Diabetes Education

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donw Posted: Thu, Dec 11 2008 10:22 AM

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I just saw on the news that the Oklahoma Police tasered a driver that came to a sliding stop after driving erractically.  When he didn't follow the officers instructions to get out of the truck they pulled him out.  They used the taser because he exhibited symptoms of either alchohol or narcotic use...he was in diabetic shock.   Amazing! 

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nomorecarbs replied on Thu, Dec 11 2008 11:48 PM

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I'm not sure how amazing it is.  Police officers are very vulnerable during such stops, they have a split second to make a decision.  We have the advantage of hindsight to know that the driver was diabetic.

I think as diabetics, we have an obligation to be responsible for our driving conduct and not risk innocent lives or create potential situations as this one.  If a diabetic is prone to hypoglycemic episodes, they should test themselves before putting the car into gear.  I don't see any difference between this and DUI.  Drunk drivers don't have criminal intent either, but the law says they are criminally negligent when they allow themselves to become too impaired to safely operate a vehicle.  To me, it's fair to apply the same standard to diabetics

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DavidGeorge replied on Fri, Dec 12 2008 6:28 AM

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I'm not sure that it was appropriate for them to have tasered the driver "because he exhibited symptoms of either alcohol or narcotic use" but, since I wasn't there and am only hearing reports about it, I'll avoid being judgmental.

There have been entirely too many incidents lately of people being injured or killed by tasers...

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DavidGeorge replied on Fri, Dec 12 2008 7:19 AM

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Having given this a little more thought I think it's important for us to avoid taking an overly simplistic approach to the problem of diabetically impaired driving.

Now that we're well into the 21st century we should ask why it's necessary for us to drive at all.  Entirely too many of us have to live in places where there's no good public transportation and where there are no safe sidewalks.  Aren't our towns and cities discriminating against the handicapped by making us drive to get from point A to point B?  How are public transportation and public sidewalks different from handicapped ramps leading into  public buildings?  We're functioning members of society.  Why do we have to drive to work in order to contribute to the health of the economy and to the general welfare?

I'm an extremely careful driver with an almost perfect driving record but I know very well that I have driven when my blood sugar has been both too high and too low for safety.  I test before driving and test at two hour intervals when I'm driving on a trip, but that hasn't spared me from the problem.  We need a better solution than driving.  That goes for functional alcoholics too.

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Simi_Papa replied on Fri, Dec 12 2008 2:47 PM

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Good luck with that David!!  Unlike Europe where cities and their populations are close together, most large cities in the US cover many sq. miles.  Those that don't, i.e. New York for one, do usually have good public transportation systems.  Too many of us in the US live in the suburbs and have to commute to work, etc. and there are few areas that have good public transportation for that type of transit.  Getting governments to spend money in this area is nearly impossible given all the other priorities they have.  The other good thing about Europe is the train systems, which are always ontime and clean, something we don't see in this country.

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Spirit replied on Fri, Dec 12 2008 9:43 PM

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DavidGeorge:  Personally, as a confirmed walker, I would love to be able to walk to work or to the library or to shop and leave a car and all its pollutants behind.   When I lived in urban New jersey I did just that.  Now I live in rural Maine. Not so easy. My town is filled with houses and farms and lovely woods and fields.  You can find horses and alpacas here, but not a single grocery store or library or retail store.  But I do think that as diabetics we have an obligation to ourselves and the people we share the road with to be healthy, alert drivers.  The symptoms of lows can easily mimic the symptoms of impairment by alcohol or drugs and the police can't tell the difference at first glance, especially if belligerance is part of the presenting picture (and sometimes it is with diabetic lows).  Wearing a medical bracelet should help with the long term solution, but if the person is too hostile or confused for officers to check wrist ID's then incidents like this are likely to happen. Sad, but true.

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lebrecht replied on Mon, Dec 15 2008 11:47 AM

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A good reason to always wear a bracelet or some identification on you that you are a DIABETIC...

Anne