texting while driving.

[SicOne]

Unfortunately people would still do it, even if we do ALL that you suggest. We have jail time (and in some states death penalty) for commiting murder, and yet murders happen EVERYDAY.

Well, I'm sure most people would understand that most of my suggestions were exggaerations, but I DO think that we should impose income crippling fines for these offenders. Seriously, drivers should know better. It's a common sense thing.

Exaggeration or not, the simple fact is no matter the punishment, people will keep on texting while driving.

Actually, I had just thought of a good idea (well, all of my ideas are good ideas, but this is a GREAT idea!)...before you pour the maple syrup into the balloon, insert a laminated business card that reads, front and back...

GET OFF THE F*$&ING PHONE!!!

When the maple syrup balloon explodes on their car, the laminated card will stick to the car, and if you nail their windshield, they will be able to read the message immediately, thereby educating themselves quickly and hopefully alleviating any further driving problems.

Well, unless they then get into a fiery auto crash, in which case they should have been paying more attention to their driving, anyway.

Hey, food for thought.

 

[Trekker4747]

I do actually, people's lives depend on it.

Well, it's a good thing you're not a member of your profession back in 1970s!

Yes, and many more people died because of it!

How many times do you have to be shown what nonsense this argument is before you give it up? We get it, you don't like cell phones; so don't use one. No one cares. But stop acting like your anachronistic view of the world is the proper one, or that just because you can't seem to imagine a need for cell phones, that they don't actually have value.

I'm against people using cellphones in a manner that is going to get others killed (like by texting while driving.)

I'm also against the fact that people use cellphones to be rude assholes to those around them.

They "have value," sure, but that value is undermined by morons who feel they have to be contact 24/7. Considering a small percentage of people out there have professions that call for constant contact to SAVE LIVES!!!! I find that counter argument silly.

Private ownership of guns saves lives too and people talk about taking those away from citizens all of the time.

I'm not seriously talking about getting rid of cell phones, just making it severely punishable to use them in a manner that can get people killed. That people are so self-absorbed that they speed down the highway while texting on the damn things is infinitely worse than the fact that somewhere out there a hospital might need to call the ONE doctor in the entire universe who can save a patient but happens to be out of contact.

I also really, really, wish people who use them would learn an ounce or two of common courtesy and respect for those around them -specifically service employees- instead of rudely going around with their head up their ass.

But this thread isn't about all of that.

This thread is about people who put lives at risk by driving with their atention divided between texting on a cell-phone and navigating a 2-ton hunk of steel down a road at 40 miles an hour. Which should be stiffly punishable. Not just some nuisance $100 fine. $500 fine, traffic school, and if the trend presists possible DL suspension -and for the record this would not just be for cell-phones, but any activity that greatly distracts a person while driving: shaving, makeup application, reading a paper/book/map, etc.)

Driving while distracted is HIGHLY dangerous and shouldn't be taken lightly,

 

[Locutus of Bored]

I'm against people using cellphones in a manner that is going to get others killed (like by texting while driving.)

I'm also against the fact that people use cellphones to be rude assholes to those around them.

And if you just left it at that, I (and most others) would never have a problem with it, because I agree completely. But you never just leave it at that, and you know you don't. You always have to resort to extreme hyperbole or dismissing anything that doesn't fit your narrow view in order to justify your argument, and that's where the problems come in.

They "have value," sure, but that value is undermined by morons who feel they have to be contact 24/7. Considering a small percentage of people out there have professions that call for constant contact to SAVE LIVES!!!! I find that counter argument silly.

That some people behave like morons when using cell phones has never once undermined cell phones to me. It makes me say "Wow, that guy is a moron" not "Wow, cell phones should be banned." Not that I think regulations against texting while driving are a bad thing, mind you, I'm just talking about your hyperbole about banning cell phones completely for every one who doesn't need it for daily emergency duties.

The fact that you think the "silly" counter-argument of cell phones saving lives only applies to those who work in professions where saving lives is part of their job just proves my point. Either you have an extreme lack of imagination in that you can't picture the numerous types of situations that people who aren't first responders could encounter where a cell phone can and has saved countless lives, or you're being deliberately obtuse in order to support your argument. Since I know you have a pretty vivid imagination, I'm going to assume that it's the latter.

Driving while distracted is HIGHLY dangerous and shouldn't be taken lightly,

Never said otherwise. I just took issue with your frequent anti-cell phone rant and the misrepresentations used to justify your position thereof cropping up again.

 

[cultcross]

Not *ALL* phones. Just cell-phones. You don't need to be in contact with people 24/7 and certainly not while driving.

We'll go back to using pagers.

I do actually, people's lives depend on it.

Well, it's a good thing you're not a member of your profession back in 1970s!

We improvised. Mobile communications are a vast improvement.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

I don't know, that thing could time travel and all...

 

[Captain Ice]

In the US, they improvised with a radio telephone called a Biophone.

Trekker, if you've watched Emergency! at all, you've seen one of these.

The cellphone is a vast improvement.

I'm with you in regards to levying stiff fines on those who use a handheld mobile device while driving (as well as against those who read, shave, etc). But your examples show a very narrow mindset.

Have you never used your cell phone to call 911 as you pass an accident that just occured? Have you never used it to get turn by turn directions to get anywhere?

 

[Guartho]

Not *ALL* phones. Just cell-phones. You don't need to be in contact with people 24/7 and certainly not while driving.

We'll go back to using pagers.

I do actually, people's lives depend on it.

Well, it's a good thing you're not a member of your profession back in 1970s!

It's a good thing your life doesn't depend on a member of his profession back in the 1970s!

 

[cultcross]

I don't know, that thing could time travel and all...

It was handy being able to fit the whole station and custody suite in there - property overheads are much larger these days.

 

[Trekker4747]

Have you never used your cell phone to call 911 as you pass an accident that just occured?

Never dialed 911 period. Usually my phone isn't on my person, it pretty much serves as a primairy home phone. If it were with me I'd first pull over to pepare to help those in the accident and THEN use it to call for help.

Have you never used it to get turn by turn directions to get anywhere?

I'm a man. I don't ask for directions when I'm lost.

Further I've a fairly good sense of direction and familiarity with my area or at the very least the system of how the streets are organized. I've never needed anything more than basic directions to a place I've never been.

I would suspect trying to navigate while getting turn-by-turn directions over the phone would make me a very dangrerous driver as the unfimilarity of my surroundings would be compounded with using the phone and trying to concetrate on the directions.

 

[dave_R_treker]

Further I've a fairly good sense of direction and familiarity with my area or at the very least the system of how the streets are organized. I've never needed anything more than basic directions to a place I've never been.

I would suspect trying to navigate while getting turn-by-turn directions over the phone would make me a very dangrerous driver as the unfimilarity of my surroundings would be compounded with using the phone and trying to concetrate on the directions.

I'm the same way. I've been given some shity directions in the past, and I've still been able to find my way by myself. I don't need no GPS or turn-by-turn directions over a phone. Those are for those who can't find there way out of a paper bag without help.