People must have less commone sense...or maybe (Christmas: credit card, home)

[riveree]

Originally Posted by 1970pelle

I will spend the rest of my life crippled because of a driver on a cell phone who did not see me.On the police report the driver stated"I was talking on the phone.I never show him." Does that make everyone guilty NO.But I think if your in a high traffic/high pedestrian area hang up the phone and pay attention.

That's awful 1970pelle . Did that happen here in Jax?

I was hit by a drunk driver (in NY) and it took me years to fully recover.

[INeedAChange]

the one with the cell phone was wrong, but if you are making a right turn the pedestrian always has the right of way

[Magnolia Bloom]

Originally Posted by LM1

On a somewhat different topic (cel phones and drivers) I believe cel phone use while driving should be a separate DMV endorsement.

Fact is, some people (a few) are entirely capable of doing it safely while others (most) aren't.

Make it so a driver must pass a road course test while simultaneously answering verbal questions on multiple choice test over a cel phone. If he or she is able to pass both tests, then they get a cel phone endorsement on their license and a special sticker to put on their tag so they aren't pulled over for it. If someone is seen talking in the cel phone without the endorsement on their tag, then the officer can pull them over and it would carry the same penalties as drunk driving (since the results are often the same)

Just as with license tags, we can opt for various endorsements-

the cell phone endorsement

the mommy endorsement- must be able to stretch back and hand McDonalds to kids in the back seat while cautioning the little ones to stop fighting

the soccer mom endorsement- must be able to drive with four preteens bopping to Hanna Montana blaring from the CD

the icky man endorsement- must be able to drive while picking his nose

the mascara endorsement- no explanation necessary

the old coot endorsement- must be able to drive s l o w l y while traffic is zipping around them on all sides without incurring mystery dings

the good old boy endorsement- must be able to intentionally cut off passenger cars unscathed

LM1- I think you're on to something here!

[UnderTheRadar]

Oh, it's the good 'ol boys in Jax that are the ones cutting people off? Interesting. Hopefully that wasnt a cheap shot to the many Southerners in this town..

[travelingfood]

Originally Posted by HIF

Just as with license tags, we can opt for various endorsements-

the cell phone endorsement

the mommy endorsement- must be able to stretch back and hand McDonalds to kids in the back seat while cautioning the little ones to stop fighting

the soccer mom endorsement- must be able to drive with four preteens bopping to Hanna Montana blaring from the CD

the icky man endorsement- must be able to drive while picking his nose

the mascara endorsement- no explanation necessary

the old coot endorsement- must be able to drive s l o w l y while traffic is zipping around them on all sides without incurring mystery dings

the good old boy endorsement- must be able to intentionally cut off passenger cars unscathed

LM1- I think you're on to something here!

don't forget yuppies endorsement.

[Magnolia Bloom]

Originally Posted by UnderTheRadar

Oh, it's the good 'ol boys in Jax that are the ones cutting people off? Interesting. Hopefully that wasnt a cheap shot to the many Southerners in this town..

It wasn't meant to be...any more than any of the others. The post was intended to be tongue-in-cheek. I didn't realize that anyone could take it seriously.

I should have called it the pick 'em truck endorsement!

Hey! I thought you lived in Orlando, not Jax! We'll have to add an out-of-towner guest-pass endorsement.

Traveling- let's see your yuppie endorsement!

[UnderTheRadar]

There you go! Much better.. Thank you

[titaniummd]

I may get some heat for this but:

Most people have cell phones attached to their heads or the bluetooth on their ears.

There are no private conversations anymore and people can tap into their phone directories and swipe them. People can tap into their phones and 'listen' through the bluetooth at will.

However, we will always have our EnV, Razor, Krazor, Treo since it's the trend.

Unfortunately, conversations about the latest golf club, what Suzy did last night or who John's wife is messing around with is more important than paying attention driving, not running stoplights, running into pedestrians, risking getting hit by cars, or paying lots of money for nonsense talk.

It is not just in JAX. It is everywhere. At least a lot of locations are actually outlawing non-hands free cell phone use while driving. However, people do other stuff while driving from shaving, reading, eating, drinking, texting, and PG-13/R or other activities.

I will step off of my 'Shoe box'. I never saw or owned a Soap box.

[UnderTheRadar]

Is this common in Jacksonville too? The red light running, stop sign running, cutting people off, etc..?

[KerryB]

Originally Posted by titaniummd

At least a lot of locations are actually outlawing non-hands free cell phone use while driving. However, people do other stuff while driving from shaving, reading, eating, drinking, texting, and PG-13/R or other activities.

Those "hands-free" laws are bull. Like you said, people are always doing other things with their hands, so the cell phone itself isn't the issue. Its that people get caught up in their phone conversations & its easier to ignore whats going on on the road. Whether its hands-free or not isn't the issue.

While were at it, lets outlaw waving while driving, turning the dials on your radio or A/C controls while driving, etc. Its stupid. It all just comes down to being fully alert while driving. Everyone has a cell phone, so its just the scapegoat.

People just need to exercise better judgment where they use their phones. Just because your phone is always with you doesn't mean its always an appropriate time to use it.