USVI-On-Line

How many folks talk, text, or use a blue tooth while driving?

It's deadly to do this.

Did you see Oprah today?

I have it taped but I am just not in the mood to watch it. It is very hard to convince teenagers not to text and drive.

I don't use my cellphone very much while driving. But I have talked before on my phone while driving. Never texted--but I have dialed. Not often.

Do you think a blue tooth is safe or equally dangerous?

Gina

The Oprah show was an eye opening experience.

They showed what someone sees while using a blue tooth and driving. I believe the term they used was "inatension blindness". It's like having tunnel vision.

I remember taking drivers ed in high school and having "defensive driving" being the way to drive. One cannot drive defensively if talking on a cell phone.

I'm a changed person after that show. My cell phone will stay in my purse.

We all see people do airheaded moves with the cell phone in their ear while driving. I've been rear ended by someone doing it and it turned my Honda Civic into a Honda Accordion. A local high school has their various athletic teams jogging along on the shoulder of Rt 28, a very busy 2 lane road here. I often see people veering onto the shoulder, or into the other side of the road while talking. Tragedy is just a matter of time. Personally, I think if you kill someone while talking and driving then you are guilty of manslaughter, just as you would be if you were DWI. I've read studies that state that you are 4 times more likely to have an accident while talking on a cell phone and driving then if you were driving drunk. I just don't get what makes someone so damned important that they justify ignoring the danger of doing it.

I did not see Oprah but this is one of my pet peaves.

I am always saying "hang up the phone and drive".

I live in NH where there is apparently no law against this as I see our local police on the phone while driving. I was rear ended in a construction zone by someone on a cell phone, a police officer witnessed the accident. He did not even say anything to the girl about the phone usage. I did. She was lucky she rear ended me and did not hurt this officer or one of the road crew. She just did not "get it", and sadly neither did this officer.

I'm all for doing everything possible to make the roads as safe as we can, but the people that are too distracted to drive because they're talking on their cell are, for the most part, the same ones that are too distracted to drive when they have a passenger they can talk to in the car, when they're eating, etc.

Personally I limit my cell phone use while driving to short calls that I have to make/take, and don't dial or otherwise take my gaze and attention off of the road while in motion.

Did we somehow manage to get along before everyone had cell phones? Sure.

If they pass a law banning cell use while driving will I obey it? Unless an emergency warrants otherwise, yes.

The problem with passing a law banning it is that most of the people that are the problem are inconsiderate by nature, and will act like the law doesn't pertain to them. Some of them will be ticketed/fined for it, but so will an inordinate number of responsible cell phone users.

To say nothing of the "No texting at the table" rule we have at our house. That went into effect when I got my BB for work.

My parents were over one night for dinner and my father was texting at the table. The 7-year old yelled at him "No texting at the table Grampy!"

I very rarely talk while driving and would never text or email. I'm too worried about the other yahoos who drive around here. If you pay attention with only half your brain you can spot the texters as they're driving. There's nothing that important.

I do all the time, unless I'm eating.

My 87 year old mother told me that her new crusade it to follow drivers she see's texting or talking, get their license plates and report them to the local police:-) So if you see a spry 87 year old lady in a 1989 Marron Taurus, put down the phone.

While driving, you have many small conversations with yourself. These conversations are based on constant observation..."red car rolling through stop sign", "big truck comming in the outside lane", "granny crossing the street"; and by the constant barage of road signs, shop signs, names on trucks, etc. Talking on a cell phone uses the same brain functions.

You can not effectively drive and talk on the phone. Multi-tasking is a myth. Those that yammer and drive put me and my wife at risk.

My crackberry stays in the backpack in the back seat. I'll call you back when I get there...

I saw that show and it was just horrible. If you need to make a cell phone...pull over to the side of the road!!

I really believe that my future son-in-law was talking on his cell phone when he had a one car accident. At least, I believe that's part of it. He was instantly killed. That was 5 years ago and I learned my lesson.

Connie,
I feel some of your pain. I had a friend lose their high school daughter and her two passengers in a tragic freeway accident a few years ago.

The mom called her daughter's cell phone, the daughter dropped the phone on the floor of the SUV, reached down to pick it up and well....you know the rest of the story. All were pronounced dead at the scene. The heartbreaking part was the Mom knowing that she was the last call on her daughter's cell phone.

DWI's scare me less than cell phone drivers.

I know that it's illegal in CA to talk and drive, any other states out there? We just passed the no texting and driving law...that's a no brainer.

oh i so completely am against talking and driving (even though i have been guilty of it in the past --), but this while attentional deficit while driving thing is not a new phenom--(well maybe the phone aspect...) you would NOT believe the number of people i see reading the NYT or the Post WHILE DRIVING on the BRUCKNER or on the approach to the Triboro bridge! I mean COME ON! and then there was makeup lady--Several times a week during my commute i would encounter makeup lady PUTTING ON EYEMAKEUP on the triboro approach--ummmmm yeah....like you can see the cars while putting on mascara or reading the op-ed.....come to think of it, i haven't seen makeup lady in a while......
people do lots or crazy crap when they drive.

Just curious!

Is it allowed to use a handhold cell phone, when you are driving?

In DK it isn't allowed. Hubby use his cell phone while driving, but he has a blue tooth. I think it minimize the risk. I very seldom use my cell phone, but once I couldn't find the way, I did it and found out how difficult it is to concentrate about the traffic, when talking in phone.

Linne

Here in NY the phone must have a "hands free" option. Could be just a speaker phone.