Advocacy & Safety - I can drive a car while on the phone.

Another motorcycle police officer had been killed by a car while he was on emergency call in California.
A couple of years ago, the similar accident happened near where I live and I passed by the scene not long after it happened(the driver was teen age girl). I saw the police motorcycle laying on its side, badly smashed. I hope it's just my imagination this type of accident is increasing in its number.

This is what I saw a few weeks ago. I was in my pickup truck waiting in the far left lane to make left turn. I heard a siren coming from somewhere, I looked around to see what's showing up at the intersection. Meanwhile, a minivan passed by me, the driver was talking on the phone totally unaware of the siren and heading into the intersection. A motorcycle coming up to the intersection slowed down in case of a car coming into the intersection just like the mini van I'm talking about now. They almost met each other in the middle of the intersection, minivan driver finally saw the motorcycle at the last moment. Motorcycle came to complete stop, but the minivan couldn't. The mini van passed the intersection passing in front of the motorcycle officer then slowed down to the side of the road coming to complete stop after she got out of the intersection. It made no difference already but that's what she did anyway.

I hear many people saying "I can drive while talking on the phone." But can you make a right decision when something unexpected happen? It makes me mad when people put their convenience come first before other's life, specially when it's a police officer supposed to be protecting us.

I used to have a cell phone. I canceled it long time ago.

I can smoke, eat, and talk while driving, so long as I don't need to use my brakes or clutch. That's the key. Drivers (all or us) go through year after year of smooth sailing on the road and become complacent, and start thinking, Hey, there’s nothing to this.

I can talk on a cell phone and still be safe. BUT that means giving extra space and care. I do not think that can be maintained. That means I answer tell someone where I am and perhaps say I'll call back. End of call.

I've seen people pulling out of parking lots where the turn on to the road is nasty (the kind of place that requires ALL of your attention) and they are already or is it still on the cell. On the bike or in the car I pay extra attention to these fools.

what kind of intersection was it? traffic light, stop sign? Did the cop bust the driver right away?

I know some women- and sorry, but I've never encountered this with a man- who insist on turning their heads and looking at me as they speak to me while they drive. It makes me crazy. Don't they know that I'm sitting right next to them?

Any time I call someone or receive a call and a cell phone is involved, I ask "are you driving?" If so, I tell them to call me back when they are stopped. They know who it is, and will call back. I am not going to get into a long conversation with someone on a cell phone while they are driving. Refuse to do it.

Another motorcycle police officer had been killed by a car while he was on emergency call in California.
A couple of years ago, the similar accident happened near where I live and I passed by the scene not long after it happened(the driver was teen age girl). I saw the police motorcycle laying on its side, badly smashed. I hope it's just my imagination this type of accident is increasing in its number.

This is what I saw a few weeks ago. I was in my pickup truck waiting in the far left lane to make left turn. I heard a siren coming from somewhere, I looked around to see what's showing up at the intersection. Meanwhile, a minivan passed by me, the driver was talking on the phone totally unaware of the siren and heading into the intersection. A motorcycle coming up to the intersection slowed down in case of a car coming into the intersection just like the mini van I'm talking about now. They almost met each other in the middle of the intersection, minivan driver finally saw the motorcycle at the last moment. Motorcycle came to complete stop, but the minivan couldn't. The mini van passed the intersection passing in front of the motorcycle officer then slowed down to the side of the road coming to complete stop after she got out of the intersection. It made no difference already but that's what she did anyway.

I hear many people saying "I can drive while talking on the phone." But can you make a right decision when something unexpected happen? It makes me mad when people put their convenience come first before other's life, specially when it's a police officer supposed to be protecting us.

I used to have a cell phone. I canceled it long time ago.

There was a episode of myth busters where they showed that the diffrence between driving drunk and driving while on a cell phone is miniscule at best at worst its more dangerous to drive while on a cell than it is to drive drunk.
Hands free speaker phone head set etc is not all that much better. Some places have out lawed cell use inside of cars all togather. But like the seat belt law its broken daily so what can you do?

I just don't answer my cell phone if it rings when I am driving. If I am expecting an important call I may pull off the road in a safe place and then check my phone. Typically I just wait until I arrive at my destination.

I like genec's Idea, I think I'm going to start doing the same thing. Especially with my kids. Thanks genec!

About a month ago I was through the parking lot of a strip mall in Newport Beach/Irvine. I was almost hit be this yapping yenta driving her Mercedesas she chattered on her phone. A few seconds after I walked into the deli, I heard this loud crash. She ran her car into the front of a nail salon. I think she sent 5 people to the hospital.

I like what NY did, and how many people do respect the law. But I found it Ironic that when the no calling while driving law was just localized on Long Island, and that Newsday was calling for it to be a statewide law, some poor guy pulled over to the side of the road to make a call and was run over by a newsday truck.

what kind of intersection was it? traffic light, stop sign? Did the cop bust the driver right away?

It was fairly big intersection 6 lane street crosses 4 lane street and traffic lights. The driver should have slowed down before the intersection and pulled to the side(if she heard the siren. And you know you can hear it from far away if you are not on the phone).

No, the officer was on emergency call, that's why the siren. He had to go. So the driver got away from it.

It was fairly big intersection 6 lane street crosses 4 lane street and traffic lights. The driver should have slowed down before the intersection and pulled to the side(if she heard the siren. And you know you can hear it from far away if you are not on the phone).

No, the officer was on emergency call, that's why the siren. He had to go. So the driver got away from it.

Dchief calls the city's non-emergency police number:
Dchief: Hi, I'd like to report an incident. (Gives name, address, and phone number).
Dispatcher: What happened, Sir?
Dchief: You had a motorcycle officer "responding with siren" and she had a problem with a minivan not yielding at the intersection of "blank" and "blank". It was a "blank" in his/her "age", and the license number is 1AB2345. I really hate it when people endanger your lives.
Dispatcher: Thank you. I'll give the information to the officer involved.

i use my phone in the car all the time. while stopped in a parking lot or riding down the freeway. but not in town or traffic.

i use my phone in the car all the time. while stopped in a parking lot or riding down the freeway. but not in town or traffic.

I went with my neice to ky she needed to get a few things from her and my sisters trailer. She made many calls on the highway when she was in front of cars with none in front and no on or off ramps. When your the only car in site going your direction its plenty safe. The only person you have to worry about is you and your ability to drive. But on freeways and highways with many on ramps etc along the way its a big no no.

Can you use a cell while driving saftly sure in some cases but not all. You need to be off the damn thing when theres people in front of you or behind you who may pass and or act eratic. I know when we wold aproach a ramp she would hand me the cell and have me hold on to it till we were well past it. Safe drivers do exist some even talk on their phones.

I guess they could put up short range jammers along road ways but then what happens in a emergency when you realy need the thing? Some office building and hospitals use cell jamming tech inside their buildings or rooms. Its nothing more than copper wire mess under the paint or wall paper. I use the stuff in my own house to block cb radio signals from screwing with my kb and mouse and cordless phones.

Anti cell phone laws need enforcement and fines increased for when your found to be useing one and run a red driver in a wreckless manner etc.

you're talking about faraday cage type stuff in hospitals and such. wouldn't work in open air - it's a passive system that absorbs and earths EM radiation, but it's "directional." i.e., it prevents passage across the shield. wouldn't do jack in an outdoors environment - you'd have to roof and wall the roads with it. to jam on the road, you'd have to use some sort of active jamming. which would be illegal. i really wish more movie theaters would put in faraday cages, though.

I just don't answer my cell phone if it rings when I am driving. If I am expecting an important call I may pull off the road in a safe place and then check my phone. Typically I just wait until I arrive at my destination.

I like genec's Idea, I think I'm going to start doing the same thing. Especially with my kids. Thanks genec!

Ditto that! I wish more people would do the same. It should be illegal in all 50 states to talk on a phone while in a moving vehicle, no exceptions.

Not sure how much of an impact that this will have, but Connecticut just enacted a new cell phone law. Went into effect 10/01/05. Sorry could not cut and paste from the pdf. All a cop has to do is see you with a communication device in your hand and your busted.

http://www.ct.gov/dmv/lib/dmv/20/29/cellphon.pdf

I remember not too long ago, I was walking through an intersection in the crosswalk. I was crossing in front of four or five lanes of cars all waiting at the red light on a one-way street--all lanes were filled.

A lady on a cell phone driving an SUV (I'm not being prejudiced, it just happened to be a female and an SUV) coming towards me in the opposite direction decided to make a left turn.

But there was one small problem she overlooked: there was a wall of cars and a pedestrian (me) blocking her from going the wrong way down a one-way street. She almost sandwiched me between her SUV and the wall of cars.

I remember clearly her face as I waved my arms and shouted at her to stop: she looked like an angry customer who didn't get the mayo and pickles they ordered on their sandwich. But I have to hand it to her, she was able to miss me, and the wall of cars, whip her SUV back into her lane and speed off without her mouth ever stopping from yacking on that phone.

All this with only one hand to steer. We need more quick-reflexed drivers like her.

you're talking about faraday cage type stuff in hospitals and such. wouldn't work in open air - it's a passive system that absorbs and earths EM radiation, but it's "directional." i.e., it prevents passage across the shield. wouldn't do jack in an outdoors environment - you'd have to roof and wall the roads with it. to jam on the road, you'd have to use some sort of active jamming. which would be illegal. i really wish more movie theaters would put in faraday cages, though.

Actually a faraday cage would work very well in a car... but it would mess up the view outside the windows. All it takes is a metal (copper works quite well) mesh screen two layers thick with a gap in between that is more then 3X the size of the mesh gap and completely surrounding the area to be screened. This is quite similar to the microwave screen on the door of your home microwave. (not exactly, but just as an example)

To make it perfect, you also need a good connection to ground, which might be a bit more difficult to achieve... maybe draging a couple chains would work.

The reality is cell phone signals are not all that strong and such a "cage" would knock the signal down quite readily.

Just as an example... try to make a cell phone call from inside the trunk of your car... or even from the floorboard in the passenger compartment.

Has anyone encountered this on their rides? Cyclists (or roller bladers) on cell phones? I've been seeing it way too often.

Actually a faraday cage would work very well in a car... but it would mess up the view outside the windows...

true. but the poster i was responding to wanted to "put up short range jammers along road ways" and was equating that with faraday shields inside buildings. not the same thing.

and it wouldn't necessarily mess up the view from the windows, as i've seen "transparent" faraday cages that use extremely fine mesh sandwiched between panes of glass.

It's been illegal to talk on cell+drive here in DC since '04. Noone abides by this rule. What really chaps me is whenever I've told someone that what they're doing is illegal,they've given me a nasty look/reply.

I'd also like to point out that it's not just drivers,but just cell phone users who are causing probs. I've been bumped off the sidewalk while walking by other peds who were too wrapped up in their cell conversation to recognise what was happening around them. I've seen people just walk out into the street(twice women who were pushing strollers :eek: ) without looking and almost get clipped because they were busy yakking away. I can't believe how easily people can just mentally wander off into their own world when using electronic devices.

Similarly a good number of people drive while over the legal limit of intoxication and haven't had a problem (yet)

Al

Ditto that! I wish more people would do the same. It should be illegal in all 50 states to talk on a phone while in a moving vehicle, no exceptions.
Agreed.

I was cell phone free my whole life until 2wks ago and felt that way before. I since tried taking a call while driving and was blown away at how much it messed up my ability to drive with the focus required to be safe (call lasted about 15s, ended as soon as I realized how bad it was) But I did need to try it and it only re-inforced my feeling about phone use and driving.

Al

true. but the poster i was responding to wanted to "put up short range jammers along road ways" and was equating that with faraday shields inside buildings. not the same thing.

and it wouldn't necessarily mess up the view from the windows, as i've seen "transparent" faraday cages that use extremely fine mesh sandwiched between panes of glass.

Yeah, we have one here at the office... but it sure isn't as good as plain glass.

The funny thing about jammers along the hiway is that is exactly where the darn antennas are... along the hiways... that was the primary location for the installation of the first cell phones.

I can talk on a cell phone and still be safe.

No you can't. You're not paying attention to driving, you're paying attention to talking on the cell phone.

Ever yell at someone in a car who almost pulled in front of you, GET OFF THE PHONE. Boy do they get pissed.

I can't even hold coherent conversations with my wife (or anyone) in the passenger seat while I drive. I tell my wife she can talk to me, but don't expect more than a mumble and anything I seem to commit to while driving can be de-commited with no penalty. ;)

Al

I can't even hold coherent conversations with my wife (or anyone) in the passenger seat while I drive. I tell my wife she can talk to me, but don't expect more than a mumble and anything I seem to commit to while driving can be de-commited with no penalty. ;)

Al

But any rules made by the husband may be revoked at any time by the wife.

But any rules made by the husband may be revoked at any time by the wife.
You think I can come up with meaningful rules while driving?
Al

I can drive a car while composing a post for this forum... :eek:

I can't even hold coherent conversations with my wife (or anyone) in the passenger seat while I drive. I tell my wife she can talk to me, but don't expect more than a mumble and anything I seem to commit to while driving can be de-commited with no penalty. ;)
And when you're not driving?

I can drive a car while composing a post for this forum... :eek:

I'll bet you can... and a lot of folks can probably talk on a cell phone while driving... but listening and paying attention to the other part of the conversation is another matter.

When one drives and converses with the passenger, that passenger also sees the road, and the situations, and can easily pause if attention is needed outside the auto.

However, some folks cannot drive and talk... my sister as an example, has to look right at you... very scary when riding as a passenger and seeing the eyes come off the road too darn often. Ends conversations quickly. :eek:

Other folks simply should not do anything but drive... but hard to find them, and tell them otherwise.

I have noticed an interesting phenomenon though... tailgaters. Watch some tailgaters... if the rest of the road is otherwise clear, and someone is tailgating, in in spite of plenty of clearance to go around/change lanes etc.... they are likely on a cell phone. It seems as though they become lost in the conversation and fixate on another vehicle to "do the driving for them."

Have noticed this a number of times... It is not always true, but often.

And when you're not driving?
About the same ;)

I can drive a car while composing a post for this forum... :eek:

So you are admitting that when you drive you are a danger to cyclists? How ironic! :p

I can drive while.....

applying lipgloss
changing the CD
drinking a Starbucks
giving headlamps to the '55 mph' driver in the left lane!
.....flipping off another driver!
root through the console for toll change
admire my new pedicure

and oh yes....talk on the cell.

BUT THE POINT IS..... I DON'T!
Hang up and Drive!

Has anyone encountered this on their rides? Cyclists (or roller bladers) on cell phones? I've been seeing it way too often.

I always want to ride over to em and give em a good hard shove, or a bump. They are doing something stupid, and thus most likely need to be reminded that they are on a bicycle (or roller blades) and not an f'ing phone booth.

Sure I have a cell phone, sure it is with me while I ride, incase somethign happens to me.

I always want to ride over to em and give em a good hard shove, or a bump. They are doing something stupid, and thus most likely need to be reminded that they are on a bicycle (or roller blades) and not an f'ing phone booth.

Sure I have a cell phone, sure it is with me while I ride, incase somethign happens to me.
Good idea. Stuff does happen. You never can tell when some crusading cycling nanny will overcome his/her inhibitions and give you a good hard shove to teach you a lesson that he/she thinks you need because he/she thinks you are stupid.

I got a speeding ticket because I didn't see the police officer and was typing an email on my blackberry.

I can drive while.....

applying lipgloss
changing the CD
drinking a Starbucks
giving headlamps to the '55 mph' driver in the left lane!
.....flipping off another driver!
root through the console for toll change
admire my new pedicure

and oh yes....talk on the cell.

BUT THE POINT IS..... I DON'T!
Hang up and Drive!

Some women claim that they can change their hose while driving!

There is always someone doing it better. ;)

I **almost** missed the light rail today, and thus, **almost** missed my connecting bus, because some motorist had a phone call that was more important than my right to live...I was about to cross a street at the crosswalk, when I noticed her approaching the intersection to make a right turn. She was busy yapping away on her phone, looking at oncoming traffic, and I could **tell** she didn't see me in the crosswalk, so I actually stopped crossing, turned around, got on the sidewalk, all so she could make her right turn without putting her phone down. Because no matter what these morons say about their ability to multi-task, she absolutely did not notice that I was in the crosswalk, and I didn't feel like ending up as roadkill to prove that she can't talk and drive.

So she went on her merry way, blissfully unaware that she had stopped me from crossing. Then the light changed, so I couldn't cross. OK, no problem, I walked a few blocks farther down, to another crosswalk, only the light took forever to change, because God forbid that the almighty auto should have to stop for something as unimportant as pedestrians. By the time I was able to cross the street, and approach the light rail station, the train was pulling in, and I had to run like hell, with a full bag of books, just to make it.

And she has no idea. She's probably telling everybody what a great driver she is.

My commute is on a narrow, shoulderless road with a crapload of busy people on their celphones. All of them drive vehicles sized beyond their capabilities, and I keep riding with jeans and long sleeve jerseys so when I go down I will have the least amount of roadrash.
Thank god for the fall ... I mean autumm, that is.

Most of the close calls I have today are from people on there cell phones.. When I rode in the pre-cell phone days you had close calls but they were much more infrequent..

I have said to friends that a special license plate should be done for multi-tasking capable driver on board.. You are given rigorous testing to see if you are truly a multi-tasking capable human being.. If not you get a standard license plate.. If you have the standard plate and are putting makeup on, talking on the phone, eating, etc.. Automatic ticket.. As you get more tickets the fine escalate in price..

People have enough trouble just driving there cars without all the other distractions that we add..

Multitasking is an addiction, or seems like it to me. Sometimes I wonder if these folks would explode if they turned off the phone, turned off the radio, put down the food and drink and did nothing but drive silently. It would probably drive them to drink.

Personally, I like solitude and quiet and it's one reason I enjoy riding my bike. I do it without music. Just me and the rhythm of my legs and breathing. Life slows a bit, I start to notice things, the stress of work falls away and I'm refreshed. Maybe that's why mixing it up with some of these bozos is so annoying. They're just not on the same wavelength at all.

People who drive while cell-phoning need to be pulled from the cars by their hair and have at least one bone broken by the arresting police officer. There's no f#$%ing difference between phoning while driving and standing in a crowded place while you idly, randomly fire shots with a gun, no difference whatsoever--either way you are taking the chance of killling someone while gratifying yourself.

There's no f#$%ing difference between phoning while driving and standing in a crowded place while you idly, randomly fire shots with a gun, no difference whatsoever--either way you are taking the chance of killling someone while gratifying yourself.
No difference whatsoever? What kind of risk analysis lead to that conclusion?

There might not be a f#$%ing difference between phoning while driving and standing in a crowded place while you idly, randomly fire shots with a gun, but I do believe there is a statistically significant difference between the two, the magnitude of which is sufficient to put one on the "reasonable risk" side of the line, and the other way into the "unreasonable risk" zone.

the magnitude of which is sufficient to put one on the "reasonable risk" side of the line.
Currenlty the public acceptance on cell phone driving is that it is a 'reasonable risk'. However whether this risk is 'resonable' or not is often challenged. Making an accurate assessment on if it is a reasonable risk is clouded by industry influence, users who don't care or are not aware and other factors.

Al

Currenlty the public acceptance on cell phone driving is that it is a 'reasonable risk'. However whether this risk is 'resonable' or not is often challenged. Making an accurate assessment on if it is a reasonable risk is clouded by industry influence, users who don't care or are not aware and other factors.
Challenged often -indeed. Sometimes challenged with rhetoric, as seen today on this forum, that is nothing short of idiotic and bizarre. Making an accurate assessment of reasonable risk is not aided by individuals, whose very sanity appears clouded, making zany statements about wishing violence on lawful people who he imagines are threatening him.

Sorry, but from my perspective as a pedestrian in a crosswalk, it was definitely not a reasonable risk yesterday for the cell phone driver to be be so engrossed in her conversation that she didn't notice me in the crosswalk.

Sorry, but from my perspective as a pedestrian in a crosswalk, it was definitely not a reasonable risk yesterday for the cell phone driver to be be so engrossed in her conversation that she didn't notice me in the crosswalk.
And you find it reasonable to extrapolate the behavior of one individual to millions of others because of this experience? Gosh, I hope you don't have an unpleasant experience with a ---, or a -----, or anybody else who may fit the appearance of your favorite stereotyped bogeyman.

I find it reasonable to make talking on the phone while operating a motor vehicle a traffic offense. I don't find it reasonable to make it an individual judgement call, with my safety dependent upon the motorist's perception of his/her multi-tasking abilities.

By the way, when I was driving, I used to talk on my cell.