Road Captains ride anywhere in the pack one in the front, one in the rear, and the rest are usually evenly spaced between the rest of the group, at least thats how we do it in our local group.

As for your other comments they are quite odd, seeing you don't know me and I don't know you!!! My Diabetes is extreamly well controlled, and you would not I have it!!! I've been riding for over 30 years! And yes, the only one I'd kill is myself because I can handle my bike well enough not to take someone with me!
As for riding in the back, I'd do it as a duty being an EMT to get you stable and to a hospital, as I hope you ride better then use your head to think...

[LarryM]

Our local club has a policy of 'complying with state law'. Whether its alcohol or helmets the rider must obey the law. Does any state flat out say that one cannot have any drink and then drive?

Of course the club officers carry liability insurance.

People say they won't drive with drunks. I contend that one drives with drunks every day. Think of all the cars and trucks that surround us. I understand that some evenings 17% of the drivers of the motor vehicles around us are DUI.

[TRAYLORTRASH]

Originally Posted by Uncle Salty

Drugs, prescribed or not, have many of the same effects as alcohol including disrupting the brain's ability to reason and process decision-making. I have found that two beers has a very predictable effect on me. I bet I've tested this more times than you have taken your meds. And I've got bottles of pain medication in the cabinet. I have two bad discs and a bum knee. I know about pain meds and alcohol.



This statement can be equally applied to certain drugs and alcohol. If one shouldn't drive under the influence of alcohol, the same can be said for many drugs. I'm not saying to drink and drive. Just saying many drugs are the same or worse than alcohol. Just because one takes pain meds for a good reason doesn't exempt him from the facts. The fact is we all want what we want and many of us make excuses to validate it.

You're right, certain prescription meds do have similar side effects, BUT if you take them for pain the majority of the time the side effects will not be as bad. From experience, I know that if I am in alot of pain I don't feel the meds as much, but if the pain is not so bad and I take them I feel the "buzz" more. I don't take any NARCOTICS anymore due to the fact that I ride, and don't wanna risk it, but the meds I take are semi narcs, and I do watch how I take them if I am riding.

[FLSTFI Dave]

What I find interesting is the number of people who will take pain meds, or other perscription drugs and have no problem with riding or their decision to do so.

Then they come out and say they will not ride with some one who has had A Beer....

I have been perscribed pain killers at various times in my life. I can tell you, I am much safer after one beer than I am after once Oxeycotten or Perkiset or Vicadin....

I would say any one who will take pain meds of the narcotic kind but will not ride with a guy who has had a Beer is a Hypocrit(sp)