Texting and Driving

[OneStepAtATime]

And, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog with Neal Patrick-Harris

See I knew there were others.  I hate having a sieve for a brain....

[OneStepAtATime]

Are people really that used to receiving responses immediately that you have to send an "I'm driving" message? If somebody texts me and I don't respond, I trust they will be able to figure out that it is not possible or convenient for me to respond, period. I could be in the bathroom, at work, in a meeting, driving... I can think of many situations where they would simply have to wait. But I guess "wait" is a four letter word nowadays... in the figurative sense

Ran out of likes but yes, as I mentioned up thread I think people seem addicted to instant texting interaction.  They can't seem to see that waiting is perfectly acceptable.

[Slartibartfast]

Yes!  Forgot that too.

 

Although I would definitely avoid Our Mrs. Reynolds and Heart of Gold if you need "clean"....

 

Her eldest is three according to her sig. I figured she was more worried about quotations than content. :lol:

[Dana]

And, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog with Neal Patrick-Harris

 

D'oh!

 

Forgot that one!

We own it!

 

And now I have "Bad Horse" running in my head....   :smash:

[Dana]

And then realized that the hammer icon was NOT the best one with prior post....

[Slartibartfast]

D'oh!

 

Forgot that one!

We own it!

 

And now I have "Bad Horse" running in my head....   :smash:

 

aw...now I also have "Bad Horse" in my head.

[Kim in Appalachia]

It's the whole process, but I voted Nathan Fillion, just because....     :001_wub:     :lol:

[Kim in Appalachia]

My son and I were nearly killed on July 12th by someone texting and driving.

 

Ds has a rod and many pins running from his hip tomhis knee, lots of stiches, and bruises that make him look like he was beaten by a ballbat. This is the first day I can take a breath that is anything but very shallow without pain. Weather or not I will ever walk without a cane is anybody's guess.

 

So, really not a fan. Newsflash, there isn't any text you will ever read or send that is so important it is worth what my son and I have gone through so PSA, put the dang phones down!!!!

 

 

I hit "like", but  :thumbup1:  And that's for the huge PSA reminder, not for the fact that you were almost killed by someone who couldn't wait to read a text.

[kiwik]

I think it is probably ok for your phone to receive a text just not for you to receive. You haven't received it until you see it.

[Miss Peregrine]

I see people texting and driving all the time it infuriates me. My DH and two little girls were hit on Saturday. Our car was totaled and one daughter has a mild concussion. Dh saw the guy as he was about to hit them and he was looking down. :cursing:  The guy said he wasn't texting but I bet he was.

[happypamama]

I see people texting and driving all the time it infuriates me. My DH and two little girls were hit on Saturday. Our car was totaled and one daughter has a mild concussion. Dh saw the guy as he was about to hit them and he was looking down. :cursing:  The guy said he wasn't texting but I bet he was.

 

I'm so sorry.  Healing prayers for your daughter -- I am so glad that nothing worse happened!

 

I will talk judiciously while driving, which is not illegal in my state, and by that I mean, clear weather, clear road with little traffic.  I don't think it's any more distracting to me than having five children and their normal conversational noise.  I don't text or read texts while driving; that's stupid and dangerous.  

[albeto.]

I've found changing a radio station or drinking coffee in the car is more distraction than peeking at a text.

 

Is this serious, or hyperbole? 

 

You don't have to take your eyes off the road to pick up your coffee. You don't have to take your eyes off the road to find the radio button. You have to take your eyes off the road, change focus from far away to reeeeaaaaly small up close, and your attention is then focused on written language. It makes me wonder how you drink coffee up there in the arctic.

 

I confess to tapping my phone to change a song or podcast and glancing at a text, but I try to limit this and fidgeting in the car with kiddos as much as possible. I also limit my talking in the car for the same reason - I find it takes a lot of my attention off the road and slows my reaction time.

 

If coffee and talking in the car distract you as much as texting, you probably shouldn't do anything but plant your hands on the wheel and concentrate fully on driving. 

 

So I only voted typing when driving as the biggest issue, but I'm a firm believer in limiting anything in a moving vehicle but the driving process, itself. That doesn't mean I'm leaving my shuffle on a song with curse words when my kids are around, but it may mean I'm veeeeery careful in how and when I reach down and change it!

 

This is a serious issue and good and sweet and wonderful people get blindsided from life altering, and life ending accidents that are preventable. Perhaps you should consider playing no music, or have the radio set to the classical station for the safety of your children, and other people you don't even know but who are expecting drivers to be responsible. 

[Caroline]

Texting and driving kills people. End of story.

[Heatherwith4]

I think typing is more dangerous, but I think the whole process is too dangerous to do at all while driving. The amount of people I see doing it every day makes me want to stay at home!

[Elfknitter.#]

Obviously I need a capital W to wear on my avatar because all my likes are gone. These are all like.

 

And then realized that the hammer icon was NOT the best one with prior post....

  

Is this serious, or hyperbole? 

You don't have to take your eyes off the road to pick up your coffee. You don't have to take your eyes off the road to find the radio button. You have to take your eyes off the road, change focus from far away to reeeeaaaaly small up close, and your attention is then focused on written language. It makes me wonder how you drink coffee up there in the arctic.

 

 

If coffee and talking in the car distract you as much as texting, you probably shouldn't do anything but plant your hands on the wheel and concentrate fully on driving. 

 

 

This is a serious issue and good and sweet and wonderful people get blindsided from life altering, and life ending accidents that are preventable. Perhaps you should consider playing no music, or have the radio set to the classical station for the safety of your children, and other people you don't even know but who are expecting drivers to be responsible.

 

  

Texting and driving kills people. End of story.

[Mom-ninja.]

I put my phone in my purse/bag and then put purse/bag in the trunk or the back seat where I can't reach it. That way there is no temptation to just take a peek or answer when it rings.

[Guest submarines]

I put my phone in my purse/bag and then put purse/bag in the trunk or the back seat where I can't reach it. That way there is no temptation to just take a peek or answer when it rings.

 

Someone here posted some time ago about putting her phone under her thigh while driving--this way if she's in an accident there are more chances she will be able to reach it and call for help.

 

I keep my phone close, and I've put it under my thigh on particularly icy roads. But the only reason I got a cell was for safety reasons. I see no use for it if it is in the trunk of my car.

[albeto.]

I'm serious. I've discovered that I have bigger issues with things around my suburban and my passengers than my phone, but I also have it dash mounted and it plays music/podcasts through my stereo. So changing something on the display is actually easier for me than, say, trying to pick up a pacifier behind me or grab sunglasses out of my purse. And my cup holder is really far from where I sit, so getting my drink with my short arms involved a lot of shifting. Once I figured out it was to my bulky coat but my reach I stopped trying to take sips when not at a stop. It just wasn't working easily.

 

Most drivers can manage reaching around for a pacifier or grabbing sunglasses with eyes on the road. If you are taking your eyes off the road to scan the contents of your car to find these things, you are endangering your children and people around you. You could be charged with criminal recklessness and criminal mischief and other things.

 

I was being honest - I don't always have zero distractions in my vehicle, including my phone. But I try to minimize all of them when the vehicle is rolling. I've never texted while driving, but people have messaged me and the screen is visible as it is dash mounted. I do my best to ignore them when rolling but I will freely admit I've read a quick response, especially when I've asked a pertinent question to my destination (like trying to figure out where I was going last night for a Craiglist pickup).

 

This is a different scenario than you first gave where you said changing a radio station or drinking coffee in the car is more distraction than peeking at a text. You implied that texting is safer for you, as if this is an activity you do engage in and find it to be safer than drinking from a cup. People who have GPSes on their dashboard will note that a quick glance to a small screen is how it works, but these images are meant to be easy to transfer focus to. This is not the case for texts on a phone.

 

Nobody is perfect, and anything in a vehicle can be an issue, especially depending on the layout of the vehicle and individual driver's strengths and weaknesses. I freely admit to no perfection behind the wheel. But minimizing distracted driving is important and I do it as much as possible. But I'm not going to lie or exaggerate and claim to have never done something else while driving, either. Because it is important I try to be aware and avoid those situations. I just don't want to misrepresent as though I've never dealt with a car distraction or screen while behind the wheel.

 

There's no need to exaggerate here. No one is talking about perfection. You proposed the idea that texting is safer than drinking from a cup or changing the radio station, at least for you. It's almost as if you're defending something that has been identified as hazardous because... you like to do it? It's convenient for you? I can't understand the defense here. 

[SKL]

I do think there is a difference between reading and typing!  If the text is very short it can be read in a glance and not endanger anyone.  Sometimes I will hear the signal that I got an email and I'll want to check who it came from and what it's about (title line).  No more dangerous than a lot of things people do in the car legally.

[Guest submarines]

As I was driving on the highway today, the driver behind me kept repeatedly ducking under the dash board for several seconds at a time! :scared:

 

I changed lanes as soon as I could.

 

I wonder if she dropped something. Maybe her phone. Oy.

[Annie G]

Someone here posted some time ago about putting her phone under her thigh while driving--this way if she's in an accident there are more chances she will be able to reach it and call for help.

 

I keep my phone close, and I've put it under my thigh on particularly icy roads. But the only reason I got a cell was for safety reasons. I see no use for it if it is in the trunk of my car.

 

I wear a tiny crossbody purse- it only holds my phone, debit card, ID, and some cash. I wear it while driving so if there's an accident, I have my phone.  I have self control and don't read texts/emails while driving.    Driving is serious business. 

[SKL]

I have a serious question.  How is it any less distracting to have somebody read a text to you or to dictate a text, vs. glancing at a text?  It isn't your eyes that need to be continuously on the road, it's your brain.  Your ears listening to a text is at least as distracting as your eyes glancing at one.  This assumes one would not try to read long texts, only those you can take in in a glance.

[Excelsior! Academy]

I don't know about anyone else, but that's why I limit conversations in the car and try to keep audio going - when I have to respond and think about something beyond listening and absorbing I have a hard time. So more podcasts are better - they keep little brains occupied and not talking to me, too

 

 

Yes!!  I am much more relaxed now that we have a way to play audio and video in our van.

[Mom-ninja.]

Eh, I'm old school. I remember life before the all mighty smart phone or even regular cell phone. If I get in an accident bad enough that I cannot get out to get my phone, I openly admit that I am relying on the goodness of other people to stop and call 911 on their phone. 

 

I also drive usually drive 45+ minutes each way. I don't need my phone to keep me from being bored. Audio books, radio, talking to my kids, singing aloud to the horror of  my kids, talking to myself, etc. keep me from being bored. 

 

 

[Annie G]

I have a serious question.  How is it any less distracting to have somebody read a text to you or to dictate a text, vs. glancing at a text?  It isn't your eyes that need to be continuously on the road, it's your brain.  Your ears listening to a text is at least as distracting as your eyes glancing at one.  This assumes one would not try to read long texts, only those you can take in in a glance.

 

 

Some of the best serious conversations I've had with our teens occurred when we were driving. Since I am watching the road and not looking right at them, they seem to open up.  

 

Listening to someone read a short text isn't distracting to me at all, but maybe that's because we do a lot of talking while we're on the road. Dh and I take a lot of long road trips and we talk the whole time.  I really can't accept that listening to a text is any more dangerous than conversation, and my limited experience of two people- dh and me- have never had an accident in our entire driving career.  We talk, we listen to music, and drive at the same time.  Successfully.  

 

Maybe we're ok with it because we're not driving in NYC or downtown Chicago.  When we get into the city, we do hyper focus- it takes a lot more concentration for me to drive in the city. 

[SKL]

Listening to someone read a short text isn't distracting to me at all, ..

 

Maybe it depends on the individual.  For me, I find talking / listening much more taxing than reading / writing.  I am not a good listener, so I have to consciously focus my attention on the speaker and try to shut other thoughts out (if it's someone "important" like a work colleague or client).  Taking a peek at a handful of words on my cell phone screen is nothing in comparison.  I know that if it's complex, I can read it again more slowly at a better time.

 

So if some people are able to easily listen to and dictate texts in the car without getting distracted, it is probably also true that some other people are able to read short texts while driving without being unsafe.  Of course typing is a whole nother matter.

[Firefly]

I didn't vote for Nathan, but I wanted to.  I hope this doesn't mean I have to turn in my Fan Club card. :nopity:

 

I voted for both.  It can wait, people!  If I have my teens in the car, I might have them read and respond but really, it's never anything pressing enough that I would have risked reading/responding myself.  My iPhone has a feature that it can read out texts and I can dictate replies if I really wanted to but again, I've never felt like a response is crucial.  I love technology, but for a very long time we seemed to get along just fine without being able to instantly communicate with each other.  It can wait.

 

[Heather in Neverland]

Here I see people texting while riding their motorcycles. Seriously. Every day. It is completely common and horrifying. As if the driving here isn't bad enough already.

 

I was in an accident when I was 25yo because another girl was changing her radio station and slammed into me. It only takes a split second. Don't take chances.

[FaithManor]

Nm

[Miss Peregrine]

Faith, I am so glad you both are okay. Hope you mend quickly! {{{{hugs}}}}

[OneStepAtATime]

 

nm  Edited to protect those involved in recent incident

[ScoutTN]

I think any non-emergency use of a cell phone while driving is irresponsible. Talking, texting, hands free or not. I only use my phone in my car when my car is in Park.

 

I have a near miss or dangerous situation driving almost every week and almost 100% of the time the other driver is using a phone.

[gardenmom5]

to read a text takes your eyes *and attention* off the road.  (iow: even if you have half an eye on the road, you cannot process what you are reading unless you are focused on what you are reading.  so, your attention is not on the road.)

 

 

[ScoutTN]

I have a serious question. How is it any less distracting to have somebody read a text to you or to dictate a text, vs. glancing at a text? It isn't your eyes that need to be continuously on the road, it's your brain. Your ears listening to a text is at least as distracting as your eyes glancing at one. This assumes one would not try to read long texts, only those you can take in in a glance.

Even a quick glance away from the road can be too long. An accident can happen in a split second.

[kiana]

Yeah. I would be interested in knowing if anyone has ever faced criminal charges for having a phone receive a text that they never looked at or even knew came in. Sea hard to enforce and unnecessary.

 

Yeah, I'm pretty confused about this as well.

 

I understand banning sending them and reading them, but receiving them?

[maize]

I wish there were a law against sneezing and driving and that my nose would obey it. Sneezes are the scariest thing that happen to me while driving, I'm afraid of losing control every time.

[maize]

My vehicle only has a tape deck, that's where we get our audio with the phone and an adaptor instead. Just to clarify. I don't need my phone by and large, either, and nobody except my husband has the number. But it is my main computer and audio/information source, and the only way we get anything but dodgy radio in the vehicle.

We have a tape deck and an adapter too so we can listen to audio book downloads. Works surprisingly well.

[msrift]

There have been several studies that have shown that talking on your cell phone is different than talking to passengers. For one, if you are talking to passengers you tend to slow down or stop talking altogether if road conditions change. That doesn't happen on a cell call. Passengers also pick up on this change in speech and slow down their speech to mimic the driver's ((or even help navigate the road conditions), which a cell phone communicant is not capable of doing.

There are also 'tunnel vision' studies that show that just *talking* on your phone is the equivalent of driving drunk (approx. 0.08 BAC). Texting and driving is like driving after you spent the night at a kegger.

Don't talk OR text on your phone people. 

[myfunnybunch]

The answer is ALWAYS Nathan Fillion.  Just kidding.  It's the whole thing.

 

If I'm driving and Indy is with me, I'll have him read any text that comes in and tell him what to respond.  If he's not with me, it has to wait until I'm not driving.

 

I have my kids do this. Of course, they drive me CRAZY by purposely using text-speak to text my friends. GAH! My eyes! Rotten kids.

 

I also take the phone from the driver and do their texting for them if I am in a car and the driver gets out the phone. My dear friend did this only one time. Now she knows to hand me her phone. Hopefully, she's stopped texting when I'm not in the car too.....

 

Cat

[Tammi K]

I would have voted 'other' because I think it is EITHER typing or reading. The whole thing implies ( to me) you do both - text then read  or read then answer. But, I think doing either of those with out the other is just as bad. It takes your mind off the road where it should be.

[myfunnybunch]

 

Listening to someone read a short text isn't distracting to me at all, but maybe that's because we do a lot of talking while we're on the road.

 

Us too. Part of it is that whether it's a conversation or someone reading me a text message, I am prioritizing my attention, and so is the person doing the reading/talking. There have been times when I've chosen not to respond even with a helper to do the typing, or asked to have the text repeated a few minutes later, or said "Not right now. Give me a minute," because more of my attention needs to be on what's happening on the road.

 

I think the obvious difference between a quick glance at a text message and listening to a text message while it's read to you is that when you're looking at the text, even quickly, your eyes are not on the road. (Assuming a moving vehicle. I don't have a problem with a quick glance while stopped at a stoplight, though even then I ask my kids to respond if I feel I need to say "On our way now," or similar.)

 

Cat

 

[OneStepAtATime]

Us too. Part of it is that whether it's a conversation or someone reading me a text message, I am prioritizing my attention, and so is the person doing the reading/talking. There have been times when I've chosen not to respond even with a helper to do the typing, or asked to have the text repeated a few minutes later, or said "Not right now. Give me a minute," because more of my attention needs to be on what's happening on the road.

 

I think the obvious difference between a quick glance at a text message and listening to a text message while it's read to you is that when you're looking at the text, even quickly, your eyes are not on the road. (Assuming a moving vehicle. I don't have a problem with a quick glance while stopped at a stoplight, though even then I ask my kids to respond if I feel I need to say "On our way now," or similar.)

 

Cat

 

Yes!  That is a HUGE difference.  That split second when you look away you are NOT looking at the road.  Reaction time is critical.  It takes just a second of not reacting to turn something from a near miss to a catastrophe.  

[OneStepAtATime]

I don't agree.  People have no business reading while driving. 

Exactly.  When the vehicle is moving your eyes should be helping you operate your vehicle not glancing at text messages.  As mentioned many times on this thread it only takes a split second, one tiny lapse of focus, for a minor miss to turn into something horrific.

[justasque]

No one has talked about integrated car/phone technology yet.  

I drive a car that will recognize my phone via Bluetooth automatically when I start the car.  The phone stays in my handbag.  When it rings, I can answer it by pressing a button on the steering wheel, then I can talk as if the caller was in the car with me.  Or I can have it set to automatically answer the phone when it rings, so I don't even need to press a button.  When I get a text, I can press a button on the dashboard to have it read me the text.  I can also dial calls by talking to the car.  ("Handsfree.  Call Mom.").  I have mixed feelings about these features.  

This car also has a built-in GPS.  Rather than up at eye level, it's farther down on the dash (where many radios are).  For me, it's too far down.  I am not comfortable taking my eyes off the road to use it.  I prefer my old-school GPS that suction-cups to the windshield.  On the other hand, the built-in one has pretty fancy turn-by-turn voice features.  ("Turn left at the gas station.")

Some laws seem to be written to allow use of this kind of technology, even when hand-held phone use is banned.

[Guest submarines]

There have been several studies that have shown that talking on your cell phone is different than talking to passengers. For one, if you are talking to passengers you tend to slow down or stop talking altogether if road conditions change. That doesn't happen on a cell call. Passengers also pick up on this change in speech and slow down their speech to mimic the driver's ((or even help navigate the road conditions), which a cell phone communicant is not capable of doing.

 

There are also 'tunnel vision' studies that show that just *talking* on your phone is the equivalent of driving drunk (approx. 0.08 BAC). Texting and driving is like driving after you spent the night at a kegger.

 

Don't talk OR text on your phone people. 

 

:iagree:

[Guest submarines]

I don't agree.  People have no business reading while driving. 

 

What about glancing at directions written on a piece of paper?

[kiana]

Then perhaps billboards ought to be outlawed? I'm all for it.

 

You know what I'd really like to ban? The GLARINGLY bright electronic billboards that suddenly shift color and messages. I've come pretty close to having an accident because of one of those in my rear-view mirror.

[kiana]

This reminds me of something that DH once told me.  You know those dancing billowy dude things?  Hopefully I'm making sense.  He told me once in Germany in his city someone got into an accident because they were distracted by it.  It was supposed to be a dancing asparagus.  It looked like a giant penis really.  He said the city made the business take it down because it was too distracting.

I think that every time I see one of those. Especially when I see it stand straight up and then suddenly collapse.

[SKL]

Here's a question.  Do any of you check what time it is while you are driving?  How do you do that without taking your eyes off the road for a split second?  And how is that different from taking a quick glance at a text?

I am not surprised by the completely black & white response here, the "it only takes a split second," but I think it is illogical and possibly a bit hypocritical.  I don't believe anyone here actually never takes their eyes off the road for a split second while they are driving.

[OneStepAtATime]

O.k. when I glance at a clock (which I rarely do) the numbers are large and there aren't very many of them.  Half a second and I know what time it is.  And the clock is really easy to spot just below the top of the dash board so my eyes are still seeing out the windshield.  When I glance at a text I have to decode the words.  I have to look at a small screen with lots of letters and buttons.  It isn't the same thing at all as looking at the dashboard clock, at least not for me.  I get what you are saying, SKL, and yes there are times when I do have to glance at something or I inadvertently glance at something without intending to.  Still dangerous but it happens.  That simply isn't the same as READING something while driving, even if what I am reading is only a sentence long.