Study: 1 In 3 Americans Text And Drive

[AtheistCrusader]

64. If I caught myself

even ONCE, wandering in my lane, or getting too close to the car ahead of me, or too close to a bicyclist, etc, just ONCE, I would completely stop doing it in the car.

I have had the misfortune of being in a carpool where the driver was speaking animatedly with a passenger (we would debate interesting issues) and hit a car ahead of him before the passengers, myself included, could convey a warning to him. Anecdotal, of course, but the example looms large in my memory.

One thing about 'sort of defending' the practice worries me; it could be taken as encouragement to others to do so as well, and they may utterly lack the capacity to divide or properly prioritize attention. I have literally dropped my phone on the floor, without a moment's hesitation, because road conditions had changed, and I needed full attention on the vehicle controls. Not even a close call, dropped a five hundred dollar phone, without hesitation. Other people might come to, upside down on the side of the road with the phone still in their hand, so capacity levels vary, and I cannot speak to or predict other people's capacity.

But I have certain hard thresholds beyond which, If I ever find myself doing it, I will cease the practice. Lane position and maintaining escape routes is of paramount importance to me, and if I ever find I am unable to maintain either while on the phone, I will cease immediately, and forever. I imagine, at some point in my life, as I age, I will have to give it up. Likely not before technology makes it utterly irrelevant, but you never know.

(there is a reason I NEVER eat food, or drink hot fluids while driving. No coffee, no tea. Failure to maintain the container might cause me to lose control of the vehicle.)