Driving and Talking on Cell Phone as bad as Drunk Drivers...

[john9001]

it's not cell phones, it's not drinking and driving, it's not wet roads, it's not a BAD INTERSECTION, it's not snow, ice, dark, cars without anti-lock brakes, air bags, seat belts,and motorcycle helmets.

it's stupid drivers, but you can't fix stupid by passing more laws.

[Vulcan]

Originally posted by john9001
it's not cell phones, it's not drinking and driving, it's not wet roads, it's not a BAD INTERSECTION, it's not snow, ice, dark, cars without anti-lock brakes, air bags, seat belts,and motorcycle helmets.

it's stupid drivers, but you can't fix stupid by passing more laws.

Agreed, I can't count the number of times I've seen a 'bad driver' and thought cellphone... only to find some chick yabbering to her friend in the passenger seat taking no notice of the road in front or behind her (yeah... bla blah blah I'm to busy to indicate or check my mirrors for BIG BlUE 4WD's in the right lane when I decide to change lanes... no I'll just move right over NOW!)

[Maverick]

Reminds me of a situation that I came accross over 15 years ago. I stopped a guy driving a car on a residential 2 lane road, bike lanes on each side between 2 elementary schools and reading a book propped up on the steering wheel. Unfortunately at that time there was no freaking law I could cite him for. We didn't have a distracted STUPID motorist law back then. All I could do was chew him out then follow him using a bit of constructive paranoia.

[BTW]

Originally posted by Flatbar
I don't know about you people but I've had all too many close calls caused by these yakers and drivers.

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=domesticNews&storyID=2006-06-30T105819Z_01_N29294149_RTRUKOC_0_US-CELLPHONES.xml&archived=False

You ain't gota tell me. Driving has a lot to do with keeping in flow with the traffic - its like a rhythm. People on cell phones are oblivious to this rhythm. You ought to go to jail if pulled over and your cell phone isn't in the glove compartment. You won't though. Verizon spends a lot on lobbyists.

[Flit]

Yep, i tend to yell "Get Off The Phone !" to people .
 For some reason, people  talking on a phone while driving tend to lose their "SA", leaving it up to us to dodge them.
 even a "hands free phone " only seems to help a little.
 All talking on any cellphone while driving should be banned.
CB's are different.
 Why, I do not know.

[Debonair]

if u'd shot him dead, would that have been negligent homicide? lolololol:lol

[lasersailor184]

I do it occasionally.  But whenever I am doing something that is not strictly driving, I slow down and am extra cautious.

[ramzey]

Originally posted by Wolfala
I have an acronym for you guys when it comes to:


Women talking on a cell phone (driving or walking):  Guided Missile

with 1960's guiding system

Mythbusters did one episode of their show about that.
Thay compare talking while driving to drunk driving.

[Pooh21]

This one little girl in a jeep on a phone in front of me today pulled a U, I was expecting her to do something stupid and of course she obliged She whipped into a drive was about to spin around right in front of me but I was already slowing down, I just jammed my horn and she about dropped her phone.

A regular driver might have creamed her, and with my big truck against her little jeep. wouldnt have been very fun for her.

I wish I could yell at these people "get off the phone and drive" but if I did the only thing they would do is hang up current call, then call FedEx Home Delivery and tell em their driver is attempting to run over schoolchildren.

[Suave]

To be honest with you, the only times that I really talk on the phone while I'm driving is when I'm kindof sloshed.

[SOB]

Originally posted by Maverick
Reminds me of a situation that I came accross over 15 years ago. I stopped a guy driving a car on a residential 2 lane road, bike lanes on each side between 2 elementary schools and reading a book propped up on the steering wheel. Unfortunately at that time there was no freaking law I could cite him for. We didn't have a distracted STUPID motorist law back then. All I could do was chew him out then follow him using a bit of constructive paranoia.

So he wasn't breaking any laws, but you pulled him over, griped at him, then continued to intimidate him as he went about his business?  Meanie.

[Saintaw]

Originally posted by Suave
To be honest with you, the only times that I really talk on the phone while I'm driving is when I'm kindof sloshed.

[beet1e]

Originally posted by Estel
I'v seen on TV, that in GB they want to prohibit smoking when you are driving...

Well that's news to me. But as a nonsmoker, the news probably passed me by. However, IIRC, in Norway it is illegal for the driver to smoke while driving in towns...

Cars are now being offered with "nonsmoker" option. You still get a 12v socket between the two front seats, which is useful for the phone charger, but no lighter, and instead of an ashtray you get a little more storage space.

LOL - I've had a total of FIVE roadside "interviews" with US cops. Total cost, $58. Three of these interviews turned out to be freebies. Three of the cops were really nice, including one of the two who actually gave me a ticket, one was a small minded avacado who seemed to think that 64mph on an empty highway (I-80 near Quad Cities, IL) was "suicidal" (bollocking given in a country boy accent, but no ticket) and one thought I was a complete nutter because I went round an S-bend at more than 25mph. Apparently, negotiating bends is not a recognised skill in Mount Prospect,IL. I thought this guy was going to shoot me! I could see him in the door mirror, hand poised over his gun as he cowered beside my rear wheel. What made his mind up was that I didn't have a Mt. Prospect "city sticker" - a certificate of payment of a $10 tax that had to be paid at City Hall. A "city sticker"? I didn't even know what he was talking about. I'd only been there a week. How was I to know of the existence of the "city sticker" requirement? Luckily, this was way back in 1980. If it had happened today, I'd be suspected of being a terrorist, and sent to Guantanamo Bay!

[mora]

Originally posted by Panzzer
It's been illegal to talk in a cellphone while driving here in Finland for 2 years or so. But if you have a headset or a BlueTooth set, it's legal... The logic behind that fails me, if I use my phone to talk it's illegal, if I use the same phone with my bluetooth-headset it's legal?

Strange logic indeed... The "crime" is having your hand next to your ear. Why isn't it illegal to steer with one hand then? If they'd ban phone usage while driving alltogether, then talking to passengers, car radios, navigation aids etc. should be banned aswell.

[Jackal1]

Originally posted by john9001
it's not cell phones, it's not drinking and driving, it's not wet roads, it's not a BAD INTERSECTION, it's not snow, ice, dark, cars without anti-lock brakes, air bags, seat belts,and motorcycle helmets.

it's stupid drivers, but you can't fix stupid by passing more laws.

Yep. Should have been pretty basic to begin with. It should have been a requirement that you have the ability to walk and chew gum at the same time before you were issued a license. This alone would eliminate about 80 percent of the traffic problem in cities.