DnvrFox

A Cell Phone Proposal for 50+'rs

BFN has 19,031 "active" members

Suppose the 50+ Forum prepared a sample "cell phone" letter, and posted the letter on every forum in BFN, suggesting that folks send the letter on to their local newspaper, legislators, TV station or whatever?

Almost all of the newspapers accept email letters.

In theory we could have thousands of "cell phone" letters out there.

I doubt many BFN'rs would object to no one using cell phones while driving.

Well, at least I tried.

Open for comments.

cranky old dude

New York State already has a law on the books which forbids the use
of cell phones while driving. It's as good as useless as at least 50%
of the drivers I see are merrily chatting on the phone while causing
havoc out on the road.

Letters might help enforcement though, it certainly couldn't hurt.

PaulH

I'd be opposed to a blanket ban. Here in the DC area, it's not unusual to run into gridlock and need to call ahead to report that you will be delayed. How dangerous can a cell phone be when inching along at 2 mph?

Paul

The Weak Link

I'd be willing to text message the authorities from my cell phone while driving to work.

big john

The ban in California starts next month. I'm doubting compliance and fully expect to see idiots driving 80+mph while chatting away. I'll let you know what happens. I think the basic problem is people don't take driving seriously and don't think that they might kill or maim someone.

ad6mj

IMO, it doesn't make sense banning individual things. Distracted driving is distracted driving, whether you're talking on a cell, changing the station on the radio, selecting a song on the mp3, eating, shaving, putting on makeup, talking with a passenger or beating the kids. If you're doing something else and not paying attention to the road it's the same problem.

TurboTurtle

Because most of these are momemtary and a conversation in the car (where the other person is aware of what is going on) is not the same as talking on the phone. They are all 'distracted', but the cell is the worst, by far. - TF

TurboTurtle

Are all these bans really against cell phone usage? Or just require hands free operation? - TF

cranky old dude

Excellent point. N.Y. allows hands free cell pnone usage which I've noticed
allows the driver to gesture to the party on the other end of the conversation with both
hands, or gesture with one hand while , applying make-up, shaving, drinking,
eating, or reading the paper with the other. No lie, my daughter pointed
out a driver last month going 65mph down rt. 90 in N.Y.S. reading the newspaper!
I don't speed, but I did that day...got far ahead of that moron before
slowing back down to the speed limit.

Torgrot

Chicago bans anything but a hands free cell phone. duh it ain't the cell phone it is trying to do more than drive while driving. In Illinois it is supposedly illegal to use a cell phone while driving. Enforcement is nill. I once watched a new cadillac enter the expressway and merge left not one, not two, not even three lanes but all the way into that concrete barrier that runs down the middle. Driving takes all of my attention to do it safely. I firmly believe only idiots use cell phones while driving.

torgrot

Retro Grouch 

So what percentage of drivers give more than passing attention to the number on the speed limit sign? What makes you think that a law banning cell phone use would be any more effective?

I'm thinking it would turn into another of those things, like inoperative tail lights, that police use as a guise to stop and check anybody they think should be stopped and checked.

DnvrFox

You folks sure jump to conclusions.

Here is my original statement:

"Suppose the 50+ Forum prepared a sample "cell phone" letter, and posted the letter on every forum in BFN, suggesting that folks send the letter on to their local newspaper, legislators, TV station or whatever?"

I don't see "ban" ANYWHERE in my statement. Do you?

Our letter could be about proper usage or could take another tack.

Since we haven't drafted a letter yet, it seems a bit futile to attack what we don't even know.

The original question was should we draft a letter.

A second question might be, "What would the letter say?"

Of course, the two are intertwined.

TurboTurtle

I think a 'hands free' law is worse than no law because it implies that not holding on to the steering wheel is the problem. The problem is not where the drivers' hands are, it's where their minds are. They are suppose to be DRIVING. Hurling a multi-ton missle down the road requires all of our attention. - TF

The Smokester

DF,
Think for a moment what you are saying. You are asking BF+er's to send out an email concerning cell phone but want to discuss separately what it should say. You say they are intertwined. I say you have either a gift for understatement or your original post was sufficiently vague as to send everyone to a topic which you weren't expecting.

DnvrFox

OK -

Hey, it was just a thought.

I'll shutup now. I know when to - well, "Retreat HEL* - I'm just advancing in a different direction."

So. I'll cut my losses

Nuff said.

Road Fan

time for a poll: "How strong a negative statement about cell phones would 50-plussers endorse and be willing to send (from their own phone numbers?)?"



Road Fan, master of punctuation!!!

Artkansas 

Yep but the total ban is only for under 18 year olds and for adults the ban is on hand-held only.

cranky old dude

Silly me, I assumed we would all be in agreement that cell phone usage and driving
didn't mix. I do tend to jump to conclusions, it must be the "Old Codger Syndrom"
or some such thing. As the first responder to your post I am the guilty
party for sending this post in the wrong direction.

In an effort to counteract my misdirection, I propose that Cell Phone companies
make cell phones in designer colors to match vehicle colors. Gotta be stylish,
don't we? So who wants to draft the letter?

p.s. mine's black and it matches my bike .....O.K., I'll banish myself now....

WalterMitty

I want one of these with a built in blinky light.

Tom Bombadil

I just wish everyone would stop using them when they are driving in tricky situations. In the past two years, I've almost been hit three times in mall parking lots, by youngster's backing out of their parking spaces while using a cell phone. Such stupidity.

Likewise I see people pulling out from side streets, trying to cross heavy traffic, while talking on cell phones. Or driving in school zones, while children are crossing the street, with a cellphone stuck in their ear.

These are situations that demand their full attention.

Someone chatting away while driving along a highway, in a smoothly flowing stream of traffic, bothers me less. It isn't ideal, as they are less focused to deal with accident avoidance, but it is a lower risk situation.

donheff

It is already banned in DC. Probably in the surrounding jurisdictions as well. That said, I pull mine out at a red light and call my wife to tell her I am getting close to her DC office for a pick-up.

Road Fan

Would this mean I can't talk on my iPhone while biking any more?

The Smokester

Maybe you should start another thread. If you weren't thinking about banning cell phones I'm afraid this is going to be a lost cause.

TromboneAl

I'll bet that the ban here in California was passed only because the cell phone companies are eager for all the revenue that will come as people buy hands-free devices.

I'm not expected much compliance, since the fine for talking on the cell phone is only $20.

OTOH, tricky situations can come up rather quickly, with no time to say "I've got to stop you there, Bob, since a moose has just jumped in front of my car. I'll call you back in a minute."

Little Darwin

That's what we need... We need people looking down at their phones all ticked off trying to figure out why they got disconnected... that sounds like it will make the roads safe.