Nothing to do with intoxication of any kind, just Ebbie's close and good observation of a natural phenomenon that is due to characteristics of our visual system.
I'm rather sure that Goethe has already described something similar.

Why on the white car only?

The effect was also everywhere else but was "drowned out" by other colours. On the colourless white background, however, it became visible.

Contrast effect (simultaneous and successive) are also best seen on a plain white background.

Wolfgang