Cell Phones and Driving

[Kodos]

Should it be legal to chat on a cell phone while you are driving?

[Easy Mac]

I would like to go on record and state this poll is asenine and Kodos is obviously building up his poll count. Surely he is the leader

And so long as I'm not drunk, yes.

[Noble_Platypus]

I dont see the difference in using a cell phone and tuning the radio while driving. Its the drivers fault for not paying attention. The same guy on a cell phone not paying attention to what he is doing will also dick with the radio and swerve all over. Or the woman how uses the cell will be the same one that tries to do her makeup in the rearview while driving. Banning cell phones doesnt cure us of innatentive drivers, or all the things that can be considered distractions while driving.

[Kodos]

Hey! This is my first poll in 4 or 5 days! I missed being called asinine...

[primelord]

Noble,

Your right it doesn't cure us of inattentive drivers, but it does reduce the number of opportunities for them to be inattentive.

With that being said I think it should be legal.

[sabotai]

Far from absolute proof, but I read about a study done that showed brain activity involved with driving reduced dramatically while talking on a cell phone. SO much so, they equated it to being drunk.

[dawgfan]

Originally posted by sabotai
Far from absolute proof, but I read about a study done that showed brain activity involved with driving reduced dramatically while talking on a cell phone. SO much so, they equated it to being drunk.

I'm not disputing this may be true, but I wonder if the same focus has been applied to other factors that also may distract drivers. For example, is talking to passengers in your vehicle just as distracting as talking to someone on a cell-phone?

It seems like there is a vendetta going on here regarding cell-phones and driving - it's much easier of course to blame a cell-phone when you see someone driving erratically, poorly or in a reckless manner; it's much less obvious to blame the same type of driving behavior on the driver's interaction with passengers.

[Philliesfan980]

I see nothing different (this comes from a non cell phone driver) about talking on a "handless" cell phone while driving, than talking to a passenger while driving. Maybe I'm missing something here, and would like feedback.

[Marmel]

If somebody is driving like an ass, and I pass them, 80%* of the time the jackass is on a cellphone. What the hell could be so important that you need to put the health of complete strangers on the line? Pull the fuck over and talk on the phone.



*80% is not a scientifically proven statistic.

[EagleFan]

There is already a law against careless driving. That covers everything that can cause you to drive carelessly. But only if it does cause you to do so.

There are way too many laws on the books as it is. I should not have to wear a seatbelt (I always do out of habit and the safety factor), but big brother shouldn't mandate that on me. Go figure, I can sign up to jump out of an airplane and there's no cop standing there making sure I fasten my parachute the right way but if I dare ride in a car without a seatbelt I've broken the law. Which is a more dangerous thing?

[Fritz]

Kodos is asinine.

[Fritz]

worse than cellphones are in-car TVs. Not only are they distracting to the their driver, they are distracting to other drivers.

[Buddy Grant]

I think drivers talking on a cellphone while a passenger is talking to them is downright rude, especially if the driver is really, really wasted.

[Senator]

regulate all life

[Blackadar]

Yes, keep it legal. We already have laws for reckless driving.

[sabotai]

"For example, is talking to passengers in your vehicle just as distracting as talking to someone on a cell-phone?"

Well, for one you don't have to hold your hand up to your ear when talking to a passenger.

"Yes, keep it legal. We already have laws for reckless driving."

Damn straight! Repeal all drinking and driving laws and we'll only prosecute the ones who drive recklessly.

[dawgfan]

Originally posted by sabotai
"For example, is talking to passengers in your vehicle just as distracting as talking to someone on a cell-phone?"

Well, for one you don't have to hold your hand up to your ear when talking to a passenger.

I would support regulations that required use of hands-free devices for cell-phones while driving.

That said, how many people actually drive with both hands on the wheel - my observation is that a significant proportion don't, so that hand-to-the-ear argument is moot for those drivers.

[oykib]

The difference is driving with one hand with the other hand occupied is significant from just having it siiting there or piccking up your slurpee. The cell phone is a problem because it sucks up your attention. The slurpee is not much of a problem.

[SackAttack]

thing is, when you have a hand to your ear on a cell phone, you simply cannot see when you turn to look over your left shoulder, say, to make a lane change. The hand obscures your vision.

Hell, half the cell phone drivers I see will have it cradled between their ear and their shoulder, which makes it impossible to turn their head at all.

It leaves a huge blind spot on the left side, and increases the risk of accidents happening when they, like every other jerk on the road (cell or no cell) decide to make an unsafe lane change.

I don't have a problem with people using cell phones, AS LONG AS IT'S A HANDS-FREE UNIT. Thank you.

Josh

[dawgfan]

I believe my point is valid - a careful driver will drop the cell-phone to grip the wheel with the occupied hand just like they would if it were grabbing a slurpee or situated on the armrest.

I agree that things that direct your attention away from driving impair your ability to drive - that's a given.

What I'm arguing is that there seems to be a concerted effort to address cell-phone use while driving, while other things that also affect a driver's attention are ignored. I still believe that engaging in conversation with passengers is equally if not more distracting than talking on a cell-phone. I think TV's in cars is a huge potential distraction to the driver. I think having a CD-player or tape player that requires the user to manually insert the media into the player is a distraction to the driver. I think people that read books or newspapers while crawling along in rush hour gridlock are incredibly distracted.

Where are the studies on these distractions? Where's the outcry about them?

The cell-phone/driving thing is at least partly a vendetta certain people have with cell-phones regardless of the situation. Some people just don't like them and look for any reason to limit their use.

[sabotai]

dawg,

"I still believe that engaging in conversation with passengers is equally if not more distracting than talking on a cell-phone."

LMAO!..That's funny.

Ok seriously...

First off, most distractions occur for seconds at most. Taking a sip of a slurpee, changing the radio station, turning your head to look at a sign, all take seconds. Not minutes. Not even 5 seconds. A second to 2 seconds. 3 at most...

When was the last time you had a 3 second long telephone conversation? Telephone conversations take minutes. Not seconds. Even 10 or more minutes.

"I think TV's in cars is a huge potential distraction to the driver."

Which is why they are placed behind the driver, so they don't get distracted by the picutre.

"I think having a CD-player or tape player that requires the user to manually insert the media into the player is a distraction to the driver."

Which is why I wait for a red light to change it...if I have time before it turns green.

" think people that read books or newspapers while crawling along in rush hour gridlock are incredibly distracted."

I agree.

I'll also add people who do their make-up and eat while driving are also distracted. I also think they should get ticketed for at least careless driving.

I don't think there is a vendetta against cell-phone users. I think the thing is that there are so many people who use cell phones that when there are arguments baning them when driving, it's met with a lot more resistence than say...people who put their make up on while driving.

So it goes like "No putting on make up while driving!" "Yeah!" "No reading newspapers while driving." "Yeah!" "No using a cell phone while driving." "Ye...wait, I use a cell phone. I don't like that."

[JeeberD]

I try not to talk on my cell and drive at the same time, but that isn't always possible. I don't think that the govt should try and make it illegal to do so. Sorry, I would try and argue my point some, but I'm not feeling very elloquent right now. It's been a very, very long weekend...

[dawgfan]

Originally posted by sabotai
dawg,

"I still believe that engaging in conversation with passengers is equally if not more distracting than talking on a cell-phone."

LMAO!..That's funny.

Ok seriously...

First off, most distractions occur for seconds at most. Taking a sip of a slurpee, changing the radio station, turning your head to look at a sign, all take seconds. Not minutes. Not even 5 seconds. A second to 2 seconds. 3 at most...

When was the last time you had a 3 second long telephone conversation? Telephone conversations take minutes. Not seconds. Even 10 or more minutes.

I take it you always limit your conversations with passengers while driving to inermittent 1-2 word exchanges?

A conversation is a conversation, whether you're on a cell-phone or not. If you're engaged in a conversation with someone, you will be somewhat distracted from your driving. If you eliminate the hands argument by comparing hands-free cell-units vs. talking with passengers, I fail to see where there would be a difference in distraction.

Throw-in family situations where partners could be arguing or kids are being disruptive and I think the passengers thing goes way past cell-phones in terms of distraction.

Originally posted by sabotai
"I think TV's in cars is a huge potential distraction to the driver."

Which is why they are placed behind the driver, so they don't get distracted by the picutre.

If the TV's are being watched by passengers using headphones, then I would say there's little potential distraction. If not, the potential is huge.

Imagine for a second the family driving together with the kids watching the TV, and the kids start arguing about what to watch. Or the friends watching a favorite movie, and the driver starts eavesdropping on the movie and laughing or talking about it with his passengers.

Originally posted by sabotai
"I think having a CD-player or tape player that requires the user to manually insert the media into the player is a distraction to the driver."

Which is why I wait for a red light to change it...if I have time before it turns green.

But of course many people don't wait for optimal situations to do this.

Originally posted by sabotai
" think people that read books or newspapers while crawling along in rush hour gridlock are incredibly distracted."

I agree.

I'll also add people who do their make-up and eat while driving are also distracted. I also think they should get ticketed for at least careless driving.

I don't think there is a vendetta against cell-phone users. I think the thing is that there are so many people who use cell phones that when there are arguments baning them when driving, it's met with a lot more resistence than say...people who put their make up on while driving.

So it goes like "No putting on make up while driving!" "Yeah!" "No reading newspapers while driving." "Yeah!" "No using a cell phone while driving." "Ye...wait, I use a cell phone. I don't like that."

My point is, if you're going to regulate against a certain activity that is deemed distracting while driving, why stop there? Why the discrimination based on this particular activity?

You're a smart guy sabotai, so I'm having a hard time believing you don't see the similarities in talking on a cell-phone with talking with passengers. If you don't see a similarity, please explain to me the differences as you perceive them.

[sabotai]

"A conversation is a conversation, whether you're on a cell-phone or not."

EDIT: See below.

"Imagine for a second the family driving together with the kids watching the TV, and the kids start arguing about what to watch."

Yeah, kids can be a distraction. But I would say that most o fthe time, they are not, while all o fthe time you are on a cell phone, it is distracting.

"Or the friends watching a favorite movie, and the driver starts eavesdropping on the movie and laughing or talking about it with his passengers."

How's that different from listening to the radio and doing the same thing?

"But of course many people don't wait for optimal situations to do this."

But then again, most people are idiots.

"My point is, if you're going to regulate against a certain activity that is deemed distracting while driving, why stop there? Why the discrimination based on this particular activity?"

No discrimination. This thread was about cell phone use while driving. So that is what I was talking about. I fully support making it illegal to read, eat, put make up on, etc. Any personal distraction that takes more than a few seconds to do.

"You're a smart guy sabotai, so I'm having a hard time believing you don't see the similarities in talking on a cell-phone with talking with passengers. If you don't see a similarity, please explain to me the differences as you perceive them."

Holding a phone to your ear is more distracting. Even if it weren't, you're still increasing your response time by occupying one hand for an extended period of time. As pointed out by someone else, you're also increasing blind spots by limiting your head and neck movement. And another thing, the voice coming through on the cell phone is usually softer than the voice coming from someone sitting right next to you. So while you listen causally to someone who's right next to you, you have to concentrate more on what the person is saying when coming through a cell phone, taking your concentration away from the road.

Having a conversation with someone in the car with you is probably the same as if you had a hands free system as long as you had a good phone that got great reception.

[Kodos]

I think the hands-free devices go a long way toward helping limit the problems associated with using a phone while driving, although dialing can be pretty distracting. My main issue is with people who hold the phone to their ear with their hand. Eight out of 10 times when I see somebody weaving or driving like an idiot, they are on their little cell phone. I would love to see the cops start handing out tickets to those people. If the call is that important, pull over somewhere to talk. If you don't want to pull over, tell the person you'll call them back and hang up. I'm sure some others will disagree, but I'm just giving you my personal opinion, not handing down the word of God.

[Craptacular]

I also think that there is still a difference between using a hands-free phone and talking to passengers in your car. You do have to concentrate harder when you're on the phone, there are no visuals cues to aid you in your conversation, you might be picturing the person you are talking to, and if you have an earpiece, you're blocking out other sounds.

[B & B]

Originally posted by Buddy Grant
I think drivers talking on a cellphone while a passenger is talking to them is downright rude, especially if the driver is really, really wasted.

LOL

[RendeR]

Its been shown that holding an active conversation on a cell phone takes well over 50% of a persons active concentration from anything they are doing. The article I read this in was in newseek like 5 years ago when NY first started looking at legislation against cell phones in cars. It did not cover the fact that people IN the car have conversations too and what affect that might have. but for what it did cover I have to say that:

I don't know about anyone else but quite frankly most people don't drive safely enough with 100% of their concentration on what they are doing.

I think it should be illegal and I think people caught doing it should have their cars impounded and licenses suspended for a short period. Driving is a privelage which allows you to have life and death control of a multi ton machine.

I also believe that eating, smoking and anything that requires you to keep a hand away from the wheel for more than 3 seconds at a time should be included in this.

Driving is NOT something you can take for granted. If you honestly believe that people can drive safely and securely while doing any of these things then you obviously haven't been driving long enough to have the experience to understand just how dangerous being distracted at the wheel can be.

If you are behind the wheel, that is the ONLY thing you should be doing, PERIOD.


End mini-rant

Ren

[robbgmaier]

it should only be illegal if a hooker is giving you a blowjob and you're watching porn on the overhead television