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View Full Version : Okay...I have officially HAD IT!!!



Boojum
03-27-2007, 10:24 PM
With what, you ask? People who talk on their cell phones while driving!!! :mad:

I was driving to my DDs softball game this afternoon, and was about 25 yards behind another car. I had noticed it driving a little erratically, so I was keeping my distance.

Okay: without signaling, she whipped into a driveway. Then, she immediately reversed out into the road and tried to head back the way she came. Unfortunately, because she had a cell phone jammed in her ear ( I was near enough to see it at this point), she wasn't paying attention to anything in the road. She caused a guy coming the other way to swerve off the road to avoid her. When he swerved back, he over-corrected and hit my front bumper. No one was hurt, fortunately, but my front bumper is trashed.

HANG UP AND DRIVE, FOLKS!!

(There, I've vented. Thank you for reading!!)

mjaclyn
03-27-2007, 10:33 PM
Tell me about it!!! In our town I even see policemen talking on the phone while driving. Can you at LEAST get a bluetooth people??

kakn7294
03-27-2007, 11:05 PM
I know what you mean. Some kid almost got me yesterday - he was on the phone! How does this work with the insurance and repairs? She should be the one held responsible since it's her fault that the other guy had to swerve.

Deesdisney
03-27-2007, 11:12 PM
I think there needs to be a law about this. I have almost gotten hit at least 3 times a week with people talking on phones. I actually sat at an intersection on day and counted how many people where on phones. Out of 50 cars there was 43 on phones.

I do not talk on my phone driving. When I get a phone call I pull over and talk or have one of my kids talk to them.

FortheloveofStitch
03-27-2007, 11:34 PM
You must use a handsfree device in New York. Don't know if it is less distracting, your still talking with someone. But it is the law.

merlinmagic4
03-28-2007, 06:56 AM
I have to ask....did the person on the phone realize what happened and stop when you got hit? I hope so yet I doubt it.

I don't chat on the phone while driving. Way too distracting. I honestly don't know how people do it. I can't be watching the road to take a left and try to carry on a conversation at the same time :blush:

I also have to add that I find those Bluetooth thingies hilarious. Everytime I see someone in a store with them I have to chuckle. It's funny how we have this need to be connected (literally in this case) all the time. I'll keep mine in my purse, thank you! I think they're great for driving if you really need to be on the phone but I wish people would take them off when they get out of the car! Is there a regular phone that goes with those or is that all there is?

drummerboy
03-28-2007, 07:40 AM
I've read that using a bluetooth doesn't make that big a difference; it's the divided attention that's the problem.

What I can't understand is how using a cell phone is more distracting than talking to people who are in the car with you. Think about how many people take their eye off the road to look at the person they're talking with.

Boojum
03-28-2007, 07:53 AM
I have to ask....did the person on the phone realize what happened and stop when you got hit? I hope so yet I doubt it.

You would be right--she drove right off, because she wasn't actually in the wreck she caused. I got a partial tag number and could tell the policemen what kind of car it was, but that was it. I doubt she'll ever hear about it again.

aprilisis
03-28-2007, 08:11 AM
You would be right--she drove right off, because she wasn't actually in the wreck she caused. I got a partial tag number and could tell the policemen what kind of car it was, but that was it. I doubt she'll ever hear about it again.

:mad: She should be the one paying for this accident. That really makes me mad. I work in Massachusetts & it seems like everyone here talks & drives. Lots of them do not pay attention to anyone else on the road. It really makes me angry- I do see more than most people considering my commute is 1 hour one way. I am on the road 2 hours a day at least & it is a wonder I haven't lost my mind yet!!! :crazy:

merlinmagic4
03-28-2007, 08:11 AM
I've read that using a bluetooth doesn't make that big a difference; it's the divided attention that's the problem.

What I can't understand is how using a cell phone is more distracting than talking to people who are in the car with you. Think about how many people take their eye off the road to look at the person they're talking with.

Good point. I bet that's why I don't like to drive. My daughter wants to talk nonstop in the car and I find it very difficult :blush: It always takes me a minute to respond because I am actively thinking about driving! I also tend NOT to look at the person I am talking to and sometimes find that weird but I need to look at the road! I'm probably just an anomaly! :blush:

Caroleh
03-28-2007, 08:31 AM
I've seen a driving instructor on a cell phone and the student was also on the cell phone. If you ask me there's something wrong with that. The last couple of weeks I've been helping out at another store and I couldn't believe how many people are on cell phones and not paying attention to the road. They were changing lanes and not even looking to see if it was free.

DizNee143
03-28-2007, 09:38 AM
Tell me about it!!! In our town I even see policemen talking on the phone while driving. Can you at LEAST get a bluetooth people??
thats what gets me the most!!! that the cops will pull you over and give you a ticket becuase your doing wrong..but then you'll see cops talking on the phone while they are driving...and you cant do anything because they are the cops!! i dont like how they abuse there privileges on this and many many other things!! :mad:

conorsmom2000
03-28-2007, 10:21 AM
HANG UP AND DRIVE, FOLKS!!


:exactly: It's definitely one of my biggest pet peeves. At the very least, use a hands free device!


In our town I even see policemen talking on the phone while driving.

I see that all the time in our town as well and it makes me nuts. How many people must think "well if a cop can do it, so can I." :shake:


You must use a handsfree device in New York. Don't know if it is less distracting, your still talking with someone. But it is the law.

It's the law here in NJ as well, but it's a secondary offense - meaning they can only get you on it if they pull you over for something else - they can't just pull you over for talking on the phone. (meaning holding the phone and not using a hands free device) So, no one bothers to follow the law since they assume they won't be pulled over for anything else.

darthmacho
03-28-2007, 10:57 AM
Yes, that's not cool. People should pull over in order to safely use their cell phone and other devices. I'd hate to be killed because someone was trying to save time by ordering their chinese food on the fly.

JPL
03-28-2007, 11:23 AM
What I can't understand is how using a cell phone is more distracting than talking to people who are in the car with you. Think about how many people take their eye off the road to look at the person they're talking with.

I think it's not so much the conversation as it using one hand to hold the phone. I know even walking and talking on the cellphone is a problem since the phones are so small they tend to slip and you lose reception from time to time so look at the signal strength to see if your call was dropped.

MsMin
03-28-2007, 11:35 AM
Just about everytime you see someone driving a little irratic it's a cell phone. Slowing down, drifting from their lane:mad:
I've recently encountered 2 ppl putting on make-up that were a pain..
One in front of me the other day was applying aresol hair spray-- can you see if it got in her eyes? She did it 3 times.
Tues a girl was in front of me @ the red light before an I-10 interchange. The light turned green and she proceeded to sit there and apply makeup... I tooted the horn as the ppl in front of her were long gone. She gave me a little smarty pants wave and proceeded to go on then through the next light that was RED.. People were exiting I-10 West Bound. Cars went all over, fortunately I was in the turning lane but one poor guy ended up on the median. She just drove away.
We do have a distraction law here -- don't know if it works.

DVC2004
03-28-2007, 12:20 PM
People drive poorly enough without cellphones, so I know what you mean. I remember a few years back seeing on the news that a car stopped at the train tracks was hit from behind by a woman on a cell phone who was not paying attention. The stopped car then was pushed into the passing train. I always think of this now when I am stopped at the tracks and one of the first one or two cars.

Also I have noticed more people lately (even not on phones) who will miss a turn or what have you and stop dead in the middle of the road and expect everyone to let them in or wait until they back up (?!). Um, whatever happened to driving to the next light or exit and then turning around at a light? Everyone these days seems to think they are the only ones on the road.:mad:

cinderella crazy
03-28-2007, 12:27 PM
I must admit I used to talk on the phone while driving. That was until I had children. Then I wised up. I realized how distracting it is. You see people all the time driving erratically and then you realize "Oh! They're on their cell phone." Whenever I see a car that can't seem to stay in their lane I think "Either they've had too much to drink OR they're on their cell phone." 9 times out of 10 it's someone on their cell phone. I must say if someone hit me while talking on a cell phone, I would be VERY angry.

ChipDale2708
03-28-2007, 12:32 PM
I'm here in CT and there is a law against driving and using a hand held device. There are even big signs posted on the highways stating this. This doesn't seem to stop anyone from continuing especially while flying up the highway on the phone during a snowstorm. What really irritates me is most people I know have gone out and purchased blue tooths (including me) or some other sort of headset to abide by the law. I know the second I pick up a phone without the headset I'll get nailed. The other guy won't. Murphy's law. Either enforce the law or take it off the books.

PS. I have a co-worker who openly admits to text messaging while driving! :jaw:

luvdiznee
03-28-2007, 12:33 PM
I hear ya! I'm at work right now and I just got a call from a lady asking for info and as I'm about to give it to her she lets me know she's driving right now :( But then she says OK I'm at a light, so I'm giving her the info then she says wait a minute I have to turn :mad: Glad it's a law here (not that everyone follows it, though).

Ian
03-28-2007, 01:56 PM
What I can't understand is how using a cell phone is more distracting than talking to people who are in the car with you. Think about how many people take their eye off the road to look at the person they're talking with.This has pretty much always been my position, as well. I don't see why or how talking on a phone while driving is so challenging for some people. We've been holding conversations in cars since they were invented.

Once again, I'm pretty sure that cell phones are just a symptom of a problem, not the problem itself. I drive and talk on my phone all the time and I can assure you I have no problem with it (and no ... that's not just my opinion ... I take driving very seriously and I know when my attention is being impacted ... ).

The real problem is that most people in this country just take driving for granted. They're never trained to respect their vehicle and what it is (basically a 3,000 pound weapon) not are they properly trained to operate it.

Also, I find that many, many people these days are self-absorbed in all facets of their lives, not just driving. I'd say 50% of the population acts as if they are the only ones in the world.

Much like strollers and wheelchairs and smokers and all the other folks we tend to criticize, don't blame the symptom ... blame the root cause ... morons ....