A few days ago I was listening to the Howard Stern show on the radio and they were discussing that New York is making cell phone use while driving illegal.
I hope they do, and that other states pick it up. Cell phone drivers have, in my opinion, become the biggest menace to the road since drunk drivers. These people are too busy talking or dialing their phones that they can't pay attention to the road.
About an hour ago my aunt got in an accident because of some guy using a cell phone. Thankfully she's okay. But this proves how distracting they are to use. Not only do they put the driver at risk of an accident, but other people too.
I have a cell phone, but I never use it while driving. And yes, they can be of great use if say your car breaks down in the middle of nowhere.
At the least it should be one of those things cops pull you over for a ticket, like speeding.
Posted by Jeff Kardde (Member # 411) on :
Actually, I think they're making the use of handheld cell phones illegal ... in other words, if you've got one of those handy head-set thingys, you're in business.
Maryland also has a similar law in effect. Of course, we've also got a law requiring people to turn on their headlights whenever conditions are bad enough to require the windshield wipers to be on, but people are stupid.
"Gee, it's raining. I won't turn on my headlights, because even though it is really dark outside, people can still see me."
...and, of course:
"Gee, Carla just called. I could keep both hands on the wheel as I drive, but, instead, I'm going to turn 90% of my attention to Carla, and, gee, maybe I'll read the sports section while I'm at it ..."'
From my own personal experience, I have seen people watching TV, reading (books, newspapers), eating, making themselves up, playing with their hair, playing with each other, drinking (beer, not soda), playing with themselves (that's what it looked like anyway), picking their noses, sleeping ...
Posted by Jeff Raven (Member # 20) on :
I don't have the exact group's name, but they did a study and found that cell phones are 49th of the top 50 causes of accidents. Beating it was, among other things, putting on makeup, getting dressed, oral sex, picking teeth, reading a book, changing the radio station, eating, etc.
This is a non-issue for cell phones. Maybe to solve the problem we should make drivers pass an IQ test.
[ May 30, 2001: Message edited by: Jeff Raven ]
Posted by Banana Fish (Member # 36) on :
I have a hard time believing that oral sex on the road is that common. But, hey, welcome to the world, I guess.
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
I've heard a few stories about it from people I know. I'm sure I'd hear more if I asked...
Posted by Vogon Poet (Member # 393) on :
I did get an offer. But I was already on the phone, and driving kinda fast as well. 8)
Posted by MsChris (Member # 445) on :
Hey, I have one of those head-set thingy's. But then, I'm a blonde too.
In all seriousness though...when those head-set thingy's are plugged into the phone, you can't hear it ringing (at least on mine) - but maybe that's the point.
Posted by Nimrod (Member # 205) on :
They're mostly called "hands-free" here in Sweden.
The thing with cellphones in the car is that not only does it hinder your concentration, if you need to change gears you have to "hold" the phone with one shoulder, which makes shifting gears very slow and uncomfortable, and your field of vision can get smaller.
Posted by The_Evil_Lord (Member # 256) on :
Let's face it. Humans aren't designed for multitasking. Kinda like Windows, except when we make a fatal error, there's no resetbutton to press.
Posted by Mucus (Member # 24) on :
Unless you believe in reincarnation....in which case there's a hell of a boot-up time until you're back to "normal"...
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
Actually, a friend of mine once had to shift gears while on the phone. He reached down w/ the phone still in his hand. As he realized what he was doing, he shouted "Hang on! Gotta shift!", hoping it would reach the phone in his hand, which was already shifting. It was funny, except for the whole talking-on-the-phone-while-driving thing. But we were going slowly through a parking lot at the time, so it wasn't so bad.
Posted by First of Two (Member # 16) on :
My new favorite bumper sticker (edging out "My Other Car is a Klingon War Cruiser"):
"Hang up and DRIVE!!!"
Posted by LOA (Member # 49) on :
Whenever I'm in the car, if I'm not listening to my new stereo, I'm talknig on the phone. I'll admit it, I ALWAYS am on the phone. I don't think it's a hazard though, not if it's done right.... 1) I have a headset... that way I have full range of movement with my head an can still drive with two handons on the wheel. 2) I don't dial while moving. That's just STUPID! I wait 'til I'm stopped. It's not that hard fo a concept. 3) Even if I were to dial while driving, my phone has speed dial, so the numbers I call most are just a button away. Anyway, I don't think the problem here is cell phones... I think it's people. Stupid people. So instead of restricting cell phone use, let's restrict stupid people, and it'll all be okay! Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
It's already illegal here, AFAIK. Hands free kits are fine though.
Oral sex causes more accidents? I'd imagine that would just be uncomfortable for the giver. Are they lying across from the passenger seet, or sitting in from of them? Perhaps it's the blockage of the brake pedal that's causing the accidents.
Posted by Vogon Poet (Member # 393) on :
Jesus wept. I'm just repeating what others less courageous (or more sympathetic) have said to me over ICQ, but. . .
Liz, I gotta a know one thing: are you taking the piss, or something? You admit it yourself, you drive too fast; now you say you're on the phone all the time. Then you go and crash your car, and post these whiny complaints?
I mean, give us. . . oops, I'm sure I'll be flamed to oblivion by your fan club here, so I'll just say, give ME a break.
Posted by Omega (Member # 91) on :
Well, Lee, considering that she was SITTING STILL when she was darned near killed in that car accident...
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
It's all a tough call, really... I mean, talking on the phone while driving is really no different than talking to the person in the passenger seat, eh?
Posted by LOA (Member # 49) on :
Hey, I'll try not to take that personally, okay? But I don't drive too fast, as a rule. In fact, I very rarely speed. I have before; so has everyone. Last summer, I did a LOT of stupid things in my car. It was new, I thought I was invincable. Since the accident last Sept, you'd probably be surprised to get in the car with me and discover that I'm a VERY safe and cautious driver. But I'm not going to try to convince you of that. You'll believe what you want to.
But.... if you're going to bring up my car accident, then let me TELL you what happened, okay? I wasn't on the phone. I wasn't speeding. I was STOPPED at a yield, obeying the law, and due to two other people's poor decision making, I was hit by a CADILLAC and a MOVING TRUCK. I was not moving. I was not at fault. There were no cell phones involved, except the ones used to call the paramedics afterwards, and yet I suffer still to this DAY from those injuries. I may get better someday, I may not. It's too soon to tell. But thank you for bringing that up AND trying to pin the blame on me.
Every day I'm reminded of the accident. Everytime I get in the car, I wonder if this is going to be the day I get into another one. I'm not trying to be mellodramatic. I'm not trying to wallow in self pity. I'm just telling you how it is....
Talking on my phone is no different than talking to my roommate when I pick her up from work. At least on the phone I keep my eyes on the road, rather than glancing at my passenger. That's how I feel and you're probably not going to change my mind.
Oh, and that post from earlier? Sorry if it sounded like I was "whining"... I wasn't. I was stating my opinion, and adding in a commentary that was meant for HUMOR, not seriousness. That's how I am. Deal with it.
~LOA
PS~ I believe the proper term is "Road Head", and from what I hear, certain friends of mine partake in it ALL the time! Pleh!
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
Here is an amusing anecdote that will make everyone happy and friendly and lovely:
Today was my last day of class! And I am therefore better than everyone I know whose last day of class was not today. (Though not as good as those whose last days of class preceeded my own, in some cases by many years.)
On second thought, perhaps that does not technically qualify as an anecdote.
Posted by First of Two (Member # 16) on :
ER.. I wanna start off by saying I don't recall any of the particulars of LOA's accident post, so I may be WAY off when I say...
I've never known anybody who stopped at a yield, unless the merge lane was FILLED with cars. I mean, in my driving class they told us that you're supposed to match traffic speed, and look for an entry gap, and that slowing down at yields was hazardous and stopping was inviting an accident, mainly because other people are expecting you to accelerate to merge.
Posted by LOA (Member # 49) on :
Yield as in one street has the right of way, and the cross street has yield signs. Think of it as a semi-controlled intersection.... there was a moving truck barrelling down the road with the right of way, so I had to stop 'til he passed. Unfortunately, the person on the other side of that intersection neglected to yield, hence the sudden impact and huge collision. There was no merging to be done......
Posted by Vogon Poet (Member # 393) on :
Christ, spare me from hormonal teenagers. I wonder if I was that predictable when I was one? I just KNEW it would be Omega who'd leap in and rush to defend her. . .
I'm not getting at you Liz, I'm trying to make a point. All those little traits of yours could just have wasily have ended up with you being the person doing the ramming instead of the other way round. Whether your life is any better the way it turned out is probably moot.
Posted by Raisinfonnel (Member # 71) on :
Fo2: You're thinking of an actual merge area. Merge areas have lanes with them for a certain distance, so you can accelerate to the speed of traffic. Yield signs are effectively stop signs when there's oncoming traffic.
