Ryan Dunn, learn a lesson

[devilsadvocate]

Those of us that have lost loved ones because of drunk drivers will understand this.


I am genuinely sad about any death. My thoughts go with the family and friends of Ryan Dunn and Zachary Hartwell, the passenger in the car.


The incident is a stark reminder of the consequences of DUI and/or speeding. The latest police reports are that Dunn was 2x over the limit and driving in excess of 130mph. While the deaths of these two young men is tragic, this was not an accident. It was the result of irresponsibility and stupidity. Instead of being stunned by the death of someone famous, how about we take solace in the fact that he didn't kill any innocent drivers.

I never met Mr. Dunn. I'm sure he was a nice person.

I never met Zachary Hartwell. I don't know how or if he was complicit in the incident.

[Skiz]

His BAL was only 0.196. Not very intoxicated at all. And given the lifestyle he lived, I'd question whether the alcohol was much of a factor.

[Hologram]

His BAL was only 0.196. Not very intoxicated at all. And given the lifestyle he lived, I'd question whether the alcohol was much of a factor.

Dunn was always a bad driver, in the first jackass movie Bam bashed him about that fact.

[megabyteme]

There haven't been many details released, but I am strongly resisting the urge to condemn the actions of someone drinking and driving 135 MPH. If he was intentionally driving that fast (assuming there was the VERY unlikely chance of "sudden acceleration), he was risking the lives of innocent people on the road, not to mention his passenger.

I was recently passed on the freeway by a guy driving 90-ish on 3 wheels, in moderate 6 pm traffic, while intentionally hitting the concrete barrier separating oncoming traffic from his (left shoulder "lane"). It truly disturbed me that he could have injured/killed several people with his little stunt. I could have been one of them.

I am sorry to hear of anyone's death. However, I STRONGLY prefer to read that the driver (again assuming intent) die than random, innocent people who get caught in their path.

On another note, I was the passenger (as a child) of someone who drove drunk many, many times. Some of those were high-speed, aggressive, motivated by alcohol/cocaine/pot, and anger. It is among a handful of things I find VERY hard to forgive.

[devilsadvocate]

His BAL was only 0.196. Not very intoxicated at all. And given the lifestyle he lived, I'd question whether the alcohol was much of a factor.

Is that some tested medical theory or just something you and your drinking buddies came up with in the bar?

I will state that at 130+ mph it's very possible that even with a zero alcohol reading his reaction time probably wouldn't have been fast enough to recover the vehicle from whatever caused it to leave the road, but to suggest that because of his lifestyle he was unaffected or hardly affected by the amount he drank is medically unsound.

[mjmacky]

His BAL was only 0.196. Not very intoxicated at all. And given the lifestyle he lived, I'd question whether the alcohol was much of a factor.

Is that some tested medical theory or just something you and your drinking buddies came up with in the bar?

I will state that at 130+ mph it's very possible that even with a zero alcohol reading his reaction time probably wouldn't have been fast enough to recover the vehicle from whatever caused it to leave the road, but to suggest that because of his lifestyle he was unaffected or hardly affected by the amount he drank is medically unsound.

Maybe I could jump in on this to present the argument of lifestyle... but I don't know who Ryan Dunn is or why some know his lifestyle.

[tucan]

R.I.P Random Hero CKY FTW

[mjmacky]

Oh OK, he was one of the Jackass guys. Hologram's post would have revealed that to me that if I paid attention. So is it assumed he lived a reckless lifestyle because he was a Jackass star?

[Hologram]

Oh OK, he was one of the Jackass guys. Hologram's post would have revealed that to me that if I paid attention. So is it assumed he lived a reckless lifestyle because he was a Jackass star?

He lived like that long before his stardom.

[kallieb]

Having watched the Jackass movies, Ryan Dunn clearly was a guy who pressed limits that most of us wouldn't go near. I would go so far to suggest that his idea of 'normal' risk-taking was at the far end of the bell-curve. Considering his personality combined with a machine that gives more speed/power than some of us know what to do with - it was a crash & burn waiting to happen; and I really don't know what role alcohol played in this. At some point - sober or not - your choices can put you in a red zone.

It's not the first nor the last time someone with a high octane personality flies to close to the flame.

[clocker]

It's not the first nor the last time someone with a high octane personality flies to close to the flame.
Having been involved with professional motorcycle racing for several years, I've known several "high octane personalities".
Driving drunk at 100mph+ is NOT an expression of such a personality, it's the act of a recklessly irresponsible asshole.

[kallieb]

Ryan whatshisface was most definitely a reckless asshole - but it can't be denied this guy was into adrenaline rushes. He pushed the envelope of risk in a way most of us wouldn't, and that (in part) distinguishes this particular personality type (high octane) from someone who is the opposite: a Laissez-faire lounge about. What he clearly didn't have, and what's necessary to anyone who does have a higher threshold of risk-taking, is the internal kill/stop switch that recognises where the do-not-cross line is, as well as having the the sufficient knowledge and skill on how exactly you bail out when you get to that point.

Was he too drunk and/or too arrogant/self-confident? Can't answer that. I do that know that someone who buzzes out on adrenaline and the rush of risk needs more than just a steel set of cojonnes to survive at the end of the day. Lady luck only goes so far.