Hang up and drive! - a teensy weensy vent

[Zippa D Doodah]

Talking on cell phones while driving has got to be at least as dangerous as drunk driving. Last night a driver drifted into my lane and almost ran me off the road; he never knew what he did --- cell phone! This morning I was making my left (had a bright green arrow). Suddenly a car going strainght in oncoming direction lurches quickly into my path ---- cell phone!

Seriously folks, its getting ridiculous out there. I don't talk on the cell phone when I drive. If I need to talk I pull over. These devices -while convenient -obviously are way too distracting to be used while driving.

 

[Cindyluwho]

I don't disagree with you at all but I have to add: digging in your purse for your ciggies, looking in the glove box for your CD, lighting up your smoke, eating your fast food - ALL are extremely dangerous when you're driving! I don't think talking on a cell phone or even dialing a cell phone is any more or less dangerous than other insane things folks do while driving. I hate that they do these studies on cell phones and driving but don't include other distracting actions. OK, I'm done now...

 

[Miss Jasmine]

I think that there are some studies out there that show that talking on a cell phone is actually more dangerous than driving drunk.

Lately, anytime I have encountered a bad driver they have had a cell phone glued to his or her head.

 

[aces_babydoll]

I hate it when people drive and talk on the cell phonee too!
It drives me crazy!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

I agree that all those other things are possibly as distracting as talking in cell phones. I say that the reason cell phones are such a problem is that so many people are doing it.

 

[lclark0621]

I totally agree with you!

A few years ago my husband was hit by a person who was talking on their cell phone while driving. And I dont mean they hit his car. He was walking through a parking lot, carrying our then 5 month old DS & someone came around the corner FAST, without looking & hit my DH.

It was the scarriest thing in my entire life & everyday I am thankful I have my DH & DS. My DH was seriously hurt & it has been a long road. But thankfully he is still here & so is my DS.

 

[momrek06]

I am sooo waiting for that law to be or/come into effect here in MA. I will not and never have talked on my cell while driving. I call either before or after I leave an appt and if absolutely important I pull over. If someone calls I answer and tell them I will call right back. My family knows how I am so if I do take their calls the first thing they ask..."mom are you driving?...I will call or you call me back!" YUP!!! I am old, but still not confident to talk and drive!

I will not even ride with DH IF he says he has to make some or any calls..."DH I WILL DRIVE and YOU CAN TALK!"...

 

[Saphire]

I don't own a cell phone but what I can't figure out is what could possibly be so important that you have to use it while driving? Why can't it just wait until you get home or when you stop the car? I can't imagine feeling that what I have to say or what someone has to tell me is that urgent. Also, I hate them because it leaves the driver unable to wave at you to go, or say thanks for letting them go, or to put on their blinker on, because they are driving one handed. Ridiculous!

 

[Tigger&Belle]

The thing that amazes me is when I see someone pulling out of a parking spot talking on a cell phone. Why don't they just finish their call before they drive? It's not like their phone rings when they are driving or they think they have a call they need to make when already on the road. I can't say that I never talk on the phone when driving, but it's very limited, only to take care of business, never in a situation that I'm not comfortable, and I get off as soon as possible and/or when I need both hands on the wheel. I don't worry about ending calls abruptly.

 

[HugsForEeyore]

Everywhere in my town you see the stereotypical affulent "soccer mom" driving a super-size SUV (nothing smaller than an Expedition, Escalade, Suburban, Yukon, etc) with a cell phone glued to their ear. It's very dangerous, but no one changes their behavior since it would be too big an inconvience to NOT be able to chat at all times, it seems. It's ridiculous around here - these women are driving these giant tanks and paying attention to their chit-chat on the phone, not where they are driving. Everytime I see an SUV being driven poorly around here, I look at the driver and it's always a "soccer mom" talking on her cell phone. Over and over and over.

 

[tmt martins]

Well as I work in the field in service I'm always driving the 95 from Balto to DC both beltways either talking or on-line with my Crackberry or personel cell.

It's just part of the way I have to do business to get the job done .I've became very good at it and do mostly hands free.

It's not as bad as eating ,smoking and the worse doing Makeup in your rearview or visor mirror i've even watched people watching movies or tv while driving.

And compairing it to an impaired driver is like saying all the elderly should not drive as their reaction time is not as sharp as it was. Destracted and impaired are 2 totally different things a quick honk and a cell driver could correct a drunk would not.


I don't ever take my eyes off the road I bring the devise up into my view then sit it back into it's holder.


T&B god gave me a tilt wheel and an extra KNEE to drive so I can have both hands free

 

[HaleyB]

Ever listen to Car Talk on the radio. They used to say "Shut-up and Drive!"

 

[Luv'sTink]

Have you ever sat at a red light and counted people as they went through the intersection that were on their cell phones? There are more people on their phones than not.

I also do not like the people that read a book, news paper or what have you, no one is good enough to do things like this and drive they have just been lucky and at some point their luck is going to run out and then they are going to take out some poor guy doing nothing wrong.

Perhaps in the future when givng drivers test they will ask which distraction you would like to use:
#1 Cell phone
#2 Book
#3 Food
#4 Make-up
#5 Lighting a cig
#6 Changing the radio station/CD
#7 Watch a Movie
#8 Non of the above fill in your own idea
NOT!

 

[DawnCt1]

I think that there are some studies out there that show that talking on a cell phone is actually more dangerous than driving drunk.

Lately, anytime I have encountered a bad driver they have had a cell phone glued to his or her head.

I will take my chances on the road everytime with a cell talker. I am wondering who in the world conducts these studies. Drunk drivers are impaired and a true menace.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

MythBusters did this one.

Professional course all the way.....Conclusion was driving on the cell was worse than driving drunk.

 

[tmt martins]

MythBusters did this one.

Professional course all the way.....Conclusion was driving on the cell was worse than driving drunk.

It was on a closed cone course so there was a lot of wheel movement and they had to hold their cells in their hand.

So that is so not the real world ( well maybe for some).

They has also driven the course several times before they got drunk so they could have driven it blind folded at that and time.

 

[AllyandJack]

I don't see why someone can't just stick on a hands-free unit. I know, it might mess up their perfect hair.

My hands-free unit broke and my doctor called while I was in the car. I had to answer. It was horribly uncomfortable and I don't understand how people sit there with their arm held in that position for any length of time.

I see people with little notepads stuck to the dashboard....are people really writing in the car?! People shaving, people putting make-up on, people turned around to look at their kids, people eating, people reading, people changing radio stations, people sitting with a leg hanging out the window.....I'm surprised there aren't more accidents.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

The story that I'm thinking of was just reported on our local news last week. I didn't hear all the details since I was brushing my teeth, not while driving, BTW , but my DH said they compared cell phone driving to drunk driving and found cell phone driving more dangerous. I don't know how they came up with that since I was only half listening to the story, but I sure would rather have people talking on cells than driving drunk. At least a person can get off the call--they can't suddenly become sober. The bigger problem is that so many people drive under the influence of cell phones.

And I'm not talking about the people who stay in their lanes and follow the traffic rules. I'm talking about the weavers, who go in and out of their lane. We were behind someone a few days ago who was holding her cell phone up in the air and we couldn't figure out what she was doing. We think she was trying to see the number that she was dialing. She didn't drive when the light turned green and couldn't stay in her lane--almost hit the left barrier and then almost veered off to the left a couple more times.

There have been times that we've all not been paying attention here and there (for various reasons), but for me, it takes one time veering into another lane, etc to wake up and pay attention. This lady kept doing it as she kept messing with her phone. And there were places to pull over.

 

[AllyandJack]

Some people are better off on the phone with a hands-free than talking to someone in the car. Have you ever been behind someone talking to the passenger and all you see is the driver's head turning to look at the passenger while they talk?

 

[Trish Bessette]

It has come down to some sort of sad "game" my DD's and I play in the car. We can spot a car ahead of us or driving towards us that either swerve or do something stupid and we will look at each other and say "cell phone" and sure as *#@* here comes the car passing us by with the driver on a cell phone. It is so easy to spot them.

It just amazes me that a law won't be passed. I believe there is one in New York though.