Eliminating driver texting

[rabo]

At least cyclist have the support of motorcycle riders, and really a lot of people and organizations involved in traffic. If it was just us , forget it.
A colleague just showed me the hands free texting and blue tooth this and that on her iphone 6.
The future I hope.
Don't have a smartphone myself , but miss one every weekend when bushwacking with the MTB through the Smokies:" where the hell are we?"

[Jonathan]

At least cyclist have the support of motorcycle riders

I ride a moto every day to my office so using a phone or any device of distraction doesn't happen. I miss a bunch of calls. I'm not tempted by the Bluetooth Helmets that synch to a phone. Riding a moto towards the city takes full on situational awareness. Yesterday while buzzing down a back road near home another moto is coming my way. I go to make the obligatory salute when I notice the other rider is texting or doing something. Whoaa, I've never seen that before.

[King Of Dirk]

Riding a moto towards the city takes full on situational awareness.

IMHO, the best thing about riding a motorcycle is how it forces you to focus on the singular task of preventing your own death. It sounds odd when phrased that way, but when I commute on the moto I can't allow myself to worry about the office, or a client, or the dirty garage, or whether Dick finally got down with Jane on Search for Tomorrow. It's therapeutic.

[AngryScientist]

It's not my problem.
Lotsa' reasonable solutions.
But if you're in a car, get off the phone.
No middle ground atmo.

the problem is it becomes your problem when joe blow is 5 meters off your rear wheel reading an email from his overbearing boss. your self control protects other people in this instance, the self control (or lack of) of others is what is the problem.

[e-RICHIE]

the problem is it becomes your problem when joe blow is 5 meters off your rear wheel reading an email from his overbearing boss. your self control protects other people in this instance, the self control (or lack of) of others is what is the problem.

Of course you're right. But what am I to do here? I've been hit twice and know full well what it feels like. The ideal is for everyone reading my reply to never use a cell phone in a car again, and then tell others elsewhere to also pay attention by taking their lead. And so on. And do on.

[ron l edmiston]

-- i don't text while in the vehicle driving.., but i am guilty of making built in contact calls and receiving calls on my cell..
when one gets a 2x4 across the face.., tammy being hit but no damage to her.., --- "the reflection viewed in my the mirror.."
no-more cell anything while i am driving in a vehicle.. --- "house-dad honor.."

ronnie.., turn'n it off when turn'n it on..

[Mike Mcdermid]

What would be ideal is if whilst driving if you picked up your phone a 200v shock went into the perp or a giant spike went through the ear drum seriously they did studies of people and even though they knew the phone was non functioning people still picked them up to check them, its remarkable

[e-RICHIE]

Wanna make a change? Anyone reading or posting on this thread agrees
to never being on a phone again while driving a car. Any takers atmo?

[Saab2000]

Best way to control my own behavior with this is to just shut the thing off or put it into airplane mode when getting into the car.

We have to be better with this than, "Do as I say, not as I do".

[devlin]

I already ignore it while driving. Ill even chastise my wife if she goes to grab it while she is driving. That does cause some friction. I even drive 5 below the limit everywhere I go. Thay gives everyone the shits.

[devlin]

http:// http://m.youtube.com/?#/watch?v=Tlxjng8h3Tc

[Mike Mcdermid]

They should ban phones in cars all together like smuggling drugs, problem solved

[vertical_doug]

pretty sure this is already a lost cause

maybe poc - volvo -siemens having the helmet tell the car not to hit you is the way to go.
a little AI probably goes a long ways
there just seems so little carbon based intelligence these days




Richie, did you break down an get an EZ Pass yet?

[AngryScientist]

the good news, i think is that the corporate climate is ever so slowly changing.

5 years ago, telling your boss, you'd be in the car for an hour and would be unavailable via phone was basically saying " i'm not giving the company 100%"

today, the same phrase means you're safety conscious. at least in my experience.

[TMB]

They should ban phones in cars all together like smuggling drugs, problem solved

Not even close to problem solved.

1) police have to actually enforce the rule
2) insurance companies have to pay attention and refuse coverage if cell phone involved
3) prosecutors and police have to care if a cell phone is involved in an accident and press the issue

I see none of these happening.

In BC, use of handheld portable electronics is banned. I see people all around me, every day, blatantly chattering on their cell phones. Unless the law is enforced it is pointless.

I have also not heard of a single case on insurance being refused to a driver if they were on a cell phone when in an accident.

THAT would cause people to actually change. I am not holding my breath.

[devlin]

I think Mike was being facetious.

Im pretty sure people in Australia have been prosecuted when it was proved they were using a phone at the time of an accident. Not 100% certain though.

Drivers are not allowed to even have it sitting on their lap or use the speaker. Must be part of a hands free system if used for a call. Bit of an oxy moron in most cases.

These rules have meant diddly squat in chanhing peoples behaviour though. Start confiscating and destroying phones and cars and then people will take notice.

I saw a video recently that had a policeman on an unmarked moto roaming around in traffic picking peo Pl e up for using while driving. We need more of thay.

Problem is you're reinforcing the idea that you dont dp ot because you might get caught rather than you dont do it because its disyracting, dangerous and ironically, anti social.

[sk_tle]

Cars with a windshield and a roof should be banned atmo, as is any sort of "infotainment" (at least for the driver seat). If people had to put a scarf and googles to operate their cars they would be more aware of their surroundings and would not act as if they were in the living room.

[King Of Dirk]

Wanna make a change? Anyone reading or posting on this thread agrees
to never being on a phone again while driving a car. Any takers atmo?

I found myself nodding in agreement. Then I shook my head at my own arrogance...I thought of the last time I was on the phone while driving. It wasn't long ago. It was Thursday.

I tell myself that because it was via Bluetooth and hands-free that it's okay. But I wonder if I'm just trying to rationalize it. I tell myself that in that set of circumstances, it's really no different than conversing with a passenger while driving. Maybe that's a chickenshit excuse.

I could make that pledge without blinking if we allow for hands-free, but it wouldn't be worthy of a pledge if it were easy to do, eh?

I'll make a good faith effort. And I'll hold myself accountable by promising to admit it here publicly if/when I lapse.

Good challenge, e-Richie.

[dashDustin]

so we get rid of texting and phone use.

what about the radio? what about that drink in the cupholder? what about the kids in the back seat? or the dog? or that fly that's seems to go everywhere but out the window? everything is a distraction...in my opinion, it's a matter of how long you are distracted from the task at hand and how frequently. i find driving with 2 young boys in the back a hell of a lot more distracting than being on a phone call especially if they're arguing. maybe it's because I'm a fairly new father.

which leads me into my million dollar idea: cameras in headrests that show what's going on in the back seat. we have video screens in center consoles already, why not throw a closed circuit camera into the headrest that shows the backseat?

[SlowPokePete]

Maybe technology is the only way to get folks to pay attention?

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