New York Adds to Highways: Texting Zones

[#campyuserftw]

I do not see this impacting much, but it adds awareness, placing the topic into the news:

http://www.governor.ny.gov/press/09232013-governor-unveils-texting-zones

Cyclists ride .1% of the distance on the roads listed, these rest stops already exist, however, the issue is now in the news.

[EDS]

I do not see this impacting much, but it adds awareness, placing the topic into the news:

http://www.governor.ny.gov/press/09232013-governor-unveils-texting-zones

Cyclists ride .1% of the distance on the roads listed, these rest stops already exist, however, the issue is now in the news.

Waste of money as far as I can tell. If you haven't figured our already that a rest stop is a better place to text then while going 75 in the passing lane then you are likely already a lost cause, and the best we can hope is that you don't injure anyone else in the process.

[54ny77]

That law is comical.

I happen to drive a full size 4x4 truck, and from what I can see on the road by way of sitting higher than most, I'd say at least 30-50% of people are on phone talking, texting, etc. at any given point in time. Gone are the days of just worrying about someone sorting out drinking their coffee and stuffing an egg mcmuffin in their face while driving.

Sometimes it's almost 100% staring at smartphones by people to my right and left, front & back, depending on where driving and at what speed (slower means more people apt to use that functionality).

It's too bad there isn't software or an internal gyroscope that would disable all phone functionality while moving.

[Tony T]

That day will eventually arrive. Using the GPS, software can determine your speed, and disable texting.

[carpediemracing]

My sister visited from NorCal area to CT. I asked her if everyone tailgates like they do here, if people run stops and red lights, etc. Here it's like NASCAR in terms of drafting. Red lights and stop signs take effect only if someone beat you to the intersection (I've had cars blast through intersections after I've entered them) or there's no one else at the intersection (like a big truck taking a left turn on red after stopping because no one was coming down the road, this at an intersection of two state roads, split road left/right turns, turning lanes, no turn on red, crosswalk lights).

She laughed and said no. Everyone leaves a bit of room in front of them because they're busy on their phones and those drivers tend to drive a bit distracted, if you will.

An example of the "get through the intersection before the others can". The red car in front of me contains the Missus and our 1+ year old son.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0w3XgqBlgo

[54ny77]

Carpe: my unofficial observation on east coast vs. west coast driving is that here on east coast, people driving will deliberately try to kill or hurt you (while you're on bike or in car, makes no difference), and go through the mental calculus of how they're going to actually do it or come close to it.

On the west coast, they'll still do it or come close to doing so, but it'll happen unwittingly and they'll just say "oops, my bad."

My sister visited from NorCal area to CT. I asked her if everyone tailgates like they do here, if people run stops and red lights, etc. Here it's like NASCAR in terms of drafting. Red lights and stop signs take effect only if someone beat you to the intersection (I've had cars blast through intersections after I've entered them) or there's no one else at the intersection (like a big truck taking a left turn on red after stopping because no one was coming down the road, this at an intersection of two state roads, split road left/right turns, turning lanes, no turn on red, crosswalk lights).

She laughed and said no. Everyone leaves a bit of room in front of them because they're busy on their phones and those drivers tend to drive a bit distracted, if you will.

An example of the "get through the intersection before the others can". The red car in front of me contains the Missus and our 1+ year old son.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0w3XgqBlgo

[plattyjo]

Huh - my experience with West Coast vs. East Coast has been different; I feel like people drive really slowly here and don't tailgate in NorCal (esp. SF). On the East Coast (NYC), it always felt like Grand Theft Auto: speedy and tons of honking.

[redir]

I work on a large college campus and take a lunch time walk every day. It's becoming an epidemic. I would say about 50% of the cars I see go by the drivers have their heads down with the blue glow. Some one needs to come up with technology that locks phones in moving cars or something.

[54ny77]

Sorry yes I should've qualified my prior statement: Bay Area's a little better than SoCal (I've lived in both and visit both often). SoCal has gotten insane. I know a mutual acquaintance who moved from a dense, populated southern coastal area to a more rural area just to get away from the madness. And what recently happened? He got hit while on his bike....in the rural area!

Huh - my experience with West Coast vs. East Coast has been different; I feel like people drive really slowly here and don't tailgate in NorCal (esp. SF). On the East Coast (NYC), it always felt like Grand Theft Auto: speedy and tons of honking.

[plattyjo]

Oh yeah, I don't mess with driving in SoCal. I just try to help with my husband's road rage. Sorry to hear about your friend!

[David Tollefson]

That day will eventually arrive. Using the GPS, software can determine your speed, and disable texting.

And how does it differentiate between driver and passenger?

[1centaur]

And how does it differentiate between driver and passenger?

Where there's a will...the steering wheel can have a sensor scan the driver's seat for the visual cues to looking away from the road and taking hands off the wheel and make signal noises and flash lights so the cops can spot the action.

Given that cars and phones are both computer-centric at this point, there must be many ways to get there.

[Black Dog]

Want to end most texting, distracted driving, impaired driving etc. Serious consequences need to be doled out and a lot of enforcement until the culture of entitlement and lack of any personal responsibility changes. This could take a long time but it sure would generate a ton of revenue through very stiff fines. Make it a large fine, and licence suspension and most people will change.

[Tom]

I've said it before and I won't shut up until it happens. We need the same moral outrage that the unbelievably annoying (oop, I mean effective) Mothers Against Drunk Driving managed to generate towards drinking and driving generated towards texting or phone use while driving.

(1) Graphic pictures of the results posted for all to see.
(2) Follow up in the paper beyond 'the accident is under investigation' line. Investigate thoroughly and when personal electronics are involved there should be a press release detailing what was found and exactly how much the offendor is going to pay now and in the future - fines, court fees and jacked up auto insurance.

[Tony T]

And how does it differentiate between driver and passenger?

Tough luck for the passenger :)

[Steve in SLO]

The great irony here is that if people actually used these zones, there would likely be an increase in accidents because of distracted drivers trying to pull off and merge back in.

[William]

I've said it before and I won't shut up until it happens. We need the same moral outrage that the unbelievably annoying (oop, I mean effective) Mothers Against Drunk Driving managed to generate towards drinking and driving generated towards texting or phone use while driving.

(1) Graphic pictures of the results posted for all to see.
(2) Follow up in the paper beyond 'the accident is under investigation' line. Investigate thoroughly and when personal electronics are involved there should be a press release detailing what was found and exactly how much the offendor is going to pay now and in the future - fines, court fees and jacked up auto insurance.

Currently arguing that one can be "Too drunk" to be convicted of murder...

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/09/nyregion/drivers-defense-too-drunk-to-be-guilty.html?_r=0

How long until we see "Too distracted" to be guilty of.....???:crap:






William

[Chance]

Where there's a will...the steering wheel can have a sensor scan the driver's seat for the visual cues to looking away from the road and taking hands off the wheel and make signal noises and flash lights so the cops can spot the action.

Given that cars and phones are both computer-centric at this point, there must be many ways to get there.

Or we could take the opposite approach of what is being proposed in this thread and automate driving so that drivers can text all they want. Google is almost there already, and at the rate we are going it's a safe bet we will have automated driving before people stop texting while driving conventional cars.

And for what it's worth, not a fan of either automated driving or texting while driving. Having said that, they are both unavoidable in my opinion.

[Tony T]

The change will come only with increased penalties.
In the 60's and 70's DUI was common and the only real penalties occurred when someone was killed. It's not that way anymore.

When the penalties are raised (i.e. points on Lic, suspended Lic, fines in excess of $1k), the texting will decrease.