Take the Pledge: Don't Drive and Talk/Text!

[Feralpeg]

OK, I am probably going to be flamed for this but here goes...

I watched Oprah as well. I was heartbroken over the loss of those people. What senseless, tragic accidents. My heart went out to their families.

I guess I just don't see the need to pass a law to make talking and texting illegal. Do they need to do this in order to levy large fines against people involved in these accidents, or to get jail time? I guess I am confused as to why a law needs to be passed for what I think is common sense.

Without getting into politics, I am of the feeling that perhaps it would be better to change the minds and hearts of people and alert them to the dangers of texting and talking while driving instead of making it illegal. I would think that in the end, you would have fewer people doing it simply because they felt it was wrong, not because they were told it was illegal. People break laws all the time and I would venture to guess it's because their morality (or lack of) tells them its OK to do so - making it legal or illegal doesn't stop those people.

Ok, flame away.

I won't flame you. I understand what you are saying, but just trying to make the public aware won't work. People always think they are the exception to the rule. It can't happen to them. Unless there is an uncomfortable consequence (such as a large fine or jail time), people will continue to do as they please. Sadly, this is the way of the world. Nobody wants to be inconvenienced in any way.

Even if they pass a law, many people will continue to do it just like many people who speed. Many people only follow laws they want to follow.

 

[bettymae1121]

How is using an ipod while driving as bad as texting? I stick my ipod on through my car cd player and let it go. I either listen to music or audio books its no worse than listening to the radio.

I think they mean fiddling with it, selecting songs, etc.

Exactly! Just hiting "play" and letting it go is fine, no different than selecting a radio station. It's messing around with it that can be as bad as texting. Mine hooks into my car stereo so I can use my radio buttons to switch things around, but I still don't do it while I'm driving as it's still a lot of buttons to push. I just select the play list I want while in the driveway and let it play.

 

[Darsa]

I guess I just don't see the need to pass a law to make talking and texting illegal. Do they need to do this in order to levy large fines against people involved in these accidents, or to get jail time? I guess I am confused as to why a law needs to be passed for what I think is common sense.

THis is exactly what makes me crazy, that people need a law to use common sense. Like, we have "wipers on/lights on" up here... I have always (and I've been driving for 23 years now) put my headlights on in the rain, because it's common sense. And the seat belt law; again, common sense to wear it.

IMO, however, if a law's needed to make people see sense and to punish those who refuse to be sensible, then I'm all for it. If it saves one person's life... it's worth it.

 

[pixiewings71]

Can we add no putting on makeup, reading the newspaper or a book, fixing your hair, eating a giant subway sandwhich (and chips and drinking something), fidgeting with the radio/cd player/iPod, talking to the person next to you and not paying attention, shaving, taking your sweatshirt off, or checking out the hot girl/guy in the car next to you?

(I've seen all of those and they bug me so much!)

I'm with this one, I just love driving behind the idiot putting her make up on and swerving around. Then I try to pass, she almost hits me and gets pissed at ME when I honk....ummm, get up earlier if you don't have time to put your make up on before you leave!! And I very very rarely eat ANYthing while driving, snack stuff sure, if I can grab it and pop it in my mouth, but not a burger, a sandwich, or anything that requires more then a snatch and pop motion. LOL Of course I drink while driving (not alcohol LOL) but if it's something in a bottle the caps is off and sits to the side so I don't have to remove it, otherwise it's a cup with a straw and those are easy to drink from. My radio/cd player/sirius satellite has steering wheel controls, I don't have to remove my hands from my steering wheel to turn up or down the volume, change the radio station or cd song or even to change the media I'm listening to. I love that.

Actually, it has been proven that talking on your cell phone while driving has the same effect on a person as does driving while intoxicated!!! You can watch the show, "Myth Busters" to see the episode where they tested this theory out. I do not talk, text, or anything while driving. DRIVING should be the ONLY thing you are doing!!

I've got a DS3 and a DS8months and no phone call is worth picking up! It can wait for the more appropriate time.

Huh, a Mythbusters I haven't seen. I love that show!! Are you never away from your DS3 & DS8months? What if whoever is watching them calls you?

THis is exactly what makes me crazy, that people need a law to use common sense. Like, we have "wipers on/lights on" up here... I have always (and I've been driving for 23 years now) put my headlights on in the rain, because it's common sense. And the seat belt law; again, common sense to wear it.

IMO, however, if a law's needed to make people see sense and to punish those who refuse to be sensible, then I'm all for it. If it saves one person's life... it's worth it.

We have a wipers on/lights on law here too but on my way to work today (in the POURING sheets of rain) I saw plenty of drivers without them on. And of course the police don't really pull them over if they see them either, so why make a law if you don't enforce it?

In CA the law states you must use a headset if you are talking while driving, I have a bluetooth but I rarely get calls while I'm driving. Texting while driving is illegal but I see people doing it all the time. Personally I try to pull over if I get a call that is important enough to take, otherwise I let it go to voice mail and check it later.

 

[bettymae1121]

THis is exactly what makes me crazy, that people need a law to use common sense. Like, we have "wipers on/lights on" up here... I have always (and I've been driving for 23 years now) put my headlights on in the rain, because it's common sense. And the seat belt law; again, common sense to wear it.

IMO, however, if a law's needed to make people see sense and to punish those who refuse to be sensible, then I'm all for it. If it saves one person's life... it's worth it.

I agree, it's a shame a law is needed. Look at drunk driving, talk about a no-brainer! But it took passing tough laws and huge public awareness campaigns to get drunk driving deaths to go down, and it's STILL a battle.

I think a tough "driver distractions" law might be a better way to go. Anything a cop sees as distracting to the diver they can get pulled over for. That includes everything from cells and texting to eating with both hands and putting on makeup. I think a lot of laws like that are on the books already, so it could just be an issue of educating law enforcement that distracted drivers are a major safety threat. It could be that they just don't think that it's a problem themselves, and don't bother pulling people over for it.

 

[Handbag Lady]

Nope, no pledge from me until eating, reading the paper, and putting on make-up, and all of the other forms of non-driving driving is also banned while driving.

I live in Los Angeles, and I've seen it all.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

Texting while driving is absurd. Anyone willing to do this simply doesn't value their life enough.

As for phone calls - well, there are many types of phone call. I have a voice activated phone and hands free blue-tooth. I can "dial" anyone in my address book with a vocal command. Initiating the call, if you are not used to doing so, can be a distraction. When I first got the thing, I pulled over to initiate a call. But now it is as easy as saying hello to the person sitting in the passenger's seat.

Also, there are different types of phone call. I pull over for a call that requires my close attention, but I don't pull over when calling my wife to tell her, "I am on my way home, do you need me to stop and pick up anything?" The question should be, how much of a distraction will this phone call be, because all calls are not equally distracting.

Finally, the person who talks to a fellow passenger while looking all around the car or is constantly fiddling with the radio is a far greater danger than someone who keeps his/her eyes on the road at all time but makes the occasional phone call. Technology allows calls with almost no effort today - certainly less effort than changing the radio station...

 

[PaulaSB12]

Exactly! Just hiting "play" and letting it go is fine, no different than selecting a radio station. It's messing around with it that can be as bad as texting. Mine hooks into my car stereo so I can use my radio buttons to switch things around, but I still don't do it while I'm driving as it's still a lot of buttons to push. I just select the play list I want while in the driveway and let it play.

My car has controls on the steering wheel so I can change sound level and track without taking my hands of the wheel.

 

[C.Ann]

Count our family in..

While my adult DD wasn't killed (thank God), her life has been altered forever.. She lost her 13 yr. career; is now totally disabled; and has lost almost 4 years of activities that she "should" have been able to engage in with her DD.. She will NEVER be able to do any of those activities again - nor will she ever be able to engage in the sports and activities she enjoyed with her DH and friends.. Why? Because some idiotic woman thought talking on her cell phone while driving was more important than watching where she was going and what she should have been doing..

No one will ever convince me that ANY phone call is SO important that you can't pull off to the side of the road to have a conversation.. It's just a convenient "excuse" for not wanting to act responsibly..

 

[Darsa]

Count our family in..

While my adult DD wasn't killed (thank God), her life has been altered forever.. She lost her 13 yr. career; is now totally disabled; and has lost almost 4 years of activities that she "should" have been able to engage in with her DD.. She will NEVER be able to do any of those activities again - nor will she ever be able to engage in the sports and activities she enjoyed with her DH and friends.. Why? Because some idiotic woman thought talking on her cell phone while driving was more important than watching where she was going and what she should have been doing..

No one will ever convince me that ANY phone call is SO important that you can't pull off to the side of the road to have a conversation.. It's just a convenient "excuse" for not wanting to act responsibly..

OMG C.Ann... I had no idea, I'm so sorry