The hazards of texting and driving

Sony 24-70mm F4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

08/26/2009 12:23:30 PM · #26

Bear_Music

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

08/26/2009 12:34:12 PM · #27

It's fairly ridiculous (in fact, it's bordering on the absurd) that we can have a thread devoted to the very real dangers of texting while driving degenerate into a slanging match between a couple of ~~immature~~ overwrought DPCers :-(

R.

Message edited by author 2009-08-26 12:35:07.

RayEthier

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 USM

08/26/2009 12:34:52 PM · #28

Originally posted by Intelli:

Originally posted by Simms:

Originally posted by Intelli:

My point was, yelling and cursing and riding their bumper with your oversized SUV does not solve the problem. If you want to get their liscense plate # and report them, or look em up and teach them how to drive, or maybe just send a hitman to their house.. that's different.

Sorry I missed every single one of them points in your original post - maybe you should of actually made them.

Still, obviously you think its OK to phone & drive - so good luck to you.

Maybe you should read the whole post, instead of quoting a partial bit that appears skewed, like some paparazzi magazine..

Lemme see... this is what you said:

08/26/2009 10:30:51 AM
I would also like to add that I hate riding with people who curse at every car that's driving slow, talking on phone, putting make up on, doesn't signal, etc.. My dad does this, and it's annoying to all end. People are who they are.. if they don't drive the way you want them to.. tough cookies.. deal with it. Cursing them and flipping them off isn't going to change the way they drive. If your driving alone... curse and bitch all you want.. but if I'm riding with you, take a chill pill and be patient! sry.. just had to throw my rant in here=) Texting = Bad

... and this is what Simms quoted and his reply to the quote:

08/26/2009 11:04:12 AM
Originally posted by Intelli:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I would also like to add that I hate riding with people who curse at every car that's driving slow, talking on phone, putting make up on, doesn't signal, etc.. My dad does this, and it's annoying to all end. People are who they are.. if they don't drive the way you want them to.. tough cookies.. deal with it.

OK, so when the petrol tanker smashed into me last year catapulting me into the opposite lane directly into an oncoming Mercedes leaving me in a bit of a heap at the side of the road and the subsequent stay in hospital and the subsequent weeks off work as a result just because he was on the phone and wasn't paying attention (clear road conditions) I should just learn to deal with it eh? Even the Old Bill (the police) said I was incredibly lucky to actually get out of the crash alive - so my kids could of well been left without a Dad.

Thanks for the advice.

BTW, the tanker driver lost his job as a result, so some good came out of it I guess - I feel no pity - he may get his job back when he gets his license back - but who knows in these fiscally turbulent times. I really hope he didn't end up losing his house and my oh my - his insurance premiums will be through the roof when he gets back behind the wheel.

Maybe it's just me and the fact that I am getting old and my eyesight isn't what it used to be, but exactly where in your original post are those facts you allude to that would have been readily discernable.

Just curious.

Ray

Bear_Music

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

Sony 24-70mm F4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

08/26/2009 12:38:28 PM · #29

Originally posted by RayEthier:

Maybe it's just me and the fact that I am getting old and my eyesight isn't what it used to be, but exactly where in your original post are those facts you allude to that would have been readily discernable.

Just curious.

Ray

Originally posted by intelli:

tough cookies.. deal with it. Cursing them and flipping them off isn't going to change the way they drive.

Maybe there?

R.

soup

Canon EOS-30D

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

08/26/2009 12:42:06 PM · #30

his point was - he meant to start a road rage thread - but forgot...

alfresco

Nikon D700

08/26/2009 01:03:09 PM · #31

Originally posted by AperturePriority:

I too, will tell the person on the other end of my conversation to "wait a second" while I switch lanes, pay the drive-through cashier, or whatever, just so I can divert my full attention to the maneuver/task at-hand.

Bold added for emphasis.

I do not intend to single you out but rather would like to address the point in bold. I don't understand this - people understand that while they are talking on the phone they are not paying full attention to driving and it seems feel more attention needs to given to paying a cashier than the actually driving.

Is it because people drive so much that it's perceived as second-nature?

I think people forget they are taking someone else's life into their hands every time they drive and don't give it a second thought, hence they don't take the task of driving as seriously as they should. Until, of course, they maim someone or themselves.

Why do I care? A friend's wife was pushing their newborn in a stroller, happily walking down the sidewalk. An inattentive driver (in this case a teen) ran over the stroller and killed the baby --- all because they weren't paying attention.

Message edited by author 2009-08-26 13:08:04.

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED

08/26/2009 01:33:33 PM · #32

Originally posted by Bear_Music:

Intelli

Nikon D300

08/26/2009 01:36:24 PM · #33

Originally posted by soup:

his point was - he meant to start a road rage thread - but forgot...

Exactly.. I knew I was off topic.. that's why I said "sry.. just had to throw my rant in here=) Texting = Bad"

Intelli

Nikon D300

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED

08/26/2009 01:43:20 PM · #34

Originally posted by Simms:

[quote=Bear_Music] It's fairly ridiculous (in fact, it's bordering on the absurd) that we can have a thread devoted to the very real dangers of texting while driving degenerate into a slanging match between a couple of ~~immature~~ overwrought DPCers :-(

R.

Slanging match?? Sorry Robert but I was taking a point that Intelli made and put it in a real world scenario that even driving whilst only talking in the phone can cause accidents. I get pissed off with people who drive and talk on their phones, they are a menace, I see it every day and I do not believe that anyone talking on the phone can be fully in control of their vehicle - sadly I had to be `tag teamed` by a Petrol Tanker and a Mercedes to see what happens when someone is on their phone and not paying attention to the road, he wasn't texting, he wasn't emailing, he was driving along a straight road in good visibility whilst talking on his mobile phone and just didn't see me, I was stationary for at least 20 seconds prior to the impact. I put talking on the phone and driving whilst drunk in the same category and I think they should both be punished equally.quote]

So technically your post had nothing to do with mine.. and you should not of quoted me. It sucks that the guy failed at controlling his vehicle because he was on the phone.. but that doesn't mean you curse and yell at everyone who doesn't drive the way you want them to, and ruin the day for anybody who is riding with you.. would you like to be riding in the car with some asshole who yells and gets aggresive just cause grandma is driving slow, or teenie bopper is talking on the phone?

Message edited by scalvert - Personal attack removed.

08/26/2009 01:49:29 PM · #35

I don't see the big deal about talking on the phone and driving.. I agree that texting is bad, I always stop my car if I have to email or text someone. But simply talking on the phone? if it was bad to only have one hand on the wheel.. then why do they make standard shift cars? I drive with 1 hand 90% of the time I'm in my car. Talking on the phone does not distract me from driving.. if this was the case.. then talking to your passenger while driving should be outlawed as well. It's possible that some people are completely distracted while talking on the phone.. if this is the case..those people shouldn't be driving in the first place.

I posted the above in case you needed reminding. Driving & talking on the phone is deadly, where you say "Talking on the phone does not distract me from driving" is like those idiots who say "I can drive perfectly well after drinking".

I think someone went on to say they always stop talking when having to perform a manoeuvre or something, that`s makes me laugh as that`s admitting they are aware they wouldn`t be fully in control whilst on the phone.

Still, like I said, good luck - hope someone driving whilst on the phone doesn't end up crashing into you.

Citadel

Nikon D7500

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

08/26/2009 02:12:14 PM · #36

Man..I stop watching this thread for a couple of hours and all hell breaks loose! I guess I did say that this was going to be a big can of worms though

Photologist

Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

08/26/2009 02:42:13 PM · #37

Originally posted by Simms:

You can't possibly be saying that you are always 100% in control/aware of your driving when behind the wheel. If anyone can say that, I will call them a liar.

Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

08/26/2009 02:53:53 PM · #38

Originally posted by AperturePriority:

Originally posted by Simms:
I don't see the big deal about talking on the phone and driving.. I agree that texting is bad, I always stop my car if I have to email or text someone. But simply talking on the phone? if it was bad to only have one hand on the wheel.. then why do they make standard shift cars? I drive with 1 hand 90% of the time I'm in my car. Talking on the phone does not distract me from driving.. if this was the case.. then talking to your passenger while driving should be outlawed as well. It's possible that some people are completely distracted while talking on the phone.. if this is the case..those people shouldn't be driving in the first place.

I posted the above in case you needed reminding. Driving & talking on the phone is deadly, where you say "Talking on the phone does not distract me from driving" is like those idiots who say "I can drive perfectly well after drinking".

I think someone went on to say they always stop talking when having to perform a manoeuvre or something, that`s makes me laugh as that`s admitting they are aware they wouldn`t be fully in control whilst on the phone.

Still, like I said, good luck - hope someone driving whilst on the phone doesn't end up crashing into you.

You can't possibly be saying that you are always 100% in control/aware of your driving when behind the wheel. If anyone can say that, I will call them a liar.

No, but changing stations on my radio/CD takes the fraction of the time that a phone call takes - and I can do that by the control stem on the steering column. Maybe I take a few seconds to switch the aircon on, or the wipers etc.. But a phone call is a prolonged period of diversion. SO I agree, I am not in `control` 100% of the time, but I try to be as safe as possible when driving by cutting out the dangerous factors such as talking on the phone - dont get me wrong, I believe someone using a handsfree kit is going to be on control a lot more than someone who isn't.

I think the problem in the UK is, driving whilst making a phonecall is illegal and can get you 3 points on your license but those who do it are so busy with both the phonecall and keeping an eye out for the police that the risk of them losing concentration on the actual driving is far higher. So I say make the punishment for driving and talking on a handset as high as drink driving.

UrfaK

Canon EOS-650/T4i Rebel

08/26/2009 03:13:54 PM · #39

Mythbusters once tested this theory as well. Results for both were practically the same..

Cell Phones vs Drunk Driving

08/26/2009 03:20:53 PM · #40

For those of you who are so skilled in the art of driving you can use your phone with no loss of concentration.
4 Dead
1 Dead
And another.
2 Dead little girls.

And looks like most were caused by people over the age of 22, not `teenie boppers`.

citymars

Nikon D700