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Author Topic: 38% of Americans hit (or nearly hit) by cell phone distracted driver  (Read 3605 times)

Offline Paddy

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38% of Americans hit (or nearly hit) by cell phone distracted driver
« on: July 26, 2010, 09:35:00 AM »
http://www.macsimumnews.com/index.php/arch...tracted_driver/

Ontario recently enacted a law preventing us from using ANY device - phone, GPS etc. - while driving unless it's hands-free. The problem with that law is that it doesn't prevent driving while distracted - and research shows that people are no safer using hands-free phones.

http://www.ergoweb.com/news/detail.cfm?id=2364
http://mentalhealth.about.com/library/sci/...ellphone701.htm (research on why it's not safer to use a hands-free phone)

When, oh when, will they just ban ALL cellphone use outright while driving?? It's the only thing that makes any sense.

A GPS isn't quite in the same league, as long as you don't fiddle with it while driving - though there have been some real idiots who have followed its directions so faithfully that they apparently haven't noticed that the GPS was WRONG and that they're about to drive into a river etc.! A GPS is fundamentally different from a phone - it's a one-way conversation and requires far less concentration than keeping up your end of a phone conversation, though I have been known to speak back to mine...along the lines of "I don't think so!" wink.gif
« Last Edit: July 26, 2010, 09:36:33 AM by Paddy »
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Offline Xairbusdriver

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38% of Americans hit (or nearly hit) by cell phone distracted driver
« Reply #1 on: July 26, 2010, 09:55:52 AM »
BUT, but...how can we drive without speaking to all those extremely important people about all our urgently important matters?!!! Surely you jest, young lady???

Of course, the car companies are further encouraging this kind of distraction by making more and more of the accessories voice-activated. What is terrifying to me is that these systems are controlled by a Windows OS!!! scram.gif

Driver: "My car just crashed!"
911: "Are there any injuries?"
Driver: "No, no. You don't understand, it's the software that crashed. Now nothing works."
911: "No problem. Just step out of the car, close the doors and wait ten minutes. Then, get back in and press the horn button while pressing the brake pedal and turn on the ignition. That should allow a soft re-boot. However, when you get home, you should immediately restore your car with Service Pack 2819 to avoid this in the future...week."
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Offline jcarter

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38% of Americans hit (or nearly hit) by cell phone distracted driver
« Reply #2 on: July 28, 2010, 02:23:43 PM »
This morning while I was out trimming shrubs standing in our road, along came a teen ager with his iPod going and he was texting on his phone.
He was completely deaf and blind, so to say.
Our road has very very little traffic, but along came a big pickup going about 35 mph, way too fast for this road. I yelled and waved at the kid, no response, so I dropped my clippers, stuck my fingers in my mouth, and let fly with a very very loud whistle. The kid jumped like I had shot him, I pointed at the truck and he darted into the edge of the woods. The guy in the truck was yakking on his phone. He spotted me waving at the kid and slowed way down.
That would have been not too good!  The kid was walking in the shade and not all that visible.
WHEW, it was close!

Later on, I went out and took the clippers and cut the vines and cruddy low trees sticking out into the road, the town isnt bothering with the back roads this year due to budget problems.

I see some kids talking on their phones while riding their bikes, but havent seen one riding and texting yet,,,,
Jane
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Offline Xairbusdriver

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38% of Americans hit (or nearly hit) by cell phone distracted driver
« Reply #3 on: July 28, 2010, 03:14:44 PM »
I would probably have just used the clippers to "modify" the tires by lowering their air pressure... rolleyes.gif

Perhaps the teenager might learn to walk/jog/run facing traffic?
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THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF COUNTRIES
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Offline jcarter

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38% of Americans hit (or nearly hit) by cell phone distracted driver
« Reply #4 on: July 28, 2010, 03:47:22 PM »
The road is pretty narrow, and its rare to ever see 2 cars on it at the same time, so however you walk the cars drive in the middle mostly.
Most every body knows or lives on the road, so they all go slow.  But you get the occasional summer people, or workmen who dont know that the road has a 90 degree bend that is hard to see.
But that kid will remember this, I hope, and be more careful next time.
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Offline Highmac

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38% of Americans hit (or nearly hit) by cell phone distracted driver
« Reply #5 on: July 29, 2010, 06:35:42 AM »
Technology is so clever these days, it's a wonder nobody has come up with a device that won't let a phone work within, say, four feet of the ignition lock or steering wheel, so only passengers can use a phone. I just switch my mobile off when I'm driving. If it's important they can leave a message wink.gif

After all, it's clever enough that a friend of ours, who had been stopped for "using his mobile" and denied it (he was scratching his ear), got the police to call his phone provider who confirmed the phone was not in use at the time he was stopped... Saved him getting a ticket and three points on his licence.
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Neil
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Offline Xairbusdriver

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38% of Americans hit (or nearly hit) by cell phone distracted driver
« Reply #6 on: July 29, 2010, 10:24:27 AM »
WHAT??!!! You mean scratching an ear while driving is not a punishable offense where you live!!! I guess things are much different 'over there!' Probably because of the side of the road you use... inspect.gif rofl.gif

Frankly, I'm amazed that the phone company could be contacted within a few hours to get the info...
« Last Edit: July 29, 2010, 10:25:08 AM by Xairbusdriver »
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Offline Highmac

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38% of Americans hit (or nearly hit) by cell phone distracted driver
« Reply #7 on: July 29, 2010, 11:18:32 AM »
QUOTE(Xairbusdriver @ Jul 29 2010, 04:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
WHAT??!!! You mean scratching an ear while driving is not a punishable offense where you live!!! I guess things are much different 'over there!' Probably because of the side of the road you use... inspect.gif rofl.gif

Frankly, I'm amazed that the phone company could be contacted within a few hours to get the info...


Not a few hours Jim - while my friend was still standing at the side of the road - and he wasn't held up long. They probably have a special number, and the words "police request" probably still carry some weight, even over here biggrin.gif
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Neil
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Offline Xairbusdriver

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38% of Americans hit (or nearly hit) by cell phone distracted driver
« Reply #8 on: July 30, 2010, 01:46:20 PM »
Probably a special number...I've never had much luck by using the "police request" thing... laughhard.gif
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Offline kimmer

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38% of Americans hit (or nearly hit) by cell phone distracted driver
« Reply #9 on: July 30, 2010, 07:47:08 PM »
So we are out shopping today. Road is 2 lanes each direction with a middle left turn lane. We are heading north in the left turn lane, waiting for a break in oncoming traffic. Gal driving a big white "Jeep like" vehicle is going south and is in the fast lane. About 100 ft from us she slides over and is half in her lane and half in the left turn lane. She's talking to -- and looking at -- her passenger. I'm yelling (like she can hear me), and I jammed my foot on the floor trying to brake her car. tongue.gif Mac was afraid to hit the horn, but he's waving his arms (like she was watching us). Suddenly she looks over, sees us, LAUGHS, slides around us back into the other lane (without looking) and slips in the turn lane behind us. She missed hitting us head-on by about 5 inches, and she almost peeled off the side and back end of our car. She just kept laughing and driving. We pulled into the parking lot and just sat in our car shaking.

And this gal wasn't on the phone - she was talking to a passenger. Definitely a distracted driver. I shudder to think what she's like if she's on the cell phone.
« Last Edit: July 30, 2010, 07:48:06 PM by kimmer »
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Offline krissel

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38% of Americans hit (or nearly hit) by cell phone distracted driver
« Reply #10 on: July 31, 2010, 06:30:42 AM »
Funny how you respond reflexively to situations.

The other day I was waiting in the left turn lane at a light. A guy comes from the side road (with the light) and cuts soooo close to the front of my car I found myself pulling back on the steering wheel as if to back up the car. rolleyes.gif

I saw that he had a phone up to his ear with the other hand on the wheel. My window was down as was his, so I shouted, "Hang up and drive!"   I saw his head jerk around a bit and he did slow down but I'll bet he didn't stop talking. rant.gif

Remember those toys we had as kids that fired a dart with a suction cup on the tip?  I wish someone would come up with a modern version that had a sign that unfolds as it hits the target. The sign would say, "Idiot driver on cellphone." Or maybe just a graphic:
[attachment=1924:bad_cell...e_driver.gif]
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Offline jcarter

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38% of Americans hit (or nearly hit) by cell phone distracted driver
« Reply #11 on: July 31, 2010, 06:51:04 AM »
Going to town, we tend to use our oldest and most beaten-up truck, and my husband calls it the 'respectmobile'.  Its large and old, and most people who drive around yakking on their phones dont want to tangle with it.  

Like the time our daughter and I got hit by a lobsterman's very old tough Chevy pickup in Maine, her newish little Honda was totalled, and the lobsterman had a dented in license plate holder, thats all!

(We are looking for a big diesel Ford or GMC for our next vehicle.
 http://www.62-65-dieselpage.com/
http://www.fordvehicles.com/trucks/superduty/ )
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Offline RNKIII

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38% of Americans hit (or nearly hit) by cell phone distracted driver
« Reply #12 on: July 31, 2010, 07:36:44 AM »
Hey, buy your Ford diesel from the dealership I work for, Owatonna Ford Chrysler, then I could deliver it....  Would love a trip out East about now...   whistling.gif toothgrin.gif  



Bob K.   rnkiii
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Offline kimmer

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38% of Americans hit (or nearly hit) by cell phone distracted driver
« Reply #13 on: July 31, 2010, 12:23:20 PM »
Krissel, I'd love a gadget that marks the idiot drivers.  devilishgrin.gif
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Offline Highmac

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38% of Americans hit (or nearly hit) by cell phone distracted driver
« Reply #14 on: August 01, 2010, 03:38:06 AM »
I was turning left one day and a driver in the side road was waiting to turn right across traffic (to picture it from your side, substitute left for right). He was sitting holding the mobile to his right ear with his left hand and had his window open. As I turned left, I just hit the horn and held it for a few seconds. He dropped the phone (unfortunately inside the car) and I drove on while he tried to recover his phone and figure out where the emergency was biggrin.gif

But I did hear another horn which I'm pretty sure was the driver behind him.....  Devilish2.gif

I love it when a plan comes together... even if just by chance.

Kimmer: My father's advice when I began driving was - "drive as if everything else on the road is being driven by a dangerous idiot..."
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