Text-Driving: Growing Epidemic

Overheal

This has gotten out of control. srsly ppl.

Phones + Driving = BAD. Okay?!

Many of you have seen this video by now,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_48WbsXg9A

That was last week.

This is this week:

http://news.idg.no/cw/art.cfm?id=31ABFDBF-1A64-67EA-E403A683CB4B59E4

A subway collision in downtown Boston on Friday injured 49 people, including the operator of one of the trains who later admitted he was texting his girlfriend when the crash occurred.


The disaster has re-ignited the debate on texting while driving or operating other vehicles. A stream of bloggers joined the discussion, some urging more states to pass laws specifically focused on outlawing texting while driving. Ten states already have such laws.


[continued]

Oh, and this might be daytime TV but I'm ready to believe it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDlYSPVro0Q

Its getting out of control. I'm sure you can find incidents of this nature all over the world. Not isolated.



PSA: DONT TEXT WHILE DRIVING. M'kay?


Thankfully Verizon - the largest Cell Phone provider in the States - has just this week pledged its support of an outright ban on text-driving.


http://telecom-expense-management-solutions.tmcnet.com/topics/telecom-expense-management/articles/55901-verizon-wireless-backs-driving-while-texting-ban.htm

Verizon (News - Alert) Wireless is taking an aggressive stance when it concerns the use of texting-and-driving. Just say no.

The company plans to work with state legislators nationwide to support an outright ban on texting-messing and driving, according to the New York Times. That stance mirrors the one maintained by the CTIA (News - Alert), the wireless-phone industry trade group.

Verizon Wireless is hoping its support will lead to safer road conditions for drivers. A number of studies have shown that cell phones and other mobile devices create distractions for drivers, leading to serious accidents, or even fatalities. Several states have adopted, or are now considering laws to ban texting while driving.

“Why? For the same reason we supported bans on using handheld phones,” Steven E. Zipperstein, vice president and general counsel for Verizon Wireless, told the New York Times. “Because if you have one hand on the wheel and one on the device, it’s less safe.”

[Cont'd]

Then there was the guy at the intersection today: he gets the green light to turn left, but he completely missed it. I was across and I could see him, off on his blackberry. Missed the entire light for everyone behind him - I have no idea why nobody honked the crap out of him. When I got the green to go across I drove right past him and he was still on the fcuking thing. People are unreal.

Senna

Besides the actual crash, the bus driver risks loosing his job by texting for 6 minutes even though he knows there's a camera above him? people that stupid shouldn't be allowed a job.

Overheal

I think I heard in the video that it was the passengers that reported the incident "despite it being caught on tape". It seems to suggest the company involved was happy not to say sh!t about texting as a rule.

easyeason3

I have given up texting people, way too much effort involved.
I get a text asking me something I just ring the person back.
Also when I'm driving it is an easier alternative to ring someone rather than text them.

minidazzler

Sorry there will give a proper response in a minute, I'm just on the motorway there.

Why don't they just put something in the roofs of new vehicles that just blocks your signal?

That way you'll have killed it off after a few years anyway.

After two years of that, you make it mandatory to have something installed on every car as part of the DOE/NCT that blocks all mobile signals (im sure they could work something out for taxis/garda cars/etc.) and if you don't have it installed, your vehicle is not considered 'road worthy'.

jape

easyeason3 wrote: »

I have given up texting people, way too much effort involved.
I get a text asking me something I just ring the person back.
Also when I'm driving it is an easier alternative to ring someone rather than text them.

That's why people txt when driving, because talking on the phone is banned and gets you penalty points I think. they seem to believe txting won't be spotted by the gardai because you can hold your phone down below the window. Highly dangerous.

minidazzler

Deleted User wrote: »

Why don't they just put something in the roofs of new vehicles that just blocks your signal?

That way you'll have killed it off after a few years anyway.

After two years of that, you make it mandatory to have something installed on every car as part of the DOE/NCT that blocks all mobile signals (im sure they could work something out for taxis/garda cars/etc.) and if you don't have it installed, your vehicle is not considered 'road worthy'.

That's not how Mobile Phone Signals work. Unless you put some sort of Signal Jammer in every Vehicle it would be impossible. And A signal Jammer would stretch further than the interior of the Vehicle thereby cutting any communication of people who walk near car's.

Overheal

Because forking 10-20 on a hands free option is unfathomable.

Some people are idiots. Get one of the Plug-in Car Mount Deals, a Bluetooth piece, or one of those cheap cables that most phones come with out of the box nowadays. Take your pick. All of those are a lot safer and in most cases still legal.

Deleted User wrote: »

Why don't they just put something in the roofs of new vehicles that just blocks your signal?

That way you'll have killed it off after a few years anyway.

After two years of that, you make it mandatory to have something installed on every car as part of the DOE/NCT that blocks all mobile signals (im sure they could work something out for taxis/garda cars/etc.) and if you don't have it installed, your vehicle is not considered 'road worthy'.

The signal doesnt come from orbit, it comes from towers. blocking the car roof is futile.

Phone providers can already triangulate your position. The technology is in reach to block a phone from connecting if its within a motorway for instance. But thats unfeasible, between emergency calls and passengers.

More likely companies like Verizon will try to create some type of hands free texting.

One article I read on the subject over at Gizmodo talks about one guy who got rear-ended: They subpoenaed the other driver's phone record and discovered he sent a text message just seconds after the crash. Expect this kind of check to become standard practice now and into the future.

http://gizmodo.com/5249679/texting-while-driving-is-becoming-ridiculous

"I was sitting at a stop light and a big Ford F-350 with a huge trailer full of lawn mowing equipment plowed into me at about 25mph, once again totalling my vehicle, and absolutely wrecking my back. I felt like I got hit my a freight train this time. I had my foot on the brake, and he made my car skid forward so hard that I pushed the car in front of me into the car in front of him. An eyewitness to the accident said that the man in the truck was using a phone when he hit me, and it was just verified to me the other day that his phone record shows that he sent a text message seconds before the accident occurred. At least this guy was able to apply a little bit of brakes before making contact, but still, I got hit really hard. I'm going to have to see a chiropractor, and I now am searching for another vehicle."

F350s are tankish enough by themselves without hauling a trailer full of machinery. Ouch.

I'm sure they could work something out.

When i worked in Dunnes in Scotch Hall (Shopping Centre in Drogheda) nobody could get a signal in the stock room. Phones worked fine on the shop floor and around the centre, just died in the stock room (and the Centre's basement). If that can happen (I doubt it was intentional, but it still happened) I'm sure they could come up with something that'd disable phones when they're in a car.


People driving buses shouldn't be allowed bring their phones onto the coach with them though. They should have fitted radios like in trucks.

KingLoser

im dead lol ttyl

ergonomics

I'm texted while driving once or twice, and was getting into a habit of regularly texting when stopped in traffic so I started putting my phone on silent in my zipped bag which is on the floor when on long journeys. On short journeys I ignore me phone. I end up completely forgetting about the phone now.

Nothing is so urgent that it can't wait a few minutes.

Overflow

Haha what the hell as you see that girl in the video driving off she says, shes not worried because she thinks she is a good enough TEXTER, wtf! i would hope it would be her driving skills the matter FFS !!! I can only hope that she drives off a cliff while texting instead of smashing into some innocent individual because of here blatant stupidity.

mental07

My sister texts/talks while driving, when there's other people in the car. It ****ing drives me mad. She can kill herself if she wants*, but she's not bringing me or anyone else in my family with her.


*well, preferably not, but you know what I'm getting at

Deleted User

Deleted User wrote: »

I'm sure they could work something out.

When i worked in Dunnes in Scotch Hall (Shopping Centre in Drogheda) nobody could get a signal in the stock room. Phones worked fine on the shop floor and around the centre, just died in the stock room (and the Centre's basement). If that can happen (I doubt it was intentional, but it still happened) I'm sure they could come up with something that'd disable phones when they're in a car.


People driving buses shouldn't be allowed bring their phones onto the coach with them though. They should have fitted radios like in trucks.

Come on will you. Would you really want to live in such a nanny state that your phone wouldn't work in a car. People need to be contactable for many different reasons I for one regularly need to use my phone in the car and yes I have been known to send an odd text while driving.

Also it is possible to block signal but you cant go putting signal jammers in cars, I would say lack of network coverage was most likely the reason for the lack of signal in the stock room and basement.

OldGoat

Kudos to all the drivers who carry flags on their cars so they can use Semaphore rather then texting.

Morrisseeee

Tis a disgrac............e
/fceck, nearly crashed there (while replying !!!):eek:

Mr.Lizard

Overheal wrote: »

Oh, and this might be daytime TV but I'm ready to believe it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDlYSPVro0Q

Nobody does that quick transition from idiotic oblivious smile to deadpan realisation like priviliged white Americans do it.

"What, you mean I'm not the centre of the Universe and we don't live in a world where everything is sunshine and flowers?"

ibarelycare

I use an earpiece when talking on my phone in the car but I have to admit to texting while driving sometimes. I don't look at the phone when I'm texting, maybe only look down for a split second, have my eyes on the road most of the time. I know that's no excuse though, it's a habit I have to get out of!

Mr.Lizard

I can't understand this communication addiction that some people have. The world isn't going to fall apart just because you're out of contact with people for 20 minutes.

ShooterSF

When I'm driving my phone goes unanswered and people know it. Including customers. I'm amazed at the amount of times I have a passenger in the car and my phone rings. First I get the why aren't you answering it look, then they almost get twitchy before asking am I going to answer it. Then they offer to answer it, it's like an addiction. Leave it alone.

robinph

Deleted User wrote: »

I'm sure they could work something out.

When i worked in Dunnes in Scotch Hall (Shopping Centre in Drogheda) nobody could get a signal in the stock room. Phones worked fine on the shop floor and around the centre, just died in the stock room (and the Centre's basement). If that can happen (I doubt it was intentional, but it still happened) I'm sure they could come up with something that'd disable phones when they're in a car.

We have a solution, put a few breeze blocks around the drivers seat of every car and you'll have the signal blocked no problem.

TheZohanS

You can't block phone signals from cars.

• Passengers are entitled to use their phone as they see fit.
• Doctors/Emergency workers who are on call are entitled to use their phones.
• If you come across a traffic accident and can't use your phone to call for help lives will be lost.

Drive-time radio shows that have text-in competitions should be stopped.

Anyone who texts/uses the phone while driving deserves what ever happens to them IMO, whether it be death or serious injury.

Its just such a shame about the innocents who don't deserve it.

Pyr0

Deleted User wrote: »

I'm sure they could come up with something that'd disable phones when they're in a car

Doesn't really sound like a good idea to me.

KTRIC

I've witnessed bikers and cyclists texting , never fails to amaze me !!

Pyr0

TheZohan wrote: »

You can't block phone signals from cars.

Drive-time radio shows that have text-in competitions should be stopped.

Not really, it's not the radio shows fault that people drive while texting.

That's like blaming drunk driving on the drink companies and not the idiot driving the car.

redsteveireland

[quoteYou can't block phone signals from cars.

Drive-time radio shows that have text-in competitions should be stopped.[/quote]

You can easily buy a small range phone jammer and install it in your car, but why bother? just stop using it.

I agree about radio stations because the only time I text in the car is for a radio competition and my texts are free. I do try to avoid it though.

Rabies

Ya, I drive and text/call. It's not against the law here, but I still did it in Ireland before I left.
To be honest I'll prob do it when I'm back in a few months too

Mr.Lizard

Deleted User wrote: »

I'm sure they could come up with something that'd disable phones when they're in a car.

They did. It's called common sense (tm).

[-0-]

Before I bought a car, every single time I was on an express way coach/bus the driver always used his phone. It's an absolute disgrace. I often see taxi drivers doing the same thing.

daveharnett

Deleted User wrote: »

Why don't they just put something in the roofs of new vehicles that just blocks your signal?

That way you'll have killed it off after a few years anyway.

After two years of that, you make it mandatory to have something installed on every car as part of the DOE/NCT that blocks all mobile signals (im sure they could work something out for taxis/garda cars/etc.) and if you don't have it installed, your vehicle is not considered 'road worthy'.

:rolleyes:

that is all

biko

I usually only text from my laptop now using Cabbagetexter.
In car I ring instead. Voice>text

Anto123

I don't think there's anything wrong with texting when you're stopped, once you're not at the front of the queue at lights and you keep half an eye on the road.

In really heavy traffic I like to browse the web on my Blackberry - it stops me from going mad, and even if the traffic moves off without me noticing it's only a couple of feet so hardly a disaster.

swingking

Deleted User wrote: »

Why don't they just put something in the roofs of new vehicles that just blocks your signal?

That way you'll have killed it off after a few years anyway.

After two years of that, you make it mandatory to have something installed on every car as part of the DOE/NCT that blocks all mobile signals (im sure they could work something out for taxis/garda cars/etc.) and if you don't have it installed, your vehicle is not considered 'road worthy'.

Because we don't live in a facist state

Overheal

Lets get practical folks. Jammers? Come on.

In-Car: Easy to tamper with, virtually impossible to enforce, retrofitting hundreds of millions of cars - not practical. Roof blocking ineffective. Read science sometime

On-Road: Also impractical. How many thousands of km of road in Ireland alone? What about emergency calls?

Think these things through :rolleyes:

You can't block phones. There are too many reasons why you shouldn't.

Its all much simpler, available now, at zero cost to the taxpayer, to check phone records of drivers at accident sites. Police could quickly and instantly check the phone numbers for activity at the time of the accident. Far less Orwellian than 'Jammers'. They can already do this with a subpoena, but new legislation could make it a mandatory procedure.