Lets Text While Driving.

[dako81]

^ I agree.

 

[DefyInertia]

When I first went to NJ in like 1990 or so I ran into this and I have yet to figure out why?

I've heard it is to create jobs. I'm sure it also ensures a safer environment and prevents theft but I'm not for it.

Oregon is the other state, right?

 

[Hellgate]

I have had more than a few issues with folks just talking away on the cell phone while driving. When I caught my wife doing this I got her a hands free unit that pipes the cell phone through the car audio. I too have a hands free but I don't like using a cell phone while driving. As a rider this scares the hell out of me every time I see it and the sad part is that around here the cops do it too.

Today, I was watching the news and heard them talking about a new law that would make it illegal to be text messaging people while driving. What the heck, why not do the right thing and make it illegal to use a cell phone without a hands free while driving too? In all honesty I must say that like many devises their respective use or how they are used is the problem and not necessarily the devise itself. The problem that really gets me is the fact that many states already have distractive driving laws so why do we need laws for this specifically? So, either the police are blind to it or they simply refuse to right tickets for it. Either way, to me it's negligence on their part.

Too bad, I've gotten pretty good at it with practice. The first few times I kept changing lanes and scaring people, then I learned to put the truck in to cruise and use my knees to steer. After a few days no problem at all!

 

[Cloggy]

They introduced a total ban on using a mobile phone while driving in the UK a long time ago now.

1. It began with warnings and small fines
2. They then decided to introduce 3 penalty points and larger fines!

In Holland number 1 applies here too, but as for number 2, luckily/unluckily for us they haven't introduced a points system here yet, but they are talking about it.

 

[4fun]

I've heard it is to create jobs. I'm sure it also ensures a safer environment and prevents theft but I'm not for it.

Oregon is the other state, right?

I beleive your right about that. iI think the reason is that nobody wants to offend anybody here. If you take away the attendent, somebody will complain, just like not being able to sing Christmas songs in schools anymore.

 

[reiobard]

I was driving home tonight through the snow storm, so the roads were bad but not horrible and i got stuck behind a plow that thought that 12 miles per hour was an acceptable speed and the plow guy also thought it a good idea to stop on almost all the hills. After being behind him for about 45 mins i ended up behind a truck that was on and off the brakes, going normal speed and then slowing to just above 5 miles per hour and almost drifiting into snowbanks....

When it turned to 2 lanes i passed her and saw that she was funblimg to keep her truck on the road and talking on the phone at the same time. Had i got to stop at the next red light i was going to get out and take her phone and throw it into the woods...but i had a green light and just drove home...

 

[HavBlue]

I was driving home tonight through the snow storm, so the roads were bad but not horrible and i got stuck behind a plow that thought that 12 miles per hour was an acceptable speed and the plow guy also thought it a good idea to stop on almost all the hills. After being behind him for about 45 mins i ended up behind a truck that was on and off the brakes, going normal speed and then slowing to just above 5 miles per hour and almost drifiting into snowbanks....

When it turned to 2 lanes i passed her and saw that she was funblimg to keep her truck on the road and talking on the phone at the same time. Had i got to stop at the next red light i was going to get out and take her phone and throw it into the woods...but i had a green light and just drove home...

The sad part is that had you actually done it she probably would have called 911 and had locked you up for assault or scaring the hell out of her. I do however agree with your intent.

 

[fast blue one]

I was driving home tonight through the snow storm, so the roads were bad but not horrible and i got stuck behind a plow that thought that 12 miles per hour was an acceptable speed and the plow guy also thought it a good idea to stop on almost all the hills. After being behind him for about 45 mins i ended up behind a truck that was on and off the brakes, going normal speed and then slowing to just above 5 miles per hour and almost drifiting into snowbanks....

When it turned to 2 lanes i passed her and saw that she was funblimg to keep her truck on the road and talking on the phone at the same time. Had i got to stop at the next red light i was going to get out and take her phone and throw it into the woods...but i had a green light and just drove home...

I know what you mean; talking, texting, eating, reading maps putting on make up , the list goes on and they make your blood boil at times so that you want to do something like that.
And the crazy thing is over in UK theres a big anti bike lobby that says WE are the danger.

 

[Jake]

Anyone remember back in the day when nobody had a cell phone? Hell, I work in the IT field and I don't have one. It's still about $20/month cheaper for me to use a land-line phone. Convenience? Nahhh. If anyone needs to get ahold of me they can leave a friggin message.

One more comment... anyone else find it irritating when cellphone owners feel compelled to answer their phone whenever and wherever it rings. You're talking to them and then **ring ring** you become invisible. They're driving in a wicked thunderstorm and can't see 30 yards in front of the car **ring ring**. I swear some of these people think the lottery officials are gonna call them at any second and they need to answer the phone immediately to claim their prize money.

Jake

 

[Hazardous006]

my personal opinion on that is they should make it illegal to use a cell phone while driving whatsoever. No hands free, no texting, etc. Pull off the side of the road if u need to use it. Even with hands free u still are diverting some of ur attention when u have to connect or disconnect a call and seconds mean everything on the road.

 

[CCHOUSEKY]

Ok, I'm coming in on this thread late but...you can't pump your own gas in New Jersey??? WTF? Someone explain this to me. I'm in Kentucky and I can't imagine. LOL...it's like a luxury down here to find a station where they'll pump the gas for you...and they charge you 3 cents more per gallon to do it. In fact, I think there's only one franchise that still does this (other than mom and pop stations) and that's Swifty.

 

[HavBlue]

My personal opinion on that is they should make it illegal to use a cell phone while driving whatsoever. No hands free, no texting, etc. Pull off the side of the road if you need to use it. Even with hands free you still are diverting some of your attention when you have to connect or disconnect a call and seconds mean everything on the road.

As with any device or distractive action their are use risks hence the reason science has what is known as a "risk assessment study." If you were to take the things we do while driving and place a risk factor on that action the manual use of a cell phone would in my opinion be on a very short list at the top. Eating a burger. drinking a Coke, talking to your passenger or in the case of soccer mom beating the crap out of your out of control kids will also carry a risk either high or low depending on how it is done. My cell phone requires me to say "call XXX" and to end that call requires me to push one button. This is basically no different than changing the radio station you are listening to. In other words the action has little impact on driving safety.

In contrast, the manual use of a cell phone requires dialing, use of a hand in a manner that takes it away from vehicle operation and in some cases reduces the driver's ability to see either right or left hence the much higher risk. I would agree with any law requiring a hands free to use the cell phone however, I would ask that unlike some laws, this needs to be enforced and should be a primary offense.

 

[HavBlue]

Ok, I'm coming in on this thread late but...you can't pump your own gas in New Jersey??? WTF? Someone explain this to me. I'm in Kentucky and I can't imagine. LOL...it's like a luxury down here to find a station where they'll pump the gas for you...and they charge you 3 cents more per gallon to do it. In fact, I think there's only one franchise that still does this (other than mom and pop stations) and that's Swifty.

Man, where you at? The Swifty in Franklin is one of the cheaper stations and they don't charge for pumping at all.

 

[Botch]

My coworker, who drives a Harley, had a sportbike pass him on the way home last summer, who was texting on his bike! He yelled at him at the next stoplight but don't know if it did any good...

 

[HavBlue]

My coworker, who drives a Harley, had a sportbike pass him on the way home last summer, who was texting on his bike! He yelled at him at the next stoplight but don't know if it did any good...

Man, talk about having a death wish. That sounds like a great way to gain entry into the annual Darwin awards.

 

[reiobard]

The sad part is that had you actually done it she probably would have called 911 and had locked you up for assault or scaring the hell out of her. I do however agree with your intent.

hard to call 911 after I throw the phone, but i know, i may have just pansied out and gotten all pissy and come here to write about it....