Community Forums

hondo122 · 12-08-2011, 07:06 PM

I remember reading this at the time, distracted driving.
FHP: Driver lacked razor-sharp focus
BY ADAM LINHARDT Citizen Staff
alinhardt@keysnews.com
As authorities nationwide warn motorists of the dangers of driving while texting, Florida Keys law enforcement officers add a new caution: Don't try to shave your privates, either.
Florida Highway Patrol troopers say a two-vehicle crash Tuesday at Mile Marker 21 on Cudjoe Key was caused by a 37-year-old woman driver who was shaving her bikini area while her ex-husband took the wheel from the passenger seat

http://keysnews.com/node/21349

Dynasty_09 · 12-08-2011, 07:08 PM

TXiceman,

thanks a lot for this extremely good video. Like you say it's very powerful.

I do driver training for companies and it is always a big concern. Drivers always believe it cannot happen to them. And of course, bosses are also part of the problems... since they cannot wait for that urgent sales forecast...the last one

Perry White · 12-08-2011, 07:12 PM

I know it's illegal, but a good cell phone jammer works great. Locks out the GPS also.

jzick · 12-09-2011, 07:11 AM

Evidently whatever we are doing to discourage texting while driving is not having much effect, at least according to this News from The Associated Press

LadyFitz... · 12-09-2011, 07:18 AM

It makes one wonder how people survived before we had cell phones.

jmtandem · 12-09-2011, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ramblin

I agree. Texting while driving should carry a stiff penalty. It should be fairly easy to prove texting contributed to an accident assuming the authorities would get the send/receive logs from the cell provider.

Better yet, cell phone manufacturers should offer up a technological solution. I think, since all modern cell phones have GPS capability (as part of the 911 reporting function) you should be able to turn the texting function off if the phone is moving faster than 10mph, and keep them disabled until the phone has been below 10mph for 5 minutes. That'll solve the problem.

How does this solve anything? What if the passenger wants to use the texting function of a cell phone, kids in the back seat, etc. A bad driver is a bad driver whether or not using a phone. A distracted driver is distracted whether applying chapstick, dialing in a new radio station, eating, drinking, or anything else. The real issue is much bigger, how to get drivers to pay attention to driving. And the last thing we want is drivers in the fast lane receiving a call and cutting everybody off without warning as they head for the shoulder and hope to stop before they lose the call. That is just as dangerous if not more dangerous than just taking a call.

jzick · 12-09-2011, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmtandem

How does this solve anything? What if the passenger wants to use the texting function of a cell phone, kids in the back seat, etc. A bad driver is a bad driver whether or not using a phone. A distracted driver is distracted whether applying chapstick, dialing in a new radio station, eating, drinking, or anything else. The real issue is much bigger, how to get drivers to pay attention to driving. And the last thing we want is drivers in the fast lane receiving a call and cutting everybody off without warning as they head for the shoulder and hope to stop before they lose the call. That is just as dangerous if not more dangerous than just taking a call.

Maybe someday in the near future. How researchers can shut down your mobile phone while you're driving | Mail Online

wa8yxm · 12-09-2011, 12:45 PM

The problem with "Shut down your mobile phone while you're driving" is.

I can think of ways to sense the phone in high speed motion (Speed Greater than 5mph) and auto disable selected (Or all) functions. HOWEVER

How do I tell where in the car the phone is sitting?

az bound · 12-09-2011, 01:10 PM

I have an even better one that DW and I saw last summer. Would not have believed it. Person driving with laptop mounted to the steering wheel. I googled it and sure enough they sell " laptop mounts for steering wheels"
You cant fix stupid.

RedneckExpress · 12-09-2011, 01:18 PM

You don't need to shut down phones while driving, just make it a legal requirement that highways and interstates are celllular dead zones.

No Signal = No texting or jabbering on the phone.

slickest1 · 12-09-2011, 03:25 PM

I used to drive a log truck and when coming down steep rough roads and around switch backs in the road you had to be able to multitask. You had to steer, shift gears, use foot brake along with a hand valve for your trailer brake, and we used to run water on our brakes(from a pressurized tank) that you had to deal with those controls as well. Along with that it was a radio controlled road so that you had to call your miles. That said not everyone could do that job. When driving down the highway I cannot stay focused enough on my driving to talk on a phone yet alone text. I did not crash but had an extremely close call. Lesson learned, after thinking I am a pro. with all this experience I learned that nobody is infallible, it is just plain dangerous!

RustyJC · 12-09-2011, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedneckExpress

You don't need to shut down phones while driving, just make it a legal requirement that highways and interstates are celllular dead zones.

Some of my closest calls have been on the side streets commuting to and from work - it's not just the superslabs that are a problem.

Rusty

UFO Pilot · 12-09-2011, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedneckExpress

You don't need to shut down phones while driving, just make it a legal requirement that highways and interstates are celllular dead zones.

No Signal = No texting or jabbering on the phone.

I broke down on I-80 East of Reno. Thank God my cell phone worked so I could call for help. We sat on the side of the Hwy for 4 hours waiting for a tow truck and NOT ONE vehicle stopped to check on us. At least 3 Nevada Highway Patrol cars passed us and they didn't stop. I had the 4 way flashers on and cones out. I suppose I could have taken my chance's trying to flag down someone?

UFO Pilot · 12-09-2011, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by baraff

The problem with anti-texting laws is that for the most part they are unenforceable mandates. They are, while a great idea, laws that are passed by politicians who know that they will never be enforced. I have yet to hear of anyone getting a ticket or going to jail for texting or using a cell phone while driving.
And I'm not blaming the LEOs, in all likelihood it's the courts failing to prosecute. I'm sure most police officers have seen the effects of accidents caused by texting.

We just had a young lady (19) sentenced here as she struck a woman and young child in a crosswalk, killing the young child and severely injuring the mother. She was texting at the time as proven by cell phone records. There has been such an uproar that LEO's are now heavily enforcing the no texting law thruout the County.