OT...say goodbye to our communication while in the bump?

[basketcase0302]

Of course this wouldn't bother her...as the head of the NTSB tells the country we shouldn't be communicating while in our trucks.
She more than likely has voice recognition software in her beemer:


Whadya' think, lot of revenue to be made here huh?!

Ok, have edited to include a poll, what's everybody here think?
While keeping it polite of course!

[BobbyFord]

I'm all for it. We already have a law in California banning the use of handheld devices. I can make a phone call while driving my Focus if my phone is in the trunk.
I have been mashed by two different drivers that were using handheld cell phones at the time of the collisions.
The genius that was driving the truck pictured below was texting when he plowed into the back of my short bed at an estimated 40 mph, while I was stopped at a red light...

I was rearended again about 9 months later while I was driving a city vehicle by another knucklehead that was on the phone.

[basketcase0302]

Bobby, I would be all for a ban if the government will then provide me, (the guy who can't afford to keep up with technology) places to conveniently pull off the road to make or answer a call.
I really...wonder what this will do to the US business world as we know it also.
My conversation with my boss"hang on boss-I have to pull off the road to answer your phone call".

[DuckRyder]

Couple things:

• You can hear on anything in your bump?
• A "Bimmer" is a car , a "Beemer" is a motorcycle.

[BobbyFord]

Bobby, I would be all for a ban if the government will then provide me, (the guy who can't afford to keep up with technology) places to conveniently pull off the road to make or answer a call.
I really...wonder what this will do to the US business world as we know it also.
My conversation with my boss"hang on boss-I have to pull off the road to answer your phone call".

Jeff, I see your point, but I do a lot of driving personally and while on the job. People in L.A. have a demented sense of entitlement and do not want to be bothered by other drivers while they are busy carrying on their "important" conversations or worse yet, completing that text message that "can't wait". Even though we have a laws in California for no texting or no hands-on cell phone use while driving, it seems that almost everyday I am affected in some way by somebody that is too busy to deal with the fact that they are driving.
I was pretty lucky that I wasn't seriously injured when the kid in the black truck hammered me at the red light. The picture below is where my head bent the metal on the rear of the cab when my head blasted out the rear glass...

The kid in the black truck was lucky that day, too because when I gathered myself up and exited my truck, my intention was to disassemble whomever had just blasted me out into the middle of the intersection. When I got out and stood up I almost passed out and had to get on the ground.
I don't feel that a Nationwide law is necessary; I think it should be left up to the voters of the individual states. Regardless, the states that already have cell phone laws in place have not seen a dramatic decrease in cell phone related traffic accidents. From my experience, if it were up to me, a violation would result in a $1,000 fine and 1 point on the driving record.

[papabug71]

Dang Bobby, the back glass in these old trucks is thick as a mo-fo. I can only imagine how hard your head hit the glass to bust it out AND bend the cab. Did you bust your head open?

I don't talk & drive. Never have. It's just something i've conditioned myslef to do. Just like putting on the seat belt.

[fomocoguy]

It seems like I almost get hit or collide with some idiot yakking on their phone and not paying attention every day. I think every cell phone should be blocked from sending or receiving any transmission besides a 911 call when moving any faster than a brisk walk. Most people are not coordinated enough to handle having one or more of their senses impaired while driving.

[flyboy71]

I do talk and drive handsfree though. Im ok on a highway just cruising along but if Im in traffic or in town Ill tell the person to hold on and wait till I negotiate the traffic. If it gets too bad I just tell them I gotta go and hang up. I see way too many folks not doing handsfree and I avoid them if possible. I don't know how Id avoid them running a light or approaching me from behind.

I see more teens in cars goofing off than I see people on phones driving erratically. We had a rash of accidents lately involving teens. I watched a girl behind me the other day with her tongue out and the visor down trying to install her tongue piercing. Id consider the total ban on young drivers under a certain age, not because Im a downer but because driving experience should precede any distractions. Teens and cell phones or iPods while driving isn't a good mix no matter what.

If they do a total ban on phones they really need to consider other devices too though. iPods. XM. GPS.

[BobbyFord]

Dang Bobby, the back glass in these old trucks is thick as a mo-fo. I can only imagine how hard your head hit the glass to bust it out AND bend the cab. Did you bust your head open?

I don't talk & drive. Never have. It's just something i've conditioned myslef to do. Just like putting on the seat belt.

No, I didn't bust my head open, prolly cuz I had a ball cap on but I did leave in an ambulance with a collar on. I didn't even sue for my injuries because I have 100% medical coverage, but I got over $8,000 for the damage to my truck. I was sore for months.

[papabug71]

Man I would have figured it would have split it right open. Crazy.

Banning stuff while driving is a touchy subject. If they ban phones, GPS, XM radio & the likes, how long will it be before they ban radios in automobiles?

If you can remember, they had a dramatic increase in traffic accidents when the first automotive CD players hit the market. People were too busy fumbling with changing CD's to drive.

Bottom line is, anyone behind the wheel needs to have their head out of their ass & be focused on the task at hand. Not talking on the phone, applying make-up, playing with the radio, ect.

[basshound71]

I have mixed feelings on the matter. Texting is definatly a no no. We all have done it and I have had the shiz scared out of me while doing it so I don't now. Phone calls are different, I agree that some people can't even drive when not on the phone. I conduct a lost of business over the phone and if I had to pull over every time I would never get anywhere, but you can't engross yourself in the phone call. You have to have your head out of your ars and drive first and formost. It's a difficult subject, where do you draw the line. When I was a kid it was loud music, we can still do that.

[68F100Merlin]

I ride a motorcycle and it amazes me how many people think they are clever enough to talk on the phone and drive at the same time. Then they think a smile and a wave absolves them from the responsibility of just about running me off the road. No, my vote goes to NO phones.
And the radio, GPS argument is ad hoc as those devises are not held to the side of your head in the left hand and block 1/3 or more of your peripheral vision.

Did not come here to argue

[70 ranger]

A few years ago one of the young guys at work bought one of those rams with the v10 viper motor in it. Leaving town one day he hit a patch of water while accelerating down the highway. he shot across the oncoming highway and was hit by another ram. It turned out while he was driving he was texting! he died a few days later.
Too young, too much horsepower and a distraction in his hand. We have a ban here on all hand held devices and I am O.K. with it. But you see half a dozen people on the way to work each day talking or texting.
One thing I have been thinking about is the post about runnung an mp3 player in your old radio. Is it possible to hook up a hands free thing through it?

[67mann]

We've got that bann in NY and I still take certain calls while driving.....no texting. There are way to many people that shouldn't have a license,let alone trying to multi-task and no matter how many laws they make....it'll never solve that fact. If ya ask me....eating is the worst distraction there is,but every fast food place has a drivethru. Who hasn't dropped a frenchfry,spilled ketchup,musterd,etc. down the front of them....spilt there coffee or pop. Scary looking back up to traffic after trying clean your self off

[basketcase0302]

Bobby, I am truly sorry about your accidents and real glad you didn't get hurt any worse. Believe me I think about our members here, (in terms of our safety) when I say that. I guess I'd be the spokesperson for the "meek" here as I'll never be able to afford any such vehicle with a "sync" type device to enable hands free communication for me. I do agree to some point, (especially the texting) needs to stop but at the same time drive a company vehicle-and use a cell phone at the same time. I have co-workers that drive the truck / text the boss / and surf the laptop for the next work order at the same time! I know they're days are numbered... But I also feel that the prohibited phone use will be yet another thing that corporate America will pass along to "the little man", (so in essence when it's banned-company's won't care if there's a ban or not, Answer your phone-or find another job!).
I have seen the mentality go that direction the past few years, (pass the buck down to the little guy on everything).
Polls created above-please vote and send a request for another addition to the poll if you want?