Big Baybee
Member
Except that he probably didn't realize he would have this reaction.
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Tiger Woods arrested for DUI
- Thread starter Skellig Gra
- Start date
Shadowhelper
Banned
Well, I believed Tiger when he said alcohol wasn't involved, because that would be a stupid thing to lie about. The police would've checked and he knows better than anyone the details would come out.
It's not really much better that he is so whacked out on pharmaceutical drugs and behind the wheel, though.
It's not really much better that he is so whacked out on pharmaceutical drugs and behind the wheel, though.
I clarified that I meant stop pitying his DUI, as that's hardly of any consequence to him, he will have the money to make sure of that, and he made a stupid decision. It's not gonna ruin his life like it would others.
The rest of his life I guess is pitiable.
The Albatross
Member
I think people generally have a higher social tolerance for medication that's prescribed for medical reasons, and either know someone or have suffered with addiction themselves, and know that you don't make good judgments under those circumstances. Not that it doesn't make it a DUI or an OUI or that he doesn't deserve the punishment of a DUI, or what have you, but the idea of someone getting hammered at the bar and then driving home intoxicated is generally thought of as being worse than someone taking medication that they're supposed to be taking for some medical reason, and operating a vehicle. Both are DUIs, but there's a greater social stigma for one than the other.
It's similar with other forms of drug use or distracted or unsafe driving. Getting into an accident because you were distracted because you're texting and getting into an accident because you were distracted by a screaming toddler in the back seat are both distracted driving, both are unsafe, and result in accidents.. but there's a greater penchant for sympathy for one and not the other.
The law applies to both, but the penchant for sympathy varies. That's why it matters to some (or most) people to specify that he blew a 0.0.
And also when this story broke it was widely passed around that he was driving drunk. While a DUI is still a DUI, for the sake of accuracy, he wasn't drunk, it was on medication.
"Sorry sir, your family was killed by an irresponsible DUI driver. But don't worry, he was only abusing prescription medication, not alcohol!"
ElectricBlanketFire
Member
Then don't get in the car when you're obviously having a problem with medication.
Why are you so defensive?
In context of what I quoted it's a shit line of thinking, which is why I posted it. If you specifically meant in case of the financial issues and transportation over the DUI? Sure, but I'll still pity him that he's ended up in this hole he's dug himself.
"whacked out"... ughh the issues of prescription medication are still misunderstood.
Money doesn't solve everything.
Skellig Gra
Member
I made it as clear as I could within my power to update titles/threads. If a mod deems it necessary to go further then I won't complain.
OG Shaka Zulu
Member
That mugshot looks like DAMN.
this is garbage. An accident is different than doing something irresponsible like drinking and driving. People have bad reactions to medications all the time. Hell my aunt ended up with severe nerve damage thanks to taking her meds as prescribed
I'm just advocating for accuracy.
Don't want you to think I'm demanding a change, I just think it best to clarify given the perception. We don't know all the facts just yet, but we do know it wasn't alcohol.
As someone that has been prescribed various pain medications for back issues before (herniated a disc), I wouldn't feel comfortable being behind the wheel while taking any single one of them because of how they affected me.
Taking multiples of them and then getting into a car at 2:00-3:00 AM? FUCK. ALL. THAT.
Good thing you know the exact medications he took and how he took them.
TheCochese
Banned
There's adverse reactions to medications taken as prescribed. Allergic reactions, loss of homeostasis, etc. Then there's improperly taking and mixing medication. If you're going to ignore warnings like 'Do not operate heavy machinery,' then that's all on you just like drinking too much.
Totally agree and willing to criticize him for that... but we don't know that yet unless I missed something.
Betta Lines
Member
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-40096818
Is this new? I'm confused.
[edit] oh I see. Just as I posted the link they updated it with the full story. For a few minutes there it looked like he had just been found in his car.
Is this new? I'm confused.
[edit] oh I see. Just as I posted the link they updated it with the full story. For a few minutes there it looked like he had just been found in his car.
You know there was a Jacksonville Jaguar player several months ago that was with his girlfriend and they both fell asleep in the car in the middle of the night and ended up running a light, going across the oncoming traffic lanes and ended up in a retention pond. The cops had to bang on the windows to wake them up. The cops never gave them on the spot drug or alcohol tests and nothing ever happened to him.
My point is has Tiger fell so far that a Jaguars player gets more preferential treatment than him?
My point is has Tiger fell so far that a Jaguars player gets more preferential treatment than him?
Spiritwalker
Member
damn lol, that mugshot is rough...
Skellig Gra
Member
I get it, the information presented should be as clear as possible.
Mammoth Jones
Member
Steve Youngblood
Member
Just trying to be as nuanced as possible here, I generally agree with the notion that perception will probably be more lenient on prescription intoxication than it would be relative to drunk driving. Having said that though, I think you might be erring just a bit too far in the direction of making him a completely innocent victim. Mind you, I don't know what he was taking and whether or not this was some sort of hard-to-predict reaction. However, if it's something like painkillers? There's almost no prescription-strength painkiller that won't at least caution about driving.
Furthermore, if it's a prescription painkiller, it's worth noting that there's something of a crisis going on out there. The idea that you're in the clear to take painkillers whenever you want as long as they're prescribed by a doctor is becoming increasingly under fire as that starts to be further inquiry into the necessity of prescribed painkillers. There's a general feeling out there that they are very overprescribed.
Beer Monkey
Member
I'm guessing ambien + painkiller. You may do really dumb shit and not realize it.
Skellig Gra
Member
This is probably a discussion for a different topic but the war on painkillers is a heavily skewed argument. Painkillers are a tool, and just like every other tool out there can be abused. Unfortunately people like a couple of my relatives with advanced arthritis and knee replacements are currently suffering because doctors won't prescribe any pain meds and just tell them to take handfuls of ibuprofen. Which don't work and destroy your insides worse than 1 vicodin would. If you are going to start blaming the object of abuse, especially when they say right on the bottle don't drive, then we better start banning things like alcohol as well which arguably doesn't even have a medical use.
SyenceLabb
Member
damn. Talk about holier than thou. Getting behind the wheel on prescribed meds isn't a good idea, but don't put it on same equal footing as getting shit faced and then getting behind the wheel.
Steve Youngblood
Member
To be clear, my assertion wasn't to try and argue anything remotely akin to "painkillers are bad!" or assert that the current direction of prescription medicine is heading in the right direction. We were just sort of on the topic of "which offense is vilified more?" And on that front, I'm just noting that there's a lot of increased scrutiny on the necessity of things like opioid painkillers. Am I suggesting that these types of painkillers are bad and that they should never be prescribed? No. I honestly don't know enough to weigh in on that debate.
I'm just noting that if painkillers are adversely impacting one's life, I think we are well past the point where people are going to give you a free pass for no other reason than because "well if a doctor prescribed it it's probably important and we can't hold the patient personally accountable for what the medicine does to them!"
Getting behind the wheel impaired, regardless of the reason, is already on equal footing. Using an excuse of not knowing is trying to gain sympathy, and it's bullshit. If you don't know, then you don't take it. Simple. It's basic common sense. "Hey, I don't know how these pills will react, so I'll just take them anyways.."
I'm not meaning to come off that way as Im sure I am, I still believe we should give him the benefit of the doubt for the time being and wait for the facts. Yesterday everybody jumped to assuming he was drunk. I think it's fair that the perception is different. The awareness campaign of drinking and driving is very clear, where the campaigns against pain killers or prescriptions is less so. I think many people would be oblivious to the dangers even despite the warnings. That doesn't make it ok, just makes sense.
And the last part of what your wrote is really the crux of the problem. People who aren't doctors and aren't privy to a persons day to day issues feeling its ok to pass judgment. Or even worse vote on laws or ask lawmakers to ban or heavily restrict meds just because "Well I don't use them and get by life fine so why can't they". Tiger has had a couple major surgerys now, he really stopped competing because of those physical problems and pain. Logic would dictate, yes he probably needs painkillers.
Golf on the surface may not seem like a grueling sport (it can be grueling in its own way on joints, scoff now but wait till you are older) like Football but people have even gone so far as to start saying even football players shouldn't take painkillers. My point is what right, information that you are privy to or medical background do you or the majority of people out there to feel you have to give a "free pass" anyways? Its not your job, its a doctors and people really need to stop sitting on judgment on things they really aren't educated about because it can end up having an adverse effect like whats going on now. You tried to clarify what you were saying but even with the clarification you were still pushing the narrative that the drugs are over prescribed, but think about what you are actually basing that assertion on. Hold tiger accountable for driving while under the influence but when you start squeezing the agenda of "drugs are overprescribed" in there you are taking it in a different direction thats having a very real and adverse effect on parts of the population that are now suffering.
Bruce Springsteen
Member
It's amazing the hate Tiger Woods gets, people really act like he's the devil
Fast Forward
Member
Hopefully this is the bottom, and he goes up from here.
ElectricBlanketFire
Member
I was prescribed vicodin after years and years of trying long-term pain management prescriptions.
It's WAY too easy to get it as frequently as I did. I actually stopped using it out of fear of becoming addicted.
Big Baybee
Member
Depends on what he was taking and how much he knew about the consequences or possible reactions. If you are saying that because he cheated on his wife, well, whatever. They both settled and moved on.
Bruce Springsteen
Member
What did he do that effected you so deeply and hurt you?
Well good for you, honestly. If you are able to go about life without thats good.
I take care of my mom with advanced arthritis, both knees replaced and both shoulders operated on. None of her doctors will prescribe her even a lortab for a year now. She is currently in bed and hasn't been able to get out of bed for several days now just crying because of her pain. The only thing that ever helped her was a lortab, she didn't even take oxy, just a fucking lortab that no one will prescribe to her now. Does she deserve to suffer because others aren't responsible?
Ray Wonder
Founder of the Wounded Tagless Children
Calling something a defense force should be bannable lol
Stop.
He irresponsibly got behind the wheel after taking opiods. He shouldn't be behind the wheel of a car, period. He could have got someone killed.
Not to say that we shouldn't have sympathy for someone who is in chronic pain who mistakenly took too much, but this isn't his first rodeo. He probably knows what he can handle and what he can't, but he chose to drive anyway. He should have known better.
I agree, the way that pain management is handled in this country right now is a disgrace. Yes, there is an opiod/heroine epidemic that shouldn't be ignored, but there needs to be a line here. Someone who has been stable under a certain treatment regimen shouldn't have that yanked away from them because of crackdowns on these medications. I'm sorry your mom is going through this, chronic pain sucks and sometimes these medications are the only way to manage it.
ElectricBlanketFire
Member
He didn't walk to his car he parked there ahead of time. He drove it while under the influence of prescription drugs.
Nothing about the story was misreported. People assumed it involved alcohol because that's typically what a DUI is, the time of arrest, and the mugshot.
Ray Wonder
Founder of the Wounded Tagless Children
He could've realized "Oh shit, something's reacting funny I better pull off the road before I hurt someone"
old manatee
Banned
Ray Wonder
Founder of the Wounded Tagless Children
Why not?
It's been confirmed they were opioids?
Netherscourge
Banned
ESPN covering for Woods with the photoshopped mugshot. Kind of great.
That was a quick hair cut.
old manatee
Banned
If he actually had a mix up with his medication he probably didn't even know what was going on until he was totally fucked up, at which point it's sort of silly to act like he should have been thinking rationally.
ESPN covering for Woods with the photoshopped mugshot. Kind of great.
Incredible. God I wish I was rich and famous.
DirtyLarry
Member
Honestly it is probably just a lazy graphic designer and/or they have an older version of Photoshop that does not have the good extraction tools. Selecting all those stray hairs would have been time consuming. Someone probably made the call to just forget them as it was a pain and it does make him look better, no doubt.ESPN covering for Woods with the photoshopped mugshot. Kind of great.
Ray Wonder
Founder of the Wounded Tagless Children
This seems like a guess, just like my guess.
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