OT: Texting, Using Cell Phone While Driving

[PRM]

AT&T's Txtng & Drivng Campaign Urges ConsumersThat 'It Can Wait?. This documentary, featuring families affected by texting while behind the wheel, is being distributed to educators, government officials, safety organizations and the public as part of an educational awareness campaign.

Please watch this. MAKE yourself and your family watch this. Please.

AT&T Don't Text While Driving Documentary


Tight lines,
Paul

[fishdog54]

Very sad, but a good lesson for all! All the extraneous signs and billboards are bad enough distractions without adding cellphones and texting to the equation! Be safe out there folks!! I have had numerous individuals run stop signs and intersections on me - recently - almost all on cellphones!!! DRIVE DEFENSIVELY!!!!

Best regards, Dave S.

[Mike Thomas]

They made it Ilegal down here last year, but you only have to drive a couple of miles and you will see idiots on the phone while driving, or worse reading a book or a map!
I once saw a woman in heavy traffic doing her eye make up in the rearview mirror with one hand and a cup of coffee in the other hand, must have been steering with her knees!
All the best.
Mike

[Buddy Sanders]

Next they'll make it illegal to eat in the car...listen to your radio...talk to your passengers...HAVE passengers....

If you get into an accident while on your cell phone, and it's your fault, you are liable....If you get into an accident and you are not on your cell phone and it's your fault, you are still liable.

I see no need for ANY of these laws.

Millions of folks talk on their cells phones while driving every day without causing an accident. Millions more eat or drink or talk while operating a motor vehicle without causing accidents. Some few of these, either cell phone users, eaters, drinkers, or talkers, WILL cause accidents. So will quite a few who become angry, are in a hurry, are tired, aren't good driers, or are inexperienced drivers. The numbers are small and the laws in place about liability and insurance and who is at fault already adress ALL of this.

The LAST thing this country needs is more laws.

Making additional laws about things like this is just another method to chip away at our freedoms.

Just a contrary opinion.

Buddy

[luckie88]

I was once told, there are aren't any "accidents" there's only crashes.

[maodiver]

#1 ticket written in my town, according to the cop who comes to my Driver Ed class every 6 weeks.

Remember, it ain't the phone...it's the conversation that kills. Don't mattah if you use Bluetooth.

also....YOU DON'T NEED THE PHONE WHEN YOU'RE FISHIN'

[Midwest Custom Fly Rods]

Next they'll make it illegal to eat in the car...listen to your radio...talk to your passengers...HAVE passengers....

If you get into an accident while on your cell phone, and it's your fault, you are liable....If you get into an accident and you are not on your cell phone and it's your fault, you are still liable.

I see no need for ANY of these laws.

Millions of folks talk on their cells phones while driving every day without causing an accident. Millions more eat or drink or talk while operating a motor vehicle without causing accidents. Some few of these, either cell phone users, eaters, drinkers, or talkers, WILL cause accidents. So will quite a few who become angry, are in a hurry, are tired, aren't good driers, or are inexperienced drivers. The numbers are small and the laws in place about liability and insurance and who is at fault already adress ALL of this.

The LAST thing this country needs is more laws.

Making additional laws about things like this is just another method to chip away at our freedoms.

Just a contrary opinion.

Buddy

Not trying to argue with ya Buddy, your entitled to your opinion just like anyone else is that's for sure. But keep in mind...it is not taking away any sort of "freedoms" because driving is a privilege not a right. It has been proven time & time again over the past few years that texting/talking on the phone while driving is just as dangerous as drinking & driving in many cases. Most times when I see someone drifting over the center line of their lane or running a light/pulling right out in front of me 9 times out of 10 they are on their cell phone. If the laws help to prevent even one death due to someone texting/talking on the phone rather tyhan paying attention to the road then it is worth it IMO.

[Buddy Sanders]

I realize that I'm in the minority here, but I disagree that such a law is not taking away any 'freedoms'.

It's keeping folks who use their cell phones safely, and the vast majority do so, from using them. I've seen folks doing stupid things while driving and using acell phone. I've also seen folks doing stupid things while driving and NOT using one. I've used my cell phone hundreds, if not thousands, of times while driving and never had a problem. Well over 99% of those that do so can say the same thing.

It's allowing law enforcement personel to stop and cite folks for talking on their cell phones, whether or not they are driving safely. Thats an intrusion and a loss of freedom that isn't needed.

Also, the statement that if the law helps to prevent one death it's worth it is a slippery slope that we shouldn't consider going down. Using that argument, I can come up with reasons to make just about anything illegal, including fly casting.

Again, if you are already liable for any traffic collision you are the proximal casue of (at fault), then WHY you are at fault doesn't matter. Almost all states have mandatory insurance laws, and violation of traffic laws resulting in a death is already a crime everywhere (my traffic enforcement instructor told us that there could not be a traffic collision unless someone violated some law, and that was thirty years ago).

Why this is such a bad idea is that the law isn't needed. In every jurisdiction I'm aware of, distracted driving, regardless of the reason, is illegal already. It's just a typical knee jerk response to bad driving. If they make using cell phones illegal, and we accept THAT, what will they decide to make a crime next?

I'd argue that driving while in a hurry is more dangerous than using a cell phone while driving, so should we outlaw running late? How about driving while angry? I've investigated dozens of collisions that were caused because someone got mad about how someone else was driving. Lets make it illegal to drive while you are angry. Folks get into crashes all the time because they were tuning their radios....trying to find a dropped cigarette (lets just make smoking illegal everywhere-filthy habit that does no one any good)....looking for an adress...lets make it illegal to go someplace unless you've been there before....

Many peace officers, me included, have had collisions while driving because they were using the radio, writing down information about a call, trying to get someplace in a hurry, paying attention to something not related to driving (looking for things like criminal activity and such). Sometimes inocent people die as a result. Should we make police patrol work illegal. We could just have all the officers wait at the station and only venture forth AFTER they get all the info they need. Actual driving around and looking for crimes is a bit too dangerous, right?

Driving is dangerous, and always has been. Not because of cell phones or even because of acohol, but because it's easy to get a license and many irresponsible people are allowed to drive. You can't legislate safety on the highways any more than you can legsilate morality. There is no magic wand. People will die, but they always have and will continue to do so regardless of the laws we pass.

Today it's cell phones.

They'll find something else to make illegal tomorrow.

Each new 'law' makes us all less free.

Buddy