General Discussion

kentauros

(29,414 posts)

15. While I like the idea,

Tue Mar 6, 2012, 09:30 AM

Mar 2012

it's not a good idea when instances require the need for emergency calls. Or, as also stated, not even passengers would be able to use their phones.

What we really need to do is either nationalize the driver education in this country, or withhold things like highway funds from the states until they improve their driver education to something akin to what is done in Finland. Because right now, most people are nothing more than "motor vehicle operators" with a license that merely states the same. They have zero sense of what it means to be a driver.

Top Gear did a segment on what Finnish drivers are like as well as what their driver's ed entails, and I wish I'd gotten the same, 35 years ago:

(wrong video; that one's been edited)
http://www.streetfire.net/video/top-gear-mika-hakkinen_199772.htm

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Taylor Sauer Died While Driving And Facebooking; Now Parents Want To Make It Ilegal [View all] Jello Biafra Mar 2012 OP

Good grief! MADem Mar 2012 #1

The parents are not going to sue the Denver Broncos? LiberalFighter Mar 2012 #68

Either die or go to jail the other one Mar 2012 #2

Too bad she didn't survive to have her driving privileges revoked / suspended until age 21 or so. Quantess Mar 2012 #3

You shouldn't generalize... Juneboarder Mar 2012 #62

I know better than to generalize. Quantess Mar 2012 #67

When do cell phone jammers start being required in every car? nt Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #4

I'd settle for just getting rid of texting and Facebook altogether customerserviceguy Mar 2012 #6

Would be a lot easier just to install the jammers. I understand your sentiment though. nt Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #8

Yep. They would be great for classrooms as well. SATIRical Mar 2012 #55

People will always find some way pipi_k Mar 2012 #37

True, we can't fix stupid customerserviceguy Mar 2012 #75

I'm in favor of banning cell phone use while driving tabbycat31 Mar 2012 #98

I would venture to say pipi_k Mar 2012 #104

So even passengers can't use cell phones? proud2BlibKansan Mar 2012 #12

JUST HOW FUCKING SELF IMPORTANT have cellphones, texting,... TheMadMonk Mar 2012 #19

+1 nt laundry_queen Mar 2012 #53

Well, clearly YOUR opinion is so important no one can live without hearing about it. TheWraith Mar 2012 #58

Well in this case it was a bored (spoiled?) little girl... TheMadMonk Mar 2012 #80

It was a teenager making a stupid decision. ScreamingMeemie Mar 2012 #103

+100 Dokkie Mar 2012 #59

While I don't support violence as a way of dealing with this customerserviceguy Mar 2012 #76

+1 snagglepuss Mar 2012 #84

+10 Myrina Mar 2012 #105

We used to have a thing called books. nt Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #20

Books are good, but I keep losing my place when I downshift.n/t bluedigger Mar 2012 #27

When I lived in NY, I used to see drivers reading novels on the LIE in traffic. Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #28

I saw a trucker reading a newspaper once. bluedigger Mar 2012 #40

We used to have horses and buggies proud2BlibKansan Mar 2012 #49

While I like the idea, kentauros Mar 2012 #15

If the circumstances require an emergency call? Pull the fuck over. Spider Jerusalem Mar 2012 #17

So, if you have to pull over to avoid the interior cell-jammer kentauros Mar 2012 #23

Turn the car off, jammer turns off. Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #29

However, in this whole discussion, kentauros Mar 2012 #50

"better drivers"? Really? Spider Jerusalem Mar 2012 #51

You seem to have a problem reading everything I write. kentauros Mar 2012 #57

Illegal driving is widespread it the Southwest and West. Also lack of insurance. Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #66

"We are a long ways away from requiring the skid track." Why? kentauros Mar 2012 #79

Fairly easy explanation. Check out what they do in Finland if you do not have your license or Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #81

I used Finland only as an example of the kind of comprehensive driver's ed kentauros Mar 2012 #83

yes, Finland was YOUR example Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #85

Okay, I'm breaking my rule here, kentauros Mar 2012 #88

And once again, having better drivers is meaningless unless you take stiff measures to ensure that Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #89

That's just silly. If someone doesn't have a license, the cop isn't going to "let them be on their MADem Mar 2012 #90

No. Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #92

You didn't say "forgot to bring my license" though. MADem Mar 2012 #95

What? Here's another example or how to not have "good drivers" on the road Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #96

Not sure what your point is, there. That the policeman fucked up for letting the guy drive home? MADem Mar 2012 #99

Maybe you do not know what the subject is. Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #100

Well, I will bet not many of those one in five are Finnish. nt MADem Mar 2012 #101

LOL. Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #102

But how can I reach my husband or son when they are driving and there's Boudica the Lyoness Mar 2012 #47

They can stop to answer the phone? That's not hard either. Spider Jerusalem Mar 2012 #52

What did we do before cell phones in cars? nt Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #21

People still did plenty of stupid things before cell phones kentauros Mar 2012 #25

We had CB radios. Mariana Mar 2012 #69

You got off the road and went to a "full service rest area" or a service station. MADem Mar 2012 #97

911 requirements make this a moot point.. snooper2 Mar 2012 #22

What did we do before cell phones in cars? Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #26

It's immaterial... snooper2 Mar 2012 #32

Simple solution. Have a button in every new car that calls the local 911. Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #33

Who's going to pay for the shared call appearance feature? snooper2 Mar 2012 #35

I imagine there were all sorts of arguments against seat belts and air bags too. nt Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #36

Designing a rope to hold a human to a seat is a little different LOL snooper2 Mar 2012 #41

But designing an explosive device to propel a bag with just enough force to save a person's life was Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #43

It's already there LOL snooper2 Mar 2012 #44

This is such a bad idea. Boudica the Lyoness Mar 2012 #45

I have no sympathy dipsydoodle Mar 2012 #5

You have no sympathy for a teenager? Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #7

I don't think you've have said that in this case dipsydoodle Mar 2012 #9

Yes, I generally have sympathy for the ones who are actually injured/killed. Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #10

None for idiots who do it to themselves. TheMadMonk Mar 2012 #46

Pretty certain most didn't have any sympathy when they put a bullet in Che's head. trumad Mar 2012 #11

He remains a hero in Cuba dipsydoodle Mar 2012 #16

You are a true hero of the people. sudopod Mar 2012 #54

I agree with you 100% malaise Mar 2012 #18

Generally on DU if a teenager murders someone it is said that their brains are not developed and Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #24

That's the same penalty I'd give stupid adults malaise Mar 2012 #34

Been a teenager is not an excuse for putting others in danger treestar Mar 2012 #61

It's like people that cross the border illegally. Break the law and suffer the consequences. nt Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #63

The similarity of "breaking the law" does not hold there treestar Mar 2012 #70

But if you crash your own car while texting and it doesn't kill anyone then you still deserve to die Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #72

What would *you* do to teenagers that commit crimes? Ikonoklast Mar 2012 #86

I suppose it would depend on the crime. Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #87

But their brains are supposed to have developed in order to drive treestar Mar 2012 #91

Let me ask you a question. If your son was killed while riding with someone who was texting. Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #94

Well that didn't happen treestar Mar 2012 #106

Guess I'm too much of an introvert to get the whole texting/always talking on the phone thing cherish44 Mar 2012 #13

In TX it's now illegal to be on the cell in a School Zone. hobbit709 Mar 2012 #14

You mean while driving a vehicle, right? customerserviceguy Mar 2012 #77

If their daughter had gotten pregnant from a one night stand Blue_Tires Mar 2012 #30

It is already illegal here in Connecticut. Jennicut Mar 2012 #31

It's illegal here in NY, too; but implementing it is very hard. FourScore Mar 2012 #38

It is illegal to use a cell phone or text here in Georgia while driving. n/t RebelOne Mar 2012 #107

Unfortunately you can't effectively outlaw stupidity. nt hifiguy Mar 2012 #39

We can't but sometimes the universe steps in. hobbit709 Mar 2012 #64

Teach your children well.. I nag my nephews constantly LeftinOH Mar 2012 #42

I'm sorry to hear about their loss Proud Liberal Dem Mar 2012 #48

after i read this earlier, barbtries Mar 2012 #56

Yes, this is a good warning story treestar Mar 2012 #60

If your son rides with drivers who text then he deserves the consequences. Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #65

No, but he does have some responsibility to get out treestar Mar 2012 #71

And then you could post the story on DU and get comments about Darwiin. nt Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #82

I really think the insurance companies are going to force the car companies to put in a sarcasmo Mar 2012 #73

Herd thinned Gruntled Old Man Mar 2012 #74

Yeah, well the herd also gets thinned customerserviceguy Mar 2012 #78

I used to skype, text, facebook, DU, news read, phone and watch TV driving Broderick Mar 2012 #93