That's a great idea in theory, Follies, but I always shudder when I think of machines controlling the actions of humans. What if a woman is racing out of a dangerous situation toward her car with her life in peril. She needs immediate access to escape an attacking rapist only 10 seconds behind her and closing! She grabs her keys and fumbles and the car responds, "I'm sorry, but your last action seemed uncoordinated. Have you been drinking? The government has determined that drunk driving is dangerous and has designated it as illegal activity. If you have not been drinking or using drugs, please try again in 10 seconds. Otherwise, please seek a designated driver or call a friend for a ride home. Thank you, Maria."
There are a million other "what ifs", too.
The bottom line is that those who are drunk and/or high have their mental faculties impaired. They are out of control. Unless they are isolated when drunk or stoned, they are going to interact with others and their actions are unpredictable.
Someone who is not in control of what he/she is doing poses a threat to others. There is no escaping that fact. Whether he is driving, bumbling down the street, aggressively wielding a weapon, or wandering through a supermarket knocking over things, he poses a grave threat to the life and limb of others.
Yes, if someone wants to drink and take drugs, let them, but protect the rest of us by ensuring that they are strictly confined to an environment where they cannot interact with or hurt others. |
