Cell Phone & Driving

[xfox]

How accidents happen. Agree?

The argument for talking, dialing, whatever, behind the wheel is no brainer. Why people must be available so much of the time and attempt multi-tasking at such a risky task (behind the wheel of a car, or worse, SUV) needs an full explaination.

Disagree?

[priceyfatprude]

I hate when I get a call while driving. I try not to answer it, but will do so if I can safely.

Last summer I called 911 on it to report a horrific motorcycle accident I'd just witnessed & the rubbernecking moron in front of me wasn't paying attention to the road & stopped, causing me to tap his bumper. But he screamed at ME "GET OFF THE GODDAM PHONE". How bout you watch the fvcking road, Jackass?

[azur]

In Europe it's not allowed to talk on the phone while driving unless you have a "hands free car set".
How is it in U.S?

[Frieda]

even with a handsfree set i have trouble concentrating on the road when i'm talking to someone else. i usually don't call while driving, unless i have to call the office to tell them i'm late

and pfp, please, if you ever see an accident happen again, please stop, get out of your car, call 911 and help the victims!!

[masterofNone]

here's a question about cell phone driving that i've been wanting to ask a group of folks like yourselves. Are you any less distracted when you're having an involved conversation with a passenger? i mean, i've had some conversations on car rides that took a great deal of my concentration. if i had been in an accident then... would anyone make a big deal about talking while driving? should we ban passengers if they're too interesting?

[Frieda]

well,

i think that keeping a cell phone in your hand while driving, just as any other object (cigarette, sandwich) keeps you from having 2 hands ready to operate the car. sticking a cell phone between your ear and your shoulder makes it impossible to take a good look around.

i do get distracted when i'm in a conversation. using a handsfree set makes it better, but when discussing important things, i do lose concentration.

banning passengers is a bit over the top, if you ask me.

[masterofNone]

yeah. but i guess i'm trying to say that there are already laws on the books to punish bad drivers. distracted drivers are bad drivers regardless of whether they're distractions are a conversation or a sandwich. i don't see the need to add new laws when the old ones are sufficient. public awareness is one thing but new legislation should always be viewed with skepticism.

[Frieda]

when it comes to legislation, i think that allowing cell phone calling only with handsfree sets is ok, all the rest is the same as having passengers in your car and is not necessary to be prohibited, but can be fined if you're causing accidents or moving from the right to the left lane and back because of carelessness.

i do agree that it's a thin line.

[priceyfatprude]

Originally posted by Frieda
and pfp, please, if you ever see an accident happen again, please stop, get out of your car, call 911 and help the victims!!

The accident was on the other side of the freeway. Several cars had stopped, several people got out of their cars to help the people.

I didn't get my driver's license until about 18 months ago. I had a cousin die in a car accident when we were both 20. Me getting out of the car @ that accident would've been of no help to anyone.

There was a doctor who was several cars back, who made his way forward w/his medical bag.

I also gave a man who was walking alongside the road a ride to catch up w/his friends. (He had stopped to help w/yet another accident.)

This was when the Harley Davidson 100th Birthday Party was here. 300,000 extra bikes in our city.

This couple was on their Harley behind someone towing a boat w/a cooler in it. The cooler was not strapped down & it flew out of the boat & smacked the woman off the bike.

There were 9 other accidents that day on our freeways, 2 of them on the road I was on right before this one took place. It was the worst day I can remember in the last year.

Anyhoo, I'm not sure legislation would help--people are just going to hide the fact they're on the phone w/the hands-free headsets.

Banning interesting passengers is a new one, but I think it wouldn't help. Taste is subjective & everyone has a different idea of 'interesting' than everyone else.

[Frieda]

goodie pfp

legislation does help, especially when you're going to get fined for 138 euros (about 143 USA dollars) if you use your cell phone while driving.. that's a farking lot of money, but it does work here!

[madasacutsnake]

My 2 cents worth. It's illegal here (Australia) too ($1000 fine). Hands free is OK. The difference between talking on the phone and talking to a passenger is that the passenger is aware of the road conditions and will usually SU if something dodgy is happening (unless they are my MIL and nothing stops her mouth).

[AllegroNg]

To me, dialing or trying to find a ringing phone deep in the depths of a purse are far more distracting than any convo.

And then there're the CD's..

It woudl be rather funny if we banned interesting people from the passanger seat. No. You must be boring to ride. Piss off.

[Aphrodite]

It ends up going so far to the extreme. Think about all the in vehicle distractions we allow, (or can't disallow).

No:
SMOKING- requires finding pack, opening, pulling out one single smoke, getting lighter and lighting.
EATING- requires some manipulation to eat
DRINKING - same
MUSIC- changing cd's, tapes, stations Note Volume must be controlled to hear sirens or other vehicle's horns squeeling brakes etc..

I don't like having my rights limited.
I believe in the handsfree cell phone rule.
I don't like it when some idiots don't realize that they can't drive and do other things. (Hair, make-up, shave, read, discipline children) It is due to these people that we have to make new rules.

Legal distractions prevent the use of only one hand on the steering wheel.

[AllegroNg]

shave?!?!?!?

god damn, people! just get up 5 minutes earlier!

[Frieda]

Originally posted by AllegroNg
shave?!?!?!?

god damn, people! just get up 5 minutes earlier!

yeah people do that. they brush their teeth in their car too.