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

[Murphie]

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

The older I get, the more I recognize just how dangerous a car really can be, and I treat it as respectfully as possible when behind the wheel. Two weeks ago I was in a minor fender bender (well, more of a fender scratcher at best) because my attention was pulled from the road for a split second. I wasn't going very fast, no one was hurt, and nothing was damaged, but what if it had been? Cars are dangerous, yo. I've got plenty of time to read, eat, chat on the phone, and do whatever other stupid thing people feel they just have to do while driving when I'm NOT driving. If (you think) your life is so busy that you have to fit that shit in while you're behind the wheel, re-prioritize. Or get a driver.

[TheGrandMom]

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.

Yes, Aks, children and other people in the car can be distracting too but the only way to curb that is to make cars one seaters....and thats never going to happen. So lets look at chatting on the phone, which IS distracting even if you are using a hands on device. Can something be done to curb accidents related to distractions from cell phones? Yes, and easily so of course there is going to be debate and eventually stricter laws. You've said yourself that talking to people in the car, especially kids, is distracting, so how can talking on a cell phone not be? The fact of the matter is cell phones are distracting, hands on or hands off. There are enough distractions in our driving time (especially with other distracted drivers) that we need to pay attention to the road.

I tell my son this all the time and I'll tell you the same, I know that you may be a good driver (in his case..HA!) but there are a LOT of other drivers on the road that are not. I'd rather that you refrain from using your phone and come home safe than be slightly distracted and not see the asshole thats gonna take you out.

[Murphie]

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

I know if I had kids in the car, I'd be trying to keep my additional distractions to a minimum.

[Kailea]

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

again, I am not distracted while on my phone, sorry if you are, I have never been in an accident once, that has been my fault, (lets see.... old lady hit me, cop hit me, and my dad made me hit his car...don't ask) and I will keep it that way, I drive a good bit of my day, at least 75-80% of my work day is driving. Its not a matter of "I feel invincible" or "I am good at it" Its a matter of its not distracting to me.

[cidbahamut]

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

again, I am not distracted while on my phone

Actually, you are. Read the link.

[Yellow Mage]

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

What's really sad is all the silly excuses and justifications that people make up for their reckless and frankly stupid actions while driving.

[Kailea]

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

Actually, you are. Read the link.

I dont need to read shit to tell me how I am while I do something.

[Rodin]

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

I know if I had kids in the car, I'd be trying to keep my additional distractions to a minimum.

How about what happens when you're in an accident?

There's 3 impacts: Your car hitting the other car. You hitting the inside of your car. Your organs hitting the inside of your body.

It's possible for people to be in somewhat minor accidents, but drop dead hours later from internal bleeding that they just shrug off.

When I went to work with my father (He's a Firefigher/EMT in Prince Georges County, Maryland) in high school, there was an accident at 35 miles an hour. But, the poor guy wasn't wearing his seat belt. He was thrown halfway through the front of his windshield. He fell back into his car and the glass ended up tearing the skin off the top of his skull down to his chin. (Basically, his face was hanging by a thread.) When we got there he was still breathing and conscious, although, he did have a collapsed lung. Do you know how you uncollapse a lung? You stick a 14 gauge needle (Think about 8 inches long, and the size of a rose stem around) down inside the top of your shoulder. This is after they flipped his face back onto his skull.

All that is without any anesthesia. Not to mention, whenever there's an accident with a possible spinal cord injury, the doctors stick a finger up your ass. (If the sphincter doesn't contract, that's a bad sign.)

That's why I try to minimize my distractions ALL the time. I don't talk and drive. That kid who was in that accident, was texting while he was driving. You might not think you're distracted, but after what i just told you, is it really worth it?

[MrMageo]

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

I lol'd at recovering marijauna addict....as if pot is really that addicting.....the other stuff I can buy, but sweet mary jane ya rght.

[Yellow Mage]

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

I dont need to read shit to tell me how I am while I do something.

[cidbahamut]

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

I dont need science and quantifiable data.

Get the fuck off the road.

[Kailea]

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

Get the fuck off the road.

oh please get off your high horse, with what I do, its normal to answer a call while I am driving, if I stopped every time, I wold never make it to any of my customers on time, and all it takes is a tap to my ear to answer a call.

I am no danger to anyone on the road, I have seen people do some pretty stupid stuff on the road, and what I do is no where near as dangerous.

[cidbahamut]

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

Have you understood nothing? It's not the fiddling with the phone, it's that you're dividing your attention between driving and the conversation and that slows your reaction speed on the road to a degree similar to that of driving drunk.

You are a danger to everyone around you. If you cannot be considerate of the safety of others while driving then kindly dispose of your license.

[Kailea]

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

Have you understood nothing? It's not the fiddling with the phone, it's that you're dividing your attention between driving and the conversation and that slows your reaction speed on the road to a degree similar to that of driving drunk.

You are a danger to everyone around you. If you cannot be considerate of the safety of others while driving then kindly dispose of your license.

and I am telling you that it does not distract me, you nor some article right knows shit about how my brain works. Besides its not like I am on the phone 24/7 while I am driving, my calls dont last more then 5 min or so average, and the interval that they come in is about 2 an hour.

my driving record is spotless, and I would kindly like to tell you to shove it, for saying I don't need to be driving.

[Armando]

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

I don't talk on the phone while driving because I know it impairs me significantly. In fact I think I might have less brain bandwidth than other people. I know people that can listen to two conversations at once or read while they listen, but I sure as fuck can't. Maybe it doesn't impair other people much. I wouldn't risk it. If scientists say so (and the research method is solid) then I consider it true until disproven. Saying otherwise is like saying "I don't need a parser to tell me my accuracy."

I have also become distracted while talking to passengers, it's caused me to kick into habit-driving mode and forget to turn or take the right exit sometimes. However my usual passenger (my girlfriend) tends to help me out by saying things like "remember we're taking THIS exit" or letting me know if the right lane is clear when traffic is heavy. We also don't hold a constant conversation either. She also calms me down when I start frothing at the mouth over how badly other people drive or how dick they're being.