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So do you do it or not?

I see it all the time on the roads.

 Byte wrote:
So do you do it or not?

I see it all the time on the roads.

It's even worse for me... I talk-to-text on my phone...

Anecdote incoming - my wife and I recently took a road tip to Miami to watch the BCS final in January. Without doubt some of the worst driving that I have seen to date was from those using a phone to text/surf while driving, often at high speeds, multiple lanes and heavy traffic.

I am in the process of obtaining a US licence having just moved over here and I will freely admit that where I came from using a phone while driving was not permitted.

My own personal view is that when operating a motor vehicle you should not do anything which impairs your ability to concentrate on the road. You should give the task at hand your concentration. Otherwise you are putting your life, your passenger's life and the lives of others at risk.

Texting while driving is completely unacceptable.

 MrDwhitey wrote:
Texting while driving is completely unacceptable.

It happens tons here in the US. Someones doing it...

Talking on a phone is bad enough. I almost was run off by some lady on her phone.

People who do it are <insert a large amount of any expletives here>.

It's quite scary even being a passenger in a car that's almost hit by some <expletive>end texting or talking or doing their make-up. It's even worse when they give you evils or make it out to be your fault it happened. I can't imagine how drivers cope.

I've also had my fair share of people careening through red lights whilst on their phone, or otherwise being a complete danger to everyone around them.

It's not just cars, though, it's bikes as well. The amount of cyclists riding one-handed whilst speaking or texting...

I only do so when the road conditions and traffic conditions allow. My general rule is if there is a vehicle within 100 feet I don't text. Sure I my read a text when I get a chance, but sending a message? Not unless it's safe enough, even then I keep glancing after each letter.

 juraigamer wrote:
I only do so when the road conditions and traffic conditions allow. My general rule is if there is a vehicle within 100 feet I don't text. Sure I my read a text when I get a chance, but sending a message? Not unless it's safe enough, even then I keep glancing after each letter.

I text ever so often when driving. It clouds my awareness and I know this, but oh well. I've avoided 3 or so bad wrecks through skill, and have yet to have any sort of significant fender bender. Arrogant, and not worried.

How do you guys feel about reading a text or sending a short text while sitting at a long red light, or while stopping at a stop sign if no other vehicles are around? Or are you most concerned with reading/sending texts while the vehicle is actually in motion?

In motion would/is my concern.

I don't text while driving, but I am often flipping thru songs on my iPod while driving. It is a distraction to be sure. Also using the GPS on my iPhone is a distraction.

I guess we need a concrete definition of what is considered 'distracted driving.'

What if you just want to listen to NPR, but the signal is cutting in and out, so you adjust your radio to compensate? What about switching CDs?

What if you are eating and drinking coffee on the way to work?

What if your wife/girlfriend/passenger is yelling at you? Should that be illegal? It could sure cause a crash, if you've ever had an irate passenger, you know what I mean.

Wait it isn't illegal for the driver to use your phone whilst in a vehicle in the US? Here you'll get charged for it as long as the engine's turned on (if your car's parked whilst the engine's on you'll also get charged for causing unnecessary pollution or something too). I think the same may go for using any electronic device which requires your hands (though presumably not radios). ...So no playing on your Gameboys or setting up a playlist of techno.

I recall it being compared to having a couple of units of alcohol in you, and its something that really riles up the police here.

 Wyrmalla wrote:
Wait it isn't illegal for the driver to use your phone whilst in a vehicle in the US? Here you'll get charged for it as long as the engine's turned on (if your car's parked whilst the engine's on you'll also get charged for causing unnecessary pollution or something too). I think the same may go for using any electronic device which requires your hands (though presumably not radios). ...So no playing on your Gameboys or setting up a playlist of techno.

I recall it being compared to having a couple of units of alcohol in you, and its something that really riles up the police here.

Pretty much yeah, its illegal. Depending who you have in the car, it can increase the fine or jail time.
If you hit someone its treated like drunk driving.

One should not text, talk on the phone, eat, or argue with the wife while driving. It's a no-brainer.

feeder wrote:
One should not text, talk on the phone, eat, or argue with the wife while driving. It's a no-brainer.

This is the only real answer.

It's illegal here, and should be illegal in whatever country you are reading this. It's stupid and dangerous.

Here's the thing... if you're doing anything while driving that detracts from you paying attention to the road you're a fool and an idiot. It wouldn't matter if you were only putting your own life at risk (darwinism at its finest) but you're not, you're putting everyone on the road with you at risk.

In my book that includes texting, facebooking, talking on the phone, eating, drinking anything that requires you to unscrew a lid, smoking, rolling a smoke etc etc etc.

Just don't do it people.

 Avatar 720 wrote:


It's not just cars, though, it's bikes as well. The amount of cyclists riding one-handed whilst speaking or texting...

That's why you learn to ride with no hands. . . . or get a headset.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Paint_To_Redemption wrote:


In my book that includes texting, facebooking, talking on the phone, eating, drinking anything that requires you to unscrew a lid, smoking, rolling a smoke etc etc etc.

Just don't do it people.

Next you'll say driving a stick with a Scandinavian supermodel on your lap while ripping a bong impairs your driving. And you know what, I'M NOT GOING TO STOP, YOU FILTHY COMMUNIST.

It's illegal to do so here, but people are still self-obsessed enough to do it anyway which makes no sense to me at all.

I'd feel horrible knowing if I was ever responsible for causing a crash which killed someone/some people who were innocently driving home from work/school just because i needed to respond to a mates text message he sent me. I understand the counter argument that people use them in-case of a family emergency but this rarely seems to be the reason.

Only recently NSW passed new laws to crack down on this problem; details for any Australians or anyone who may be interested or unaware:

http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/roadsafety/driverdistractions/index.html

If you're driving eyes on the road.

 Wyrmalla wrote:
Wait it isn't illegal for the driver to use your phone whilst in a vehicle in the US? Here you'll get charged for it as long as the engine's turned on (if your car's parked whilst the engine's on you'll also get charged for causing unnecessary pollution or something too). I think the same may go for using any electronic device which requires your hands (though presumably not radios). ...So no playing on your Gameboys or setting up a playlist of techno.

I recall it being compared to having a couple of units of alcohol in you, and its something that really riles up the police here.

Like many things in the US, whether or not it's illegal depends on the state, and sometimes even the city. In some states it's illegal, in some states it's not. It just depends, and the exact rules vary.


You really get charged for causing unnecessary pollution if your engine is on while parked? What if it's winter and you're letting your vehicle warm up, or trying to keep your vehicle warm while waiting for someone? That seems a little bit excessive to me.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 hotsauceman1 wrote:

Pretty much yeah, its illegal. Depending who you have in the car, it can increase the fine or jail time.
If you hit someone its treated like drunk driving.

This is incorrect. Maybe that's the case where you live, but it's not the case for the US as a whole.

I am a motorcyclist so its almost impossible for me to do anything other than operate the bike. Been on the receiving end of a distracted driver on more occasions than id like. I had this girl clip my elbow with her mirror while looking at her phone. More times than I can count ive been forced out of a lane by some one on their phone. So im very much against text/talking while driving.

 rubiksnoob wrote:


Next you'll say driving a stick with a Scandinavian supermodel on your lap while ripping a bong impairs your driving. And you know what, I'M NOT GOING TO STOP, YOU FILTHY COMMUNIST.

Listen here commera... uh... friend... you might get away with that in your capitalist dog country but in Soviet Russia we do things differently. Either it's a full blown fiery wreck or driving safely. However we do heartily recommend Scandinavian supermodels.

 Hordini wrote:

You really get charged for causing unnecessary pollution if your engine is on while parked? What if it's winter and you're letting your vehicle warm up, or trying to keep your vehicle warm while waiting for someone? That seems a little bit excessive to me.

No, I don't know where he got that from. Possibly he did his driving test in the last 5-6 years when they started doing "Eco driving" and telling you silly things like that.

 Necroshea wrote:
I text ever so often when driving. It clouds my awareness and I know this, but oh well. I've avoided 3 or so bad wrecks through skill, and have yet to have any sort of significant fender bender. Arrogant, and not worried.

Jeez.... you shouldn't be driving with an attitude like that man.

I wouldn't because it's illegal and dangerous. It's easily worse than talking on the phone because you take your eyes off the road and only have one hand in control of the vehicle. Most people are not as 'skilled' at driving as they think themselves to be.

I notice that the British people are much more likely on this thread to say 'no' where as Americans are a bit more relaxed. Maybe this is because we all drive proper manual cars in this country while in the US they are mostly automatics which have all the finesse of a dodgem car. All you need are feet on the pedals and a hand on the wheel, cruise control is a lot more popular in the US too. It's no wonder people think they have a spare hands they could be doing better things with than actually driving the car.

Hey now, I drive a manual and still find the coordination to text behind the wheel! I know I shouldn't but sometomes I fond myself in conversation and I can't figure out the text-to-talk thing.

Steve steveson wrote:

 Hordini wrote:

You really get charged for causing unnecessary pollution if your engine is on while parked? What if it's winter and you're letting your vehicle warm up, or trying to keep your vehicle warm while waiting for someone? That seems a little bit excessive to me.

No, I don't know where he got that from. Possibly he did his driving test in the last 5-6 years when they started doing "Eco driving" and telling you silly things like that.

Alright, I was wondering. It sounded a bit overboard (especially in the winter).

Put it this way, if you were using a piece of dangerous machinery at work, won't you give a 100% attention? So what's the difference with a car? It's a lump of metal travelling at speed!!! Next time you think about scoffing at this or going over the limit in a built up area, try the following. Give a 8 year old a baseball / cricketball, get them to stand about 10 yards away, then lob it at you, with you stood face on with arms by your side. If you don't flinch, then hats off to you, but I bet most of you would. That ball is smaller and travelling at less speed than a car, but it will hurt. Guess what? A large lump of metal at speed is going to hurt more.