Distracted driving

MarriedInAFever

Yesterday, I had to slam on my brakes and swerve to avoid hitting a distracted driver clearly talking on her cell phone. I'm also one of those people guilty of talking on their cell phones when they drive. When I do, I never feel distracted. Of course, the driver I nearly hit didn't seem aware of the distraction either.

So, I have to ask.

[Deleted User]

I'm a very slow texter, so I'd never attempt while driving. And I only call if I'm on a familiar road. I guess I have a distorted sense of safety or familiarity. I rarely use the phone when on the highway, too many crazy-ass drivers to look out for.

raynes

Talking/texting and that is banned here unless you use a handsfree device, so, I'm limited to talking only, and only with handsfree.  And that, I limit to not very often.

betrothed123

I don't use my cell at all.  I've seen studies that show talking on the cell phone while driving is just as bad as drinking and driving.  There are a ton of dangers associated with it so I wouldn't risk my life to do it.

ETA: I have a hands-free device, but I don't use that either because even hands free it's very dangerous to talk on the cell while driving.

MarriedInAFever

I'm like Se, I would talk on my cell on familiar roads. But I'm turning over a new leaf after that incident. If I didn't brake fast enough, I would have slammed right into her driver's side door.

goheels05

Ditto, Sesh.  I'm not one of those people who gets in my car and thinks "oh gee I'm bored, who can I call?"  How do you get bored doing something that requires every ounce of your concentration?  If my phone rings and I'm driving, I'll answer it if I can do so safely, like if it's late at night and I'm the only car on the road.  Otherwise, I wait until I get where I'm going to call the person back. 

future-mrs

Guilty as charged.  I don't do it *that* often though.  I try to wait and talk/text until I get home or whatever. 

AdeleDazeem

I find it slightly more appalling that people can't do anything these days without their phone firmly in their hand - including driving.  Yesterday, I was at the post office for about twenty minutes.  The girl in front of me finished her transaction and immediately picked up her phone to update someone about her purchase (it was stamps).  Really?
I'd say no one cares, but clearly someone answered the phone and listened to this inane babble.

Philly has banned phone use in the car.  I still text and talk on occasion while driving, but I'm someone who wouldn't notice until 7pm at night that my phone was lost around 8am that morning.  What makes me wonder, however, is if the people who can't talk on a phone and drive are able to talk to passengers in their car and drive?  Listen to the radio?  Why is a cell phone conversation any more distracting than those? 

MarriedInAFever

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_distracted-driving?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:17Discussion:ee0e7830-d7de-43c6-8252-dffcd00476f6Post:3a975a98-50cd-4ba2-a80f-c07889925421">Re: Distracted driving</a>:
[QUOTE]What makes me wonder, however, is if the people who can't talk on a phone and drive are able to talk to passengers in their car and drive?  Listen to the radio?  Why is a cell phone conversation any more distracting than those? 
Posted by Joy2611[/QUOTE]

I think it's mostly holding the phone to your ear with one hand and driving with the other.

betrothed123

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_distracted-driving?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:ee0e7830-d7de-43c6-8252-dffcd00476f6Post:3a975a98-50cd-4ba2-a80f-c07889925421">Re: Distracted driving</a>:
[QUOTE]I find it slightly more appalling that people can't do anything these days without their phone firmly in their hand - including driving.  Yesterday, I was at the post office for about twenty minutes.  The girl in front of me finished her transaction and immediately picked up her phone to update someone about her purchase (it was stamps).  Really? I'd say no one cares, but clearly someone answered the phone and listened to this inane babble. Philly has banned phone use in the car.  I still text and talk on occasion while driving, but I'm someone who wouldn't notice until 7pm at night that my phone was lost around 8am that morning.  What makes me wonder, however, is if the people who can't talk on a phone and drive are able to talk to passengers in their car and drive?  Listen to the radio?  Why is a cell phone conversation any more distracting than those? 
Posted by Joy2611[/QUOTE]

I agree with your entire first paragraph.

To answer the questions at the end, talking on the cell is more dangerous than talking to someone in the car or listening to the radio for a couple of reason.  For one thing listening to the radio is a passive action.  You don't have to focus your attention to the radio (unless you're changing stations, which you also shouldn't do while driving).

 When you're talking to someone in the car with you, and you're about to get into an accident the person sitting next to you sees this and responds accordingly.  Usually they will stop talking so you can bring your attention to the situation at hand.  When you're talking to someone on your cell you're distracted by the conversation, and when that car pulls out in front of you the other person has no idea.  They continue talking, which continues to distract you.

[Deleted User]

I agree Joy, it seems rare nowadays to find people who actually carry their phone in their purse or pocket rather than their hand. It's crazy. I don't even know where mine is half the time, but my brother about goes nuts if he doesn't have his or can't get reception somewhere. And if my mom calls and I don't answer within an hour or so she immediately thinks something is wrong because apparently I should have it next to me at all times.

I'd be fine if tehy banned phone usage here, or limited it to hands-free devices only. In fact, I'd prefer it.

Night_Sprite

I do both, but texting I reserve for long high way drives where there is no one and I mean no one around for miles. 

maratea

I do talk while driving, but only on rare occasion. Most of the time I try to limit talking while I'm stopped somewhere (grocery, carpool location). Hell to the no for texting. I have a touch screen/keyboard and can barely text when not driving because the keys are so small.

AdeleDazeem

That makes sense, betrothed.  But, I do feel like some people are just more easily distracted from any task at hand while other people can multi-task okay.  I'm not saying I dislike the law or anything, I'm just talking/thinking outloud.

Nebb

I personally think texting or talking while driving is incredibly selfish. The amount of people that are put in danger by "your" (general you) indulgent behavior is just selfish. I have nothing so important to say that I need to talk while im in the car. Ever. I never do it, if I get a text I will check it while I am at a red light but I dont respond (though, then I close my phone and forget the text and forget to respond). I generally try to avoid doing things on the road that will either get me in an accident or get me a ticket.

betrothed123

I agree that it depends on the person, but for me when it comes to a cell phone I'm reminded of the Mythbusters episode about it:

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

I wouldn't drink and drive, so why would I talk on the phone and drive?  I might be alright if  I do it, but I might not be.

AdeleDazeem

Fair enough.  ::looks for MythBusters videos::

They do look at some odd situations on that show sometimes.  I watched the episode where they tried to see if someone could get electrocuted from peeing on the railroad tracks. 

betrothed123

That was a fun episode. 

I linked the videos in my post if you want to check them out.  I could only find it in 3 parts.

LesPaul

My daughter wrecked my car last night.  Yes, she was talking on the phone and ran a red light.  Lesson learned. 

betrothed123

Oh no, Les!  Is everyone okay?

LesPaul

Yes, fortunately just a fender-bender and no one was hurt.  She knows better - we have talked about distracted driving before. 

MarriedInAFever

Wow, Les! Glad she's ok!

LesPaul

Thanks.  It scared the crap out of her, which is probably a good thing.  Note for when you ladies have teenage kids - when the phone rings after 10:30pm it's never good.

MarriedInAFever

Bless your heart, Les. That had to have been stressful.

betrothed123

I'm so glad she's alright.  Hopefully she learned her lesson.  That phone call must have been terrifying.

526SadieSadie

I know it's dangerous, I know it's illegal, but I text while I drive all the time.  It's not an excuse; but most of the time I don't have to look down at my phone while I type, my right thumb knows exactly which button to push and for how long (yes, I text that much)  I've cut down on it since they made it illegal and I don't do it on crowded streets or on inclement weather...anymore.

LesPaul

Fortunately some nice people witnessed the accident and stayed with her until DH and I could get there.  She was pretty freaked out.

kd.joseph

It is illegal here to text and drive. I never text even when I'm not driving, but I do occasionally call my Mom on my way home from work. But I wait till I'm off the highway.

I got behind a guy yesterday that was trying to talk and drive and not doing a good job, it was 2 lanes so I couldn't get around him, but it was a 50 MPH zone and he wouldn't do the speed limit and kept looking at his phone and getting mad. Oh and he was driving a Subaru Outback, all I could think was now I get what the girls on TK are talking about.

But I will say I have seen people who cant drive while they are talking to the people in the passenger seat either. So I defiantly don't want them on a phone.

stephl3055

The only time I talk on my phone is when I leave work and I make about a 5-10 minute call to DH.  I'm usually in traffic during this time, so I'm usually not going more than 35-40.  I never talk on my phone while I'm on the highway or an unfamiliar road.  I also never talk on my phone at night or if it's raining. 

They've banned using phones in school zones here, but handsfree devices are okay.  But honestly that doesn't stop many people from talking on the phone while they blow through the 20 mph zone at 40+. 

In general people are just too self-absorbed these days.  It's always about them and no one else is as important. 

Nattie24

I don't mainly cuz I have a touch screen phone and just getting to what I want requires a password which even when not driving takes me awhile to do. 

katiewhompus

I talk on my cell (using hands free) if I'm going to be late or if I'm lost and don't have the gps in my car. I also only do it if there is no traffic.

Heels, when I was living outside DC I was bored driving a lot. It once took me 3 hours to drive 10 miles. I was so bored I was going crazy.