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Thankfully, I do not feel so "first person singular" that a call or text cannot wait.
Research has proven that most, if not all, Cell Phone Addicts have arrogantly claimed they are fully capable of chatting and/or texting while driving until AFTER a major accident.
To avoid temptation . . . all Cell Phones should be OFF while driving.
That is exactly what I do, and it's great advice. It eliminates temptation and for others (including myself), the phone beeping every 30 seconds or so to let you know you have a new text or voicemail message.
Nope. I have my ringer on my phone off most of the time, even when not in the car, and when I am in the car, all my phone is used for is to stream music via Bluetooth and once it's hooked up, I don't have to touch my phone and can control volume, next song, pause, play etc. from the console, none of which I do while the car is actually moving.
Anyone who wants or needs to get a hold of me has to wait until I get where I'm going. I have yet to have anyone complain that I took 10 minutes to answer a text or return their call after checking my voicemail.
And I never will be because even if I wanted to text while driving, I'd need to put on my reading glasses in order to do so and peer at the screen, which is SO incompatible with the act of driving that I couldn't do it physically even if I wanted to! Also texting or anything that takes your attention off the road is a spectacularly bad idea.
I don't turn my phone off, but I have no urge to answer or look at it when I get notifications. If I'm using GPS, I just set it on the passenger seat and listen to the nice lady telling me where to go or I hand my phone to my passenger.
WinterSoldier, I love the idea behind that "Drive Mode" app! I don't have AT&T but I bet other similar apps are out there available for download. If I had driving-age children that would be absolutely mandated.
We lost a 19 year old niece due to texting while driving.
I never, ever text and drive. I won't even answer my phone while driving. It's simply not worth it. Driving, especially defensive driving, is hard enough without being distracted by a phone.
Did you read the OP? CA absolutely bans use of a phone while driving unless it is hands free. They just allow you to look at your GPS, which is not the same.
Yeah, I saw it. I also saw where the OP said that that is what he/she is going to use as an excuse, meaning what exactly? Using the GPS as an excuse while txt'ing? That's what I understood.
When a person txt's while driving, and I don't care if it is sending or receiving, you are a danger to me and my family, period.
Even reading a txt is dangerous. Do you read a book while driving? How about the owners manual to figure out how to change CD's? Sending or receiving is dangerous.
I have an app in my phone that detects when my vehicle is in motion and while in motion, if somebody txt's me, it automatically gives them a message, "Sorry, I am at the wheel, I will answer you as soon as I stop." My phone is set up totally hands free, it rings twice and then automatically goes to my blue tooth and answers.
Nope because distraction occurs any time you take your eyes off the road, your hands off the wheel, and your mind off your primary task: driving safely.
Any non-driving activity you engage in is a potential distraction and increases your risk of crashing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Billy_J
Young people never seem to learn the easy way, they always want to go to the school of hard knocks!
Billy, I'm in my 40s, but I've never understood why teens and twenty-somethings take the brunt of the criticism for cell phone use while driving.
need4speed is absolutely right: ANY activity that takes your eyes off the road, or your hands off the wheel, or that distracts your driving in any way, poses a danger.
I've lived and driven in various cities, and imo, people over the age of 40 are EVERY bit as guilty of distracted driving. They may not be TEXTING while driving (simply because texting is not their main mode of communication as it is for younger people), but whenever I drive near a clearly distracted driver, I find that they're almost always TALKING on their phones. And more than half the time, they're over 40, and often over 60. DRIVES ME INSANE.
There are far greater numbers of oldies with their phones glued to their ears while driving, and they should be harshly penalized.
That's so true. I have a friend here in Apex in her 40s. She is ADDICTED to her cell phone and panics when it's not on her at all times. She texts and talks while driving. I've had to limit my time as a passenger in her vehicle because it's too scary for me. Overall, though, I think teens get the brunt of the criticism because they overwhelmingly have this kind of dependence on their cell phones (and constant contact with their friends). I grew up before cell phones existed so it's not that critical for me if I have it or not. In fact, I lost mine somewhere in the house last year and haven't spent much effort to find it. I should probably do that. ;-)
I have a manual trans so texting and driving is a big no way. It's far too dangerous and not only that it's illegal. So is talking on your cell phone while driving unless it's hands free here, yet there it is. The phone addicts just can't resist.
No, I do not text with cops in plain sight. I have a feature of my new phone that allows any incoming texts to be read aloud through my in-car bluetooth and gives me a chance to reply by voice. Still, I have to verify that the reply is actually what I said and make changes if it isn't. I tend to only do this on straighter roads with no cars or pedestrians close by or at stoplights. If it's super unsafe or I need to use Google Maps, I will pull off into a parking lot. It really isn't a big deal at all for me. Some people simply cannot operate a car and a cell phone at the same time, while others of us do it with no issue.
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or I hand my phone to my passenger.
