I do, and it should be nationwide, and it should be ALL cell phone use, not just texting. Why do I feel this way? I spend a lot of time on the road and I see a lot of bad and dangerous driving by people messing around with cell phones. Our roadways are dangerous enough without all the distractions that take place inside the vehicle...if someone can convince me there's a good reason for using a cell phone while driving I'll certainly consider that view, but I can't think of a single reason why it's necessary...
Think cell phones should be banned while driving?
- Thread starter grampi
- Start date
- Status
I have a cell phone with me when I drive, but it's usually turned off. If I have it on and it rings, I ignore it until I get to wherever I'm going. There's no way I'll answer it while driving.
Is the Pope Catholic? What makes me most nervous is when I see a young teenage female in my rearview mirror texting away. All I can think of is, I sure hope she doesn't rear end me and isn't driving behind me for a long time.
I tend to agree. It is only legal with a hands free unit here but you still see lots of people with it up to their ear. I see people wandering in their lane or slowing up and it is usually because they are on the phone. I don't think the newer cars with all the fancy touchscreens in the dash is a great idea either.
It should be taxed around 40 cents a minute and that money should offset auto insurance rates.
Cell phones do have their spot of convenience, when a phone call is for the exchange of information. "Get a gallon of milk. Okay."
But watch a stream of cars go by at 5pm and it's all people gabbing about how mean their boss was at work that day or whatever drivel. Give it up!
I get by fine with my Virgin mobile prepaid, less than ten bucks a month, zero free minutes.
Cell phones do have their spot of convenience, when a phone call is for the exchange of information. "Get a gallon of milk. Okay."
But watch a stream of cars go by at 5pm and it's all people gabbing about how mean their boss was at work that day or whatever drivel. Give it up!
I get by fine with my Virgin mobile prepaid, less than ten bucks a month, zero free minutes.
- Joined
- Dec 7, 2012
- Messages
- 3,597
Originally Posted By: morepwr
I don't think the newer cars with all the fancy touchscreens in the dash is a great idea either.
I agree. I have a friend with a Focus that has all of that Microsoft Sync [censored]. He does more fiddling/playing with the controls and always wanders on the road.
I don't think the newer cars with all the fancy touchscreens in the dash is a great idea either.
I agree. I have a friend with a Focus that has all of that Microsoft Sync [censored]. He does more fiddling/playing with the controls and always wanders on the road.
I'm not in favor of a law on the books for every bad behavior, so no I personally don't think there should be a specific law.
BUT! I think police departments should RIGOROUSLY enforce bad driving practices that are common examples of cell phone (mis)use in vehicles- weaving, failure to maintain speed, failure to signal, etc. And I think the fines for those offenses need to be boosted- that would not only effectively target cell phone use, but also just plain bad driving. There has historically been WAY too much emphasis on speeding, and not enough on truly dangerous driving habits.
Heck, I'm on the road 1/10th of the time daily that a police officer is, and *I* can see how a car is moving on the road and guess with about a 90% correctness that the driver is on a hand-held phone when I see a set of vehicle behaviors. Cops should be able to do that, and should be able to write highly expensive tickets for those offenses.
BUT! I think police departments should RIGOROUSLY enforce bad driving practices that are common examples of cell phone (mis)use in vehicles- weaving, failure to maintain speed, failure to signal, etc. And I think the fines for those offenses need to be boosted- that would not only effectively target cell phone use, but also just plain bad driving. There has historically been WAY too much emphasis on speeding, and not enough on truly dangerous driving habits.
Heck, I'm on the road 1/10th of the time daily that a police officer is, and *I* can see how a car is moving on the road and guess with about a 90% correctness that the driver is on a hand-held phone when I see a set of vehicle behaviors. Cops should be able to do that, and should be able to write highly expensive tickets for those offenses.
I'm guilty of talking on my cell phone or some occasions, but my conversations are limited to a minute or so. I don't yap on the phone just to kill commute time, as so many others behind the wheel seem to be doing.
I would be in favor of banning all cell phone usage while driving.
I would be in favor of banning all cell phone usage while driving.
I think we need to ban stupid people from driving. Cell phones don't cause accidents, stupid people do. Take away cell phones and they would just find something else to distract them.
We don't need the government controlling our daily lives any more than they already do. Besides, most states already have laws on the books regarding inattentive driving.
We don't need the government controlling our daily lives any more than they already do. Besides, most states already have laws on the books regarding inattentive driving.
They technically are in most states via the generic "distracted driving" laws.
No. Distracted driving is already illegal.
Originally Posted By: KD0AXS
I think we need to ban stupid people from driving. Cell phones don't cause accidents, stupid people do. Take away cell phones and they would just find something else to distract them.
We don't need the government controlling our daily lives any more than they already do. Besides, most states already have laws on the books regarding inattentive driving.
A lot of them also have laws on the books against using cell phones too...they just don't enforce them. I'm for cell phones coming from the manufacturers with some sort of device on them that prevents them from working while inside a vehicle with the ignition on...
I think we need to ban stupid people from driving. Cell phones don't cause accidents, stupid people do. Take away cell phones and they would just find something else to distract them.
We don't need the government controlling our daily lives any more than they already do. Besides, most states already have laws on the books regarding inattentive driving.
A lot of them also have laws on the books against using cell phones too...they just don't enforce them. I'm for cell phones coming from the manufacturers with some sort of device on them that prevents them from working while inside a vehicle with the ignition on...
Originally Posted By: satinsilver
Is the Pope Catholic? What makes me most nervous is when I see a young teenage female in my rearview mirror texting away. All I can think of is, I sure hope she doesn't rear end me and isn't driving behind me for a long time.
How do you think I feel when I see these idiots when I'm riding my motorcycle? I get as far away from them as possible!
Is the Pope Catholic? What makes me most nervous is when I see a young teenage female in my rearview mirror texting away. All I can think of is, I sure hope she doesn't rear end me and isn't driving behind me for a long time.
How do you think I feel when I see these idiots when I'm riding my motorcycle? I get as far away from them as possible!
It should be if it isn't already.
It is illegal here already.
You can use handsfree, or not at all.
I prefer not at all
It is illegal here already.
You can use handsfree, or not at all.
I prefer not at all
I send a text while driving about once a year. That's enough to keep me from doing it for about another year. Can't figure out how others pull it off with regularity. Bad enough to just dial the stupid phone as it is. Can't imagine trying to do this while dealing with bumper to bumper traffic either.
I'm generally not a fan of making more laws, but I'm inching towards it, for this case.
I'm generally not a fan of making more laws, but I'm inching towards it, for this case.
Originally Posted By: dparm
They technically are in most states via the generic "distracted driving" laws.
When I say "banned", I don't just mean to make it illegal, I also mean the laws should be enforced...laws that aren't enforced are useless...
They technically are in most states via the generic "distracted driving" laws.
When I say "banned", I don't just mean to make it illegal, I also mean the laws should be enforced...laws that aren't enforced are useless...
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: supton
I send a text while driving about once a year. That's enough to keep me from doing it for about another year. Can't figure out how others pull it off with regularity. Bad enough to just dial the stupid phone as it is. Can't imagine trying to do this while dealing with bumper to bumper traffic either.
I'm generally not a fan of making more laws, but I'm inching towards it, for this case.
Especially when distracted driving now kills more than drunk drivers do...something's gotta be done about it...
I send a text while driving about once a year. That's enough to keep me from doing it for about another year. Can't figure out how others pull it off with regularity. Bad enough to just dial the stupid phone as it is. Can't imagine trying to do this while dealing with bumper to bumper traffic either.
I'm generally not a fan of making more laws, but I'm inching towards it, for this case.
Especially when distracted driving now kills more than drunk drivers do...something's gotta be done about it...
I've personally observed 3 separate wicked rear end'ing accidents because the driver was looking down at their phone. It scares the $#%@ out of me.
Talking on a hands free with auto answer isn't the problem. It's the texting, emailing, dialing, anything that takes your eyes off the road that kills.
Talking on a hands free with auto answer isn't the problem. It's the texting, emailing, dialing, anything that takes your eyes off the road that kills.
- Status
