Cars and cell phones

[BobO]

Originally Posted by cachagua

This exactly is the problem, but it's a much larger problem than cell-phone use. People believe that they don't have to pay attention, that there'll be no meaningful consequences to anything they do behind the wheel.

This has always been there. What we're seeing now with cell phones is meaningfully different. These devices, touch screen devices, are taking the driver's eye, attention and mental focus off driving the effing car.

Years ago I had a friend who had been a fighter pilot in Vietnam. He had friends that had been engaged in mission objectives and simply flew the plane into the ground. After which the Marines started training pilots to "fly the plane first." Well, that's where we are, we need to teach drivers to "drive the car first." And,... let's face the reality, until driving texters become a pariah in society it isn't going to change. How do we go about making them such. The best answer I can come up with is public shaming.

Oh, and the factory OEM touch screens, those need to go too. Driving controls should be tactile.

[Peter P.]

I work in the two-way radio industry. We work with a lot of police departments and monitor their communications.

Locally, they began their distracted driving enforcement I mentioned above. Listening to the radio chatter today, the detail had so many people pulled over that they ran out of room to stage the violators. The ticket writers told the spotters to chill for a while so they could process the tickets and move the drivers. Then they told the spotters they were ready to go again.

As far as the police exemption goes, in some states it's written the exemption only covers them while performing their official duties using a department issued phone.

I was driving with a deputy police chief in his staff car once, checking radio coverage in town. He whipped out his cell phone to call his middle school age son to tell him he'd be late to pick him up...

[Frankwurst]

Originally Posted by Anarchist

I drove I5 through Oregon recently, apart from that being one of the single most f-d up pieces of highway I have ever been on, I was shocked at how many semi drivers are prattling away on their cell phones, while piloting multi-trailer trains.

One guy was so bad he was literally from the shoulder to the left lane and back again for miles, I timed my pass and as I went by looked up, and sure enough, looked like he was either texting, or checking Facebook.

Unbelievable.

Totally against the law. Truck drivers are legally only allowed to talk on a phone while moving via bluetooth/speaker system. Fines start at $400 and the company could suffer consequences as well. This I know as we've had more than one driver busted. As far as I'm concerned the law should be applied to everyone. Wouldn't bother me a bit.

[merlinmurph]

Originally Posted by BobO

Oh, and the factory OEM touch screens, those need to go too. Driving controls should be tactile.

Absolutely. People overlook these systems.

My wife bought a Subie with a 7" screen to control all the audio capabilities. Some cars control a lot more systems in the car thru the screen. It is every bit as bad as a phone.

[zap]

I keep thinking about the early 80's BMW ads highlighting dashboard simplicity therefore allowing the driver to keep eye's on the road.

[unterhausen]

when I first got my Toyota with the touch screen, my son and I were playing with the GPS while I was driving. I realized my focus was entirely inside the car, and it scared the crap out of me. Fortunately, it wasn't a road where that was particularly dangerous, as if there is a road where you can say that with 100% certainty. Apparently, many people never have this realization. This is why riding on roads with long straightaways scare me , people feel like they can play with their phone/gps/radio without endangering anyone.

[kevinvc]

It is often mentioned in threads involving distracted driving that we need to treat cell phone use the same as DUI. I agree with this somewhat, but it's not like DUI is always dealt with harshly either.

Disgusting story of man getting less than a year for his 9th DUI.

I believe alcoholism is an illness that should be treated. But that only has a chance of being effective if the person commits to it. This guy has demonstrated that he is unwilling to change his ways. I guess we just have to hope that the rest of the public is as lucky his 10th time as they have been so far.

[saf-t]

I often fantasize about riding with a paintball gun............

[William]

Originally Posted by unterhausen

...This is why riding on roads with long straightaways scare me , people feel like they can play with their phone/gps/radio without endangering anyone.

Agree. I've been seeing this more and more. I was driving with my son yesterday down to the range and on a long straight an oncoming dump truck swerves over the center line and then corrects back into their lane multiple times. He was still a little ways off when it happened but I keep watching him getting ready to hit the brakes or bail. As he comes up and passes I can see he is holding his phone, resting it on top of the wheel while he's doing whatever he is doing. This is a road that I sometimes ride on connecting a number of routes (we've been on it in previous RI Rambles) so it definitely burned me. Literally it's getting to be an almost daily occurrence seeing people swerving the center and edges of the road because they can't contain themselves and wait until they get to wherever they are going before they get on their devices. They are choosing to be selfish, reckless, and an endangerment to everyone else they encounter.

It's the main reason my rides have become more dirt/gravel and less road.











William

[BobO]

Originally Posted by William

It's the main reason my rides have become more dirt/gravel and less road.

I'm always saddened a bit when I hear someone say that.

[William]

Originally Posted by BobO

I'm always saddened a bit when I hear someone say that.

I'm still having fun, but I'm just seeing too many distracted drivers on the roads.






William

[azrider]

Cool to see this.........at least it's a start in the right direction

iPhones with that upcoming version of iOS will detect when you're driving, and silence incoming notifications.

http://time.com/4806296/apple-iphone...acted-driving/

https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/...all/102524686/

[makoti]

Originally Posted by azrider

Cool to see this.........at least it's a start in the right direction




http://time.com/4806296/apple-iphone...acted-driving/

https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/...all/102524686/

Was just going to post this. Suddenly, I love Apple.

[Clean39T]

Originally Posted by saf-t

I often fantasize about riding with a paintball gun............

Loaded with pinballs I hope..

[Clean39T]

Originally Posted by BobO

Oh, and the factory OEM touch screens, those need to go too. Driving controls should be tactile.

In my benevolent totalitarian state, cars would have 1950s driving tech, but run on batteries, and be capped at 35mph. Trains would take care of all distance travel and shipping. And we'd all be back riding friction shifters, tubs, and steel in wool jerseys. Artificial food would be outlawed, as would animal agriculture. And there would be no internet, smart phones, or alcohol.