I'm Bob and still an alcoholic. A retired 73 year old engineer, I prefer to speak when there is new technology or techniques to share. In 2019 at age 69, I bought a Tesla and paid extra fro Autopilot. I knew that as I grew older eyesight, hearing, and reaction times would weaken and I wanted computer assistance to extend my driving. Happily, Autopilot paid for itself two months later. My wife and I left for a weekend visit but I forgot to pack my CPAP machine. I have sleep apnea and the CPAP machine ensures I get a good nights sleep, But the 3 day trip accidentally became 14 days, beyond CPAP skip window, Driving home into the morning sun, I had 5 micro-sleep events of 15-20 seconds that Autopilot kept the car in the lane and not running off the road into the ditch or a power pole. Dynamic cruise control also kept the car at the set speed adjusting to any traffic getting too close. My narcoleptic wife told me about the first two and then I recognized the symptoms of the next three. But Autopilot is not Robotaxi. Autopilot expects the driver to pay attention. If you ignore it for a minute or so, it will send warnings and eventually disengage, the equivalent of “Hold my beer. WATCH THIS!” Micro-sleeps are brief but intoxication lasts longer. Two years later, my wife of 43 years passed away. So I often added an extra shot or on a hot day, a frozen margarita. Not an excuse, just what happened, Combined with undiagnosed, 'pink eye' led to a traffic stop and blowing a 0.10 where the legal limit is 0.08. That led to one of two DUIs and under probation, alcohol treatments. Of the different probation directed classes and programs, Alcoholics Anonymous is the only program, a fellowship, I continue with after my DUI charges were dismissed. This posting is one of the AA steps. Bob Wilson
Brave of you to post this here. I lost a wife of 33 years back in 2008. And I have had bouts of sleep apnea as well. I have been a non heavy but regular alcohol consumer most of my life. I would tend to experience what I call "usage creep" and cut myself off for a week or two periodically to break the pattern. A few years ago I took in a sibling who could no longer look after himself with a severe alcohol problem. It became necessary for quite awhile for the house to go completely dry which was some adjustment. My sleep apnea and with the curtailment of home consumption has been greatly decreased. I used to drive some pretty long distances in my work and road hypnosis would sometimes present itself both in the forms of "nodding off" micro sleeps and lucid dreaming like that deer that jumped out of the ditch, ran beside my car and then melted! (No drugs or alcohol involved. honest!). As intrusive as it might feel a car that "watches" you while driving is probably a good thing. I have since read up on how alcohol compromises the quality of one's sleep. I wake up far more refreshed when I've had no alcohol in the evening. I've often wondered if auto-pilot could safely assist one who has over indulged but wouldn't want to put it to the test. Different things can become part of one's ritual to get to sleep and if a bedtime shot has become a habit it's really hard to break but worth it. With a good night's sleep we're both less of a danger behind the wheel. All the best. be strong.
