I Can Be So Juvenile at Times...

[turbo6bar]

White sunglasses? He deserved it.

[Chocaholic]

Originally Posted by turbo6bar

White sunglasses? He deserved it.

Touche! Seems that was his only crime. No indication he was driving poorly. In fact, Jeff's childish behavior caused him to speed up/slow down to avoid being antagonized for driving perfectly safe otherwise.

Had he been swerving or endangering others...perhaps the ultra-macho on a small bike could take it on all by himself. In this case, Jeff set himself up childishly. We've all done stupid things, but in most cases it was when we were young and foolish.

Ride safely regardless of emotion. You had a bad experience last year, so one would think you'd put life and limb before bravado. Reading your OP actually surprised me. Always found your riding integrity to be admirable from other posts.

I have 35 years of riding under my belt, but nowhere near your mileage. No way I'd antagonize an unknown driver in traffic. My wife and kids are more important to me than teaching a lesson to someone engaged in the crime of conversation.

[Jeff Higgins]

Wow, Mike - "driving perfectly safe otherwise" and "engaged in the crime on conversation". Wow.

I believe drivers yammering away on cell phones now account for more injuries and fatalities on our roadways than drunk drivers. So, yeah, by all means - minimize the inherent risk in this behavior and justify it as being "safe" all you want - real statistics are against you. Folks with your attitude - that you are "safe otherwise" while driving on your cell phone - are a proven menace to us all. I only wish my wife and kids were as important to you as that phone call.

And "ultra macho"? "Bravado"? Oh please - I was riding in an open lane on a wide open road next to this guy, matching his speed. It's not like the Indiana Jones theme music was playing as I dismounted my speeding motorcycle, flung myself under his car and grabbed onto his rear axle, rawhide whip in my teeth. We were next to each other on the god damn freeway.

[Noah930]

Twice in recent months (the last time being 2 weekends ago, no less) cell-phone addled drivers have failed to notice my presence in their close proximity. (Also illegal here in Kalifornia to use a hand-held phone, which these two women were doing.)

So while loud pipes may not necessarily save lives, I figure that if the sound of my exhaust within 2-3 feet of their heads is not enough to disturb their conversations, then certainly my pipes can't be so noisy as to disturb the peace, either.

[Jake911-S]

Why didn't you just shoot the cell phone out of his hand?

[Porsche-O-Phile]

I see. Someone having fashion trends different than your own justifies road rage. Rationalize away, jackass.

[Gogar]

Originally Posted by Jake911-S

Why didn't you just shoot the cell phone out of his hand?

Ohhhh Randy you so funny

[recycled sixtie]

Jeff H I have a question for you. Did you learn anything from the responses? Do you think your behaviour will change in the future because of what the OT members said?

If not then I have depicted "the process" in the selfies thread.
Stay safe and enjoy your day.
Guy.

[MRM]

According to the NHTSA, in 2011, 350 people died in cell phone-related motor vehicle accidents in 2011. In 2011, 9,878 people were killed in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes. Alcohol-impaired driving fatalities are by far the largest single cause of fatalities and account for 31 percent of the total motor vehicle traffic fatalities in the United States.

Cell phones aren't the problem, the person behind the wheel is. A few years ago I was driving on I-494, a big eight lane freeway in the south Minneapolis/St. Paul area. It was slippery and snow covered. I was driving a front wheel drive Toyota Camry with Blizzack snow tires. I got a call on my cell phone that I really needed to take. I answered and started in on a fairly complicated negotiation. As I was talking, I noticed a car ahead of me fishtailing. I slowed, stayed in my lane, and watched as he did a couple of 360s. There wasn't anyone next to him so he made it around a couple of times before smashing into someone who came up on him from behind. I stopped fully, well behind the accident, and immediately realized I was at ground zero as car after car piled into the original accident. I got out of the way and made it past the accident scene before someone smashed into me.

As I drove to safety I apologized and told the guy I was talking to and explained that the pause in our conversation was caused by me concentrating on avoiding an accident instead of talking to him. It was just completely natural to do since I was paying attention to the road. Meanwhile, at least a half dozen people who were behind me drove straight into the first (avoidable) accident and weren't able to stop on slippery roads. Cell phones aren't the problem, the person behind the wheel is.

By the way, there are about 200 deaths per year attributed to road rage incidents.

[sailchef]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

Wow, Mike - "driving perfectly safe otherwise" and "engaged in the crime on conversation". Wow.

I believe drivers yammering away on cell phones now account for more injuries and fatalities on our roadways than drunk drivers. So, yeah, by all means - minimize the inherent risk in this behavior and justify it as being "safe" all you want - real statistics are against you. Folks with your attitude - that you are "safe otherwise" while driving on your cell phone - are a proven menace to us all. I only wish my wife and kids were as important to you as that phone call.

And "ultra macho"? "Bravado"? Oh please - I was riding in an open lane on a wide open road next to this guy, matching his speed. It's not like the Indiana Jones theme music was playing as I dismounted my speeding motorcycle, flung myself under his car and grabbed onto his rear axle, rawhide whip in my teeth. We were next to each other on the god damn freeway.

You intentionally added to his distractions. Forget juvenile, just plain recklessness.

[motion]

Originally Posted by MRM

According to the NHTSA, in 2011, 350 people died in cell phone-related motor vehicle accidents in 2011. In 2011, 9,878 people were killed in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes. Alcohol-impaired driving fatalities are by far the largest single cause of fatalities and account for 31 percent of the total motor vehicle traffic fatalities in the United States.

Cell phones aren't the problem, the person behind the wheel is. A few years ago I was driving on I-494, a big eight lane freeway in the south Minneapolis/St. Paul area. It was slippery and snow covered. I was driving a front wheel drive Toyota Camry with Blizzack snow tires. I got a call on my cell phone that I really needed to take. I answered and started in on a fairly complicated negotiation. As I was talking, I noticed a car ahead of me fishtailing. I slowed, stayed in my lane, and watched as he did a couple of 360s. There wasn't anyone next to him so he made it around a couple of times before smashing into someone who came up on him from behind. I stopped fully, well behind the accident, and immediately realized I was at ground zero as car after car piled into the original accident. I got out of the way and made it past the accident scene before someone smashed into me.

As I drove to safety I apologized and told the guy I was talking to and explained that the pause in our conversation was caused by me concentrating on avoiding an accident instead of talking to him. It was just completely natural to do since I was paying attention to the road. Meanwhile, at least a half dozen people who were behind me drove straight into the first (avoidable) accident and weren't able to stop on slippery roads. Cell phones aren't the problem, the person behind the wheel is.

By the way, there are about 200 deaths per year attributed to road rage incidents.

+1000

I drive safely every day while talking on my cell phone (legally). I've never crashed into anyone or run off the road. I just don't understand the rage some people have towards drivers talking on cell phones.

[RANDY P]

some people can't tie their shoes correctly-just because many here claim they can doesn't mean everyone is capable as well. You know how heartwarming and happy it makes you to see a woman in an SUV swerving down the road, putting lipstick on and yammering with her girlfriends just saying "HI!" - sometimes 10MPH under the speed limit, sometimes way over the speed limit-

Either way, she's distracted when she shouldn't be.

I can drive with a phone in my ear, but many can't- I don't and I spend the $$$ on the right stuff (all my cars have BT hard wired in) so I don't need to risk everyone else.

Just takes a second to kill someone..>

rjp

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by recycled sixtie

Jeff H I have a question for you. Did you learn anything from the responses?

Yes, I have. I have learned that self-centered people will go to any lengths to justify their behavior, regardless of the fact that it puts others' lives at risk. I have learned that your phone calls are more important to you than the lives of those surrounding you on the road.

[QUOTE=recycled sixtie;8166544]Do you think your behaviour will change in the future because of what the OT members said?[/i]

You mean the ones supporting driving while yammering on their cell phones? Or the ones who voiced support for my actions?

To answer your question, yes my behavior will change. I have become even less tolerant of those who would put my life at risk, and others' lives at risk, just so they can selfishly talk on the phone while driving.

[pavulon]

Originally Posted by MRM

I was driving a front wheel drive Toyota Camry with Blizzack snow tires. I got a call on my cell phone...

Snow tires you say?

[VINMAN]

[Don Ro]

Can someone who is taking the practical driving test be allowed to talk on the phone, handheld or otherwise, at the same time?
If not, why?

[vash]

Wut? Is this thread about talking on the phone and driving? Or is it about road rage?

Maybe I should read it more carefully.

Anyone mention snow tires yet?


Typos and bad grammar sponsored by iPhone!

[widgeon13]

My recommendation, don't waste your time. You've read it all before.

[craigster59]

Lets look at the facts.
Fact: Douchebag talking on cellphone illegally, putting other drivers and passengers lives at risk.
Fact: Higgins pacing along on his bike with loud pipes interfering with drivers "important" conversation.

Now let's look at some the speculative scenarios:
"You could have startled him and caused him to swerve into other traffic, causing an accident."
"You could have pissed him off, causing him to swerve into you in a road rage incident."
And my personal fave: "He might have been a neurosurgeon consulting on an emergency case."

Since we're speculating, I'm going to pretend the guy was on the phone calling in a bomb threat to the local grammar school, which was averted by him hanging up in frustration thanks to Higgy's loud pipes.

There, I feel much better now. Thanks Jeff for stepping up to the plate and being a concerned citizen and taking action. I owe you a beer.

[scottbombedout]

Perhaps he was on the phone to the fuzz complaining about a loud motorbike?