Well, Ohio Racer asked about threads that are more spicey.

Here's one of my pet peeves. Talking on the cell phone while driving. I want to get a modified lighted windscreen that SCREAMS: "Hang Up and Drive!".

Whether I'm on the metered On-Ramp, or in the No. 1 lane on the Freeway, some dope is talking on their cell phone oblivious to the task of driving. And there's no correlation to male and female. Both sexes are guilty of being Driving Dopes.

When my phone rings while I'm in the car I send it straight to voice mail. Anybody else do that?

Now, my lively hood is provided by the good will of AT&T Wireless, Verizon and Lucent. So I'm not against wireless phones. I wouldn't have my car if it wasn't for these guys. But I absolutely hate the use of the phone while driving.

Do I have any supporters out there, or does someone have a different view?

 

Amen brotha! I HATE that!!!

 

This is an accident looking for a place to happen!!

 

I think it is just a matter of time that nationwide it will be against the law to operate a non-hands-free phone while operating a motor vehicle.........tha statistics are moving up swiftly..........when I see someone on the phone, I give them a lot of space.........

greybeard

 

I welcome a complete ban. Hands free does little other than camouflage the fact you are on the phone. I've used them since the late '90's and found little improvement towards paying attention to driving.

So my $75.00 hands free set sits in my hidden compartment.

 

Many people don't drive well when they actually are concentrating! The hand held phones are a curse. The best, of course, is when some moron is attempting to dial, squinting at the tiny keys and wandering all over the road. How I love it!

 

The small town of N. Bend, WA banned cell phones while driving within city limits. The city council was promptly tarred and feathered and it was rescinded shortly thereafter.

I'd love to see them banned while driving also but it seems unlikely it will happen. I'm always quite amazed at the sheer numbers of folks on the phone. Who in the world is everyone talking to?

 

If I'm on the highway I will answer my phone. But I keep the call very short. I know this isn't the best thing to do but generally I have the cruise control set and I'm still keeping my eyes on the road.

In the city I don't bother because I'm constantly changing lanes, changing gears, etc... its just too distracting.

 

Here is my two cents..............

I agree that it should NOT be long before all states adopt at least a hands free law such as New York has. However this will not "really" solve the problem of people that have trouble driving as it is. The real issue is this IMO: When one is on any telephone one is mentally transported to the remote location. To make my point on this, the best example that I can thing of to prove my point is that just as the human mind has a problem with the concept of infinity, it is not capable of talking to someone on the telephone without conjuring up a mental picture in the minds eye of what that person "probably looks like, age, sex etc" based on their voice if that person is unknown to you. If that person is known to you you are probably seeing their face in your minds eye. That mental distraction is what makes talking on the phone different than having a conversation with a passenger in your car as some people argue "What's the difference?"

I can help not but wonder if the "leadership" (referring to the Congress and Senate) has the spine to do what is right by passing a Federal law (such as Germany did) instead of being "BRIBED" (that what it would be called if you or I did what they do, take money in exchange for favors) by the wireless industry.

 

One of the single most frightening sights is to be waiting at a traffic light, look into your rear view mirror and see a big SUV pulling up behind with the driver holding a cell phone to his or her ear. One hand is on the cell phone, and he/she is "talking" with the other hand. I close my eyes and hope that they stop. Sometimes they come awfully close.

I agree with all of those who have said that the real problem is the ability to concentrate on driving and talking on the phone at the same time. The phone is simply too great a distraction. Many people are distracted without the phone, the phone simply adds to the problem.

A few of the towns in New Jersey have banned hand held cell phone use by the driver. After the initial complaints, there hasn't been too much noise about it but I don't know if the laws are being enforced.

The irony, I think, is that everyone agrees about the danger, and many people think cell phone conversations by the driver should be banned yet I see many, many people talking on their cells while driving.