Cell Phones

[stumps]

I tend to wonder what exactly is this obsession with texting anyway? Why can't you just give the person a phone call? Lot easier than trying to fat-finger those tiny keypads, no?

I don't much care for texting myself, but I think it is an outgrowth of passing notes in school. The kids start out texting surreptitiously in class, and it becomes a habit. I see kids texting in the audience at movie theaters, concerts, restaurants... etc... I am not sure that I would prefer that they were talking on the phone in those places. It also gives them a sense of privacy in a public setting. They can communicate privately with someone without those around them being in on the conversation.

-Chuck

 

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

My prayers are with the parents, families, friends, teachers and neighbors of these young girls. More importantly, I pray fervently for the poor soul who was innocently driving the other vehicle and now must live with that horrible vision and the Post Traumatic Stress that they must now endure for the rest of their lives. It is that driver who is the most seriously impacted VICTIM of this senseless tragedy.

That being said.....

tend to agree with you at times but when your head gets squished or your wife's rib's get broken in a crash due to no helmet/seatbelts, my insurance rates go up.. If only effected you, squish on...

Mike

Mike your thought is a good one. I would take it one step further in that if you choose to ignore (be IGNORANT of) seatbelt, helmet or other safety laws, then the insurance companies should be REQUIRED to deny your damage AND injury claims because YOU CHOSE to be STUPID.

If you abandon YOUR responsibility, don't expect the rest of us to be responsible for fixing you or your stuff.

I know this goes contrary to what many believe about charity in their faith. However, my faith teaches responsibility, stewardship, consequences and redemption for those who ask for it (asking through SAFETY CONSCIOUS ACTIONS in this case).

IMHO

 

[Ferroequinologist]

About 90% of law enforcement vehicles I see are talking while driving.

Monday night at 3am I was coming home in the semi and there was a crew with about 5 trucks doing some maintenance, and there was a state trooper riding along in their little convoy. He was watching a MOVIE on his laptop, WHILE driving with this group at about 40mph. I couldn't get a car number but my buddy used to work for HP so I called the non-emergency number (just happened to be saved in my phone) and asked to speak to the shift supervisor. Told him what I saw and he said he knew who that was and thanked me, promising that the guy will be punished.

oh, and I dialed at a red light AND I have a hands free device.

 

[RANDYDIRT]

Try riding a motorcycle around these idiots.

Dirt

 

[DavidJBlythe]

Funny story:

We were driving back to Temecula, CA (Socal) from Las Vegas and we got into some bumper to bumper traffic on the interstate. We were in CA where texting and talking on a cell phone while driving is illegal. A guy in a large, lifted, F-150 was yapping away on his cellphone, really into his conversation. I pointed out to my parents that this was not allowed in CA. A few minutes later, we were still next to him when he plowed into the car in front of him in his lane! Traffic had sped up quickly, but then slowed down just as fast, and he wasn't paying attention. From the sound of it, he was still accelerating when he hit her! Luckily it was only 25-30ish mph. BUT the greatest thing about this, was that after he hit the car, he was still on his phone yelling about the accident. The lady driving the car got out pissed as **** when she saw him still yapping. He got out and was yelling something to the person on the other end of his conversation about how this crazy lady just slammed on her brakes causing the accident! My whole family was PISSED at what had happened, but no where as bad as the lady that had been hit. I don't know if she took a vid of him still talking on his phone, but I can only hope she did! After a few more seconds, we rolled forward and away from the scene. I will never forget that great example of why you shouldn't talk and drive.

 

[tamangel]

just a clarification..hands free cel phone use is legal.. Texting and hand held cel use while driving is illegal..

a side story: I had a friend who was driving on a 2 lane bridge when a young HS girl on the sidewalk stepped off and right in front of him, attempting to cross to the other side, not looking, and was killed. She was talking on her cel phone at the time..

Mike

 

[Recovry4x4]

Here is what the idiots have done now. Voice recognition software so you can yell into your phone and it types out the message. Truely oxymoronic!

 

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

It seems a bit ironic that just last week I was at the local TxDOT (Highway Department) office for a meeting and picked up a couple of bumper stickers with this slogan on them.... I guess it's time to put them on the back windows of our two daily drivers.

 

[doghead]

Here is what the idiots have done now. Voice recognition software so you can yell into your phone and it types out the message. Truely oxymoronic!

That must be what Mangus is up to lately... Sounds like something he would develop.

 

[Capt.Marion]

Here is what the idiots have done now. Voice recognition software so you can yell into your phone and it types out the message. Truely oxymoronic!

Voice-input on the Android phones is actually pretty handy... and I'm not talking about while driving.

 

[wreckerman893]

Many states (Most?) have a "last clear chance" law that requires the innocent party to swerve, stop, or turn, to avoid a collision, if it is possible to do so safely. If you stay in your lane, and hit a driver that drifted out of his lane, you could be held liable if you don't try to avoid the collision.

I am not going to put my life in danger because some moron thinks he has the right to put the general public at risk.

I'll take my chances in court and let someone else bury the idiot.

In this case the ditch on my side of the road was several feet deep and had a high bank to the right of it...had I went into the ditch the deuce would prob have rolled, either going into the ditch or trying to climb the bank.

I say again....if you die doing something stupid then you just died stupid.

 

[deuceaid]

Funny story:

We were driving back to Temecula, CA (Socal) from Las Vegas and we got into some bumper to bumper traffic on the interstate. We were in CA where texting and talking on a cell phone while driving is illegal. A guy in a large, lifted, F-150 was yapping away on his cellphone, really into his conversation. I pointed out to my parents that this was not allowed in CA. A few minutes later, we were still next to him when he plowed into the car in front of him in his lane! Traffic had sped up quickly, but then slowed down just as fast, and he wasn't paying attention. From the sound of it, he was still accelerating when he hit her! Luckily it was only 25-30ish mph. BUT the greatest thing about this, was that after he hit the car, he was still on his phone yelling about the accident. The lady driving the car got out pissed as **** when she saw him still yapping. He got out and was yelling something to the person on the other end of his conversation about how this crazy lady just slammed on her brakes causing the accident! My whole family was PISSED at what had happened, but no where as bad as the lady that had been hit. I don't know if she took a vid of him still talking on his phone, but I can only hope she did! After a few more seconds, we rolled forward and away from the scene. I will never forget that great example of why you shouldn't talk and drive.

I would have gotten out and told the cell phone guy "We saw You talking, made a note of it, and we`re going to testify in court about the fact,,,,,but doesnt matter,,, the rear driver is ALWAYS at fault here " DUH")...beside,,, just like the cop that pulled my mom over,,,,, tell them that Your going to subpenia the phone records,,,,, that cools everybodies jets REAL FAST!!!!

 

[OPCOM]

Operators of radio equipment are federally licensed. Users of appliances like cellphones are not.

 

[NickAir]

Just heard that insurance companies say that texting on a cell is more dangerous than drinking and driving. Watch your rear view mirror. Don't get rear ended by one of these texters.

 

[swbradley1]

Sorry you had to see it Tigger. Thanks for what you did though and pass my thanks on to your other team members.

 

[TechMav]

That's interesting. My first motorcycle accident was the other driver's fault, and I did my 3-second airshow without a helmet. I wear one every time now, and my state doesn't have a helmet law.

Is the root of our problem a lack of training?

Been riding for about 2 years now... yes I started late. Had my first motorcycle accident earlier this year. Making a left onto an on-ramp, black ice took the rear out from under me. Made me VERY thankful I wear the gear I do. Walked away shaken, with two scratches about 1/2" each. Grand total of $52 damage to the bike (turn signal, clutch lever, left foot peg bolts).

 

[stumps]

I am not going to put my life in danger because some moron thinks he has the right to put the general public at risk.

I'll take my chances in court and let someone else bury the idiot.

That attitude makes you judge, jury, and executioner.

In the split second you get to evaluate the scene, you have no idea of the circumstances that put that person in your path, nor do you know what they were thinking, or what innocent lives may be traveling with them, or dependent upon them... And yet you feel righteous in your belief that they deserve for you to kill them without mercy.

Your first course of action in such a situation should be an honest attempt to avoid the collision. It is the only righteous and honorable thing to do.

-Chuck

 

[TechMav]

That attitude makes you judge, jury, and executioner.

In the split second you get to evaluate the scene, you have no idea of the circumstances that put that person in your path, nor do you know what they were thinking, or what innocent lives may be traveling with them, or dependent upon them... And yet you feel righteous in your belief that they deserve for you to kill them without mercy.

Your first course of action in such a situation should be an honest attempt to avoid the collision. It is the only righteous and honorable thing to do.

-Chuck

And in the same split second, how do you evaluate the conditions of the ditch you may have to take, possibly rolling the truck? Or the other lane, left or right, to see if someone is riding in your blind spot? It's a judgment call, and in some cases, 'better the devil you know'.

 

[stumps]

And in the same split second, how do you evaluate the conditions of the ditch you may have to take, possibly rolling the truck? Or the other lane, left or right, to see if someone is riding in your blind spot? It's a judgment call, and in some cases, 'better the devil you know'.

It's called having situational awareness. As you are driving, you should be aware of what cars are in front of you, way in front of you, behind you and on each side... always. If you adjust your mirrors correctly (so that they are not looking along the side of your car) there is no blind spot.

Life is full of judgement calls, and you should do the best that you can... an honest attempt to avoid a collision... But to categorically say that you are going to stand firm and run the b*tard down is a criminal attitude, and if you truly hold that attitude, you don't belong on the road.

-Chuck

 

[paradeduty]

I understand both sides of the discussion here, but I am a little confused. Here in Michigan, we tend to have a large deer population (as probably many other areas do) and deer/car accidents are common. The current philosophy is "never try to avoid a deer in the path of your auto as you can end up out of control". So....how is a deer in your path in the end different than another vehicle in your path as far as the "avoidance maneuver" causing you to crash. I am a firm believer in honoring your responsibilities. But, my first responsibility is to my own family as the other driver's is to his/hers. I'm confused as to why it is expected that I should place my responsibilities aside to "gamble" with a maneuver who's outcome is unknown at the time so that another individual more than likely should not have to presumably be as responsible. Don't get me wrong, the outcome with or without the "maneuver" could be devastating and sad for either party - especially given the situation where someone who possibly may not be of "professional driver" status attempts such a maneuver to be "righteous" only to have the driver in error correct their mistake in time to avoid the collision as the "righteous" person careens into the side of a semi-truck or ditch. This person's family can console themselves in knowing that their family member was righteous, though. Life is full of choices. Generally speaking, where it concerns my family I am a very selfish and self-centered person - BUT THAT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY - TO BE HERE FOR THEM! Sorry for going on - but this one bothered me a little. Trust me - there is a time to put your life and safety of your family on the line, and bottom line worrying about another's poor driving skills/habits is not it. We have enough of our men and women in uniform putting their lives and families in harms way for what I believe to be worthy causes in an effort to keep us and our families safe - THAT is a good reason - not playing bumper cars. I am always more than willing to help to the best of my ability those who are in need because of their decision to serve. Those folks who made the tough daily choice to balance their responsibilities to this degree deserve my efforts (which inevitably might place some responsibilities in time and funds to my family on hold) not necessarily the person who might not remember which lane they were in. As a side note, I was almost killed about 20 years ago by someone who crossed the center line. The pickup in front of me dodged the oncoming car. I, in my midsize olds sedan, had no time as I could not see the oncoming car in front of the pickup. The other guy took off the entire driver's side of my car - front to back. Bottom line - the "bob and weave" does not always go as planned. Just my thoughts on the subject - but they are what I believe and what I must consider when I put myself at risk.

Dave