Cars and cell phones

[kookmyers]

I am sorry if this has been posted repeatedly. I ride to and from work every day and arrive home (thank goodness) in a very bad mood from all the distracted driving i see around me. My partner has to be tired of hearing me b*%#! about it over and over.
So i am coming here for advice. Instead of b*%#!ing about it, is there ANYTHING i can do about it? Is there a campaign i can support? Should I write a congressman? Obviously a law exists.

[AngryScientist]

Consider getting a helmet mounted can and getting shots of such activity. Compile a bunch of shots and send a note to the local PD with all of the evidence and ask that they step up enforcement in the area. Presenting them with concrete proof that a real problem exists should compel them to put out some traps and ticket some people. Keep sending them mail until you see some results.

I think that may help...

[azrider]

http://forums.thepaceline.net/search.php?searchid=3192431

[Tony T]

Westport Police to Stop Distracted Drivers with 'U Drive. U Text. U Pay.' (https://patch.com/pennsylvania/pittsburgh/westport-police-stop-distracted-drivers-u-drive-u-text-u-pay)
From April 4 to April 30, The Westport Police Department will be out in force looking for distracted drivers as part of the campaign.

IMO should be longer, done without notice and with higher fines, but better than nothing

[notsew]

I think the tide is beginning to turn on this stuff, law enforcement and govs are really starting to key in on the distracted driving. You talk to transportation safety people and this is the number one thing on their radar. A couple more years and folks are going to be looking at these like DUIs. Its not just bikes that are getting hit.

I know that's not much for the present, but I think we are moving in the right direction.

[CAAD]

Westport Police to Stop Distracted Drivers with 'U Drive. U Text. U Pay.' (https://patch.com/pennsylvania/pittsburgh/westport-police-stop-distracted-drivers-u-drive-u-text-u-pay)
From April 4 to April 30, The Westport Police Department will be out in force looking for distracted drivers as part of the campaign.

IMO should be longer, done without notice and with higher fines, but better than nothing

Ha the photo in the article shows a Motorola razr.

[kookmyers]

Consider getting a helmet mounted can and getting shots of such activity. Compile a bunch of shots and send a note to the local PD with all of the evidence and ask that they step up enforcement in the area. Presenting them with concrete proof that a real problem exists should compel them to put out some traps and ticket some people. Keep sending them mail until you see some results.

I think that may help...

I like your suggestion. It would be easy to "get" people at lights while stopped. It would be difficult to "get" the person that i can tell is looking up/down into their lap every second. Seems like video would be needed and i doubt that will be able to be submitted to the PD and have someone look at it.

Maybe pushing for more action where police are out specifically looking for it would get better results.

[Anarchist]

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/texas/articles/2017-03-29/latest-12-killed-3-injured-in-texas-church-van-truck-crash

I'm willing to bet there is no penalty.

[oldpotatoe]

I am sorry if this has been posted repeatedly. I ride to and from work every day and arrive home (thank goodness) in a very bad mood from all the distracted driving i see around me. My partner has to be tired of hearing me b*%#! about it over and over.
So i am coming here for advice. Instead of b*%#!ing about it, is there ANYTHING i can do about it? Is there a campaign i can support? Should I write a congressman? Obviously a law exists.

Write your congressman but your letter might be lost in the big pile of bribe checks from the tele-com industry.

[David Tollefson]

It would be easy to "get" people at lights while stopped.

And this is a common misconception -- that it's okay to be on the phone while stopped at a light. The laws read "operating a motor vehicle on public roadways", and don't say anything about whether you're moving or not. It's just as illegal. If ya gotta have the phone in your hand, get off the road.

[Jgrooms]

I'm curious now that insurance premiums are rising & the companies are blaming DD if there will be a push for enforcing the laws that are already on the books?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[BobO]

Consider getting a helmet mounted can and getting shots of such activity. Compile a bunch of shots and send a note to the local PD with all of the evidence and ask that they step up enforcement in the area. Presenting them with concrete proof that a real problem exists should compel them to put out some traps and ticket some people. Keep sending them mail until you see some results.

I think that may help...

I think that we all should have cameras any time we use any mode of transport on the roads. Then post pictures and video of people invading bike lanes while distracted to your own blog. It won't take long to compile enough evidence to make a city council take notice. I'm sure there is a local advocacy group, join and be pro-active.

I commute 17 miles each day (in a car) and not a day goes by that I can't see ten or more drivers wandering into bike lanes, and it's worsening fast. The amount of distracted driving is utterly insane and needs to start going the other way soon.

[ripvanrando]

I apologize if this comes off as political and please do not ban me.

I am a gun owner and firearm instructor. I consider the operation of a motor vehicle to be much riskier than firearm ownership and a much greater responsibility towards society as a whole. I would never drive and text nor would I walk around pointing a loaded gun while reading a book or texting. I cannot distinguish the negligence between either. Law enforcement is lacking.

There needs to be long, hard prison time for those who run us over and kill us while texting.

I have two elevated Land Cruisers making it easy to see others on the highway. Tons of drivers text behind the wheel. I see it all the time. With all the riders that I know or know of who have been killed on open roads, I am trying to be objective here. When a cyclist is run over on open roads, do Police even check to see if the driver was on the internet or texting? Wait, Cops pull that crap themselves. I see it all the time. Sorry. Again, please do not ban me

[makoti]

I apologize if this comes off as political and please do not ban me.

I am a gun owner and firearm instructor. I consider the operation of a motor vehicle to be much riskier than firearm ownership and a much greater responsibility towards society as a whole. I would never drive and text nor would I walk around pointing a loaded gun while reading a book or texting. I cannot distinguish the negligence between either. Law enforcement is lacking.

There needs to be long, hard prison time for those who run us over and kill us while texting.

I have two elevated Land Cruisers making it easy to see others on the highway. Tons of drivers text behind the wheel. I see it all the time. With all the riders that I know or know of who have been killed on open roads, I am trying to be objective here. When a cyclist is run over on open roads, do Police even check to see if the driver was on the internet or texting? Wait, Cops pull that crap themselves. I see it all the time. Sorry. Again, please do not ban me

The truth isn't political. I also see it every day. Often times, I'll be sitting at a light & watch crossing traffic. I'll see several cars in a row will have drivers looking away from the road to futz with their phones, tablets, or whatever as they shoot through the intersection. Maddening.

[kookmyers]

I came up with a new idea that I won't implement.

I see so many cars driving on the shoulder. I decided that I will just start riding full time on the sidewalk at full speed. If I crash into someone and hurt them, it won't be a problem in the eyes of the law right? Just like when a cyclist gets hit by a car?

Oops...it was an accident.

[buddybikes]

Verizon (and other cell companies) own Congress, technical changes can be made but money important than lives.

I refuse to get one of those mind draining things, just a flip.

nothing will happen until insurance companies decide to change policies.

[Peter P.]

Westport Police to Stop Distracted Drivers with 'U Drive. U Text. U Pay.' (https://patch.com/pennsylvania/pittsburgh/westport-police-stop-distracted-drivers-u-drive-u-text-u-pay)
From April 4 to April 30, The Westport Police Department will be out in force looking for distracted drivers as part of the campaign.

IMO should be longer, done without notice and with higher fines, but better than nothing

I believe this is a national program being run this month subsidized with federal funds. It was announced in my local newspaper the police would be running operations to catch distracted drivers in conjunction with the program, and another local police department is doing the same near where I work.

It's amazing seeing the LINE of people they pull over during rush hour while they write the tickets.

If the OP wants some consolation, find where the police are running a local operation, pull up a chair, and watch the festivities. That ought to give you some satisfaction if nothing else.

[Peter P.]

And this is a common misconception -- that it's okay to be on the phone while stopped at a light. The laws read "operating a motor vehicle on public roadways", and don't say anything about whether you're moving or not. It's just as illegal. If ya gotta have the phone in your hand, get off the road.

What people also don't understand is just the act of HOLDING the phone in your hand will get you a ticket. While I don't believe most people caught are just fondling their phone at the time, I suspect they think they can use "just fondling" as an excuse.

Also from the article I quoted above, the NHTSA said "in 2015 3,477 people were killed and nearly 400,000 people injured due to crashes involving distracted driving. The number of fatalities increased 9 percent over 2014."

[carpediemracing]

In CT there is an exemption for law enforcement officers using phones while driving. I'm sure there are similar laws elsewhere.

In CA, the OP's location, hand held cell phone use was legal until recently. Around here it's been illegal for a while. Doesn't help, but at least nowadays cell phone users get dirty looks etc whereas before it was just how everyone drove.

When working with a state trooper in Tour of PA (10 years ago?) I watched with some fascination as the trooper communicated with town police, his boss, while using his computer for navigation. He had at least two radios as well (race radio and radio for his folks). I had a laptop and a radio that communicated to the officials.

He put all the radios/etc down when going fast, like the descents (we were going really fast at one point, I'm guessing 70-80 mph or faster), but when we were putting along waiting for the field to catch up he'd use them. I remember that at one point he was on both cell phones (different jurisdiction local police - he'd call each town as we got to it) and dealing with radio calls.

I know a lot of people that have been hit by cars in the last two years. It's pretty sobering.

[lookout2015]

What people also don't understand is just the act of HOLDING the phone in your hand will get you a ticket. While I don't believe most people caught are just fondling their phone at the time, I suspect they think they can use "just fondling" as an excuse.

Also from the article I quoted above, the NHTSA said "in 2015 3,477 people were killed and nearly 400,000 people injured due to crashes involving distracted driving. The number of fatalities increased 9 percent over 2014."

This varies widely from state to state. Where I live (Georgia), for example, only those under 18 are forbidden from using a cell phone while driving, though texting is banned for all drivers. And some states don't even ban texting while driving

http://www.ncsl.org/research/transportation/cellular-phone-use-and-texting-while-driving-laws.aspx is the most recent survey I could find of the relevant laws by state

[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.

[redir]

I work and live in a college town and I make it a rabbit to take walks every day at lunch time. I walk through campus and observe drivers as they go buy. In all fairness, it affects all ages but mostly this college age, about 50% on average are driving down the road with a phone shoved in front of their face.

It's freighting. It's an epidemic. It won't stop till we have another MADD type movement.

[jemoryl]

I would be in favor of a device that blocks cellular signals when a car is in gear, but I know that will never happen. This is from someone who has been almost hit while cycling by 'law enforcement officers' messing with phones.

[kppolich]

One of these days I'm going to drive up and down I-80 here in Central Iowa with a friend and have them snap pics of everyone texting at 80mph, then take a picture of their plate and start a Facebook group publicly shaming them with evidence of their irresponsibility and selfishness.

[GregL]

It's freighting. It's an epidemic. It won't stop till we have another MADD type movement.
And there lies the answer. Forty years ago, drunk driving was an "accepted" part of life. Most people got off with a warning or fine. I knew a star high school athlete who was caught for DUI before he even had a license. He got off with a warning and a two-game suspension (games at the coach's discretion...). Until MADD became a strong enough political force, DUI was neither stigmatized nor sufficiently, legally punished. We need a similar movement today, but I don't see it happening anytime soon. The same mothers (and fathers) who support MADD are themselves too busy texting while driving to get angry and politically engaged.

Greg

[oldpotatoe]

One of these days I'm going to drive up and down I-80 here in Central Iowa with a friend and have them snap pics of everyone texting at 80mph, then take a picture of their plate and start a Facebook group publicly shaming them with evidence of their irresponsibility and selfishness.

And that will mean exactly nothing.

Gotta do 2 things, IMHO. Create a gadget that prevents use of cell phones when car is moving(unlikely as congress is being bribed with Yuge $ by telecomm industry). AND hit them in the wallet, but unless their is a crash or something, 'almost' unenforceable.

Vast majority of cars now sold have 'car-net' type stuff that not only allows you to use cell phone while driving but also text, surf, etc. I don't know the answer but it's getting more common, not less and the law makers are in the pocket of the manufacturers.

[colker]

I don´t get the lax driving laws in the US. MOst of the countries strictly forbid cell phone talking while driving and if you get caught you will pay some fine exorbitant fees. Caught more than once you risk losing your license.
There is so much love for car driving in the US it borders on insanity.

[Seramount]

we have an entire generation of humans that are addicted to their phones.

their lives center around them...whether they're walking, hiking, driving, eating out, hanging with friends, whatever...the phone is an integral part of any activity they're engaged in.

good luck trying to get this behavior changed.

have been hit by two motorists who ignored stop signs while staring at their phones, both seemed bewildered that anything bad could happen while being totally distracted while driving.

it's an epidemic.

[cachagua]

Bewildered that anything bad could happen while being totally distracted while driving...

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.

And -- they're right! What are the consequences of running right over someone on their bike? Come to that, what are the consequences of slamming into a bridge abutment at 70mph? Absolutely nothing. The car protects you from having anything bad happen to you. Oh, a fine, how annoying, you swipe your Visa and the whole episode is behind you.

When the driver's seat is mounted on the front bumper, then and only then will we have anything we can call traffic safety. Inside the protective cocoon of airbags and crumple zones, the driver is absolutely uninvested in driving safely. Given that, why should anybody bother?


Maybe if airbags were replaced with spearguns.

[redir]

And there lies the answer. Forty years ago, drunk driving was an "accepted" part of life. Most people got off with a warning or fine. I knew a star high school athlete who was caught for DUI before he even had a license. He got off with a warning and a two-game suspension (games at the coach's discretion...). Until MADD became a strong enough political force, DUI was neither stigmatized nor sufficiently, legally punished. We need a similar movement today, but I don't see it happening anytime soon. The same mothers (and fathers) who support MADD are themselves too busy texting while driving to get angry and politically engaged.

Greg

Yup I remember those days too. I was too young to drink but I've heard the old 'Take one for the road' even within my own family. It really was seen differently back then.

[BobO]

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]

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.:beer:

[merlinmurph]

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 (http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2017/04/man_earns_9th_duii_conviction.html#incart_most-read_) 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]

...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]

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]

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-distracted-driving/

https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/talkingtech/2017/06/05/iphone-get-do-not-disturb-while-driving-mode-ios-11-fall/102524686/

[makoti]

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




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

https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/talkingtech/2017/06/05/iphone-get-do-not-disturb-while-driving-mode-ios-11-fall/102524686/

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

[Clean39T]

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

Loaded with pinballs I hope..

[Clean39T]

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.

:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :fight: :beer:

[Black Dog]

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.

:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :fight: :beer:

I'll give you my Aerosol Cheese when you pry it from my cold, dead hands!!! :D

http://www.retroland.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Kraft-Easy-Cheese.jpg

[Clean39T]

I'll give you my Aerosol Cheese when you pry it from my cold, dead hands!!! :D

http://www.retroland.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Kraft-Easy-Cheese.jpg

Some will have to sacrifice more than others for the good of the State. :D

[kevinvc]

The Apple thing seems to be just window dressing to me. My understanding is that this is a setting that can be turned off pretty easily, assuming it even defaults to "on" in the first place when the new OS is installed.

I think Samsung would be the happiest if Apple made it something that was always on and couldn't be turned off.

[azrider]

The Apple thing seems to be just window dressing to me.

......at least it's a start in the right direction

sigh......

[gemship]

I am sorry if this has been posted repeatedly. I ride to and from work every day and arrive home (thank goodness) in a very bad mood from all the distracted driving i see around me. My partner has to be tired of hearing me b*%#! about it over and over.
So i am coming here for advice. Instead of b*%#!ing about it, is there ANYTHING i can do about it? Is there a campaign i can support? Should I write a congressman? Obviously a law exists.

Gotta find a way to "let it go" as you mentioned your girl, speaking for myself nobody likes to be a pill and surely you don't wanna lose that girl.

[Clean39T]

Gotta find a way to "let it go" as you mentioned your girl, speaking for myself nobody likes to be a pill and surely you don't wanna lose that girl.

Good advice here. I've stopped recounting stories so my wife doesn't sell my bikes out of fear for my safety..