efergie72

My Feedback: (1)

I live in the middle of BFE, and the nearest pilots in my area are a least an hour drive away. So when I got a call from an aquaintence telling me that her boyfried and his buddy had both just went out and purchased two trainers I was psyched! A couple of missed opportunities later I finally got over to the boyfriends house to check out the equiptment and give the advice they needed and arrange for some future flight time. I was a little unexpect in my arrival and when I was invited into the living room I could have gotten a contact high from the smoke in there. I stayed long enough to check some things out on the plane, (balance, linkages, set, etc...) and then politely excused myself. Luckly the weather had not been the greatest that day so there was no chance that I could have taken him or his buddy up for some instruction.


Now I have very personal reasons for not liking drugs of anykind, from nicotine to alcohol to pot to meth and whatever you might need to alter your universe. I generally don't have any beef with people who use, I just dont' want to be associated with them or the drug. Granted alcohol is legal and I dont shy away from people who drink.


Now If some one showed up for instruction and they have been drinking of course I am going to tell them hell no, and come back when you are NOT drinking. No way am I going to hand the controls to a 30-60mph weed wacker to some one who has been drinking. But i know people who have been smoking pot there whole lives and function quite well high. But there is still no way I want to let them fly a plane under my supervision. Of course what they do on their own time I can't control.


So here is my question, do I just say some thing to this guy about it, or wait until there is a reason to say something (eg. he's baked at the flight line). What do I do if I am not sure. Has anyone ran into this sort of problem before and what did you do about it? These guys seem to be pretty decent, although when I enquired around town the consensus was that he's been pretty well fried most of his life.

FLYBOY

My Feedback: (11)

Well, no reason not to help him when he is straight, but if he shows up glassy eyed and buzzed, I would explain to him the dangers and why I wouldn't be around him. If he can't handle that, help with it is a phone call away.

I don't have any room for people on drugs either. If they want to throw attitude around or at me, they can do it from the back seat of the patrol car hauling them off. I don't have time for that crap. Life is too short and too good to waste time with drugs or the people that feel they can't get along without them.

swooper

You sound uncompromising enough that you should find other people to fly with. Keep looking, you'll find some fellows on your wavelength.

BasinBum

My Feedback: (2)

You obviously want to fly with him otherwise you wouldn't have posted your question. I'd let him know that you're not that comfortable being around when he's smoking and you'd rather keep that seperate from the hobby. If he respects that fine if not than you have your answer also. Just don't drop by unexpectedly in the future.

As for posting and smoking...I thing quite a few people on RCU must do it. How else do you explain some peoples posts?

H. Wayne S

My Feedback: (18)

A new pilot is dangerous enough without being impaired by drugs of any sort, and one does not need to operate heavy equipment while using them. Any of them.

I firmly believe in "what one does in there own house is there business and no ones elses'," but, once they step out the door, there actions directly effect the lives of each and every person they come into contact with, and if there operating a motor vehicle, there actions effect any and every one on the same road there on or in the same area they are in.
A R/C Aircraft is a motorized vehicle.(well it is, sorta, some of mine could transport a small child) It is a dangerous projectile that must be controlled. One cannot be in control while under the "influence" of dope/drugs.

If you suspect them of being under the influence, well:
#1- call the cops to prevent them from getting back on the road with you and your family.
#2- when he gets out, explain the rules of operating a motorized vehicle.
#3- NO DRUGS allowed on the field, that includes alcohol.

DBCherry

My Feedback: (4)

I agree generally with not flying when under the influence of "pot" or any other drug, but WILL say one thing about it.... I know a couple of people with ADD who function better when they've been smoking the stuff.

ADD interferes with one's ability to concentrate, which is obviously a requirement for flying well, and their view is that pot "slows down" the thoughts racing through their head and allows them to focus better.

Maybe it's bunk, but I know these people and they aren't "kids" or what you'd think of as "potheads", but are otherwise pretty upstanding people. (And no, I don't ever use the stuff.)

Doesn't sound like your situation though.
Dennis-

ZAGNUT

My Feedback: (1)

yes but it's still 100 more destructive than pot. a drunk can't drive safely, a pothead can without problem. if everybody had a joint before driving the roads would be much safer, calmer and friendlier.

but even though i don't see anything wrong with it i still don't like heavy users. they all seem to be about as competent as the "dude" character from "the big lebowski".


dave

SDR-Hammer

I’m placing my money that this issue will take care of itself before long.

After a few bong hits he will get the notion that flying an R/C plane isn’t all that hard.


(Edit for spelling)

Sport_Pilot

Just tell him that week hackers must fly weed wackers, and you don't fly them!

scottrc

I'd introduce him to the rest of the club members. Everybody says "hi, may names "________" and I am a "state occupation".

See his reaction when the Fred, the police officer, intorduces himself.

I had a buddy that smoked the green stuff, and we used to do a lot of hiking. One day we come across two sweet looking lady hikers, so we sit down and have lunch together and they ask us what we did for a living, we tell them and they both reply that they work for the state narcotics division and they were out looking for weed stashes.

Within seconds, we notice nothing from "Bob" and when I looked to where he was sitting, he was "poof", gone. He never went hiking again.

hookedonrc

No matter what side you come down on this issue, there is always the pragmatic side. If you fly at an AMA sanctioned field, or event, my bet would be that the insurance would be void if they had an accident. That would be my concern. If they don't fly at an AMA field, I wouldn't fly anywhere where my financial responsibilities were at risk. I work to hard for what I have just to throw it away on something like this. I had a point earlier this Summer when I had a bad reaction to a prescription that I was taking. I sat through the Memorial Day Flyin at the club I belong to so I wouldn't put myself in the position of having an accident. I just didn't want to put anyone or anything at risk.

BasinBum

My Feedback: (2)

Scott,
Read the first sentance of the guys post. THERE ARE NO OTHER CLUB MEMBERS.

Hookedonphonics,
AMA insurance void if your stoned? Are you stoned? Is the AMA giving pee tests and I missed the thread in the AMA forum? Is JR gonna show up with a cup and some litmus paper? Sheesh.

efergie72

My Feedback: (1)

thanks for the advice, I am rather bummed, I had hoped that I could find some one to hang with whose eyes wouldn't glaze over when I started talking transit speeds and torq rating on servos. My wife is way beyound that point by now. She can just look at me and tell what I am about to say, I think it is because I am starting to sweat glow fuel. She asked me the other day "So you mean you would fly EVERY DAY if you could?" I think she is starting to get it now. Its only taked six years.

And maybe the problem has solved its self. This occured over two weeks ago and I have been mulling it over since. Meanwhile I haven't heard one word from them. Although I did hear yesterday that the two of them had decided to tempt the fates and try it on there own. So now the are waiting for replacement parts to come. I suppose that if they do call for help I will tell them yes, and just see if they come sober. Hopefully they know better than to come baked.

hookedonrc

I have no doubt that if the AMA had to shell out dollars on an insurance claim that something like this might be investigated. Now whether the guy got caught that's another matter, but I would believe that they would be prudent with their funds and at least consider outside factors. On the other hand, do I detect some defensiveness in your comments? Don't misunderstand me, I am a product of the 60's (53 now) and I am not trying to take the high ground here. (pun intended) Personal attacks notwithstanding.

BasinBum

My Feedback: (2)

Hooked,(kinda ironic name for this discussion)
Don't take my jokes as a personal attack, when I attack you you'll know it for sure.

Defensiveness? That's pretty funny. Years ago maybe but not now. I just think the notion of testing for model airplane accidents is a hoot. Let's think about it though. If police showed up at an accident scene and detected something would they even have the right to demand a breath test if the person wasn't driving an automobile? Maybe public intoxication is probable cause in some states, I don't know. Steve C. will probably weigh in on this one. Would the AMA's insurance carrier (let's remember the AMA doesn't pay out the claims) cross referernce police reports will claims? I don't think that has been happening in the past.

Overall, I don't think there is a big problem with people being intoxicated and flying model planes, the two hobbies seem mutually exclusive. Sure I've smelled it at the field but it isn't very often. I don't think there much worry with the insurance carrier to motivate this kind of after the fact investigation. By the time they get involved there is no way to test and unless it was done at the time of the incident it's a moot point.

Mike in DC

One of the problems with insurance is that in the long run, it's not particularly in the financial interest of an insurance company not to pay claims. It's not like it's their money, it's just your money that they hold for you. If rates go up, guess what? They make more money, since they essentially aim for a percent. If an insurance company gets the reputation about being hard-***** on claims, guess what? Folks go somewhere else because they don't need the hassle when they have a claim.

The AMA "insurance" is in even a tougher spot, because in a sense they are in business not to insure individual flyers, but to insure the hobby. We don't buy AMA insurance (like we have a choice) to protect ourselves (most of us have our own liability insurance). The reason AMA insurance is mandatory is to protect landowners and help clubs secure government-owned tracts to fly on. Now, suppose an AMA member gets drunk and kills some kid with a flying model (God forbid!). Is it in the AMA's interest to deny the claim because the pilot violated the safety code? I don't think so. That would give the message to every County commissioner that 1) AMA does not honor its insurance agreements, and 2) R/C flyers have a habit of getting drunk and causing damage.

hookedonrc

I should probably rephrase my comments a little. I think that it is correct that in most property claims that the Insurance Carrier would not have any problem in paying, nor would the local police even bother to check for drugs or cross referrence the two. I was mostly referring to instances were the carrier might be paying for liability in case of bodily injury or at the extreme, death. And it should be noted that in probably 99% of the cases, the presence of drugs or alcohol would never be detected. My comments would probably be "worst case scenario" and probably very rare. I just wouldn't want to be the person on the receiving end of the damage. Anyway, too deep of a subject for a clear, windless, sunny Saturday. Off to the field for the first of two days of flying. Have a nice weekend all.

jettstarblue

Duuuudes....I was gunna respond to this thread but then I forgot what I was gunna respond to man, anyhow did ya see the way the prop spins in a circle man? it's sooo coool the way it spins man...I just wonder where I left my radio man....

ZAGNUT

My Feedback: (1)

now we know what kind of grass you planted at your "field of dreams"...


dave

hookedonrc

No doubt it was seedless....lol

jettstarblue

Yeah man, and it's REALLY fun when I have to mow it........[sm=bananahead.gif][sm=spinnyeyes.gif][sm=RAINFRO.gif]
And you wonder why these smileys are here?
J/K J/K J/K J/K

BasinBum

My Feedback: (2)

Well at least it helps explain the Photoshop catastrophe you call an avitar.

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

Personally, I think that... Um...

Uh...

What were we talking about?

jettstarblue

It's not photoshop. B.B....but what IS it?
Now who can't take a joke?
Seems this whole thing has gotten waaay to serious.

BasinBum

My Feedback: (2)

Jetts,
What the F are you talking about?