need more proof that it's dangerous and does cause wrecks? (notice i said "wrecks" 'cause it ain't an accident if you're on a fucking cellphone while you drive)

Quote :

"Woman's Arm Severed In Car Accident A Letcher County woman suffered a horrible injury early Thursday when her arm was severed in a car crash on the Mountain Parkway in Clark County. Jacqueline Dotson and her six-year-old daughter had to be cut out of their vehicle after the accident in which Dotson veered into the median and over-corrected, rolling her truck over the guardrail and landing upside down after flipping several times. Several people stopped to help, and it turns out, the good samaritans may very well have saved Dotson's life. Sheila Vice, a nurse's aide, and an off-duty EMT from another county stopped to help, and put a tourniquet on Dotson's arm to stop the bleeding. Her arm was found near the accident still clutching a cell phone. "Basically we stayed there and talked to them until the EMT drivers got there," said Vice. Rescuers used the jaws of life to get the Dotson and her daughter out of the truck. Both were flown to hospitals, and Dotson is listed in serious condition at UK Hospital. Her daughter is not in the hospital, and sheriff's officials say they believe she's going to be fine. Both were wearing seat belts. "

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11151375/

2/21/2006 8:32:10 PM

yeah, but that happened in another country.

2/21/2006 8:34:44 PM

nothing about that proves or helps prove cell phones are dangerous

2/21/2006 8:35:39 PM

ok.

2/21/2006 8:38:04 PM

i mean unless lose correlation can suddenly be used to imply causality and i just wasnt told

2/21/2006 8:39:55 PM

all that can be used to argue is that people need better vehicle control training before they get their license

2/21/2006 8:41:26 PM

there is no doubt that driving while talking on a cell phone makes driving infinitely more dangerous

insurance companies, doctors, cell phone companies, almost everyone agrees that cell phone use while driving increases the chance of an accident

now i'm guilty of doing it myself, but hell, I know that doing so can be dangerous

[Edited on February 21, 2006 at 8:43 PM. Reason : .]

2/21/2006 8:42:14 PM

Quote :

"Her arm was found near the accident still clutching a cell phone."

must have been an important conversation

2/21/2006 9:09:23 PM

i got a cell phone cuz it is convenient. i plan to use it whenever i feel it necessary, but im not a woman so i can drive/multitask.

2/21/2006 9:09:57 PM

no, it never fails that every time there is some non-driving ass-clown fucking up everything around them, they have a substitute for a pacifier stuck to their head

2/21/2006 9:24:50 PM

I hate cellphones

[Edited on February 21, 2006 at 9:30 PM. Reason : ]

2/21/2006 9:29:50 PM

wait wait wait.

a WOMAN

DRIVING

who FLIPPED HER TRUCK

and what you want me to take away from this story is that talking on cellphones while driving is bad?

HAHAHAHHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHHA

2/21/2006 9:49:27 PM

Does Guth have to be "that guy" in every thread?

2/21/2006 9:52:08 PM

Why do these "OMF!! DRIVING WHILE TALKING ON A CELL PHONE KILLS!!" people always seem to ignore the fact that all individuals are different?

We've got some 18-year-olds piloting jets, yet other 18-year-olds failing DMV road tests.
We're all different, people!

Obviously, some people are no less safe driving when talking/dialing on a cell phone, but others are clearly a danger to themselves and others when cell phone driving.

I knew a woman who wouldn't allow any passengers to talk or make any noise while she was driving. She also forbid using the stereo. This is understandable--some people just simply aren't as talented (hand-eye coordination, multi-tasking, focus, etc.) as others.
This woman is responsible in that she:
1) realized her own personal limitation(s).
2) didn't form an expectation to be able to drive like everyone else. IOW, didn't see other [more talented] drivers talking freely with their passengers and decide "Well if they can do it, so should I."
3) took measures to ensure that she could drive safely.

Personal responsibility includes knowing when and when not one is acting safely.

If someone wrecks while cell phone driving (and lives) and the wreck kills someone, go ahead and give them the maximum penalty for the crimes they've actually committed--wrecking and manslaughter. But don't make talking on cell phones while driving a crime in itself, when no other crime/harm has resulted from it. That's unfair for those of us that are talented enough to do it safely.

Although unnecessary, if the DMV needs to come up with a special test (like they have for motorcyclists) to ensure the safety of cell phone drivers, then fine. I'll go take the test and pass it. Then my driver's license will indicate that I've passed the cell phone test and can legally cell phone drive.

Understand me:

I have seen these cell phone drivers that weave all over the road and almost hit my car. They annoy and scare me too. If they were responsible enough to realize that they just swerved into the next lane because they aren't talented enough to cell phone drive, to not form an expectation that they should be able to cell phone drive despite not being talented enough, and decide not to cell phone drive anymore to ensure their safe driving, there wouldn't be a problem.

[Edited on February 21, 2006 at 9:56 PM. Reason : ]

2/21/2006 9:52:47 PM

you could wreck your vehicle while getting road head, but that doesn't justify bad cell phone drivers

2/21/2006 9:53:39 PM

and no, don't pass a law to take away my road head rights, b/c i have road head driving skills

2/21/2006 9:59:53 PM

I think I'm pretty good at driving even when I'm on the cell phone... but ya want to know what makes you a safe driver on the phone? It's paying more attention to the damn road than to the phone. I will drop my phone in a heart beat if something doesn't seem right while driving. I am more afraid of loosing control of my car than loosing the person I am talking to on the phone. and a lot of people don't seem to understand that.
You drive down the road and you can tell that people are to engrossed in their phones, and are obviously off in la-la land.
So, it's not the phones that kill, it's the people who never learned to multi-task....or for that matter people who don't have their priorities in line

2/22/2006 6:31:29 AM

Quote :

"[...] The study found that nearly 80 percent of all crashes and 65 percent of all near-crashes involved driver inattention just prior to the onset of the event. In addition, the researchers found that total crash involvement may be more than five times higher than police-reported crashes. The study concluded that driver inattention was the primary contributing factor in most crashes, and that hand-held wireless devices were among the highest distraction-related factors in crashes and were the leading distraction-related factor in near-crashes. "

http://www.ncsl.org/programs/transportation/cellphoneupdate05.htm#academic
http://www.ncsl.org/programs/transportation/cellphoneupdate05.htm

Not that hard to Google this stuff.

2/22/2006 7:26:37 AM

how is it not common sense that anything that takes your attention away from the road is going to increase your chances of hitting something?

2/22/2006 8:10:04 AM

there really is no cause and effect relationship between that accident and the cell phone use, least in that article

you can infer all you want, but it is a biased inference

2/22/2006 8:19:20 AM

Quote :

"there really is no cause and effect relationship between that accident and the cell phone use, least in that article you can infer all you want, but it is a biased inference "

2/22/2006 8:29:47 AM

Quote :

"Does Guth have to be "that guy" in every thread?"

well its fun, and i like being able to talk on my phone while driving
i could have made a thread "more proof women cant drive trucks"

2/22/2006 8:43:57 AM

[Edited on February 22, 2006 at 8:49 AM. Reason : odd]

[Edited on February 22, 2006 at 8:49 AM. Reason : 1 more time and then i quit]

[Edited on February 22, 2006 at 8:50 AM. Reason : yep.]

2/22/2006 8:48:38 AM

someone did this topic for her senior debate project (in high school). i made sure to let her know that i thought it was dumb during q&a

2/22/2006 9:13:57 AM

Quote :

"more proof women cant drive trucksperiod."

2/22/2006 9:17:02 AM

I love it when I'm driving down the road and some asschain on his cell phone nearly sideswipes me while changing lanes...so I flick him off and yell "GET OFF THE GOD DAMN PHONE." Then my phone rings and I don't think twice about picking it up. "Hey dude, this dick on a cell phone just about ran me off the road...what's up?"

2/22/2006 9:20:05 AM

i agree that it's the person more than the phone. when i first got xm radio, i realized i was dangeroulsy enjoying surfing all the channels. so i stopped doing it. i have a gps that i don't even try to use unless i'm stopped somewhere.

2/22/2006 9:35:09 AM

http://www.wral.com/surveypopup/news/7119157/detail.html

2/22/2006 9:36:42 AM

^^^ hahahah

2/22/2006 9:38:07 AM

^^^^

2/22/2006 9:48:52 AM

Quote :

"there really is no cause and effect relationship between that accident and the cell phone use, least in that article you can infer all you want, but it is a biased inference"

Correct. That specific study does not mention anything pertaining to cell phones. There are a ton of other studies/ources listed beneath it in the same section. You are welcome to debate the finer points of how the studies were conducted and whether the conclusions are valid or not. I personally don't care ... just wanted to throw a link out there for those interested.

2/22/2006 10:48:05 AM

using cell phones --> inattention.

inattention causes wrecks and disruption of traffic.

simple. dont analyze it so damn much.. it's pretty obvious.

2/22/2006 11:27:46 AM

ANYONE THAT IS TOO FUCKING STUPID TO MANAGE TALKING ON THE PHONE AND DRIVING IS TOO FUCKING STUPID TO DRIVE AT ALL. END OF STORY.



The people at the DMV should require each driver take their test while driving a manual, talking on the phone, and eating a bacon, egg, & cheese biscuit (without dripping grease on shirt) through an obstacle course.

That is the only way the roads will get safer.

2/22/2006 11:45:21 AM

or get yourself a bluetooth cell phone and headset

2/22/2006 11:47:14 AM

^ I have a bluetooth headset and cell phone and spend more time looking away from the road trying to get the thing to turn on and fucking connect than I would if I just answered the damn phone.

They are fucking stupid and so are the corded ones. All of them are worse of a distraction than just holding the phone.

[Edited on February 22, 2006 at 11:50 AM. Reason : ]

2/22/2006 11:49:42 AM

Quote :

"using cell phones --> inattention. inattention causes wrecks and disruption of traffic. simple. dont analyze it so damn much.. it's pretty obvious."

2/22/2006 11:51:16 AM

if cellphones are distracting, having a headset wouldn't help
the act of holding it to your head isnt very distracting

go ahead and get your arguments straight

2/22/2006 11:51:28 AM

holding a cell phone to my head is pretty distracting when I'm driving:

arm gets tired
harder to shift gears
harder to check blind spots/traffic around you
harder to use turn signal
harder to turn steering wheel

having a headset would help all those things and would be like having a conversation with someone in the car.

2/22/2006 12:05:14 PM

i have an automatic
i wouldnt have both hands on the wheel if i wasnt holding a phone
you must have a phone out of the 80's if it impeeds checking blind spots
to get my turn signal i extend my finger from the wheel and flick the lever, you must have a weird car
no problem with the wheel, you need power steering

2/22/2006 12:08:03 PM

i usually dont drive with both hands either, but

the physical size of the phone doesnt impede checking blindspots, it's the fact that I have my arm up to my ear and elbow getting in the way (and switching hands to do tasks just adds to the cumbersomeness)

I like having both hands on the wheel to do the "extend finger to hit turn signal" move for better control. Plus it usually involves a split second of taking my hand off the wheel to move the thing.

I like turning the wheel with both hands, again for better control. Don't like the palm-the-wheel-around move. I don't want the power steering feel of a camry

2/22/2006 12:26:17 PM

Quote :

"i usually dont drive with both hands either, but"

ahahah me neither

i dont usually talk in the car while driving, but if i do i use my bluetooth earpiece or else it would otherwise be impossible... but headsets are a good idea for everyone

2/22/2006 12:41:21 PM

holding the phone while driving isn't the big deal....those of us with manuals know the head-shoulder phone pinch move that gets us through the first few gears.

anyone here arguing that phones arent a distraction is either an idiot or just playing devil's advocate (assuming the latter). however, other passengers are distracting, music/radio is distracting, i mean shit...anything you can see out your window that isn't the road, a sign, or another car is distracting. as has been said many times before, it's up to the individual to decide if he can safely handle a cell phone conversation while driving. if you can't, then please don't and save the rest of us the pain in the ass you're most likely being.

i generally don't pick up my phone if i'm in any kind of traffic situation that involves deft movement of my limbs and head. if i'm cruising down the road, i'll move over into the rightmost lane to talk so I can drive slower if I want.

the arguement here isn't about cell phones, it's about the general idiocy of the public. and that will never go away, so this is really just another moot detail.

i think, if anything, the real issue is people who fucking READ while driving. i swear to god i've seen 3 or 4 people in my driving days with a book propped open on the steering wheel while driving down the road. these people blow my mind. too bad i can't legally blow their mind with my fucking front bumper

[Edited on February 22, 2006 at 1:07 PM. Reason : sploling]

2/22/2006 1:00:36 PM

Quote :

"the arguement here isn't about cell phones, it's about the general idiocy of the public. and that will never go away, so this is really just another moot detail."

i concur

2/22/2006 1:11:28 PM

Quote :

"the physical size of the phone doesnt impede checking blindspots, it's the fact that I have my arm up to my ear and elbow getting in the way"

i can move completely unimpeded with my phone to my ear
but if i had some little short arms or something that made it difficult i would just pull the phone away from my head to check blindspots

i just hope that if they take away cellphones while driving they also take away eating while driving, listening to the radio while driving, talking to passengers while driving, etc...

i dont see how cellphones are anymore distracting than any of those things

2/22/2006 1:12:06 PM

everything is equally distracting to everyone.


always.

2/22/2006 1:14:06 PM

maybe everyone should just buy one of those little earpiece things that all the black people have

2/22/2006 1:14:58 PM

NO

2/22/2006 1:18:17 PM

If they ban talking on the phone while driving who is going to call 911 when there is a wreck?

It's too much trouble to pull over.

2/22/2006 1:20:50 PM

^lol

2/22/2006 1:22:11 PM

the law they were going to put in place on banning cell phones while driving permitted the use of a cell phone to call a doctor, police, fire station, or ambulance

2/22/2006 1:29:03 PM