[Angrybird 12]

4 times in the last two days I have almost been sideswiped by someone drifting out of their lane while texting or dialing their phone. Two were young girls, one was a 30's something woman and one was a middle 20's man. All 4 were unaware of what was happening until I blew the horn.
All 4 were on 4 lane roads traveling at 40 to 55 mph...
I know it's just a matter of time before one of these morons kills someone.

Rant Over....

[Bizaro]

They need to make it a federal law that all vehicles when in motion jam all celephone signal inside the vehicle. That would fix everything right quick.

[Camaro_Corvette]

Originally Posted by Bizaro

They need to make it a federal law that all vehicles when in motion jam all celephone signal inside the vehicle. That would fix everything right quick.

Not sure that's a realistic solution. If there's four people in the car why should the other three be punished? I think this problem is completely in the hands of the user. Some cars are coming out with hands free text, I'm not sure that's a solution either.

Self driving cars would fix it, as long as I can still drive manually.

[trademaster]

Originally Posted by Bizaro

They need to make it a federal law that all vehicles when in motion jam all celephone signal inside the vehicle. That would fix everything right quick.

That's a ridiculous idea. First of all, passengers on cell phones present no problems whatsoever. Second, there's an endless list of emergency situations where this would cause serious problems. Third, there are plenty of ways to safely use a cell phone while driving: hands free, as navigation (if you punch in the destination while stopped), music streaming, etc.

Really the only thing that is going to stop this is a great leap in hands-free technologies and accessibility. Voice-to-text, syncing with car devices, etc. This is happening right now so hopefully this won't be an issue for too much longer.

[snizzle]

Or sitting at green stop lights while folks have their head face down in their phones not realizing it turned 30 minutes ago. Never worked out the horn so much.....

[sherob]

I don't know how we ever evolved as a species, driving a car without having a cellphone within hands reach... that's just cray cray!

[ilirg]

I believe Hyundai just patented a design that jams the cell phone if it's in a certain proximity to the steering wheel. It's sad that it has to resort to something not allowing people to do something stupid, instead of people just not being stupid.

[DGthe3]

Originally Posted by trademaster

That's a ridiculous idea. First of all, passengers on cell phones present no problems whatsoever. Second, there's an endless list of emergency situations where this would cause serious problems. Third, there are plenty of ways to safely use a cell phone while driving: hands free, as navigation (if you punch in the destination while stopped), music streaming, etc.

Really the only thing that is going to stop this is a great leap in hands-free technologies and accessibility. Voice-to-text, syncing with car devices, etc. This is happening right now so hopefully this won't be an issue for too much longer.

Its a myth that hands free calling/texting is safer than 'hands on'. The problem isn't whats in your hands so much as what you're thinking about. When you're talking to someone on a phone, or composing a text (either by typing or dictation) you are thinking about that instead of driving. With a hands free device, you might be looking at the road in front of you instead of your phone, but you're not paying attention to the road. The brain basically goes on autopilot and you ignore everything thats going on around you. Traffic lights, car doors opening, pedestrians, cars switching lanes, traffic piling up behind you, brake lights in front of you, street signs ... it all falls to the wayside if you are focusing on your phone when you're driving.

[sherob]

You're driving through some neighborhood one evening, looking for the street your friend lives on so you can have dinner at his new house. You start to slow down to a crawl, turn your radio down, you stop talking, and stare heavily at every sign. Why?

[Bizaro]

Originally Posted by trademaster

That's a ridiculous idea. First of all, passengers on cell phones present no problems whatsoever. Second, there's an endless list of emergency situations where this would cause serious problems. Third, there are plenty of ways to safely use a cell phone while driving: hands free, as navigation (if you punch in the destination while stopped), music streaming, etc.

Really the only thing that is going to stop this is a great leap in hands-free technologies and accessibility. Voice-to-text, syncing with car devices, etc. This is happening right now so hopefully this won't be an issue for too much longer.

Originally Posted by DGthe3

Its a myth that hands free calling/texting is safer than 'hands on'. The problem isn't whats in your hands so much as what you're thinking about. When you're talking to someone on a phone, or composing a text (either by typing or dictation) you are thinking about that instead of driving. With a hands free device, you might be looking at the road in front of you instead of your phone, but you're not paying attention to the road. The brain basically goes on autopilot and you ignore everything thats going on around you. Traffic lights, car doors opening, pedestrians, cars switching lanes, traffic piling up behind you, brake lights in front of you, street signs ... it all falls to the wayside if you are focusing on your phone when you're driving.

And here we come back again to what I was saying earlier, JAM EVERYTHING even if its at the cost of a passengers sms or a two minute phone call. Driving is a privilege not a right. Your wife's or little Jimmies phone call can wait until you reach your destination. Would you rather not have the option of you and your passenger talk on the phone while inside a car or be under constant threat of an idiot texting in a pickup smashing into your family at any moment. And if its an emergency well you have the little red button on top of your rearview mirror dont you? Hit that. If everyone would just put down their cells phones god forbid just DRIVE we would have less accidents and less road rage incidents.

edit:


And dont get me started on these truck drivers holy shit.

[ToolFan66]

Originally Posted by trademaster

That's a ridiculous idea. First of all, passengers on cell phones present no problems whatsoever. Second, there's an endless list of emergency situations where this would cause serious problems. Third, there are plenty of ways to safely use a cell phone while driving: hands free, as navigation (if you punch in the destination while stopped), music streaming, etc.

Really the only thing that is going to stop this is a great leap in hands-free technologies and accessibility. Voice-to-text, syncing with car devices, etc. This is happening right now so hopefully this won't be an issue for too much longer.

It can at least shut down the texting and access to Internet.. The phone is all someone needs anyway..

[Angrybird 12]

Didn't mean to start an argument here, just pissed about almost getting hit 4 times in two days over something so ridiculous. Can't people go more than 1 hour without checking their cellphone or texting someone? I mean if it's that important pull over and call them. I would have hated to see how these people would get along without a cell phone at all, we did it for over 100 years do why are they so important now?

[snarky]

I watched the google street view car pass me a few times yesterday. He didn't seem to ever look up from the laptop.

Egad. Glad I don't own a cell.

[Trip]

Originally Posted by DGthe3

Its a myth that hands free calling/texting is safer than 'hands on'. The problem isn't whats in your hands so much as what you're thinking about. When you're talking to someone on a phone, or composing a text (either by typing or dictation) you are thinking about that instead of driving. With a hands free device, you might be looking at the road in front of you instead of your phone, but you're not paying attention to the road. The brain basically goes on autopilot and you ignore everything thats going on around you. Traffic lights, car doors opening, pedestrians, cars switching lanes, traffic piling up behind you, brake lights in front of you, street signs ... it all falls to the wayside if you are focusing on your phone when you're driving.

It's a myth that looking down at your phone to text is dangerous!? I get what you're trying to say but eyes off the road is the most dangerous part of texting while driving.