Hands free or with the phone up to their ear? I'll put my phone on speaker and then put it in the passenger seat and drive just fine.

Talking to a person in you car has little impact in driving capability. Talking on the phone however appears to require much more concentration, this isn't belief, this is academic study under controlled tests that show this. They are trying to determine why there is such a difference in 'in car talking' and phone talking but it may be more the nature of what you are talking about. The studies have shown that hands free or not it makes no difference. It's not your hands being busy that distracts you, it's your mind being occupied, after all in many cases what you need to do to avoid an accident is to slam on the brakes and your foot isn't holding the phone is it?

Hands free makes a huge difference IMO, it's no different than having a conversation with a passenger. There's something about having a phone up to the ear that makes people go off into their own little world. It's like they forget that they are driving.

There are always going to be distractions while driving. Just having a passenger in the car you are talking to can be a huge distraction. Personally I don't text and I'll only take a call if I know it to be important and I keep it extremely short. I don't even do that on the freeway, though.

http://www.distraction.gov/stats-and-facts/

Agreed. Talking hands-free is great. I also voice dial.

This is probably the biggest difference between driving drunk and talking on the phone. If you have a 20 minute drive ahead of you and start off drunk, you're going to be driving drunk the whole way. But if you have the same 20 minute drive ahead of you and you only spend 30 seconds talking on the phone, only those 30 seconds are you likely to be heavily distracted. You can actually turn the phone off where you can't turn off being drunk. Does this mean it's a good idea to talk on the phone while driving? No....but if you only do it in emergencies and keep it short the impact is limited.

Yes, there are always distractions. But most of them don't pull your hand from the wheel, eyes from the road and your mind from driving like texting does.

Talking on the phone...I'm kinda on the fence about that one...some do it better than others. But I've seen enough people doing it poorly that it should be outlawed. Hell, some people drive good when they're drunk, but that doesn't mean we should decriminalize drunken driving.

Nothing will happen. She will get off, slap on wrist and go right back to same shit in a new car. I'm so glad I dont travel like I used to.

And it's illegal here in CA. Is it not in MO and KS? I'm not up to date on the driving laws there. Texting and non-hands free talking are ticketed here. They start with a nominal fine and escalate for repeat offenses.

But think about this for a second. Why would holding up your phone to your ear make any difference? Because one hand is off the wheel? That may impact your ability to make an emergency lane change, but it should have no impact on braking. Why would holding the phone make you more distracted than not holding it? How can holding it make you miss a stop sign or a stop light?

I'm not aware of any laws regarding it here in NE. One problem is, unless you get into an accident because of it, it's going to be tough to enforce.

Yeah....it's illegal here....but how many people do you see driving around with a phone up to their ear? I've seen more now that it's illegal...then I did when it was legal.

The non hands free is enforced fairly often. If the cop sees you with a phone up to your ear you get pulled over it's a primary offense. A general no talking on the cell phone with hands free would be impossible to enforce short of blocking cell signals.

I'm only speaking from my own experience from using both methods. When I used the hands-free device, I found myself pausing from the conversations more often because I was concentrating on driving. I believe there's something psychological about having that phone up to your ear, the conversation tends to become primary and driving secondary.

pr capone, I am SO sorry for the loss of your friend. My parents (also Harley riders) and I were one of the first on the scene after it happened. I didn't know Dwight and Linda personally, but I am still so broken up about all of this. It never should have happened. Keonna Whitters, unintentionally or not, is a MURDERER. I hope she is remorseful for what she has done, and I really hope they throw the book at her.

Once, again, my sympathies for your loss. My prayers go out to his entire family. :(

Maybe it's just the fact that they're simply asshats at driving and not the cell that makes them drive bad.
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my wife says calls it "raising" the window down.

I correct her time and time again

Sorry for your loss.

I'm sure we will start seeing the posts from people soon stating how it all depends on how well you multitask.

I don't give a crap how well anyone multitasks. Using the cell, putting on makeup, eating, reading, etc should be against the law while operating a moving vehicle.

I used to text while driving. In the early days of texting when you were using a tactile 0-9*# phone, it was easy to do without looking at the phone. When I for a long time used various Blackberry Curve series phones, it was still fairly easy to do whilst still looking at the road.

Nowadays, a touch screen makes this impossible, so I would only do it at a stoplight.

If this girl was trying to reach her phone and veered into oncoming traffic, it seems more like the careless and inexperienced teen driver is the problem than it was the phone.

I am sorry for your loss of a friend

Yeah, we've gone over this stuff here ad nauseum. My point has already been expressed before so I wont get into my rant.

It is a shame though PR's friend is a direct result in phone/texting use while driving.

People make stupid decisions everyday, some more than most. It's too bad a life is taken while someone was stupid.

You can make all kinds of laws preventing things like this, but you can't fix stupidity.

sorry for your loss.

In Iowa there is a ban against texting but they can't pull you over for that. It has to be something else, then ask, Can I see your phone?

So in another words they don't want to enforce it. Stupid.

Sorry for your loss.

Sent from my iphone by text while driving

RIP .. sorry dude ....

Texting while driving should be illegal. But talking on the phone? I mean, seriously, if I can smoke while driving or drink a pop while driving, why can't I talk while driving? It's not something I like to do, and I keep the conversations short, but it's not like I take my eyes off the road to look at my iPhone while I'm talking on it. Not my fault that there are people out there who shouldn't be allowed to walk and talk on a phone that have licenses. And I can guarantee you that a pleasant conversation with somebody on the phone is far less distracting than an unpleasant one with the wife if she's pissing me off.

As for motorcycles, it's been said several times here, anytime somebody rides one he's putting his life at risk, especially riding without a ****ing helmet, and bears a certain amount of responsibility for anything that happens on that basis alone. Best rider in the world can't account for some moron suddenly crossing a lane into him, and there is just no protection.

If this guy had been in a car, he'd be sore and talking to a claims adjuster. That's just the way it is.

I was driving to Amarillo one time and this chick passed me going 80+ steering her car with her knees while putting on makeup. We pulled up beside her and took photos while driving right next and she didn't even notice. we thought we'd have evidence for the inevitable .

That will just cause anyone driving around you to look down at their phones and make your chances of an accident that much higher.

This is true. Yes, he is dead because of the actions initiated by others. But his decision to not wear a helmet might of changed the outcome of the idiot girls decision.

Sorry to hear about your loss. It's a damn shame to lose your life to the recklessness and irresponsibility of someone else's actions. There is nothing that should be that important that you must text while driving. If it's so important, then call the person. Or better yet, pull the ***** over to the nearest parking lot.

Keonna Whitters is a fucking murderer. That's all there is to it.

On my way home I am following a car that keep tailgating the person in front, then nearly slamming on the breaks. Wash rinse repeat several times. Finally get to the intersection where I pull up next to her and the bitch is busy texting while driving.

Kicker?

She has Kansas Firefighter tags on her vehicle.

If you know anyone with a KS FF tag on a grey Kia Soul in Wichita. Beat the shit out of her cuz she sure as hell did not hear me honk or yell.

I text and drive all the time. Something I really need to stop, I know.......................................... I am a really good multitasker though.

Sorry about your friend..

I have to disagree. The guy that T boned my van causing it to roll was simply talking on his phone. Not text, just talking. He was too distracted to see the stop sign and he put me and two of my children at risk because if his stupidity.

It sucks that some irresponsible idiot ran into your vehicle, but what does that have to do with me? He could have just as easily been distracted by a passenger, or another vehicle, or a jogger with a nice rack. Shit happens.

Wait a damn minute. Nice Racks and said viewership is a constitutional requirement or something. Rack n Butts get a pass.

I've been wanting a motorcycle for a long time and this thread is giving me second thoughts.

Really sorry about your friend pr.

This x 1000
Some people get all dramatic talking on their phone which is a big difference from "Get some milk and eggs on the way home"
And no I never talk or text on my phone while driving.

I rode to work this morning. I'll ride to work again tomorrow. You have to enjoy your life.... just have to keep your head on a swivel.

I understand your pain. But that idiot girl didn't set out that day with plans to kill someone. She was simply guilty of what nearly every teen driver does on a daily basis. Hell most people here have probably had a situation where they were distracted enough by their phone while driving, that they could have caused an accident. One of your loved ones probably has texted while driving, and probably will again. If you want to be angry, be angry at the fact that our society has let this distracting and dangerous practice continue after countless deaths and studies showing how dangerous it is. Put that effort into a campaign to educate people on the dangers of texting while driving. Because this happens every day and it's a widespread problem.

Pics, I demand pics!

You wouldn't believe how many times I've caught myself gawking at some chick and I realized that I was paying NO attention to the road. That is probably about 10 times more distracting than a phone. I can ignore the phone - I have a harder time with the jogger. Pun intended.

Fall is here - I'll be out as often as I can.

Though stories like this do have you remembering your basics a little better. I recall a couple of times last night that I made a special point of swinging towards the center line a little when I was behind a vehicle and we came onto someone turning left, just to make sure he saw me and didn't start his turn after the truck in front of me cleared him.

On my ride into work there is a merge where 2 lanes go to 1 (and the other is an exit only going up a hill to a stoplight). I saw a guy puttering along in the exit only at highway speed and knew there was no way he was getting off there as he'd just gotten on and hadn't started to slow down for the stoplight at the top of the hill. Sure enough, just as the exit split, he cut across the median and back onto the highway. I had already gotten over a lane and watched him rocket right into where I'd have been had I simply not been watching for morons. I tend to watch for crap like that, but I also haven't been on the bike for awhile due to the heat - maybe I'd have been lax but/for the thread?

There are a lot little things riders can do to cut down on the risk of a collision. Things like this remind us to keep up on them and watch for the idiots. A lot of the time they'll give themselves away before they act.

Your friend was an avid rider and had a bunch of other friends that were as well (not to mention the folks on here as well as anyone that reads/hears about the story and rides). If nothing else, there's a good chance that his loss will save someone else from serious injury just by reminding them to be careful out there. People are idiots.

This.

Calling her a murderer is a little over the top.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0LCmStIw9E

Very graphic PSA from England about teen texting while driving.

Prolly NSFW

I don't know how to imbed.

no, denied

<iframe width="560" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/R0LCmStIw9E" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Or once again, maybe he was just a bad driver.
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Basically, there will always be dumbass people who continue to do dumb shit like text and driving, but you should at least control what you can control and wear helmet/seatbelt everytime you're out on the road.
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And a case can be made that driving a Big Gas Gussling SUV is a good defense vs. crazy kids.

BTW, thanks Donger.

Yeah, I really don't like to talk on the phone while driving and try not to do it at all. The texting thing man, I stupidly tried it once and one letter into it I was like "this was a terrible idea, never try to do this again" and put it away. I really think the biggest problem is so many people treat the privilege to use the roads as their unalienable right to do what they want in their vehicle.

I'm sorry about your friend.


That said, I've worked 27.5hrs the past 2 days covering about 500 miles to do it. There is no way I can get my work done without multitasking and it includes taking phone calls on the road, and sometimes taking a peek at a text or email. I never do it in traffic and wait until I'm stopped to respond other than a call. It's just not feasible to stop every time. If the high-n-mighty who likely do the same thing when not putting scarlet letters on others don't like it, I've got an uncomfortable suggestion.

Today it was very nice out....I had at 2 motorcycles blow past me on rural roads going at least 90. It's harvest season...Construction equipment, combines, wagons.....

A little over the top...but pain clouds a mind.


She sounds more like a kid, who did something stupid that had a horrible outcome.


I'd guess we've all be * * close to something as tragic a few times.

My best friend (well one of 2) is a 28 year old woman who used to text and drive all the time. I've begged her many times to stop and chastized her many times when she texts me when I know she's driving. In the last month or so she's said she's making a real effort to stop. She has gotten better (as far as I know at least) but she still does it. She'll give me the excuse that she's at a stop light or something.

I don't know why she can't just quit doing it. It's not an addiction like drugs or booze, it's a simple choice. She has a 10 minute drive to work, she doesn't need to text me on the way.

I told her about this thread today and showed it to her. She promises to re-dedicate herself. Now show me don't tell me.

I'm very sorry for the senseless loss of your friend. Helmet and texting debate aside, the world lost a person for no good reason at all. That sucks.

And what should I do if I don't happen to have one of the selected phones that has been damned by god? Then where should I keep it?

Agree about that. But just like anything else, it's unfair to put responsible riders in the group of daredevils who terrorize the roads.

I feel strongly that I can talk on the phone unimpaired. I can't text and drive though. I understand that many people cannot do either and I'm fine with that. Missouri actually has a texting and driving law that makes it legal for adults to text and drive but minors cannot.