Cell phones while Driving

[sparks19]

Does this drive anyone else nuts.

I know most of us are guilty of it (except me since I don't drive lol but my husband is)lol

Does anyone else think this should be TOTALLY against the law? So many stupid accidents happen or almost happen because people can't drive and talk on the phone at the same time. Today a soccer mom type almost back right into a tractor trailer.... luckily the TT was able to slam on his brakes and stop in time. She just backed right out of her driveway while on the phone without even looking.

My husband almost got rear ended at a red light by some stupid girl talking on her cell phone. she came flying up behind him and slammed her breaks on just in time. She had to swerve slightly to miss our car.

I am so fed up with morons on their phones while driving and acting like they own the road. NO wonder I never want to get a license.

I wish they would make some sort of mechanism that would jam the cell phone signal while the car is running. there is NO reason to talk on your phone while driving. If you must take the call.... pull over and sit at the side of the road while you talk.

Anyone else experience this type of stupidity?

[AbbyMom]

Anyone else experience this type of stupidity?

Oh yes. Smashed back bumper when a young woman on a cell just couldn't stop in time when I stopped for a red light. Interestingly, her SUV didn't have any damage...

[Twisterdog]

I just read a study about this. It said that talking on a cell phone reduces the reflexes and reaction time of a twenty year old to that of an eighty year old!

It should definately be against the law. PULL OVER and make the call. I'm sorry, but NO ONE is soooooo busy that they can't take an extra two minutes to pull over and be safe. How did all the millions of "too busy" people ever possibly survive a decade or so ago, before cell phones were available?

And what about all the teenagers out there who TEXT while driving?? YIKES! My son says "all" his friends text and drive. Scary.

[cmayer31]

I agree that it's not a good idea and probably should be banned. There's a law out here that will require at least a hands free device, but it's been proven that people are just as distracted even with hands free.

That said, I do make calls while in my truck. My commute consists of 1-2 hours of driving and most of that time is spent going less than 5 mph. When I'm not in traffic the phone gets tossed in the cup holder and only answered if absolutely needed. It’s still a bad habit and I wouldn't mind if I get told that I can no longer use it at all while moving in the car.

On the lighter side of accidents, if there is such a thing, a couple of employees that I work with were in an accident when one rear ended the other; they were emailing back and forth to each other on blackberries when it happened.

[Karen]

I do think it should be illegal. In fact, I have had - more than once - pedestrians on cell phone walk out into the street into the path of my car because they were distracted by their conversations. Hello? If you cannot safely work your own two FEET while talking on a cell phone, why should you do it behind the wheel of several hundred pounds of metal?

[Sophist]

It is illegal some places.

It is definitely one of the more annoying and dangerous cell phone faux pas people make.

[Pam]

It is illegal here in NJ.

[ramanth]

While I have been guilty of it in the past, lately when I drive, the phone is off or I don't answer it. I have voicemail for a reason.

I agree that cell phones shouldn't be used while driving. More so since I was hit by a girl who was yakking and not paying attention.

Witnesses say she never even yielded or looked before pulling right out into traffic and slamming her car into the side of my car.

And she was STILL on the phone when the police officer showed up and she didn't even get a ticket.

[elizabethann]

I think talking on a cell phone while driving should be illegal.

If the call is so important, then people should pull over to the side of the road and talk.

[Russian Blue]

Does this drive anyone else nuts..........

My husband almost got rear ended at a red light by some stupid girl talking on her cell phone. she came flying up behind him and slammed her breaks on just in time. She had to swerve slightly to miss our car.

Don't get me started on this topic. Living in Toronto, population 3 million, it's a daily occurence. Now that winter is added to the mix, we're always on the watch for bad drivers.

Rob's dad was in a very serious car accident. Similiar to your husband's story above, Rob's dad was hit at a red light. A girl was driving a SUV and talking on a cell phone, but didn't realize ( ) that there was a red light in front of her. Therefore, she didn't slow down! She basically 'sandwiched' his dad's car between the taxi in front of him and the girl's car. His back was injured and he's been in therapy for the last while. He's retiring next year and now has to worry about back problems.

Lucky I wasn't there. I would have ripped that girl apart. She shouldn't have a drivers license and Rob's dad is now paying the price because of her stupidity.

[Laura's Babies]

I think it is downright stuipd! 10 years ago we lived our lives and did just fine without cell phones and suddenly, there are people who can't live without them? Sorry, but I don't think anyone is so important that they need to be reachable every minute of every single day. In the car.... Let it ring! It has called ID and you can return the call as soon as you stop! NOBODY needs to know where you are 24/7/365! I have sat in parking lots, one time for a hour and a half to take a long distance call to talk from someone I hadn't heard from in ages and I could have been home in minutes.. I only have my cell phone because of how I work or I would not have one... I HATE phones and always have and I don't like talking on them... Ha! The first 5 years I had one, it was only turned on when I was at work and stayed in a drawyer turned off the 28 days I was off....

[Cataholic]

LOL. Some of you may recall I am vehemently opposed to anti-cell phone legislation. I have used a cell phone since 1996, religiously (he he he). I have, in that same time span, had 2 accidents. Neither of them had anything to do with the cell phone. I wasn't on the cell phone at the time, nor distracted by it in any way. I simply had 2 accidents. Both my fault, both, thank GOD, minor- no injuries.

I see accidents, near accidents, etc., happen all the time (I drive alot). They are caused by sloppy, inattentive driving, even rubbernecking. Cell phones are like any other distraction in the car- children, the radio, CD player, activites on the sidewalk, looking for an address, whatever.

We have had accidents WAY longer than we have had cell phones. Cell phones do not cause the accidents, inattentive driving causes the accident (well, and sometimes, there is no 'cause'....accidents happen even with all the care in the world emphasized. Black ice comes to mind.)

Maybe, some people shouldn't use cell phones while walking, driving, or multi tasking at all. Some people are just clutzy. Some people are just bad drivers. Some people are just more accident prone than others.

I love my cell phone.

[lvpets2002]

Thank you Karen = took the words right out of my mouth..

I do think it should be illegal. In fact, I have had - more than once - pedestrians on cell phone walk out into the street into the path of my car because they were distracted by their conversations. Hello? If you cannot safely work your own two FEET while talking on a cell phone, why should you do it behind the wheel of several hundred pounds of metal?

[RedHedd]

Anyone else experience this type of stupidity?

Every day on my commute to and from work and while driving in San Francisco. I've even witnessed idiots trying to parallel park while on the phone! My friends know that if they call me and I'm driving, I will not answer the phone.

My car cost me money and I want it to last a while. It would seem silly to damage my car or take a chance on endangering another driver or pedestrian because of a stupid phone call.

[gini]

One of the best bumper stickers I have ever seen said:


HANG UP AND DRIVE!