To the woman that nearly ran me off the road today!!!!

[Kyle DeLexus]

Originally Posted by Fire Me Boy!

I've had four close calls since riding my motorcycle. In three of the four instances it was a woman driving an SUV. In the fourth, it was a man driving a pickup truck.

In all four instances, the driver was talking on a cell phone.

I had a close call with a motorcycle when I first started driving. I looked in my rearview and he was a ways back and I had already checked my side so I went to change lanes a couple seconds later and he was driving so fast he was already in my blindspot. Scared the shit outta me and taught me a valuable lesson.

I don't have a problem with casual conversation on a cell phone but don't try processing anything complicated while driving. I know it can be very distracting. But just yapping about nothing in particular is just as harmless as having a conversation with a passenger. This is pretty hard to legislate because some folks are capable of driving while talking and some people probably shouldn't be driving at all.

[Lzen]

Originally Posted by Phobia

I don't have a problem with casual conversation on a cell phone but don't try processing anything complicated while driving. I know it can be very distracting. But just yapping about nothing in particular is just as harmless as having a conversation with a passenger. This is pretty hard to legislate because some folks are capable of driving while talking and some people probably shouldn't be driving at all.

Good take. And that's pretty much my thought on it, as well.

[Fire Me Boy!]

Originally Posted by Phobia

I don't have a problem with casual conversation on a cell phone but don't try processing anything complicated while driving. I know it can be very distracting. But just yapping about nothing in particular is just as harmless as having a conversation with a passenger. This is pretty hard to legislate because some folks are capable of driving while talking and some people probably shouldn't be driving at all.

Phil, you know I like you and have the utmost respect for you, but that's bullshit. Driving while on the phone - jabber or complex conversation - has been proven again and again to cause tunnel vision and impaired reaction time similar to driving drunk. And hands-free devices, while they free up your hands to supposedly help you drive, do nothing to improve reaction time.

I've not seen any studies comparing talking on a cell and talking to a passenger.

[CosmicPal]

Originally Posted by Fire Me Boy!

I've not seen any studies comparing talking on a cell and talking to a passenger.

A passenger can be just as much if not more of a distraction. HOWEVER- passengers can help the driver in many ways that a caller can't- and that is the passenger can sometimes alert the driver of another car, pedestrian, animal, etc.

But passengers can be quite a distraction too- changing the radio station, throwing tantrums, spilling drinks, etc.

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by Fire Me Boy!

Phil, you know I like you and have the utmost respect for you, but that's bullshit. Driving while on the phone - jabber or complex conversation - has been proven again and again to cause tunnel vision and impaired reaction time similar to driving drunk. And hands-free devices, while they free up your hands to supposedly help you drive, do nothing to improve reaction time.

I've not seen any studies comparing talking on a cell and talking to a passenger.

Based on what I've read, the difference in reaction time is usually like 5 feet @ 65mph (but the studies usually say something like "11% OMG!!!")... and if you need an extra 5 feet at that speed, you were probably either following too closely to begin with or you're already screwed.

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by Fire Me Boy!

Phil, you know I like you and have the utmost respect for you, but that's bullshit. Driving while on the phone - jabber or complex conversation - has been proven again and again to cause tunnel vision and impaired reaction time similar to driving drunk. And hands-free devices, while they free up your hands to supposedly help you drive, do nothing to improve reaction time.

I've not seen any studies comparing talking on a cell and talking to a passenger.

Each according to his gifts. Some people can do it, some people can't. I know people who can talk on a hand-held phone, smoke a cigarette and drive a car with a stick shift safely. I also know people who have a license who shouldn't be allowed behind the wheel stone sober and talking to nobody.

This is one of those LCD laws (lowest common denominator). It is what it is.

[Fire Me Boy!]

Originally Posted by frazod

Each according to his gifts. Some people can do it, some people can't. I know people who can talk on a hand-held phone, smoke a cigarette and drive a car with a stick shift safely. I also know people who have a license who shouldn't be allowed behind the wheel stone sober and talking to nobody.

This is one of those LCD laws (lowest common denominator). It is what it is.

I don't buy that they can do those things safely. I'll buy "safer than others" but not safely. And just because they haven't had a wreck yet doesn't mean anything. Distractions are dangerous, and I've never been more aware of them as I have in the past year that I've been riding. People need to hang up, put down the cheeseburger and pay the road and other people on it the attention they deserve.

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by Fire Me Boy!

I don't buy that they can do those things safely. I'll buy "safer than others" but not safely. And just because they haven't had a wreck yet doesn't mean anything. Distractions are dangerous, and I've never been more aware of them as I have in the past year that I've been riding. People need to hang up, put down the cheeseburger and pay the road and other people on it the attention they deserve.

I once drove my old Vega with a stick shift through town while eating a cheeseburger and fries and drinking a coke. And I think I was half shitfaced, too!

[Bugeater]

Originally Posted by Bearcat

Oblivious is oblivious, regardless of what you're doing while driving (if anything)... I see plenty of clueless f***s who have both hands on the wheel and don't seem caught up in external distractions.

A few months ago, some guy (not on a phone) merged into my lane as his back tires were even with my front tires, so he could take an exit... no blinker, never looked, and he had plenty of time & space to get over earlier. I honked for a good 20 seconds, mostly because he had a female in the front seat and a child in the back seat. Yeah, a wreck would be a pretty big pain in the ass to me, but I'm glad someone was looking out for the other people in the car. Nobody in the car ever reacted to my road rage, which makes me wonder how many times he pulls that shit.

Yes, there are always going to be people doing stupid shit while driving, but it's the wildly disproportionate number of them that are driving that way because they're on the phone that is disturbing.

Originally Posted by Fire Me Boy!

Phil, you know I like you and have the utmost respect for you, but that's bullshit. Driving while on the phone - jabber or complex conversation - has been proven again and again to cause tunnel vision and impaired reaction time similar to driving drunk. And hands-free devices, while they free up your hands to supposedly help you drive, do nothing to improve reaction time.

I've not seen any studies comparing talking on a cell and talking to a passenger.

I don't give a rip about studies unless the study included me. Really. We're talking about aptitude and personal responsibility. When we're talking about such things, you can't show me a study comprised of random strangers and show me how it equates to my own aptitude.

I realize there are idiots on the road. I realize we're talking to a man with a big ego. I've analyzed my own phone habits. I know that I shouldn't be discussing a client's bid while I'm on the cell phone driving. I know I can answer a few questions from the wife or from my workers. I know I can set up an appointment or listen to directions to my next stop.

I don't know why you're so sure people can't talk on the phone and drive. If you can't then don't. If you can't dunk a basketball then don't file for the NBA draft. If you can't swim, then don't become a Navy Seal. If you can't bake a cake don't fill out a job application at a bakery. If you're not a rocket scientist, then do not enter into a debate about talking on a cell phone while driving a car.

[Fire Me Boy!]

Originally Posted by Phobia

I don't give a rip about studies unless the study included me. Really. We're talking about aptitude and personal responsibility. When we're talking about such things, you can't show me a study comprised of random strangers and show me how it equates to my own aptitude.

I realize there are idiots on the road. I realize we're talking to a man with a big ego. I've analyzed my own phone habits. I know that I shouldn't be discussing a client's bid while I'm on the cell phone driving. I know I can answer a few questions from the wife or from my workers. I know I can set up an appointment or listen to directions to my next stop.

I don't know why you're so sure people can't talk on the phone and drive. If you can't then don't. If you can't dunk a basketball then don't file for the NBA draft. If you can't swim, then don't become a Navy Seal. If you can't bake a cake don't fill out a job application at a bakery. If you're not a rocket scientist, then do not enter into a debate about talking on a cell phone while driving a car.

Why are you being so defensive? I'm sorry if you think it was some kind of personal attack, because it wasn't. I said up front I have a lot of respect for you, and your response and the vitriol in its tone takes me by surprise.

The fact is: talking on a cell phone IS a distraction. Like it or not, man. And I don't care if you were a Navy Seal, a CIA undercover operative or a rocket scientist, the physiology is no different for you than it is for someone else.

I'll not argue that it may affects you less than others - that may be perfectly true; I'd even say the same of me - but I'd bet all the money I have that your reaction time is slowed and your awareness is impaired when you're talking on a cell phone.

And seriously... WTF does being a rocket scientist have to do with entering into a debate about talking on a cell phone? Are you a rocket scientist? Then don't argue, I guess.

Originally Posted by Fire Me Boy!

Why are you being so defensive? I'm sorry if you think it was some kind of personal attack, because it wasn't. I said up front I have a lot of respect for you, and your response and the vitriol in its tone takes me by surprise.

The fact is: talking on a cell phone IS a distraction. Like it or not, man. And I don't care if you were a Navy Seal, a CIA undercover operative or a rocket scientist, the physiology is no different for you than it is for someone else.

I'll not argue that it may affects you less than others - that may be perfectly true; I'd even say the same of me - but I'd bet all the money I have that your reaction time is slowed and your awareness is impaired when you're talking on a cell phone.

And seriously... WTF does being a rocket scientist have to do with entering into a debate about talking on a cell phone? Are you a rocket scientist? Then don't argue, I guess.

Didn't realize I was being defensive. Just saying it how I feel. I'm not mad. I agree that cell-phones are a distraction. But I also know that different people handle distractions better than others.

I've had half a dozen accidents in my lifetime. Never on the phone.

[Lzen]

Originally Posted by Phobia

...If you're not a rocket scientist, then do not enter into a debate about talking on a cell phone while driving a car.

WTH?

Originally Posted by Lzen

WTH?

Just a silly joke. You know me.