Texting and Driving do not mix

[rkelm]

They can stop it today - insurance companies could refuse to pay the comprehensive insurance for the one that caused the wreck - a couple of times they have to foot the bill for a new vehichle while paying on the previous loan they will stop, they would still have to pay the liability to the ones they hit. Also, they have the technology to stop texting - if a phone moves farther than 100 yrds it shuts off.

 

[mfrade]

Here's another perspective. Just 2 weeks ago the wife and I visited Mount Rushmore. It was a very quiet and somber atmosphere and everyone was talking in hushed voices and we were taking in the moment...

From behind us a young girl says (none to quietly) "This place sucks! there's no service here!"

Chris and I just looked at each other shaking our heads. What can you say?!?!? The little spoiled brat couldn't text or talk for 15 - 20 minutes..

Personally, I think they should be taxed into extinction! Good riddance!

 

[cmcleod]

Personally, I dont know why any state would allow texting and driving. I think most states have enacted some laws regarding that. I dont even drive and talk. It takes away ones focus, which should be on the road, not talking on the phone. Even the hands free sets are as bad. You are still focusing on your converstation, NOT driving. Even radios', cd's in the car are distracting.

Seeing anyone in a store with a phone to their head drives me nuts. I dont want to hear their converstaions. There have been a few times in store does come in handy, when Marlin is doing shopping for me, he will call and I will help him with shopping via phone, but he keeps his voice very soft so not to bother other shoppers. I dont normally take my phone with me, unless alone, incase I have a car problem, but most often when I do I have the ringer off.

Mike that is so sad anyone can't do " without" when out and about, what ever one is doing. I am so tired of seeing idiots with the phone glued to their ear. It really irks the heck out of me. What is so confounded important it can't wait till they get back home, or somewhere where the population at large doesnt have to tolerate listening to one sided conversations? the age of technology isn't so great, when kids can't function without a cell phone, pad, Ipod, I what ever. I enjoy the comp and my phone, but in moderation and for the purpose intended. These phones that have such a huge expanse of apps and such are keeping people from connecting with other human beings, yet they think if they are on their Smartphone, whatever they are connected and as I see it, they are all so disconnected..from the sheer pleasures and mysteries of life as it all passed them by when they are consumed with being ' connected'..plugged in.

Cath

 

[rchristensen]

Arizona allows texting and driving, but then we encourage you to bring your guns to your favorite bar. Well what can you say about a state that passes a law that that any gun confiscated or purchased by a gun buy back program cannot be destroyed, it must be returned to service.

 

[wshytle]

I have always been against cell phones period. The technology wasn't there when they were introduced thus dropped calls, etc. Texting involves more than necessary when one is driving and simply doesn't make sense. Another thing about the cell phone is people have lost respect for one another. I have friends come over for my help on something then their phone rings. I have dropped what I was doing in order to help and wind up waiting for them to complete their phone call. They don't say "excuse me" or anything either; they just think it's such a way of life that all understand. I've since learned to just go back to what I was doing and ignore them while they do their phone business. I have a cell phone but rarely use it. I have it for roadside emergencies and the such. I pay by the month with no contract and there have been several months with zero minutes used. Having one for emergencies is about the only good reason I can think of for having one anyway. Parents don't have to know what their children are doing every minute of the day. I can't stand the wives that have to call their husbands every ten minutes and ask "what's ya doin?". That has happened a lot with my married buddies.

It's just one of lifes most aggravating things to date and the sad thing is it isn't ever going away.

If the truth be known about traffic accidents today I believe the cell phone is involved in the greater percentage of all accidents. It's just one of those things we don't/won't hear about.

 

[rkelm]

One of my favorite commercials is where they are on the beach and the phone is ringing on a table and the next thing you know is it is skipping across the water like a stone. Also where the Duck Commander takes the cell phone from one of his grandkids and throws it out in the woods before they clean up an area for family football. Gotta love it. I also have one for emergencies as my farm is at a dead end road and no one is around when I go there.

 

[tcbusch]

Banning texting and driving is a silly exercise.

They need to write tickets for erratic driving or distracted driving and leave it at that.

Why?

The end result is you are distracted not that you are texting or whatever. So lets say they ban texting. But now you use your phone to send receive emails.

So,

Ban texting then they read emails.
Ban emails then they read the news.
Ban reading the news then they talk with their phone wedged between their shoulder and ear so they cannot move their neck.
Ban everything but hands free phone use then they are looking at the SiriusXM player to see what song is playing, and paging through the channels, good lord there are 150 or so channels.
Ban looking at your SiriusXM player but then you look at your radio.
Ban looking at your radio but then you play with your GPS and navigation.
Ban playing with your GPS but then you play with your cars computer
Ban all car computer use but then there is a pretty girl in the crosswalk.

When will it end? Just ban what should be banned, distracted driving!!!

 

[kide]

I really like my new Garmin 2597LMT GPS.. It's a little hard of hearing at times, but you can do almost everything you need with nothing but voice commands, including setting screen brightness. It's much better at speech recognition than SIRI on the Iphone and is really amazing at understand what I'm saying through the road noise. While a GPS may seem like a distraction up North here, when you're someplace like Atlanta or Tampa, it's a lifesaver (maybe literally...)to set a destination while you are rolling..

 

[rchristensen]

Terry Busch, your theory sounds good but it doesn't hold water, let me tell you why:

You have one policeman to thousands of cars and he has to be right behind someone when they do something wrong. Unless they have been drinking or have something wrong with their car it will be hard to charge them with something and make it stick.

If you ban cell phone usage and texting it effects everyone, and even if some people still do it you have reduced the danger drastically. If you do get caught the police will be able to pull your phone records to get a conviction.

I realize you can't ban everything but cell phone usage without a hands free device could be done and has been done in many states.

The other day I was stopped at an intersection in the middle lane and I noticed that the people in three cars in front of me and the two on either side were talking on their cell phones. I didn't see anyone put their phone down when the light turned green.

 

[tcbusch]

Richard,
I understand your point but you missed mine. We have distractions in our cars whether it be phones, radios, GPS, computers, MP3 players, etc. We should not be singling out and vilifying one gadget as the root cause of our distracted driving problem. We should take responsibility for our driving habits and avoid doing anything which is distracting.

 

[wshytle]

Does rubber necking pretty girls constitute a distraction???

If so, I'm guilty as all get out.

They're putting so many things in cars today they had to do away with ash trays.