Texting while Driving

[MattTuck]

WSJ has this piece. (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125123906005958413.html)

[MattTuck]

This guy scares me. Both for his actions and his belief that texting while driving is necessary.


Shaun Ring, a wedding photographer in Lexington, Ky., admitted he frequently sends text messages while driving. "Texting, unfortunately, is a necessary evil while driving, for me at least," he said. "Clients expect very quick responses."

He has been using Vlingo for several months, and while it occasionally gets a word wrong -- "It butchers names," he said -- he is relieved to be able to focus on the road. "I have a horrible reputation for already being an awful driver."

[slowandsteady]

http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/health/2009/08/19/2009-08-19_police_in_gwent_wales_hope_video_will_change_mi nds_about_texting_and_driving.html - - -

[avalonracing]

Shaun Ring, a wedding photographer in Lexington, Ky., admitted he frequently sends text messages while driving. "Texting, unfortunately, is a necessary evil while driving, for me at least," he said. "Clients expect very quick responses."


Yeah, I would HATE to think that some homely bride has to wait an extra 20 minutes to hear that her pictures will be ready on Tuesday afternoon after 2PM.

As an aside, I know a couple of the best wedding photographers in the country and they seem to do just fine without answering texts while behind the wheel)

[Waldo]

I've sent e-mail while riding. Multiple times. Not proud of it. Bet quite a few here have done the same.

[Blue Jays]

Observed a college-age girl with both hands atop her steering wheel using both thumbs to text at 65 m.p.h. while driving on the interstate.
She was in the middle and swerved into both ajoining lanes as she drifted and fought to regain control of the vehicle.
Cars honked horns, she was oblivious, and returned to her texting.
Fines must be increased to make it very uncomfortable to text while driving.

[William]

Observed a college-age girl with both hands atop her steering wheel using both thumbs to text at 65 m.p.h. while driving on the interstate.
She was in the middle and swerved into both ajoining lanes as she drifted and fought to regain control of the vehicle.
Cars honked horns, she was oblivious, and returned to her texting.
Fines must be increased to make it very uncomfortable to text while driving.



Yeah, probably the same girl who veered into my lane as I was riding my bike one Saturday morning not too long ago. Luckily it was a straight and I noticed her veering from a ways off. I was getting ready to bail before she corrected back into her lane. Totally oblivious and she didn't seem to notice me at all with both hands on the wheel thumb texting. There was a young boy killed last summer while riding his bike by a texting driver. Guy claims he never saw the boy...duh. Asinine that we even have to consider laws against the practice. It's common sense...I'll bet even dumb arse squirrels get it.




William :butt:

[mpetry]

Laws are needed when people fail to use common sense.

The new "distracted driving" initiatives will only incentivize states to pass anti texting laws by withholding highway funds if they don't. It won't change behavior.

In my opinion the only law that would help would be one that says if you're in an accident and cell phone, texting or other distraction is a factor, then you are at fault, automatically, end of story.

While I don't think that giving police more "tools" to randomly stop and search vehicles is a solution to anything, if we don't pass laws that have some teeth in them, behaviors will not change.

You can bet the cell phone industry is lobbying to block this one. 80% of their revenue growth is "data" - texting, pictures, tweets, etc. Voice revenue is flat.

Mark Petry
Bainbridge Island, WA

[MattTuck]

You can bet the cell phone industry is lobbying to block this one. 80% of their revenue growth is "data" - texting, pictures, tweets, etc. Voice revenue is flat.



Not if you believe their own statements.

"CTIA, whose members include carriers like AT&T Inc. and Verizon Wireless, says it supports banning texting while driving altogether. "We think it's incompatible with safe driving," said John Walls, CTIA's vice president of public affairs."

I agree though, stiffer penalties and increased enforcement are surely needed. Canada has a much more strict stance on drunk driving, causing you to lose your license and be a convicted felon. I would support any kind of legislation that results in people being less distracted on the road.

Technology, as the article points out, might be a solution - but the companies described all seem like half-measures and incomplete solutions. I strongly believe that the baby boom generation (as they get older and still want their freedom) is going to be a bigger and bigger problem on the roads, and might eventually be the catalyst for mass adoption of computer controlled cars. I'd be a big proponent of a computer controlled car for a number of reasons.

Without having to steer though, drivers could devote more time to throwing stuff at us, and yelling at cyclists. :crap:

[Rueda Tropical]

Ticket it like a DUI. Texting drivers are actually more dangerous then drunk drivers so levy a penalty that fits the risk to the general public.

[Acotts]

I broke my high score on Brick Breaker during a rain storm on 395.

It was epic.

I think the patter of tropical storm rains and the healthy beer buzz really just calmed the nerves.

[FYI: this is funny.]

[robotbuilder]

I once asked a girlfriend to not text while driving. . . it was a short lived relationship.

Thankfully.

[Blue Jays]

"...I once asked a girlfriend to not text while driving. . . it was a short lived relationship. Thankfully..."Hopefully you ended the relationship and she didn't get killed in a wreck. ;)

[jeffinCT]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGE8LzRaySk

[Mr. Squirrel]

Yeah, probably the same girl who veered into my lane as I was riding my bike one Saturday morning not too long ago. Luckily it was a straight and I noticed her veering from a ways off. I was getting ready to bail before she corrected back into her lane. Totally oblivious and she didn't seem to notice me at all with both hands on the wheel thumb texting. There was a young boy killed last summer while riding his bike by a texting driver. Guy claims he never saw the boy...duh. Asinine that we even have to consider laws against the practice. It's common sense...I'll bet even dumb arse squirrels get it.




William :butt:


mr. william, i resent that comment. what have we ever done to you.....he he he, nevermind.


mr. squirrel