|
Post by Deleted on Mar 18, 2009 14:36:26 GMT
There is a difference, because passengers are able when see you have to concentrate on something on the road and will not continue the conversation until you are ready. This is not the case when speaking to someone at a distance, and the driver will allow for this, consciously or not.
As for driving one-handed; an amputee will have a car specially adapted to make this safe. The rest of us have to accept that there are times at least when both hands are needed on the wheel.
|
|
♫anna♫
Global Moderator
Aug 18 2017 - Always In Our Hearts
The Federal Reserve Act is the Betrayal of the American Revolution!
e x a l t | s m i t e
karma:
Posts: 11,769
|
Post by ♫anna♫ on Mar 18, 2009 19:31:14 GMT
There is a difference, because passengers are able when see you have to concentrate on something on the road and will not continue the conversation until you are ready. This is not the case when speaking to someone at a distance, and the driver will allow for this, consciously or not. As for driving one-handed; an amputee will have a car specially adapted to make this safe. The rest of us have to accept that there are times at least when both hands are needed on the wheel. Good point Skylark! I get very worried and uncomfortable when i know someone is calling me on a hand held cell phone while driving and I imagine all sorts of things! Most people either don't care or are oblivious to the fact that they may be distracting the caller, who may be driving into some kind of fluke situation.
|
|
|
Post by mindy on Mar 18, 2009 21:23:26 GMT
There is a difference, because passengers are able when see you have to concentrate on something on the road and will not continue the conversation until you are ready. This is not the case when speaking to someone at a distance, and the driver will allow for this, consciously or not. As for driving one-handed; an amputee will have a car specially adapted to make this safe. The rest of us have to accept that there are times at least when both hands are needed on the wheel. I get very worried and uncomfortable when i know someone is calling me on a cell phone while driving and I imagine all sorts of things! I know, you get so worried that you start threads about it! The truth is, you can't control the actions of others. What your seeing as bad behavior is really very common in the U.S. where it's not outlawed. I'm a law abiding citizen in America and until it is outlawed in my state I will continue to do what's comfortable for me without needing permission from you.
|
|
|
Post by drewsmom595 on Mar 19, 2009 1:30:18 GMT
To each his own. I personally am more distracted when people are in the car with me...because I tend to look at them when I'm talking rather than the road. When I'm on the phone in my car, I don't have that distraction.
If people were truly honest, I bet there isn't one person on this board who hasn't driven on "automatic pilot" at one time or the other. What I mean by that is that you drive somewhere without any conscious thought about how you got there. "Shockingly" no one is trying to ban such non-attentive driving.
I personally feel a lot of people blame cell phone use for their accidents when the simple fact is that they are lousy drivers to begin with. I'd rather see a restriction on people with bad driving records from using cell phones in the car, than a blanket restriction against people who have no such violations.
|
|
|
Post by iamjumbo on Mar 19, 2009 20:14:20 GMT
I was thinking the same thing. Those saying that they can drive fine while nattering on the phone remind me of the 1970s when some people were arguing that they actually drove better after a couple of drinks and so on. As a non-driver, I get very irritated by drivers who take risks. One of the reasons I don't drive is because I'm too scared of being in charge of several tons of metal where the slightest error by me could result in the death of another human being. But I don't think drivers even seem to think about that. Some drivers seem to think they're in some kind of little bubble, and that the only thing in the whole world that matters is their journey. Drivers - surely if there is the slightest risk of you being distracted by a mobile phone that's a good enough reason to ban their use while driving?? Very well put riotgrrl! Worthy of an exalt! I think there is a lot of individual difference in how much of a potential driving impairment hand held cell phones can be while driving. I'm actually a good driver too, but when my right hand is obligated to hold a cell phone and i'm obligated to listen and talk it is for me definitely a distraction..Even without the law against it here i won't answer a hand held cell phone while driving! the fact is that there is NO way that you can devote the concentration you should while you're talking on a cell phone. it is NOT the same as talking to other people in the car. and, while there is NEVER a legitimate reason to do the text stupidity, whether driving or not, texting, or reading a text message, is totally inexcusable for ANY reason while driving
|
|
|
Post by iamjumbo on Mar 19, 2009 20:18:56 GMT
the primary point is that there is NO legitimate reason for talking on a cell phone while driving to begin with. if something is important enough to talk about, you pull off the road and stop. if you can't pull off the road and stop, it obviously isn't important enough to talk about. end of story
|
|
|
Post by Clover on Mar 19, 2009 21:30:39 GMT
the primary point is that there is NO legitimate reason for talking on a cell phone while driving to begin with. if something is important enough to talk about, you pull off the road and stop. if you can't pull off the road and stop, it obviously isn't important enough to talk about. end of story You've clearly never driven in the UK! It just isn't always possible to pull over and stop in many parts of the UK and sometimes it's very important to be talking on the phone. There is nothing wrong with using a hands-free set, and as I said already, it's nowhere near as much of a distraction as having crying kids in the car!
|
|
|
Post by drewsmom595 on Mar 20, 2009 9:31:49 GMT
Totally right, Clover! Crying kids are way more distracting than talking on a cell phone. So are a group of elementary school kids. I had 5 of them in my car not too long ago (school field trip) and still haven't completely recovered my sanity.
|
|
|
Post by iamjumbo on Mar 20, 2009 11:17:14 GMT
the primary point is that there is NO legitimate reason for talking on a cell phone while driving to begin with. if something is important enough to talk about, you pull off the road and stop. if you can't pull off the road and stop, it obviously isn't important enough to talk about. end of story You've clearly never driven in the UK! It just isn't always possible to pull over and stop in many parts of the UK and sometimes it's very important to be talking on the phone. There is nothing wrong with using a hands-free set, and as I said already, it's nowhere near as much of a distraction as having crying kids in the car! you're right. unfortunately, i've never been to the uk. i always wanted to see the tower of london, newgate, and tyburn, but alas, it is likely that i never will get the opportunity. NOTHING is important enough to be talking on a cell phone while driving, except a real emergency. it is NOT a real emergency to be talking about what is for dinner. forty years ago, people didn't drive down the road talking on a phone. there's nothing different now. don't go with the crap about life being faster paced now. that is a choice everyone makes.
|
|
|
Post by iamjumbo on Mar 20, 2009 11:18:32 GMT
Totally right, Clover! Crying kids are way more distracting than talking on a cell phone. So are a group of elementary school kids. I had 5 of them in my car not too long ago (school field trip) and still haven't completely recovered my sanity. of course, that could be solved with a few ball gags
|
|
|
Post by chefmate on Mar 20, 2009 14:47:53 GMT
I drive perfectly well while talking on my cell with the headset and will continue to do so; as I stated earlier, if I'm in a situation where more attention is required, I either pull off the freeway on the next ramp or tell the caller I need to focus for a few minutes extra.
I get very few calls and and there is one I cannot ask to call at a more convenient time but I never am a risk on the highway either.
|
|
♫anna♫
Global Moderator
Aug 18 2017 - Always In Our Hearts
The Federal Reserve Act is the Betrayal of the American Revolution!
e x a l t | s m i t e
karma:
Posts: 11,769
|
Post by ♫anna♫ on Mar 21, 2009 8:29:47 GMT
I drive perfectly well while talking on my cell with the headset and will continue to do so; as I stated earlier, if I'm in a situation where more attention is required, I either pull off the freeway on the next ramp or tell the caller I need to focus for a few minutes extra. I get very few calls and and there is one I cannot ask to call at a more convenient time but I never am a risk on the highway either. Of course you don't use the hand held cell phone. The non hand cell phones are legal in all US states and Europe! I think a "Walkman" type cell phone where both ears are plugged up is illegal in Europe, but i don't think that type of cell phone is even made.
|
|
|
Post by iamjumbo on Mar 21, 2009 18:51:28 GMT
I drive perfectly well while talking on my cell with the headset and will continue to do so; as I stated earlier, if I'm in a situation where more attention is required, I either pull off the freeway on the next ramp or tell the caller I need to focus for a few minutes extra. I get very few calls and and there is one I cannot ask to call at a more convenient time but I never am a risk on the highway either. how do you get collect calls on a cellphone?
|
|
♫anna♫
Global Moderator
Aug 18 2017 - Always In Our Hearts
The Federal Reserve Act is the Betrayal of the American Revolution!
e x a l t | s m i t e
karma:
Posts: 11,769
|
Post by ♫anna♫ on Sept 30, 2009 18:13:39 GMT
pr-usa.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=270009&Itemid=33 QUOTE: Cell Phone Use and Car Accidents More than 100 million people use cell phones while driving. Cell phone use while driving, whether talking or texting, is a high risk behavior. Cell phone using drivers are four times more likely to be involved in an automobile accident than someone not distracted by a cell phone. Cell phone use is responsible for 636,000 car accidents, 330,000 injuries, 2,600 deaths and $43 billion in related costs every year according to the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis.. Using a cell phone while driving is certainly not necessary. Almost all calls or texts are not emergencies and can easily be handled by pulling off the road to a safe place until the call is finished. Phoning and texting while driving has been proven not to save time, but to increase the time behind the wheel due to the tendency of the driver to exhibit the same behaviors as a drunk driver. The tendency to drive at an uneven speed and to meander in their lane instead of traveling at a steady pace denotes a cell phone using driver as well as one driving under the influence. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that distractions are responsible for 25% of all automobile accidents. Over 80% of all automobile drivers admit to cell phone use at one time or another while driving. The only way to protect yourself from cell phone related automobile accidents is to not use a cell phone while driving. A cell phone using driver can be charged with negligence. It is important to have the services of a car accident lawyer who has the experience with cell phone related car accident claims, as the laws governing cell phone use while driving are changing daily. If you absolutely must make or take a cell phone call while driving, follow these few simple rules for safety: • Use a hands-free cell phone device • Keep your eyes on the road at all times • Avoid emotional conversations • Talk on the cell phone only when absolutely necessary If you or someone you love was involved in a cell phone related car accident and you live in Orlando, Florida or the surrounding area, please visit the website of The Law Offices of Michael Barszcz, M.D., J.D. today to learn how to protect your legal rights and whether you are entitled to compensation for your injuries. Website: www.themdjd.com
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 30, 2009 19:35:47 GMT
Twice recently I've seen drivers talking into a mobile phone when they haven't really been "reading" the situation around them. On neither occasion were they causing a hazard; in the first, the driver could have avoided holding up traffic had she thought about it. In the second, a driver in a traffic jam began sounding her horn even though an ambulance was giving emergency assistance to someone in the road. Various onlookers yelled and shook their fists, but she seemed too engrossed in her conversation to acknowledge them. I'm not sure if a hands free set would have made them more focused, would it?
|
|
|
Post by clemiethedog on Oct 10, 2009 14:16:06 GMT
During 2008 I was hit from behind twice (fortunately at a low rate of speed, so the 'hit' was a tap) and both times it was by a driver jabbering on her cell phone.
|
|
|
Post by Ben Lomond on Oct 10, 2009 18:31:19 GMT
You can dress it up all you like, but people who use cell phones while driving are stupid people who should know better. We even have one clown on this board who boasts that he always drives with one hand. Complete idiot. You cannot be in full control of your vehicle if you are using a mobile. End of. Grow up, and realise that you are wrong if you think you can.
|
|
|
Post by chefmate on Oct 11, 2009 2:49:59 GMT
You can dress it up all you like, but people who use cell phones while driving are stupid people who should know better. We even have one clown on this board who boasts that he always drives with one hand. Complete idiot. You cannot be in full control of your vehicle if you are using a mobile. End of. Grow up, and realise that you are wrong if you think you can. You have a right to your opinion even if you are wrong. With my headset I am in control of my vehicle and drive accordingly and even when I'm off the phone I drive with one hand only.......have done that over thirty years now Talking on the cell is no different than if I am carrying a passenger and talking to them.....in fact, with a passenger I tend to turn and look at them while talking so the cell is actually safer than someone in your car while driving I did grow up a very long time ago and only have one ticket to my name so I would say I'm a very safe driver but pizz me off and you get the horn and the middle finger
|
|
|
Post by chefmate on Oct 11, 2009 2:51:21 GMT
I drive perfectly well while talking on my cell with the headset and will continue to do so; as I stated earlier, if I'm in a situation where more attention is required, I either pull off the freeway on the next ramp or tell the caller I need to focus for a few minutes extra. I get very few calls and and there is one I cannot ask to call at a more convenient time but I never am a risk on the highway either. how do you get collect calls on a cellphone? have your landline forwarded to the cell and you get collect calls
|
|
|
Post by beez0811 on Oct 11, 2009 3:22:01 GMT
I rarely ever answer my phone while driving anymore. I used to talk on my phone while driving late at night after closing (with a bluetooth earpiece) to help me stay awake. I haven't done that in a while, though. When I do talk on my phone (rare occasion), I end up not paying attention to the conversation and getting ticked off at some moron that doesn't know how to signal properly. I understand if there is a situation where one might think they are being followed and they are on the phone with 911. If it is THAT important, pull over or wait until you are at your destination. In Texas, last year it used to be that you can only use ear pieces to talk in school zones. This school year you can't even do that. No cell phones / portable electronic device usage in school zones at all. I am thankful for that! I sometimes see people with the white iPod earbuds in their ears while driving. That is also scary!
|
|