Alcoholic pilots
A friend wrote to me regarding the pilots on trial for blowing a .08 per cent when ready to take off:
“It is funny… the pilots are arguing that just because they blow a high bac, they were not impaired…. how is that for alcoholic thinking…. sure they can hold their booze….. but…. a funny argument… “as an alcoholic, it takes much more alcohol to impair me than the average drinker….” ”
My response:
The trouble with the idea of “impairment” is that often the alcoholic functions quite well while under the influence. In fact, I’ve known of alcoholic golfers whose playing is much better while under the influence than when not. In particular, if something is learned while under the influence, there is a sort of “memory” that makes the addict operate better in that mode.
The problem in many cases, then, is not really impairment. It is something else that seems entirely ignored: recklessness. This is what needs their attention: the Henri Paul’s of the world, who are quite competent–until the reckless behavior does them in.