Texting and driving

O

Orv

Joined
Nov 6, 2013
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Every time I see another fatality caused by texting and driving on the news, I nearly explode in anger. How do you all feel on this issue?

What do we do about it? I personally feel that if an officer is able to prove a driver was texting and driving, the consequences should be as severe as a D.U.I.

However, this leaves us with a few issues. How could a police officer conduct a traffic stop and search a phone while abiding by the constitution?

Ideas?

Edit: IOS Spell check got me
 
Ticks me off as well. Also anytime I am in traffic and you see folks with their eyes in their laps. Not sure what could be done about it but I always thought that with all the phones having gps built into them it would be no trouble at all for the software writers to make them where they don't work at all when the phone is travelling more than 5 mph unless linked with a blue tooth device.
 
dr_fosg8 said:
Ticks me off as well. Also anytime I am in traffic and you see folks with their eyes in their laps. Not sure what could be done about it but I always thought that with all the phones having gps built into them it would be no trouble at all for the software writers to make them where they don't work at all when the phone is travelling more than 5 mph unless linked with a blue tooth device.
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I've though of that also, only problem is too much government control would be implemented. Also, passengers would have trouble with this.
 
I think its sad, we will need clever ways to deal with this issue, and stop messing with the constitution.
 
Orv said:
I've though of that also, only problem is too much government control would be implemented. Also, passengers would have trouble with this.
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Isn't having a heavy legal penalty about the same as governmental control?
Another option I had thought of is a phone dock that would be a hands free device that would get an insurance discount if installed in your car. It would operated similar to the blow & go for drunks, phone not docked and you don't go, this would be a voluntary thing. You choose to do it and get insurance discount.
 
Yes it is a problem as much as people driving and eating, putting on makeup. Every time I see someone driving like an idiot there doing one of these 3 things while driving.:grumpy:
 
I recently saw a fatality due to this, it really bothers me, people don't understand/care/value human life.Since I saw what I did I have actually saw it a few times, motioned for the driver of the vehicle to roll his or her window down and if they did, I begin to give them a piece of my mind about it. People don't take too kindly to the way I talked to them but oh well, One guy even tried to fight me over it, but oh well. Not trying to sound cocky or like an ass but this is really a problem and if your caught I believe you should lose your license, possibly go to jail even, pay a hefty fine etc. Officers in my town do look for people doing it, A family member actually got a ticket while she was on her cell phone, she had the phone on speaker , but the officer thought she was texting. Either way it's killing folks everyday so IMO the more severe the penalty the better.
 
I agree. Texting and driving is incredibly stupid. It's never worth the risk. I wish I could take it upon myself to go after those who I see texting and slap them in the face with a huge ticket.
 
I think texting is the worse thing to happen to driving. It's not the same as other distractors while driving because people aren't even watching the road at a time of an accident so it's not a delayed reaction, its NO reaction. An accident with a car that doesn't even hit the breaks is a scary thing...
I know police ride their bikes through traffic looking for people texting while driving. I have heard that police are starting to ride the bus and look out the window to see if people are texting, taking down licence plates and alerting police ahead. Haven't seen it.
More and more incidents are proving texting and driving to be the worst thing to happen to driving. And it's 100% avoidable but people just take it for granted...guess some people are just so important, their social life is more valuable than other's safety.
I hate it
 
Seriously? Before texting it was talking on a cell phone, before that it was newspapers and books, its been eating and makeup for as long as cars have been around. Or just plain old inattentiveness

You all telling me you've NEVER eaten a burger while driving? Talked on a cell phone while driving? Reached to grab something from the passenger seat while driving? Adjusted your stereo while driving? All of those are distractions, all of them potentially take your attention off the road, should they be outlawed too?

Do I think it's smart to text and drive? No, do I think it's to smart to read a friggin book and drive? No! Have I seen both? Yep, frequently. I see people with headphones in too, all stupid. But we really don't need more laws about this stuff.

Another option I had thought of is a phone dock that would be a hands free device that would get an insurance discount if installed in your car. It would operated similar to the blow & go for drunks, phone not docked and you don't go, this would be a voluntary thing. You choose to do it and get insurance discount.
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Now that's a pretty good idea. Just have to work out some details, like what if your battery dies and you forgot your charger? What if you left your phone somewhere? It got stolen etc. Add in a way to override it, because as you said, it should be voluntary, and I like this idea.
 
How about just ticketing for already existing laws instead of trying to make new ones? Some moron eating a burger and worrying about dripping grease is worse than someone just talking on a phone and as bad as texting. How about the people who look at the passenger they are talking to? Actually turning their heads. Or talking with their hands. How about the ones programming their radios or even just looking for a station? All of those are just as bad. One of the things we were told in driver's ed was about the lady that killed two bicyclists because she was looking through her tapes or CDs (yeah, it was a while ago). How was that better than texting?
 
Texting takes the eyes off the road. We all know people that have drove home drunk from the office for 30 years and never got caught. Texting is by far more distracting and now much more common.
 
I have friends who work for auto insurance and law enforcement. You may not believe me but texting is the WORST thing to happen to driving. As more accidents happen and more data is compiled, the penalties will be changing. Spend a couple minutes looking it up...You're eyes and mind are completely disengaged from driving...you have zero reaction time, not delayed, ZERO reaction time.
Drunk Driving=delayed reaction. Texting=Zero reaction.
Like I said I hate it, it's easily preventable yet people just don't care
 
I'm not saying other forms of distraction, or drinking and driving are acceptable. I'm just responding to the OPs question.
 
A few weeks ago I almost got run over by a teen who was texting while driving in a parking lot. He also almost hit an old lady pushing a cart.
I estimate that he was going 25 to 30 mph and was oblivious to anything going on around him.

Here's my suggestion to curb the problem.

 
Worked a fairly bad MVC on highway due to teen texting last week. No fatalities, but 35 minute extrication on a 28 day old vehicle. 18 y/o girl was still texting when we arrived on scene. The madness has to stop either by phone manufacturers (carriers) or vehicle manufacturers.
 
when this first came up I was riding in a very good friend truck. this lady rear end him and messed his truck up. she was texting. he got out and she was still texting. the police showed up and had to smash the passenger window because she would not stop texting and open her door up. I was laughing and he told me two things.1 was to stop laughing. 2 pull the for sale sign out from the window because he just sold his truck. I got told there is a state up north that unless you have a hands free you can not use your cell phone. they come down on you very hard too.
 
UffDa said:
A few weeks ago I almost got run over by a teen who was texting while driving in a parking lot. He also almost hit an old lady pushing a cart.
I estimate that he was going 25 to 30 mph and was oblivious to anything going on around him.

Here's my suggestion to curb the problem.

Click to expand...

You would not be able to build enough of those...
 
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