Texting and Driving

[mlmooney89]

I text and drive but before y'all lynch me I have stipulations. I'm used to driving a standard so I don't use my right hand while driving an automatic. I have swype on my phone so I can swype what I want to say without looking at my phone. Yes I get typos but I either ignore it or wait till I get to a red light to fix it. I also text in stop and go traffic where I will text while stopped then hold my phone while I inch forward then stop moving and start texting again. I will also text via talk to text. I don't text in any form on streets I don't know well, any street that has a curve, or where I can't see ahead of me. Driving the hour to my mom's on a dead straight road with no other cars around I will text but again I'm holding the phone to where my eyes keep scanning the sides of the road for deer. The only times I've ever been in an 'accident' were both when I was at a complete stop waiting for the person in front of me to go (phone in the center console not being touched) and the person behind me slammed into me. The first time it just put a small dent in my bumper the second folded my tailgate in half and destroyed the front end of the Dodge Challenger. I say 'accident' like that cause I don't know if it is considered an accident if you aren't even moving. My only other driving vice is speeding but since I am very stubborn on the two second rule I never put myself close enough to the car in front of me to not be able to stop in time.

Okay but wouldn't it be smarter and safer to just not text at all while driving.

Not to mention that I think stop and go traffic is a terrible time to divert your attention from the road. One minute you're speeding the next you need to slam the breaks.

What? You are speeding in stop and go traffic? What kind of traffic allows that? I'm talking where it's a long line of cars and you are inching forward one car length at a time. IE a backed up stop sign. If you are referring to going normal speed and then suddenly stopping I wouldn't call that stop and go traffic BUT I also follow a VERY strict 2 second rule. I have never come close to hitting someone. AND you are ignoring the part where I said I was texting without looking at my phone.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

A lady once told me that if she was texting and the light turned green she would finish her text before going. I told her that if I was behind her and she did that I'd piss in her heater vent.

[johan]

I text and drive but before y'all lynch me I have stipulations. 

No intention of lynching you, but I do have a few questions.
1. Do you believe that people who text while driving (not you in particular but people in general as a group) place themselves and those around them at a significantly increased risk of accidents and death?

2. I understand that you have stipulations and restrictions in place to limit your distractions. Do you believe those stipulations result in 0% distraction while the vehicle is in motion?

3. Do you believe your stipulations are 100% foolproof? IOW do you never deviate from them in least?

4. You are driving and texting and following your self imposed stipulations to the letter and somehow an accident occurs and someone dies. Do you at that point feel the text you were sending was worth it?

[Mermaid]

I see it every day, and watch carefully for it. Everyone is on their phone, it's crazy.
I have a hands-free option on my car, and I will use that to talk on the phone if I need to, but I will not look at my phone screen while driving or even stopped at a light.

It is apparently legal to talk on your phone in my state, but not to text while driving.

[Fidel_Castronaut]

I don't think there's a single excuse anyone can give to justify purposefully distracting themselves whilst driving a big steel box.

[WinterHold]

The whole concept of texting while doing other stuff is retarded if you ask me..

So out of a sudden the person is so important, striking a so important conversation in a so important social life: "Hey--Hi--------?!--yeah"...car moves so fast, crashing into the important person.



I hate texting when doing something else, I personally think it's a subliminal brain tactic to avoid looking at the world.
Just pull over and finish your msg ! multi-tasking is good for computers; but it's stupid and dangerous to people. Especially people who think they are so important !!

[Astonished]

Apparently my life is worth $20. That's how low the fine for driving with a cell phone in California can get. I got mowed down two years ago by some idiot and was lucky to be alive after. Not very life-affirming to know that the penalty for that is less than dinner for two at Denny's.

[Brian37]

Okay but wouldn't it be smarter and safer to just not text at all while driving.

Not to mention that I think stop and go traffic is a terrible time to divert your attention from the road. One minute you're speeding the next you need to slam the breaks.

What? You are speeding in stop and go traffic? What kind of traffic allows that? I'm talking where it's a long line of cars and you are inching forward one car length at a time. IE a backed up stop sign. If you are referring to going normal speed and then suddenly stopping I wouldn't call that stop and go traffic BUT I also follow a VERY strict 2 second rule. I have never come close to hitting someone. AND you are ignoring the part where I said I was texting without looking at my phone.

I agree with Aegon, why the needless risk?

Driving to me is NOT complicated. Keep your eyes on the road, keep your distance and obey speed limits and traffic laws.

Humans multi task in all aspects of life. But that does not make it wise in all aspects of life. Especially when you are talking about trying to control a 2 to 3,000 lb missile. 

I have had enough accidents and speeding tickets in my life to know I don't own the road.

[Aegon]

Apparently my life is worth $20. That's how low the fine for driving with a cell phone in California can get. I got mowed down two years ago by some idiot and was lucky to be alive after. Not very life-affirming to know that the penalty for that is less than dinner for two at Denny's.

Ok well I think mowing someone down with your car gets you more than a $20 fine.

[Brian37]

I don't think there's a single excuse anyone can give to justify purposefully distracting themselves whilst driving a big steel box.

I agree for the most part. But you cannot tell me you don't talk to others in the car, or reach for the air conditioner controls or a music CD. 

Most drivers, including me, multitask to some degree. My objection isn't that it happens, but that the long term marketing of vehicles leads far too many to a false sense of security. Cars are far too often marketed as quick, agile and super human. 

I have reached for the air conditioner controls, or a slot on the CD. I have reached for my lighter to light a smoke too. But the truth is your eyes should always be on he road, while in motion or stopped.