They really should make talking on your cell phone ...

[Luanne]

... while driving illegal. I don't even mean with a hands-free set either. The person driving is so into their conversation on the phone, they don't pay any attention to their driving at all. It is so dangerous. I know it is already illegal at least here (Colorado) to text and drive and people still do that. It is much more obvious when they have a phone up to their ear though.

[mom2bee]

I agree. I walk in my city a lot and I can't tell you how many times I've been nearly run down by a driver who is more engaged with their phone then with the road.

[OrganicAnn]

I hate when they tailgate and talk on their cell. I've almost been hit by people following too close and talking on a cell when I had to stop or slow down quickly.

 

There is some study that says they are as impaired in their driving as someone who has been drinking.

[mom2bee]

There is some study that says they are as impaired in their driving as someone who has been drinking.

Worse than. There are some really nice statistics out there about this, and they beat us over the head with them in Health classes, public announcements and everytime a student dies while texting/playing around with their phone.

 

This SpringBreak a student flipped her car and died, its believed she was fiddling with her phone.

[Luanne]

I hate when they tailgate and talk on their cell. I've almost been hit by people following too close and talking on a cell when I had to stop or slow down quickly.

 

There is some study that says they are as impaired in their driving as someone who has been drinking.

 

This is exactly what was happening that made me post this. The guy was driving a company vehicle besides. Maybe he was conducting business, but it was a dangerous way to do it.

[Firefly]

It's already illegal here in CT.

 

ETA: Hands-free is allowed.

[happyhomemaker]

I agree with making talking on cell phones and texting while driving illegal, but I disagree about making hands-free illegal. How is that any different than talking to a passenger in the car? Should I not be allowed to talk to my kids while driving? Or listen to music? The sad truth is that there is no amount of legislation that will make some people be responsible.

[Luanne]

I agree with making talking on cell phones and texting while driving illegal, but I disagree about making hands-free illegal. How is that any different than talking to a passenger in the car? Should I not be allowed to talk to my kids while driving? Or listen to music? The sad truth is that there is no amount of legislation that will make some people be responsible.

 

People seem to forget that they are driving when they are talking on the phone. I know sometimes talking with your passenger can cause problems too if you don't look at the road while you are driving. I know people who do this as well.

[Catwoman]

Am I the only one waiting for this thread to turn ugly? All of the past "cell phone in the car" threads have always seemed to get nasty, so I'm hoping this one won't. :lurk5:

 

Not to start trouble, but people who text while driving often seem to be the most preoccupied. :leaving:

[AMJ]

I like my hands-free kit -- it's my DD11. When I'm driving and she's in the car I hand the phone to her to handle any and all incoming calls, texts, etc. I can put her on hold, mute, auto-pilot, whatever I need, and she gets more points towards convincing us to someday let her have a phone of her own. If I want to look at the GPS on the phone or anything I pull over -- too much congestion here, and people not paying attention. Also, most streets don't have sidewalks, so all of the pedestrians are in the street with the rest of us.

[Rose in BC]

It is illegal in my province of British Columbia.

[nukeswife]

I just saw something about this because there are some legislators out there trying to get no texting laws on the books. I agree that texting is an issue, but they did say in the show that there were more accidents due to someone changing the radio station than from someone talking on their phone. So I have to agree with those that asked, how is talking on a phone hands free, any different then talking to your kids, changing the radio station or singing along with said radio.

[QuirkyKapers]

I almost got killed by someone who just drifted into my lane on the highway. I had nowhere to go since I was under a bridge. Luckily, I could slow down. They continued to drive way too fast and shift from lane to lane. Yep, thanks to talking on the cell. My son was freaked out because he could see the car right next to ours and that the man was on the phone. It was like, "If I had a rock I could have thrown it at him and knocked him out!".

 

Also, not a good idea to back out from a parking space in a crowded parking lot and be holding your phon up to your ear while backing up and trying to steer the wheel. It's as if all common sense has flown out the window.

[happypamama]

I personally think people ought to use common sense, depending on things like traffic and weather. DH has a straight road home for 40 miles, half of which has no stoplights at all, and traffic is usually very light. It's very possible for him to drive and talk (he's required to talk hands-free for half of it, but not once he gets over the line to our state) while still paying plenty of attention to the road. Otoh, a mom distracted by the radio or kids could be paying significantly less attention to the road than DH on his phone. Common sense and reasonable caution, please! (Texting does seem to up the danger factor much more than merely talking.)

[Jen in NY]

Ugh. Around here it is illegal and yet it seems to make no difference at all. 5 years ago there was a tragic accident here in my town where 5 girls were killed just after high school graduation... texting seconds before the accident. There was a huge outcry... they have trees and hills and fundraisers named after all these girls.... and yet....

 

watch the kids driving out of the high school on their phones or texting every. single. day.

 

?

 

If it were just their own lives they were taking into their hands it would be one thing..... but it's not the case.

 

My dd got her license yesterday. If there's one thing I keep repeating it's that a car can be a deadly weapon. :(

[Joker]

I'll admit I talk on my phone sometimes while driving and so does dh. We've never even had a near accident. Dh has never had an accident, and I've only been involved in one (at 18 and had no cell phone) which wasn't my fault.

 

I would never, ever text while driving and I don't know how people do it. I also refuse to put on/change a cd while driving but I will change the radio since the controls are on my steering wheel.

[Chelle in MO]

Careless and imprudent driving is already a violation of the law in Missouri. We don't need a new law; we need this one to be enforced regardless of the reason for the poor driving.

[somo_chickenlady]

Talking on the phone and texting were both illegal where we used to live in Missouri. I'm not sure if it was a state or county law, but you could get pulled over and ticketed for doing either one.

[SunnyDays]

Texting while driving is illegal in my state. I've noticed it hasn't really stopped a lot of people.

 

I do talk on the phone while I drive, not often... sometimes on my actual phone, sometimes through a hands free, blue tooth speaker. I definitely think hands free is the ideal. But as was mentioned above, there are plenty of laws already on the books that people don't follow, and unfortunately, you can't legislate responsibility into the population at large.

[Deee]

Its illegal in Australia.

D

[Tenaj]

Careless and imprudent driving is already a violation of the law in Missouri. We don't need a new law; we need this one to be enforced regardless of the reason for the poor driving.

 

 

This! Why is it necessary to keep passing new laws and regs on this subject. In Ohio a law was just passed to make it illegal to text while driving. There are already laws against reckless operation. Just enforce the laws already on the books and problem solved.

[LaxMom]

MD has just moved from talking on a hand-held device being a secondary offense to primary. IOW, they no longer have to witness you almost killing someone to pull you over. It was the same roll-out with seat belts.

 

Why do we need laws or enhancements to existing ones? Because people are willing to endanger themselves or others for their own convenience/entertainment, unless it's painful for them to get caught doing it. And even then...

[LaxMom]

 

 

I don't think it is painful enough.

 

And really I cannot believe people need to be told that texting while driving is insane.

Based on the needs for more and more legislation, and the stupid warning thread, I think we can say that not all of us wear our Captain Obvious panties with any regularity.

[BarbecueMom]

Talking on the phone and texting were both illegal where we used to live in Missouri. I'm not sure if it was a state or county law, but you could get pulled over and ticketed for doing either one.

 

 

Texting while driving is illegal in MO for anyone under the age of 21. No talking on the phone while driving is not a state law. If it was, every other cop that passes me on the road wouldn't be yapping away on a cell phone. I used to be a dispatcher, so I was often the one on the phone with those yapping cops.

 

I'll have to look up the article, but there were very, very few tickets written for texting and driving unless it was discovered during an accident investigation. 10-15 tickets statewide over a period of six months, and half of those were thrown out in court.

 

While I see the point states are making in trying to identify intentionally risky behaviors that lead to accidents, whether you are texting or talking or sneezing when you rear end someone, you're getting a ticket, regardless of any special laws outside of "careless and imprudent".

[Oakblossoms]

It is illegal here in Washington State. I do still see people from time to time. But, it gives the police the right to pull you over. You can still use blue tooth though and I don't like that either. I think it distracts people. People need to be paying attention and not trying to kill each other with their death machines (which is what I have started calling cars). I guess I am getting older. But, I just have no desire to put my kids on the road yet. I am so glad my 16 year old is not begging to drive. He does usually sit up front and we talk a lot about the drivers around us. He can point out poor driving behavior pretty quick at this point. I never saw that stuff when I was younger at all.

 

 

[nukeswife]

It is illegal here in Washington State. I do still see people from time to time. But, it gives the police the right to pull you over. You can still use blue tooth though and I don't like that either. I think it distracts people. People need to be paying attention and not trying to kill each other with their death machines (which is what I have started calling cars).

 

 

So would you also want a law on the books that you can't talk to passengers or have the radio on, because both of those can be just as distracting.

[Luanne]

 

So would you also want a law on the books that you can't talk to passengers or have the radio on, because both of those can be just as distracting.

 

 

 

Obviously they couldn't do that, but some people have a harder time concentrating than others and should realize that when they get behind the wheel of a car. I was distracted by my daughter when she was 5 and it did end with an accident that involved 3 cars.

[nukeswife]

That is my point, there are going to be crappy drivers no matter what and there are going to be jerks that don't pay attention no matter what. We don't need a law that says talking on your cell phone is illegal, there are already laws on the books for reckless driving so if a person is almost causing an accident due to talking on the phone they would fall under that law. So they just need to enforce the laws that are there instead of adding more.

[Oakblossoms]

No. I think a cell phone is far more distracting than a radio or passengers. People don't just talk on them anymore. They end up checking directions and emails and just looking something up real quick. It isn't even about talking on them anymore.

[Joker]

No. I think a cell phone is far more distracting than a radio or passengers. People don't just talk on them anymore. They end up checking directions and emails and just looking something up real quick. It isn't even about talking on them anymore.

 

 

We don't own any smartphones here, though. So, all we use them for is talking or texting and we're not texting while driving. I don't think using a phone for talking while driving is any more distracting than messing with the radio or carrying on a conversation with a passenger. To be honest, though, even if I had a smartphone I wouldn't use it for those things while driving. Those that do those things while driving aren't going to be safer without the phone because they're already not taking it seriously.

[Oakblossoms]

Yep and then a cop can pull them over because it is dangerous. I say give the cops a reason. I like cops. Heck I even love a few. And, that is nice you don't have smartphones. But, places like Washington with a highly traveled main freeway is crawling with them. It is dangerous here.

[Joker]

I don't think talking while driving should be illegal, but reckless driving should be punished. I live in a touristy area with a dangerous main highway as well, but I don't notice people being stupid just talking. I do notice drivers being reckless for doing other things with their phones and agree they should be stopped for their recklessness. I don't think the way to go about that is to outlaw all phone usage in cars though because it doesn't make sense to me.

[TKDmom]

I agree with making talking on cell phones and texting while driving illegal, but I disagree about making hands-free illegal. How is that any different than talking to a passenger in the car? Should I not be allowed to talk to my kids while driving? Or listen to music? The sad truth is that there is no amount of legislation that will make some people be responsible.

I totally agree that you can't legislate responsibility. But I disagree that talking on the phone is no different than talking to passengers in the car or listening to music. Music is generally just background noise for me that doesn't demand my attention. And when I'm talking to someone in my car, and I get into a sticky situation, we tend to all stop talking until the danger has passed. Well my younger kids don't, but they occasionally get told to shut their mouths so I can concentrate.

 

When I've been on the phone while driving, it's completely different. Somehow, the phone consumes more of your attention. And the person on the other end of the line has no idea what you're doing so they don't naturally pause the conversation while you try to switch lanes on a busy street, or whatever else you may be doing that takes concentration. It makes me very uncomfortable to talk on my phone while I'm driving, and it just boggles my mind that people regularly conduct business on the phone while driving.

[Catwoman]

It is illegal here in Washington State. I do still see people from time to time.

 

 

Reported our favorite (and by favorite, I mean IDIOT) troll, who is back again with yet another username. He or she is on a roll tonight, and is up to 9 posts already.

 

The mods shouldn't have to keep dealing with this moron.

[KungFuPanda]

My cell phone is less distracting than my kids. It doesn't annoy me by arguing with other cell-phones. I can also text and talk, or read incoming texts, hands-free by pushing one button and using the voice commands. My eyes never leave the road.

[lynn]

I wish it were to. Dreaming, I know but I wish the law would be to pull the driver and give a $500 ticket, second time $1000.

 

For teens take cell phone and parents have to go get it from the police station for $300.

 

Maybe people would think twice. I saw someone an accident on the interstate yesterday someone talking on the cell phone did not see traffic stopping slammed on brakes and swerved into the concrete divider. Thankfully no other cars were involved.

[unsinkable]

Ugh. Around here it is illegal and yet it seems to make no difference at all. 5 years ago there was a tragic accident here in my town where 5 girls were killed just after high school graduation... texting seconds before the accident. There was a huge outcry... they have trees and hills and fundraisers named after all these girls.... and yet....

 

watch the kids driving out of the high school on their phones or texting every. single. day.

 

?

 

If it were just their own lives they were taking into their hands it would be one thing..... but it's not the case.

 

My dd got her license yesterday. If there's one thing I keep repeating it's that a car can be a deadly weapon. :(

 

 

That was a horrific loss.

 

IIRC, the driver was 17 and had 4 friends in the car. I don't think you can legally do that anymore in NY, can you? Have more than 1 unrelated passenger?

 

Plus, their friends were following them in another car and saw it all.