Soooo...what do you do when you are driving?

[Etra]

Re: Soooo...what do you do when you are driving?

You all terrify me.

Except for Murphie.

My psudo-singing terrifies you?

For this, I am not sorry.

[Neverslip]

Re: Soooo...what do you do when you are driving?

I use hands free headset when I drive IF I elect to take the call at all. And I disagree with:

You know that's not any less dangerous, right?

And agree with:

I think talking on a cell phone and driving being dangerous is bullshit. I talk to my passengers while driving, it's the same fucking thing.

When it comes to talking on a hands-free headset. Driving with one hand while holding the phone up with the other being equally as dangerous as driving with two hands on the steering wheel whilst in conversation does not compute. It's still a distraction but so are passengers. So is the radio. So are women during summer time. So are many things. I do support how King County has made talking on a cell w/o a hands-off set a finable offense; but, I don't think we need nanny legislation for everything.

Thing I don't like that I do now is follow directions on my smart phone. I'm already confused and lost... now I have to figure out where I am and how to get to where I want via a complicated and not-so-user-friendly interface I can barely see.

Sandwich making, drinking alcohol, and crying about your mommy's hard words is pretty stupid though.

[Aksannyi]

Re: Soooo...what do you do when you are driving?

When it comes to talking on a hands-free headset. Driving with one hand while holding the phone up with the other being equally as dangerous as driving with two hands on the steering wheel whilst in conversation does not compute.

I still don't see it. I drive with one hand almost all of the time as it is, and I've been driving that way for years. Maybe if you're one of those people who usually uses two hands all of the time (I have a friend like that) then I can see it, but almost everyone I know drives with only one hand. So to me, using that other hand to hold my phone isn't any different than driving normally. And yes, I would drop my phone if I suddenly needed both of my hands on the wheel for whatever reason. (I've done it, and it pissed my ex husband off. But he's a douche, and that's another story.)

But then again it all depends on the driver, it's sad that a lot of people can't handle themselves driving with one hand or grabbing a quick burger and make everyone look bad. Because not everyone who drives and talks/eats/etc. is a horrible driver.

[Neverslip]

Re: Soooo...what do you do when you are driving?

People around Seattle can barely drive as it is. As a pedestrian and cyclist I've had my run into many close calls and most of them had the driver gawking at me as they held their phone up to their face. Yes some people are better at some activities than others but I still think a vast majority of people shouldn't opt for more distraction when operating a large chunk of metal on wheels that typically moves at 20-90mph.

Hell... a cop hit my bicycle as I was walking it on the sidewalk as he came out of the cop-shop and he was on his cell phone. I smacked the hood of his car instinctually yelling a explitive as well; then, I realized I'd struck a cop-car, he seemed like I wasn't gonna get ran down, tackled, and tazed so I kept moving. Not much damage to my bike.

[cidbahamut]

Re: Soooo...what do you do when you are driving?

It's not about having both hands on the wheel, it's about your attention and awareness of the situation. Hands free is just as dangerous as a normal cell. There's science behind it bitches.

Chew on this for now and I'll dig up the more in depth stuff later this week: Even hands-free cell phones may impair driving

Honestly children, you're operating a lethal weapon, the least you can do is give it your full attention.

[Gobo]

Re: Soooo...what do you do when you are driving?

Listen to music, sing along (if I can), drink water if I get thirsty. I also play dodgem' cars when going down steep mountain sides. (Seriously, gravity is awesome; hitting 80/85 going downhill while in neutral a fucking blast. It's also dangerous and stupid as hell, but what isn't these days)

I've been on 3 two day car trips in the last 6 months. Driving can get VERY boring and tiring.

[Raydeus]

Re: Soooo...what do you do when you are driving?

I pretend sing with my music. Pretty much it. I know, I'm boring. :s ♪ Dancing is my remedy, remedy, oh~ ♪

At least I'm sort of not the only one... Well, sort of...

I used to practice the songs I was singing next Karaoke night while driving. You know, back when I had something resembling a social life.

What a waste of time that was.

Social life I mean, karaoke has always been fun.

[Aksannyi]

Re: Soooo...what do you do when you are driving?

Honestly children, you're operating a lethal weapon, the least you can do is give it your full attention.

Don't be a condescending dick. Some of us are older than you. Some of us are undoubtedly better drivers than you, too. And all the studies in the world don't amount to dick when you consider that different people and different driving habits will affect how a person reacts to different situations. Where one person is absolutely fine driving and talking on the phone, others are not. They only put these blanket statements because some people are retarded and they have to nanny the rest of us.

[cidbahamut]

Re: Soooo...what do you do when you are driving?

I'll stop being a dick when you stop doing things that threaten the lives of everyone else on the road.

[DakAttack]

Re: Soooo...what do you do when you are driving?

Don't be a condescending dick. Some of us are older than you. Some of us are undoubtedly better drivers than you, too. And all the studies in the world don't amount to dick when you consider that different people and different driving habits will affect how a person reacts to different situations. Where one person is absolutely fine driving and talking on the phone, others are not. They only put these blanket statements because some people are retarded and they have to nanny the rest of us.

This isn't even about driving ability, I'm sure the Stidge has probably come close to killing somebody while on a cell phone. It's about attention, which is limited in every individual. There are tons of visual and aural cues involved in driving and staying alert. Yes, for the most part it's procedural memory, but conditions change and this demands your attention. The second you start dividing that attention you're diminishing your ability to react.

It's science.

[Kailea]

Re: Soooo...what do you do when you are driving?

You know that's not any less dangerous, right?

oh please... no its not -.- I have both hands on the wheel, and both eyes on the road, and sorry if its a problem for some, but I have no problem focusing on the road, while having a conversation with a friend.

[Aksannyi]

Re: Soooo...what do you do when you are driving?

Except I'm not, and if you were to ride with me in my vehicle you'd see that. Again, not everyone on the planet is incompetent behind the wheel. But keep sitting up there on your fucking pedestal and act "holier than thou." It's cool. I'm going to be absolutely fine continuing to drive the way I have been, and if I'm in an accident, trust me, it won't be my fault. And if you think I'm doing the worst things in the world by (zomg) talking and driving, then you haven't seen much of anything yet (people putting on lipstick and actually looking in the mirror instead of the road, yes, I've seen that, and no, I don't do that kind of stupid shit, and that's not even the worst of it).

I hate being talked to like I'm a child. You could at least give people the benefit of the doubt. Yes, I do talk and drive. And I also bitch out people who do it badly. Most of the people I see talking and driving are fine, they don't cause any unnecessary problems. Trust me, far less people are being retarded while talking and driving than people who aren't. Again, just because some people are incompetent idiots does not mean the rest of us are.

[cidbahamut]

Re: Soooo...what do you do when you are driving?

It's not a matter of "being good at it" or not. When you get on the phone and chat your attention becomes divided and that puts people at risk. You can try to brush it aside as me up on some pedestal but that doesn't change the reality of it.

You are endangering everyone on the road. I don't care if others are doing more outlandish things, you're still risking other people's lives in a sickeningly casual manner. This is what really pisses me off. Driving has become so commonplace in people's lives that they don't give it the fearful respect it deserves. Every time you get in the car you are putting yourself in a life or death situation.

Dak's right, it's science: http://www.bvsde.paho.org/bvsacd/cd57/whydo.pdf

[TheGrandMom]

Re: Soooo...what do you do when you are driving?

Honestly children, you're operating a lethal weapon, the least you can do is give it your full attention.

Some of us are older than you.

And let me add to that, right now you are young and healthy and invincible...or so you think. As you age or have wear and tear from other things (stress, health issues, taking medication, etc), your reaction time isn't the same as it used to be. You may think so, but you will be wrong. Let me tell ya, its been a hard bone for me to chew through the years being a gamer. (I HATE IT, I HATE IT, I HATE IT!) So go ahead and get in the bad habit of "multitasking" while driving, it will catch up to you one day. I just hope that you don't injure someone else along the way.

[Aksannyi]

Re: Soooo...what do you do when you are driving?

If driving were so special, they'd regulate it more. Please. People treat it like it's commonplace because it is commonplace. They test you once, when you're at your most irresponsible age (teenage) and then never test you again. Most of the issues on the road today could be resolved simply by requiring people to pass a much more difficult test to get a license in the first place, and then to continue to test every ten years, no exceptions, or you lose your license. And I think that's something everyone can agree with.

That said, I will dispute to the death against my cell phone causing me to be more distracted than anything else. My kids are more of a distraction than my cell phone, but no one tells me not to drive with my kids in the truck. People look for excuses for their shitty driving when they fuck up and blame the gadgets when they were never any good at driving in the first place.

I'm going to bed, if you still wanna argue I'll catch you after work. Just for you, I'm going to call my dad and chat with him the entire way to and from work. He'll be doing the same, I'm sure. :D Nite nite, sweet dreams!

TGM, I was referring to the condescending tone. I hate being treated and talked to like I'm a child. I'm not - nor have I been for quite a while. I'm aware that people lose reaction time as they age, which is why I support retesting of all drivers at regular intervals. At the very least, it would pull some tools off the road and save some lives as well as create jobs. Winnar.

Okay, now I'm going to bed.