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Should cell phone drivers be singled out?

3688 messages,  Last post on Oct 27, 2009 at 11:39 AM

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#3639 of 3688 talking heads by steve_ HOST Mar 11, 2009 (7:16 pm)
Shall we tone down the heat in here a notch? Don't want any lurkers to decide not to jump in and burn their toes.   Thanks.
#3640 of 3688 Re: out of Sync? [lilengineerboy] by vinnyny Mar 14, 2009 (8:06 pm)
Replying to: lilengineerboy (Mar 10, 2009 3:37 am) In the real world, we call this "data." Its how informed decisions are made. You learn about an issue, research it, collect data, and make a decision about it. Or you can act out of ignorance and fear, but after the last 8 years, people aren't such fans of that anymore.   No. In the REAL WORLD data obtained from surveys is how engineers and politicians make decisions. Only engineers and politicians live in a world where survey data is more valuable than actual real life experiences. That's the problem with engineers, they don't understand the real world. As for the last 8 years, come back to this forum (if the messiah still allows the free exchange of information 8 years from now) and let me know how you feel about the Bush presidency. If Obama keeps spending like a drunken sailor on idiotic social programs, we'll probably only have to wait 4 years.       And until last year, vehicle miles traveled increased, the number of vehicles on the road increased, the number of immegrant drivers increased, etc. And so far, very little has been done to help a car AVOID a crash, just mitigate them.   So, you don't think anti-lock brakes, electronic stability control, smart cruise control, blind spot monitoring systems, improvements in tire technology and a myriad of other safety enhancements might help you AVOID a crash?   Even that isn't exactly correct. If you look at skills and training, things like hand eye coordination, opportunity cost of task switching, etc that doesn't seem to be the case. Aging hurts the process, but driving skills compensate to a degree.   An aging population alone offsets any advancements in skill and training.    So why don't we do something about the poor performing drivers? What does that have to do with cell phones?   We should do something about all poor performing drivers, but this forum specifically relates to cell phone users. As I said earlier, all these idiots applying makeup, reading, polishing nails, etc. should have their licenses yanked.
#3641 of 3688 its measure is "extreme" by steve_ HOST Mar 24, 2009 (9:14 am)
"In September, a trucker talking on his cell slammed into the back of a school bus on U.S 301 in Citra, Fla. One child was killed.   Now the trucking division of a Boise company, whose truckers have had two much more minor cell phone-related accidents, is banning cell phone use by its 250 drivers.   "Last year we had 1.46 accidents per million miles driven, the third lowest in our history," said Craig Lockwood, BCT safety manager for trucking operations. "But we also know that one of the first things attorneys who represent victims of trucking accidents do is ask for the driver's cell phone records."   Hanging up on Idaho truckers' cell phones (Idaho Statesman).
#3642 of 3688 Sometimes drivers single themselves out by steve_ HOST Apr 13, 2009 (8:28 am)
"Boise police say a driver sending a text message from his cell phone crashed into a parked police car that had its emergency lights flashing on Interstate 84 on Saturday night."   Texting driver crashes into Boise police car (Idaho Statesman) Replies to this message: ponderpoint (Apr 19, 2009 6:22 am)
#3643 of 3688 Re: Sometimes drivers single themselves out [steve_] by ponderpoint Apr 19, 2009 (6:22 am)
Replying to: steve_ (Apr 13, 2009 8:28 am) I think the people that are pro cell phone/texting while driving have a wonderful convenient situation that is erroneously supporting their pro-use viewpoint.   The horrific NUMEROUS accidents and incidents that have occurred with the tag "cell phone use/texting may have been a contributing factor" never make national news.   On a local level - it's a gory bloodbath, cars are common so we perceive the sorrowful situation of dead teenagers on a state road is "isolated". Within five miles of my address there have been at least three accidents with varying levels of fatalities that NEVER make the news past the local level. A girl slammed into a small bridge abutment at the end of my road and was killed - that made the local paper as a matter of course but didn't even make the local tv news..... cell phone use was a factor. The others hold varying degrees of dismemberment and mayhem but who cares? Why should somebody that lives in Sacramento pay any mind to dead teenagers in Upstate NY? Other than an obligatory comment "That's so sad about them", life goes on.... Right to the point of impact.   When this three-ring-circus of driver distraction finally starts surpassing the drunk driving numbers will it finally get attention? Probably not.   One of my favorite all time movies, "Defending Your Life" has the hapless character portrayed by Albert Brooks proudly driving his brand new BMW and fiddling with its radio knobs, distracted - he slams right into the back of a bus and is propelled into the afterlife. A delightful light comedy.... perhaps not so funny anymore.
#3644 of 3688 DWT by steve_ HOST May 20, 2009 (8:27 pm)
"A survey just released by mobile application vendor Vlingo says 26 percent of mobile phone users questioned admit to DWT, or driving while texting. The highest number of offenders are in Tennessee, with 42 percent of people saying they text behind the wheel, while Arizona drivers came in lowest at 18.8 percent."   Survey: 26 percent admit to texting while driving (CNET)
#3645 of 3688 oopsie by steve_ HOST May 22, 2009 (8:56 pm)
"Ashey told Newschannel 7 on the scene the reason for his accident—was his cell phone.   Ashey said he was plugging it into his charger, when he drove his hummer off the road."   Hummer plunges down embankment, driver okay (KTVB) Replies to this message: xrunner2 (May 23, 2009 5:51 am)
#3646 of 3688 Re: oopsie [steve_] by xrunner2 May 23, 2009 (5:51 am)
Replying to: steve_ (May 22, 2009 8:56 pm) Ashey said he was plugging it into his charger, when he drove his hummer off the road."   According to KTVB article, Ashey also said that cell phones in cars should be banned. Guess it takes a crash to get religion.   Thankfully, Ashey simply ran off the road and is ok. But, what if instead of going off road he would have head-on an Aveo, or Mini. Maybe he is reflecting on that now. That would have been manslaughter..
#3647 of 3688 keep your cell phone in your pocket by steve_ HOST Jul 15, 2009 (5:24 pm)
Check out Carlisimo's comment - talented younger sister he has.   Thoughts from the Curb: Where Can I Text While Driving? (Edmunds Daily)
#3648 of 3688 Renown auto journalist on driver cell phones by xrunner2 Jul 20, 2009 (10:15 am)
In August, 2009 issue of Car and Driver, David E Davis Jr said the following:   "Cell phone use should be limited to passengers in motor vehicles. A driver who needs to make or accept a call should simply stop at the first opportunity and chat for as long as he or she wishes. Cell phone use accounts for some of the most flagrant bad driving on our roads today."   Would be nice if prominent people in our nation would make similar statements in public. Perhaps baseball, football and basketball players. Also, entertainers. The public sheep believe these types of people. Just think if Michael Jackson had come out some years ago and made public statements on the dangers of drivers using cell phones.

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