I have nothing against cellular phones but it irks me to see people talking away on their cell phones, swerving all over the place and not paying attention to the road.

Talk about almost getting run over, I saw a roadie get crowded out by a car on Sunday. I had my back turned to the road when I heard someone shouting. When I turned around I saw this cyclist almost get taken out by a car that was pulling over to the side of the road. I looked at the car in disbelief wondering how in the hell he didn't hear the rider yelling. Sure enough, the guy was talking on a freaking cellular phone while driving. The rider was lucky not to get hit.

Okay, I promise this will be my last rant for the day...;)

A perfectly valid rant, Joe.

I believe the danger posed by drivers talking on cell phones while they attempt to drive, comes partly from sheer distraction, but is also partly due to the particular kind of attention required to carry on a phone conversation.

It's not like speaking to somebody physically present, face to face, or even beside you (or in the back seat) in a car. It's a whole different kind of activity, requiring concentration of the kind used in reading or writing, in which the perception of environmental sounds can be completely lost for moments at a time.

That's why I think the "hands-free" approach is no safer than handheld, except that both hands are rendered available for the steering wheel (or cigarettes).

I tried it once, talking on a cell phone while driving. Just once, enough to convince me, I'll never do it again. I'll wait at a light first.

Dam cell phones...

I do think cell phones are a good thing, it's just that people use them very irresponsibly. I'm glad I have mine along, especially since I live in a dangerous neighborhood (and Kansas City itself is ranked fourth most dangerous city in the U. S.! :( ). If I had a car I would definitely never talk on a phone while driving. I usually won't even talk on the cell phone while walking, for I found out it makes me much less aware of traffic.

Giving cell phones to some people is like giving matches to children, unfortunately.

One of my old GF's got a ticket for pulling onto the shoulder of the freeway to talk on her cellphone, she didnt want to talk while driving, and had to make a call. The highway patrol gave her a $110 ticket, luckily the judge dismissed the ticket when we fought it.

Personaly, i think the states should do as englad has done and ban cell phones when driving. Cell phone users cause just as may traffic accidents as drunk drivers do now!

This has actually been done here in Queensland. Trouble is, it's just another law that people flaunt, like speed limits and any other you can think of. I'm not normally a big government type of guy, but I'm beginning to think that automobiles are one area where people have an absolutely ridiculous excess of rights and freedoms.

I'm not arguing for a heap of new laws here. Just a fascist-police state-like enforcement of the existing ones. Why do we have those laws if they are not enforced.

Chris

Ah, cell-phones, make-up, dog in the car, booze, what's the difference. Cars hit other cars, pedestrians, deer, opposums, pets, trees, houses... even with no other distractions.

It is only natural that cars would hit bicyclists.

The invention of the automobile was one small step for mankind, one giant leap for idiots who were previously restricted to walking.

I'm kind of hoping it will turn out to be one giant leap for Darwinism. Although, if they didn't stop wasting our money on these stupidly massive road systems, and let the primates squeeze through as best they can, it could help our cause quite a bit.

Chris

I could never figure out what was so d#$n important that one had to be in constant communication. I cancelled my cell account and havent missed it. Chances are that you'll be run off of the road by someone getting detailed instructions on what tunafish to get at the store.

Cell phones?...Me and my girlfriend have lived the last year without a home phone....but I am sad to report she made me get one last week. I am not against phones, either cell or home, I just figure if someone wants to bother me, they should have to put some effort into it and stop by the house. Plus, for $30 a month I can buy more bike stuff...priorities my friends, priorities.

Live simply and die well done.

Steele-Biker, I agree, phones are rarely needed....
but email and BikeForums.com Got-2-Hav-em!

It is very interesting that Jon mentioned cell phones and dangerous neighborhoods in the same breath. There is another link between them that he may not have realized.

People who leave inner cities because they are dangerous and move to outlying suburban areas have actually increased their risk of death. Their increased chance of being killed in a car crash exceeds any benefit gained by moving. People killed in inner city violence tend more often than not to know their killers, even be related to them. People killed in auto wrecks are usually killed by complete strangers.

Ironic, huh.

One day I needed to get across several lanes of thick freeway traffic to reach a rapidly approaching exit. There was only one obstacle in my way: a driver having an important cell phone conversation. They not only didn't see me to let me in front of them, they rode alongside me while chatting away, blocking me from getting over.

That one makes you go, "Hmmm..."

I once had one of those cell phone thingys myself (we call them "mobiles" in this country). I got rid of the damn thing when I realised I was only getting calls on it at the worst possible time. If someone wants to phone me, they can do it when it suits me to be phoned.

If anyone tries to call me when I'm watching the TdF or a Manchester United game, I won't bother answering.

Chris

Man Utd? What about Liverpool? (Touchy subject to some.)

Oh dear, here we go again! A friend of mine actually comes from Liverpool, so we have these arguments all the time. The truth is, if Liverpool were playing in my garden, I'd draw the curtains! :D

Chris

Alright....I am on call at work, and I have my trouble phone forwarded to my cell phone. On top of that, my wife had been ill. I am riding along on my trusty Fuji, and my cell phone rings! Frearing the worst, I flip it out (the phone!) and answer, and it is a long distance company selling their service!!!! GRRRRRRRRRR! I am usually pretty kind to telemarketers, but I think by the time I got done with the poor little girl, she had a pretty good idea that 1) I was not going to sign up for their service, and 2)that she had best remove this phone number from her list! Next time, I think I will just leave it turned off!

I'm glad to hear that! Believe it or not, I used to work as a telemarketer once (flame away people, just spare this forum the details and send it via e-mail, I've heard them all before anyway). Actually, it wasn't so bad. You wouldn't believe just how little effect motorist abuse has on me since that job!

Chris

Like Rainman, I'm definately a good driver, too. However, cell phones divide up too much of your attention and it is IMPOSSIBLE to drive as well while talking. Too many close calls for me to ignore. I let it ring once, then check msgs when in I arrive.

This may be the most sensible thing I've heard all day.

Chris

I use cellular....o.k. I admitted it. Don't hate me because I'm cellular. That said...I don't dial while driving and it's lever left on so I will be tempted to answer it while driving. I have a pager, most folks don't even know the cell number. I can be paged anytime and respond by cell when it's safe.

The other side of this coin is good for the bicyclist though, I think. It is a comfort to me to have my cell phone (turned off) stuffed in the under seat bag of my bike while out on long rides. If an emergency or mechanical malfunction happens at the farthest point from home I can call some body to come get me.

J. R., I too use a cell phone and feel the same about it as you do.
I don't have a car, but if I did, I would use my phone the same way as you.

And having the cell phone with me on my bike is not only a comfort because (1) I ride through lots of dangerous areas; (2) I might crash and the cell phone would permit me to call for help; but also because I might see somebody else that needs help, and be able to call.

Pay phones are getting scarce around here!

One time I was walking in midtown and came upon two cars that had collided. Passers-by were standing around one car and two occupants of the car had blood streaming down their faces. One passer-by was saying nice banal comforting things like "Everything will be all right" and "Don't worry" but I wondered where the ambulance was. I broke in to ask, "Has anybody called 911?" Blank stares. "I don't think so," said a bystander.

I went over to a nearby pay phone (this was before I had a cell phone) and called 911. Police came within two minutes. Eventually the wreck required two ambulances....

Sometimes I think people are out of touch with reality: they think everything is just TV.

Cell phones are great for us cyclists, or drivers, or anyone as a backup device. JonR, I am with you.

But I'm in a rant mood right now! (Sorry!) It just seems the more I observe motorists using cell phones while driving, the more I notice they are doing, about to do, or have just done a really foolish maneuver with their vehicle.

I saw a huge SUV run a stop sign and almost smash into the car in front of me today, yes, the lady driving the SUV was on her cell phone. As soon as she ran the stop, 2 or 3 cars honked at her, luckly she stoped, only 150 feet late. once stoped, she roled down her window and waved to us, letting us know thats shes ok... kinda funny, yet very scarry at the same time, anyone could have been crossing that street, luckly we all saw it coming.