Driving & Texting

[bigmack]

30 States & DC have banned texting while driving. Result: Increase in accidents.

Why: People are still texting. They're holding it down in their lap so they don't get a ticket, taking their eyes off the road even further.

All God's critters gotta text.
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u70/macktime/9_28_10_07_58_45.png

[DJofSD]

Cell phone use while driving and especially texting while driving are real hot button issues for me. Having almost been in two accidents a few years back b/c *ssholes talking on a cell phone and not paying attention gets me mad as hell. One guy ran a red light and the other ran a stop sign. Both time I had the presence of mind to realize these jerks were not going to stop.

[boxcar]

Cell phone use while driving and especially texting while driving are real hot button issues for me. Having almost been in two accidents a few years back b/c *ssholes talking on a cell phone and not paying attention gets me mad as hell. One guy ran a red light and the other ran a stop sign. Both time I had the presence of mind to realize these jerks were not going to stop.

Good defensive driving! But even so, it's a bear when you have to drive for yourself and everyone else on the road.

Boxcar

[chickenhead]

in my typical atypical line of thinking -- I've always wondered why traffic penalties vary so much depending on the outcome, rather than the offense.

If someone is texting and runs a red light and a cop sees them, they get pulled over and get a small ticket.

If someone is texting and runs a red light and plows through a group of school children crossing the road, they get aggravated manslaughter or whatnot, and go away for a long time.

I know no one would stand for it -- but the offense is exactly the same in both cases. Why isn't the punishment.

[Canarsie]

I can talk into my Droid and it types the text automatically.

Problem solved.


But in all seriousness I have been guilty of it it and it has the potential to cause a lifetime of horrors for innocent people.

[boxcar]

in my typical atypical line of thinking -- I've always wondered why traffic penalties vary so much depending on the outcome, rather than the offense.

If someone is texting and runs a red light and a cop sees them, they get pulled over and get a small ticket.

If someone is texting and runs a red light and plows through a group of school children crossing the road, they get aggravated manslaughter or whatnot, and go away for a long time.

I know no one would stand for it -- but the offense is exactly the same in both cases. Why isn't the punishment.

Good question! Probably because under the influence of some convoluted logic, society has determined that the consequences of an offense should be taken into consideration.

Boxcar

[bigmack]

I know no one would stand for it -- but the offense is exactly the same in both cases. Why isn't the punishment.
I like 'out of the box' thinking, I really do, but your box is on Pluto on this one.

The offense is the same but there is an additional offense, vehicular manslaughter. If someone is facing VM they'll normally drop the texting while driving beef.

[Tom]

This might curb it a bit - make it the law that if your are in an accident while texting, using a cell phone, applying make up, whatever - your insurance does not cover you. YOU are on the hook for whatever damage you caused.

[mostpost]

This might curb it a bit - make it the law that if your are in an accident while texting, using a cell phone, applying make up, whatever - your insurance does not cover you. YOU are on the hook for whatever damage you caused.
Mind your own business. I'll apply make up wherever I want. :mad: :mad:

[jballscalls]

i was one of the first people in the state to get a "talking while driving" ticket here in Oregon. got it 6 hours after the ban went into effect :)

since then i've been far more aware of others talking and texting, and i swear I see way more of it going on now than before, and like Bigmack said, people are trying to be coy about it and making it more dangerous.

[Mike at A+]

Here's my two cents on this. A law should be passed that automatically places the guilt on any driver who was using a cell phone and was involved in an accident. Huge financial awards should be automatically granted to the other driver. This would allow people to drive around looking for someone driving and yapping on a cell phone and deliberately plow the crap out of them which would result in a monetary reward.

[Rookies]

Here's my two cents on this. A law should be passed that automatically places the guilt on any driver who was using a cell phone and was involved in an accident. Huge financial awards should be automatically granted to the other driver. This would allow people to drive around looking for someone driving and yapping on a cell phone and deliberately plow the crap out of them which would result in a monetary reward.

Uhhh... trifle extreme.

However, when two of these asswipes went through stop signs in front of me, narrowly missing getting T-Boned... I chased them down, got their attention by punching their windows and unleashed a tirade which ended with:

" GET OFF THE ****ING CELLPHONE, NOW JACKASS! ":mad:

( I felt I was being very calm and reasoned... );)

[Jay Trotter]

That was you!!!!! Small world! :eek:
Uhhh... trifle extreme.

However, when two of these asswipes went through stop signs in front of me, narrowly missing getting T-Boned... I chased them down, got their attention by punching their windows and unleashed a tirade which ended with:

" GET OFF THE ****ING CELLPHONE, NOW JACKASS! ":mad:

( I felt I was being very calm and reasoned... );)

[Rookies]

That was you!!!!! Small world! :eek:

Now Jay, SOUTH of the Mason-Dixon... errr the Cdn. U.S. Border... I do think about how many loons are packin' in the car. I try and reign in my Irish temper in those circumstances.:rolleyes:

[JustRalph]

eating and driving causes many more accidents.

My Droid texts for me via voice commands thru my car stereo....works well

They just passed a law requiring hands free use of a cell phone here in MD.

It is a secondary offense. You have to be pulled over for something else before they can write you for not having a hands free device. No teeth in the law at all.........

[bigmack]

eating and driving causes many more accidents.
I did not know that. Fits in nicely with PA's jag about cigarettes/cancer. Ban eating while driving. Never!

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u70/macktime/9_28_10_19_25_51.png
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/07/19/2009-07-19_eatdrive_sure_recipe_for_a_crash.html

[mostpost]

I did not know that. Fits in nicely with PA's jag about cigarettes/cancer. Ban eating while driving. Never!

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u70/macktime/9_28_10_19_25_51.png
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/07/19/2009-07-19_eatdrive_sure_recipe_for_a_crash.html

A new study shows a staggering 80% of all car accidents and 65% of near misses are caused by distracted drivers more focused on their burgers than the road.

In a separate study of 1,000 drivers, ExxonMobil Corp. discovered more than 70% of drivers eat while driving - and 83% drink beverages.

80% of accidents are caused by people eating and drinking.
83% of drivers are eating or drinking.

Does anyone else feel that this is the same as saying 100% of all auto accidents are caused by people driving cars.

Suppose we were able to ban and completely enforce a ban on cell phone use, texting, eating and drinking while driving. Would accidents suddenly drop precipitously? I very much doubt it. The idiots would find something else to distract them. :rolleyes:

[chickenhead]

80% of accidents are caused by people eating and drinking.
83% of drivers are eating or drinking.

Does anyone else feel that this is the same as saying 100% of all auto accidents are caused by people driving cars.

Not exactly....83% of the people aren't eating 100% of the time they're driving. 83% of the people are eating 1% of the time they are driving, and cause 80% of the accidents during that 1% of the time. I believe playing the tuba while driving would cause an accident nearly 100% of the time...thankfully its just very, very, very rare.

Impact values...

[JustRalph]

I did not know that.

Come on Mack, I got me some of them thar Certificates from the Danged Ole Ohio State Highway Patrol Academy! Dont'cha know ?

The Flying Donut Academy!
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6q-f-zD4xPY/Sd8K0KgPCVI/AAAAAAAANKA/Keaxb6GhiH4/s1600/OhioStateHighwayPatrol.jpg

[mostpost]

Not exactly....83% of the people aren't eating 100% of the time they're driving. 83% of the people are eating 1% of the time they are driving, and cause 80% of the accidents during that 1% of the time. I believe playing the tuba while driving would cause an accident nearly 100% of the time...thankfully its just very, very, very rare.

Impact values...
You can have my tuba when you pry it out of my cold dead hands. :mad:

[bigmack]

Come on Mack, I got me some of them thar Certificates from the Danged Ole Ohio State Highway Patrol Academy! Dont'cha know ?
I've heard about you Donutologists.

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u70/macktime/1.jpg

Current state by state laws for cellphone/texting
http://www.ghsa.org/html/stateinfo/laws/cellphone_laws.html

[Valuist]

I have heard that texting and driving is 5 times more dangerous than drunk driving. Not really surprised about that.

I'm getting paranoid when I ride my motorcycle. If some idiot is texting and rear ends my car, I may get whiplash and car damage, but likely will still be alive. If that idiot rear ends my motorcycle, there will be zero chance of survival.

[PaceAdvantage]

I did not know that. Fits in nicely with PA's jag about cigarettes/cancer. Ban eating while driving. Never!How about smoking while driving? :lol:

[JustRalph]

How about smoking while driving? :lol:

Actually I received some info on that in my days of traffic investigation school. Remember, this is 15 yrs ago, so I don't know how up to date the data is now, but Smoking while driving was up on the list back in the day. The problem was smoking while driving led to one handed driving. Which in itself can be a problem for many. The loss in control when the one hand is on the wheel was much more common for smokers. They just plain didn't want to let go of the ciggy, no matter what.

Another kind of odd one that I remember being on the list was, pets riding on the owners lap. It was not even close to the eating problem (which ballooned in the 70's when drive through Windows became popular) but was on the list of accident causes. Fido on your lap tended to cause ACD accidents if my memory serves me.

ACD= Assured Clear Distance Ahead. i.e. Rear enders............

[DJofSD]

More grist for the mill: http://www.sixwise.com/newsletters/05/07/20/the-6-most-common-causes-of-automobile-crashes.htm