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Stuart G

(38,365 posts)
Wed Apr 30, 2014, 06:38 PM Apr 2014

Please, Please....Be careful of sudden lane changes due to drivers texting and on phone.

Today I saw two of them, at the last minute change lanes to make turns. One a left from the far right lane on a busy city street, and the other to make a right turn, in front of me in the right lane. Both drivers had something in their hands. I know this is extremely dangerous because these people got to make that turn when they want to. Nothing else matters. Not waiting to the next street and make a couple more turns to up for missing a turn. Or the next exit on an expressway. I saw one a few months ago, who came within 3 feet of knocking over a man driving a bicycle. That man driving the bicycle was totally within the law.

I have seen more of this in the last 3 years, then in the last 20. These idiots do not look to see if there is someone in that lane, they just move . Lot of summer driving coming up, and traffic police only rarely stop people texting. Perhaps police are stopping more, but there are so many that is almost impossible to stop them. At least there is a stigma to "drunk driving" I am really concerned because someone here at DU is going to get hurt or worse. Please be aware of the other driver, he/she often is not aware of you/me. Oh, and I might add that many people walking are too busy texting to look up. Watch for them too.
Thanks

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Please, Please....Be careful of sudden lane changes due to drivers texting and on phone. (Original Post) Stuart G Apr 2014 OP
They are scary, aren't they? The people I have seen texting have been more in town driving, not Jefferson23 Apr 2014 #1
an idiot on a dooley almost creamed a Carlsbad Batalion Chief nadinbrzezinski Apr 2014 #2
"dualies" nt. dionysus Apr 2014 #6
They're just more ME FIRST assholes. You find them everywhere, but they're particularly valerief Apr 2014 #3
We probably should ban cell phones from being able to text, or The Straight Story Apr 2014 #4
The WAZE App bigwillq Apr 2014 #7
Problem there is that you could be the passenger, or you may be on a bus or train (nt) Nye Bevan May 2014 #16
Very true bigwillq May 2014 #20
Thanks for posting this... The Straight Story.....incredible !!...no text... Stuart G Apr 2014 #10
they're not only annoying, but dangerous to the point of lethality... dionysus Apr 2014 #5
Some newer phones have Drive Mode which is enabled Ilsa Apr 2014 #8
I assume these pictures are real.. be warned..some are hard to look at) if not... Stuart G Apr 2014 #9
selfish assholes JI7 Apr 2014 #11
I agree with you, selfish "stupid" assholes.. Stuart G May 2014 #13
a co-worker's daughter was in the back seat of a car hit head on magical thyme Apr 2014 #12
I had to laugh at ABC News the other day... CANDO May 2014 #14
Always happy to share this one: CrispyQ May 2014 #15
I always assume every other driver is on PCP REP May 2014 #17
thank you, yes I see people driving 'blind' all the time. Texas refused to make text-drive a crime- Sunlei May 2014 #18
Anyone caught texting behind the wheel should have their DL revoked PERMANENTLY! Coventina May 2014 #19

Jefferson23

(30,099 posts)
1. They are scary, aren't they? The people I have seen texting have been more in town driving, not
Wed Apr 30, 2014, 06:47 PM
Apr 2014

to be excused..and they were not young people.

 

nadinbrzezinski

(154,021 posts)
2. an idiot on a dooley almost creamed a Carlsbad Batalion Chief
Wed Apr 30, 2014, 06:55 PM
Apr 2014

on route to Santee. We were behind that. We knew that if that happened our story chasing would have become medical aid, and request of units.

Yup, the idiot on the Pick Up dooley was texting. How did you guess?

valerief

(53,235 posts)
3. They're just more ME FIRST assholes. You find them everywhere, but they're particularly
Wed Apr 30, 2014, 07:58 PM
Apr 2014

lethal behind the wheel.

The Straight Story

(48,121 posts)
4. We probably should ban cell phones from being able to text, or
Wed Apr 30, 2014, 08:07 PM
Apr 2014

Just allow those in government to own cell phones that do.

Our founders lived just fine in a world where no one had cell phones. I don't own one.

People don't need fully pumped up cell phones that have text and all that, they should be locked away when in a car if you are allowed to have them at all.


Texting While Driving Causes:

1. 1,600,000 accidents per year – National Safety Council
2. 330,000 injuries per year – Harvard Center for Risk Analysis Study
3. 11 teen deaths EVERY DAY – Ins. Institute for Hwy Safety Fatality Facts
4. Nearly 25% of ALL car accidents

Texting While Driving Is:

1. About 6 times more likely to cause an accident than driving intoxicated
2. The same as driving after 4 beers – National Hwy Transportation Safety Admin.
3. The number one driving distraction reported by teen drivers

Texting While Driving:

1. Makes you 23X more likely to crash – National Hwy Transportation Safety Admin.
2. Is the same as driving blind for 5 seconds at a time – VA. Tech Transportation Institute
3. Takes place by 800,000 drivers at any given time across the country
4. Slows your brake reaction speed by 18% – HumanFactors & Ergonomics Society
5. Leads to a 400% increase with eyes off the road

 

bigwillq

(72,790 posts)
7. The WAZE App
Wed Apr 30, 2014, 08:19 PM
Apr 2014

won't let you type in directions when the car is in motion, although you can still alert fellow users if there is a cop ahead or traffic.

https://www.waze.com/

They need to make cell phones motion sensored, although I am not sure how difficult that will be, or how easy one can figure out a way to disable the motion sensor.





 

bigwillq

(72,790 posts)
20. Very true
Thu May 1, 2014, 11:48 AM
May 2014

It will be difficult to monitor sensor but I believe with WAZE, it lets you type as a passenger, just not as a driver. Not sure how it knows the difference.

Ilsa

(61,675 posts)
8. Some newer phones have Drive Mode which is enabled
Wed Apr 30, 2014, 08:26 PM
Apr 2014

In Settings. It returns a text message saying you are driving and can't respond if the car goes over something like 25mph. You can turn it off though, as would be necessary for passengers who wish to surf, text, or call.

Newer cars allow syncing up cell phone Contacts lists so you can press a button on the steering wheel and command the car to "Call Louise at Home". Totally hands-free, but still some distraction.

JI7

(89,182 posts)
11. selfish assholes
Wed Apr 30, 2014, 08:45 PM
Apr 2014

if it just resulted in themselves being hurt or killed it would be one thing.

but they often hurt others .

Stuart G

(38,365 posts)
13. I agree with you, selfish "stupid" assholes..
Thu May 1, 2014, 07:34 AM
May 2014

You take your eyes off the road much longer texting, then other auto activities. Anything can happen in a split second.

 

magical thyme

(14,881 posts)
12. a co-worker's daughter was in the back seat of a car hit head on
Wed Apr 30, 2014, 08:58 PM
Apr 2014

She and her boyfriend were in the back, her boyfriend's mother was driving. They were headed south on the state road. An 18 year old was driving his truck headed north and veered into their lane. Both vehicles going 50 or so, so the impact was 100+mph.

The mother was killed immediately. Boyfriend was critical with 5 broken ribs, but released within a week or so. Co-worker's daughter has traumatic brain injury. She spent over a month in an induced coma on a ventilator. They removed a piece of her skull to reduce the pressure on her brain. Each day they lifted her briefly from the coma and gave her instructions, which she was mostly able to follow.

She only recently was taken out of the coma and off the vent. It was a couple more weeks before she was able to speak a few words. The good news being, of course, that she hasn't lost speech. How much damage and how permanent remains to be seen. Every case is individual and the length of time in a coma doesn't necessarily correlate to the amount of lasting damage or recovery time.

I expect this could also be a serious financial hardship for them. Maine insurance laws don't require a whole lot of medical coverage (I think half a mil) and the 18 year old was in an old truck so likely had minimum insurance and has no assets.

 

CANDO

(2,068 posts)
14. I had to laugh at ABC News the other day...
Thu May 1, 2014, 09:46 AM
May 2014

They did a piece on truckers using cell phones. Well, I'm a truck driver and I swear that at least 50% of the car drivers are on their smart phones as they drive by. It just seemed odd that they were singling out truckers as though it's exclusively us who are on these devices while driving.

CrispyQ

(36,231 posts)
15. Always happy to share this one:
Thu May 1, 2014, 10:06 AM
May 2014




Has anyone noticed on TV & in the movies the characters take their eyes off the road for such long periods of time? I can hardly stand to watch scenes like that, as I'm screaming, "Look at the frickin' road you dumb shit! It's been over 10 seconds since you have!"

REP

(21,691 posts)
17. I always assume every other driver is on PCP
Thu May 1, 2014, 10:31 AM
May 2014

I'm in CA, so horrible driving is everywhere and I think my bright red car may actually be invisible. I stay away from other drivers as much as I can.

My car has integrated hands free Bluetooth, but I rarely answer the phone when I'm driving, and never on the highway.

Sunlei

(22,651 posts)
18. thank you, yes I see people driving 'blind' all the time. Texas refused to make text-drive a crime-
Thu May 1, 2014, 11:24 AM
May 2014

again. Except in their 'watched for massive ticket revenue' school zones and many of the 'neighborhood associations' private police departments.

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