Transportation Sec: "Ban all driver cell phones"

[rbell]

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-...-u-s-ban-on-all-driver-phone-use-in-cars.html

I guess next, we'll ban talking to people in our cars.

My thoughts:

More nanny state nonsense. Texting while driving is profoundly stupid. But now we want to ban hands-free devices? Good grief.

Let's also remember...this has nothing to do with safety. This has to do with revenue.

More laws mean more tickets--which means more fines, and the ubiquitous "court costs and fees." It's a way for politicians to raise taxes, without raising taxes.

Full disclosure: I don't call folks while driving. I don't text while driving. I will answer a call, because I can do so without looking away from the road. I've had a perfect driving record for 15 years now (minus one speeding ticket that I fought and won).

 

[Salty]

Here are the major problems with talking while driving

1. Making turns - normally need two hands

2. Extended conversations - than your mind gets off driving

3. Emotional conversations - than your mind gets off driving

At a recent driving instructors class I went to, they told us about a study where a different part of the brain is needed to process phone call - I am not totally convinced - but there could be some truth to that.

I would say there are some people who should not talk while driving - no matter what!

Studies have found that collisions involving cell phones are somewhat evenly divided between hands free and hand held.

If we outlaw phone talking, then lets outlaw eating, playing the radio, ect, ect, ect.

Salty
certified driving instructor

 

[tinytim]

Thanks to Oprah and her No Phone Zone blitz, The number of accidents has risen in states that ban Cell phone use!.. YES, risen... Gee Thanks Oprah!

http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/2010/09/28/texting-bans-not-reducing-car-accidents

If people can't talk and drive at the same time they don't need Driver's licenses..

Drivers have to be able to deal with distractions. I think they should make talking on a phone part of the drivers test!...

 

[targus]

I wonder how the cell phone accident stats breakdown by age group and by gender?

I would guess that this is a larger problem for the younger drivers.

I won't go near the gender question though. :laugh:

 

[mcdirector]

I won't go near the gender question though. :laugh:

Very wise :tongue3:

From that item Tim posted:

"If drivers were disregarding the bans, then the crash patterns should have remained steady. So clearly drivers did respond to the bans somehow, and what they might have been doing was moving their phones down and out of sight when they texted, in recognition that what they were doing was illegal. This could exacerbate the risk of texting by taking drivers' eyes further from the road and for a longer time."

So the response to this ban is to do it anyway and to do it in a place where it is more dangerous.

 

[padredurand]

I would say there are some people who should not talk while driving - no matter what!

If we outlaw phone talking, then lets outlaw eating, playing the radio, etc, etc, etc..

Salty
certified driving instructor

I told y'all that Salty was certifiable!:wavey:

So, that said, let me tell you about my paying job. I drive a shuttle bus for the local community college. 92 miles a day and never leave the village. That's a lot of starts and stops and intersections and a whole load of opportunity to watch folks drive. My observation? Cell phones are just part of the whole distracted driving thing. It's not about where your hands are. It is all about where your mind is!

Folk do not drive as well as they think they do. I've heard it a hundred times, "I can drive and (fill in the blank) just fine." Well, from my panoramic seat I say, "NO! you cannot!" You are distracted from your primary task of driving your automobile. Someone convinced us if we weren't multitasking we were failing miserably in the rat race. Driving is already multitasking - steering, accelerating, brakes, judging distances and closing speed, watching for others, pedestrians, traffic and traffic controls, etc. A 3500 pound car driven by a distracted driver makes for, potentially, a very dangerous weapon.

 

[Bro. Curtis]

Feet per Second can be approximated....

FPS= 1.5 x MPH

In other words, 40 MPH = roughly 60 FPS. Do the math. That is up to 7 parked cars. Lots of potential for disaster.

Hang up and drive.

 

[Jon-Marc]

I am in favor of banning the use of cell phones while driving. People don't pay attention to the road or to their own driving while talking on the phone. A cell phone in the car should only be used to call for help in an emergency.

As for talking to people in the car, I've noticed that drivers can't seem to talk to someone in the car without looking at them. No one can pay attention to anything else while looking at someone. I can talk to people in the car without taking my eyes off the road and the other cars. it's just common sense--something many people lack.

 

[canadyjd]

Having been run off the road by a lady talking on a cell-phone, I am biased in favor of the ban.

peace to youraying:

 

[freeatlast]

I would have to stand with a law against any kind of two way electronic communication while driving because of the risks to others. If you want to communicate electronically pull over and be responsible.

 

[billwald]

There is no point to new traffic laws until the old ones are enforced. Most collisions are caused by following to close. 90% of all drivers tailgate because they think someone will pull in front of them if they don't. The greatest driving sin in the US is letting someone else drive faster than they dare.

It would be simple to automate traffic tickets for tailgating as well as speeding and running red lights.

 

[Gina B]

I lost count of how many times some ijit swerved or brakes squealed behind me when coming up to a red light or someone was weaving or not going at a stop sign and I saw them talking or texting.

Your right to what you want to do ends when what you want to do endangers my life and/or the lives of my husband and children. That's not a nanny state thing, that's just common sense. People talking on the phone endangered myself and my family numerous times. I don't care if someone says "hey, I can personally do it without a problem." That's dumb. Some alcoholics can drive drunk and never get in a single accident. Doesn't make it okay and doesn't mean people should have the right to do it and be on the road with me!

 

[preachinjesus]

Until Google perfects the driverless car I'm in favor of banning people from talking on the phones via handset. Let bluetooth, hands free devices be used. I think that is reasonable.

In the past two years our church community has lost four members to accidents involving cell phones and we've seen two bad wrecks. Just a few weeks ago I narrowly averted a wreck when a young driver swerved into my lane, and then the next, without looking while jabbering on their cell phone.

This isnt intruding its helpful. It'll save lives.

 

[Salty]

Until Google perfects the driverless car I'm in favor of banning people from talking on the phones via handset. Let bluetooth, hands free devices be used. I think that is reasonable. ...

Friendly reminder - its just about as dangerous to drive with a hands free, as it is with a hand held phone.

Just wondering why no one is complaining about other multitasking activities in the vehicle - why do you only pick on phones. Remember this has only been an issue in the past 10 years or so.
For the record - fatalities in the US for the last reporting year has been the lowest for several decades. The report states that two main reasons is seat belt use. Also DWI has drastically been reduced. Sine 1982 alcohol related deaths have been reduced by some 37%
If cell phones were all that bad, we would see the death toll increase - not decrease.
I realize that phone use, as well as any other muti tasking - CAN be distracting. However, I think that the media and govt is overplaying the issue.
I would love to give anyone a one-hour driving analysis - If I did, I think you would be surprised at how poorly you just might be driving. - Just saying

Which states or Commonwealths have cell phone laws?

Bill mentioned tailgating - and he is absoutley right. Protions of the German autobahn have no speed limit. But what the German Polize enforce are tailgaing, passing on the right, and being in the left lane unless passing another vehicle
Surprisingly, the Autobahn is safer than U.S. highways. In 2001, the death rate there was 27 percent lower (0.59 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled versus 0.81 per million for the U.S. interstates), according to Rask.

Why? enforcing tailgating and passing laws. In addition. Germans " undergo 24 hours of rigorous private instruction, including training on the Autobahn, and pass a comprehensive written test " this traing can cost over $1,000.

Salty
certified driving instructor
(note: Unlike Padre I did not put "certified" in red! )

 

[Bob Alkire]

There was a push back in the 70's to ban CB radios in trucks and the drinking of coffee in trucks while driving. However at that time the found out that the CB kept the driver alert driving on long stretches of highway and coffee kept him awake as well. I don't know how the study would come out to day.

The problem I see with the phone is that many folks talking on the phone their speed will drop from 70 mph to 50 mph then when you try and pass them they speed right back up, causes a lot of trouble.