Author Topic: Driving and Talking on Cell Phone as bad as Drunk Drivers... (Read 851 times)

eagl · « **Reply #30 on:** July 01, 2006, 08:30:57 AM »

A guy in my squadron got fined 60 pounds for eating an apple while driving in Newmarket, and in the UK we were told that although using a hands-free setup with a cellphone was technically legal, if you were involved in an accident while using a hands-free cellphone, it automatically upped the category of accident from "careless" to "dangerous" (or something like that) and dramatically increased the fine. The same goes for open drink or food containers, even if you were not at fault. A half-empty soda can in the cupholder of a wrecked vehicle tended to lead to charges even if the accident was clearly the other driver's fault.

I do not know if these rules were universally applied however... I only know that they were applied against US military members during my stay in the UK. I have no data on if a UK citizen would be charged in the same way under the same rules but they sure seemed serious about it where we were concerned.

You can imagine the fit the UK cop threw when he saw an American driving a big American car, with the steering wheel on the wrong side, eating an apple and with a coke accessable from the drivers seat... Nevermind the fact that the road was new, wide, and empty... From the reaction, you'd think the guy was trying to moon the queen

Curval · « **Reply #31 on:** July 01, 2006, 08:47:15 AM »

Yesterday it was pouring rain as I set off on my motorcycle for work.

I was passing a line of cars very slowly when I saw a woman being allowed into traffic to travel in the opposite direction to the one I was going.

She had her trusty cell phone at her ear.

I could see that she wasn't even looking my direction as she pulled out so I applied my back brake. I soon noticed the back end of my bike was visible over my right shoulder. I eased off of the brake and stopped the slide but I was still travelling the same speed...only about 10-15mph. I kept tapping the back brake and the back wheel kept locking up and sliding with even the slightest pressure. I got closer and closer to the cell phone weilding woman, who still hadn't even turned her head in my direction and who by this time had totaly blocked my path.

So, I touched the front and back brake at the same time.

The front wheel slid out and I went "high side" over the handlebars.

I landed on the road and did a sort of ninja roll.

The woman got out of her car and said "Hold on a sec" to the person on the other end of the phone and then asked if I was okay. I said I was. She said (in a somewhat irritated tone) "You sure?" I said "yeah, I think so". She said "Okay" and got back into her car and drove off.

lol

I was fine though...not even any road rash and the bike doesn't even have a scratch on it. My back hurts today a bit and I'm a bit stiff...but DAMN those cell phone talking drivers!!!!

mora · « **Reply #32 on:** July 01, 2006, 09:16:17 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by eagl
A guy in my squadron got fined 60 pounds for eating an apple while driving in Newmarket, and in the UK we were told that although using a hands-free setup with a cellphone was technically legal, if you were involved in an accident while using a hands-free cellphone, it automatically upped the category of accident from "careless" to "dangerous" (or something like that) and dramatically increased the fine. The same goes for open drink or food containers, even if you were not at fault. A half-empty soda can in the cupholder of a wrecked vehicle tended to lead to charges even if the accident was clearly the other driver's fault.

The last time I got a fine here I was eating a hamburger when the cop pulled me over. He couldn't care less about the burger, but the speeding ticket was $390... UK seems like a ****ed up place.

lazs2 · « **Reply #33 on:** July 01, 2006, 09:25:17 AM »

I think my cell phone use is about typical... it is rare that I use one in the car... but...

There are people who are on cell phones every waking minute... if not... they have some mp3 player stuck in their ear or otherwise are not in the same world as the rest of us.

england and other socialist countries do the only option that they have for any problem... they simply ban the activity.

I don't want to be a socialist big government country. I want to be less of one.

The way to deal with it is to add penalties for causing an accident if you were on the cell phone or mp3 or whatever. Say...double the fine... double the jail time. sorta like drunk driving.

Ban cell phones.... great....

course we are gonna need a whole lot more police to enforce this frigging law.... like the ones we just hired to make sure everyone is wearing their seatbelt..

Oh... here they are asking for more restrictions on window tinting cause the cops say it is too hard to see if the person driving is wearing his seatbelt or not.

At what point do you wussies draw the line?

are we heading toward becomeing england? Or japan? is that what we want?

lazs

lazs2 · « **Reply #34 on:** July 01, 2006, 09:27:17 AM »

curval..... define "motorcycle".

lazs

Curval · « **Reply #35 on:** July 01, 2006, 09:43:13 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by lazs2
curval..... define "motorcycle".

lazs

Maverick · « **Reply #36 on:** July 01, 2006, 01:30:59 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by SOB
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.

Yep and your point is?

beet1e · « **Reply #37 on:** July 02, 2006, 05:22:24 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by eagl
A half-empty soda can in the cupholder of a wrecked vehicle tended to lead to charges even if the accident was clearly the other driver's fault.

On what basis? That at some point the driver may have consumed said product during the journey? How would the police prove that the water bottle in the cupholder was that of the driver and not one of the passengers? Don't tell me - they'd run a DNA test on the saliva residue around the neck of the bottle. Yes, well in Blair's police state, I'd actually believe that. But it's as ridiculous as charging a driver because the car has door handles - which will be used at some point - or electric window buttons, or radio buttons. Yes eagl, the cars here have door handles, even if the houses don't!

Lazs, yes they should ban smoking in cars, and then ban smoking altogether. As I personally have no use for tobacco, I see no reason why this substance should not be banned completely, with immediate effect!

;)

eagl · « **Reply #38 on:** July 02, 2006, 07:37:38 AM »

Beetle,

I dunno how they'd get away with it, but a few guys at Lakenheath got rather stern warnings about open beverages in the car and about how the presence of such items would automatically bump the level of prosecution up because it demonstrates intent to drive recklessly.

Sort of how exiting a bar after a few drinks and with keys in your pocket can get you arrested for intent to drive drunk. One guy got that while I was there... He was walking home from the pub twirling his keys on his finger, and he got stopped and cited because his car keys were on the keyring and he would come in close proximity with his car parked in his carpark before entering his house.

We're warned about all of these areas during inprocessing but nobody really believes it until someone gets prosecuted.

lazs2 · « **Reply #39 on:** July 02, 2006, 10:04:49 AM »

The only thing worse than smoking and cell phones and the people who use em is..

A ban on cell phones and smoking by people who think they have a right to.

lazs

63tb · « **Reply #40 on:** July 02, 2006, 10:33:20 AM »

It's not using a cell phone per se, but the amount of concentration used.

There was a show on a few years back where a they set up a course of road cones to simulate local roads. Straight, curves, stop signs, etc. They even had a cardboard cut-out of a deer that they could drag across the road.

Then they sent out a driver who was just driving and he didn't hit any cones, stopped at the stop signs and stopped before hitting the "deer".

They they sent him out again but had him hold a casual conversation on a cell phone. He clipped a few cones, but stopped at the stop signs and didn't hit the deer.

Then they sent him out a 3rd time with a cell phone but this time they had him recite aloud the 7's times table (7x1=7, 7x2=14, etc). He clipped almost every cone, sailed passed the stop signs, and the deer never had a chance.

63tb

Jackal1 · « **Reply #41 on:** July 02, 2006, 03:30:32 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by eagl
A guy in my squadron got fined 60 pounds for eating an apple while driving in Newmarket

Good enough for him.f there is anything I cannot stand it is a rude person who give no thought or curtousy to those of us who don`t want second hand apple seeds force upon us. Oughta be a law.
Ban apples.

Jackal1 · « **Reply #42 on:** July 02, 2006, 03:35:33 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by 63tb

Then they sent him out a 3rd time with a cell phone but this time they had him recite aloud the 7's times table (7x1=7, 7x2=14, etc). He clipped almost every cone, sailed passed the stop signs, and the deer never had a chance.

Simple enough to cure all of this. Ban cones or at least restrict them to no closer to a paved roadway than fifty feet, install voice activated text messaging, install onboard Timesit computer and open deer season. Problems solved plus you have a tasty, healthy meal to take home to the family.

Oh..and they should have had the common sense to give him a couple of brewkies before sending him out on such a treacherous piece of roadway. It has been proven to raise alertness and reaction time.
For myself, I made a decision a long time ago to avoid such instances as these. If people don`t like the way I drive they should stay off the sidewalk.

Bluedog · « **Reply #43 on:** July 02, 2006, 11:20:09 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by mora
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.

The crime is having one hand not able to respond instantly to an unexpected situation, therefore impeding your ability to operate the vehicle in a safe manner.

It has nothing to do with talking, and everything to do with having 50% of the required number of hands to drive safely being useless to you in your primary function as controller of the vehicle, for extended periods of time.

mora · « **Reply #44 on:** July 03, 2006, 06:07:30 AM »

Why isn't there a law reguiring to have both hands constantly on the steering wheel then? How is it possible that car radios and other non essential equipment are legal despite they reguire manipulation by hand? Even 24V BJ machines are legal...

Seriously... I believe that the biggest threat in talking while driving isn't having your other hand away from steering wheel, but the distraction it causes. Talking to passenger(s) causes distraction just as much, and listening to radio to a lesser extent.