- #39 of 3688
-
Re: Should cell phone users be singled out? [smittynyc]
by snakeweasel
-
Oct 16, 2006 (2:51 pm)
-
|
|
Replying to: smittynyc (Oct 16, 2006 2:42 pm)
Its not that one sort of distraction is acceptable and another isn't. My point is that its not the cell phone, its the driver. As I said before an inconsiderate lugnut behind a wheel will be an inconsiderate lugnut regardless of what they are doing behind that wheel.
The fact is that someone not being distracted at all may not know whats going on around them, and someone on a cell phone may know very well whats going around them.
|
- #40 of 3688
-
Re: Should cell phone users be singled out? [snakeweasel]
by wideglide
-
Oct 16, 2006 (3:03 pm)
-
|
|
Replying to: snakeweasel (Oct 16, 2006 2:29 pm)
Unfortunately those things happen. But they also happen with people eating, smoking, talking to passengers, changing radio stations and the like. I have seen to many near misses when cell phones were not being used, should we ban all those other activities too?
As stated earlier, there ALREADY IS a law pertaining to those, it's called "Failure To Pay Time And Attention". We just need to put pressure on our police forces to enforce that law.
|
- #41 of 3688
-
Re: Should cell phone users be singled out? [wideglide]
by snakeweasel
-
Oct 16, 2006 (3:10 pm)
-
|
|
Replying to: wideglide (Oct 16, 2006 3:03 pm)
As I said enforce the current laws don't make new ones when you will not enforce laws to begin with.
|
- #42 of 3688
-
Re: Should cell phone users be singled out? [nippononly]
by tpe
-
Oct 16, 2006 (3:32 pm)
-
|
|
Replying to: nippononly (Oct 16, 2006 12:08 pm)
If a person feels that driving doesn't require 100% of his attention he is going to choose to multi-task. Take away his cell phone and he will find something else to do with what he considers to be his spare attention. Its futility but enacting laws provides a sense of security for some.
|
- #43 of 3688
-
Anyone see...
by kirstie_h HOST
-
Oct 16, 2006 (4:05 pm)
-
|
|
OK, I'm admitting to full-on geekdom here, but the Mythbusters episode during which they did a driving course comparison, one with drivers near the legal alcohol limit, and the other with them answering questions on while on a cell phone? Startling results... drivers were just as impaired with alcohol as when holding a cell phone conversation that required moderate concentration.
|
- #44 of 3688
-
Re: Anyone see... [kirstie_h]
by tpe
-
Oct 16, 2006 (4:25 pm)
-
|
|
Replying to: kirstie_h (Oct 16, 2006 4:05 pm)
I've heard numbers like 40% of all highway fatalities are alcohol related. I've got to believe there are more people driving and using cell phones than there are drunk drivers. So in the last 15 years we have introduced on our roadways a new danger that is equivalent to what was causing 40% of our fatalities and it hasn't even registered a blip on the stats. Something doesn't make sense here.
|
- #45 of 3688
-
Re: Anyone see... [tpe]
by cccompson
-
Oct 16, 2006 (4:34 pm)
-
|
|
Replying to: tpe (Oct 16, 2006 4:25 pm)
There is absolutely no evidence to suggest that 40 percent of highway fatalities are cellphone related.
Bear in mind that the rise in cellphone use has happened at the same time as greatly increased vehicle safety systems and seat belt usage.
|
- #46 of 3688
-
Re: Anyone see... [tpe]
by gagrice
-
Oct 16, 2006 (4:58 pm)
-
|
|
Replying to: tpe (Oct 16, 2006 4:25 pm)
That 40% was before the heavy crackdown on drunk driving. I think that Cell phone usage has taken the place of drunk drivers causing accidents. There are a quite a few high profile accidents that were proven to be cell phone related. The difference between cell phone and other type distractions is subtle. It is hard to know if some one is being told to get a loaf of bread or that their boyfriend just died in an accident.
I think it is best to just outlaw use of them in the car while moving. Easier to enforce with a law.
|
- #47 of 3688
-
Re: Anyone see... [kirstie_h]
by snakeweasel
-
Oct 16, 2006 (5:02 pm)
-
|
|
Replying to: kirstie_h (Oct 16, 2006 4:05 pm)
I see Mythbusters often and didn't see that episode, I would have liked to have seen it so I could comment on it though. One thing to remember that these people are not the best in the scientific method.
|
- #48 of 3688
-
Re: Anyone see... [gagrice]
by snakeweasel
-
Oct 16, 2006 (5:05 pm)
-
|
|
Replying to: gagrice (Oct 16, 2006 4:58 pm)
I think that Cell phone usage has taken the place of drunk drivers causing accidents.
Do you have stats to back that up.
I think it is best to just outlaw use of them in the car while moving. Easier to enforce with a law.
On another forum here on edmunds someone mentioned being rear ended by someone distracted by the Fuji blimp, should we outlaw that?
|
![[F]](http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com/media/townhall/webxicons/site.gif){kind=small}
Forums
Automotive News & Views 
