Texting while driving - need to vent

[wildthing]

In CA it is already illegal, but of course, very little enforcement. Hence the unnecessary wide gaps between cars, the occasional rear-end accident, or worse, somebody dies.

I think some people overestimate their capabilities.

[island911]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

Washington's new law just went into effect wherein the use of any hand-held device while driving carries penalties similar to a DUI. Even at that, I don't think it goes far enough. It needs to be a custody offense, with the vehicle impounded and the device held as evidence until the trial date.
...

or give cop a big ol Samaria sword to lop off the hands of anyone caught holding a phone. .., or holding a radio mic like truckers use, or cops use when in high speed pursuit.

seriously, the law is for simply holding a device. I remember a time when I would drive briskly thru downtown Seattle holding a bowl of fried rice, eating with the other hand, with chop sticks. point being, everyone has different skill level. Some people have horrible accidents w/o being drunk or holding a device.

while I've certainly been annoyed by texters, it's not the device that makes them idiots. This law presupposes that anyone holding a phone is an idiot who needs to be treated like a drunk behind the wheel? Lowest common denominator thinking.

[island911]

don't get me wring, I loath the inattentive "drivers" - the people who ride behind the wheel. But we already have laws for inattentive drives. More (redundant) laws won't stop idiots.

[island911]

Oh, and...

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by island911

... This law presupposes that anyone holding a phone is an idiot who needs to be treated like a drunk behind the wheel? Lowest common denominator thinking.

Unfortunately, I think that's where we are now. Just like alcohol...some folks are "drunk & impaired" at a BAC of .08 or lower, some are perfectly fine and are still better drivers than many are at .00. I was nearly T-boned twice last summer as they blew through red lights.
It's just like alcohol imo...involved in an incident with alcohol in your system, and you WILL be charged regardless of whether it was a contributing factor or not. We'll reach that pont too with phones imo. I dunno why prescription meds (opiates) seem to get a free pass from LEOs however...another thread

[ckelly78z]

If they eliminated any cell phone use when the car goes into "drive", these wiley drivers would then throw it up into "park" at traffic lights, and be even slower to react to the green light. They need to be in constant contact, and entertained at all times.

[GothingNC]

I think it is a write-off and I am glad the car seats were well secured and kept the kids safe !!

[ramonesfreak]

A week ago my neighbor/friend parked to go to dinner. Got out of car and saw a texting driver veering towards him. He pushed himself up against his own car to avoid getting hit. The texter missed him by inches.

Unfortunately the draft from the texting car forced my friends door shut, chopping off his finger. Instead of dinner, he had to pick up his finger off the road and go to emergency where they could not save the finger. Driver never stopped.

Not a week goes by where I don't have some close call with a texter- if I had my way anyone caught texting would spend a year in Jail and lose their license for life.

[GothingNC]

Wow, that is horrible !!

I asked my neighbor who is a City Cop if there is anything I could do if I spot someone texting and driving and he said probably nothing because by the time they got the call the driver would be long gone.

But he did not give me a direct answer if it was Ok if I nudged a texting driver off the road to prevent a potential accident from happening.

[RKDinOKC]

It should be part of the DL exam drive that your mobile phone is called and/or texted. If you answer or pickup and look at the phone to read who it is, you fail.

Also feel with the advent of computers a online exam must be passed to renew your license every 4 years. Even if only to remind people to use their turn signals.

[widebody911]

Originally Posted by wildthing

I think some people overestimate their capabilities.

some?

Shirley you jest.

[sc_rufctr]

[flipper35]

Originally Posted by GothingNC

Wow, that is horrible !!

I asked my neighbor who is a City Cop if there is anything I could do if I spot someone texting and driving and he said probably nothing because by the time they got the call the driver would be long gone.

But he did not give me a direct answer if it was Ok if I nudged a texting driver off the road to prevent a potential accident from happening.

I called 911 on a driver texting when he entered my lane on a two lane road. I had to go to the far side of the shoulder to miss a head on collision. The car behind them stopped and called 911 also. I don't know if there were any charges, but they did get pulled over. It may have only been because there were multiple callers and it was easy to identify the Subaru with no tail lights at night.

When I lived in CA a taxi ran me off the road with a sudden lane change. CHP said too bad.

[island911]

I think that some of you should snap photos of phone offenders so you can hunt them down and kill them in their sleep.

Oh wait, what am I saying?... taking a picture would be handling an electronic device while driving. The State of WA has determined You people can't handle that, so now that's illegal too.

Maybe if you go old school with a 35mm film camera. Make certain it doesn't have an electronic light senor and you're good.

[GH85Carrera]

I have avoided several accidents by assuming the other idiot is NOT going to stop at the light or stop sign. Until I can tell they are slowing down, I don't pull out. I sometimes get honked at to go but screw em, I ain't gonna be in an wreck just so impatient fool behind me is in a hurry.

I saw one jerk blatantly run a red light and a cop was right next to me. I was hoping the cop was going after him but he just ignored it. Grrrr.

[GothingNC]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

I have avoided several accidents by assuming the other idiot is NOT going to stop at the light or stop sign. Until I can tell they are slowing down, I don't pull out. I sometimes get honked at to go but screw em, I ain't gonna be in an wreck just so impatient fool behind me is in a hurry.

I saw one jerk blatantly run a red light and a cop was right next to me. I was hoping the cop was going after him but he just ignored it. Grrrr.

Same here, I always wait a moment after the light turns green to check to see if some idiot is going to run the light.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by GothingNC

Same here, I always wait a moment after the light turns green to check to see if some idiot is going to run the light.

Yep, that saved me from one driver's side t-bone last year. The other, the light had been green forever (my way)...now my head is on a swivel approaching and entering.

[Jeff Higgins]

I am certainly no fan of ever more laws, especially laws like this. I can certainly see the potential for abuse, wherein a police officer uses a false, unverifiable accusation to stop someone and harass them. I can't remember exactly what it is called, but there is actually a name for this practice of claiming to have seen, or have smelt, something "illegal" as a means to make contact with someone of interest who has really done nothing wrong. "I didn't see a seatbelt", or "I thought I smelled weed", "he was weaving", and on and on. Unfortunately, we have plenty of these already, and one more is not going to change a thing.

From my perspective, this problem has gotten well beyond out of control and needs to be addressed, somehow. I would be o.k. with cell phones being automatically disabled when in motion above a walking pace. Most of the communication taking place over them is recreational, or social, in nature, and of no such dire need as to justify endangering others' lives. Truly "emergency" calls are going to be made from a stationary position, because you have stopped to help someone. "Business" calls, made by those so self important and self absorbed as to not really give a rip about others, well, those will have to wait until they are out of the car. Boo hoo.

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by GothingNC

Same here, I always wait a moment after the light turns green to check to see if some idiot is going to run the light.

Had one of those today. I was stopped in a left turn lane and the light turned red. A black F250 ran the redlight at 50-60mph (45 zone). A car with the green was starting to enter the intersection and was nearly hit.

[red-beard]

In Texas, they have just passed a law against texting while driving.

BUT...the law explicitly allows use of the phone to call, use of navigation and Use of the Internet!

My only issue with the "texting" law, is that my phones can send and read texts hands free via voice. I do not think the law excludes those. I use hands free for calling, including voice commands.