Shadow Shack

Or it could be their agents are using cell phones to conduct business. Oftentimes while driving...

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cagie

Who lobbies louder?

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Comments contained in my posts are not intended to cause physical or psychological stress and are mearly my two cents worth, and in this economy, that's cheap!
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JunkyardDog

I believe that driving/riding while using a cell phone, hands free or not, is just as dangerous if not more so than being legally drunk, and I think they should carry the same penalties. Get caught using a cell phone while driving, go to jail, pay a huge fine, and lose your license. In my case, losing my license would mean losing my job, as a CDL is required. It can get serious in a hurry. Getting caught while using a cell phone while driving a company vehicle will also get you fired.

And while AZ has some of the toughest drunk driving laws in the country, as far as I know, they don't have a single law concerning the use of cell phones while driving. Hopefully someday people will wake up and see what is happening.

Reminds me of a line from Star Trek TOS. Kirk said " there came a time when our technology advanced faster than our wisdom to use or control it, and we almost destroyed ourselves". That brings to mind such things as nuclear weapons, but could the end of humanity actually be caused by misuse of cell phones? Jerry.

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jax

I was in Scottsdale last week visiting my dad, while going down the 101 loop south, there was a guy driving with his knees and texting on his cell phone. He was all over the road but didn't seem to bother him. We went by and watching him in the mirror he kept on texting tell we couldn't see him anymore. It is really amazing to me that some people think the cell phone is more important than there life.
In Ca. where I live the cell phone is still king, even though there is a law against using them while driving. I see lots of people using them every day.

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JunkyardDog

The Loop 101 (all the way around) is one of the most dangerous roads in the country. There is an average of 5 accidents a day on that road, mostly rear end collisions, fortunately most of them happen at low speed. Did you notice all the signs that say "in case of minor crash, move vehicles from roadway"? It is just accepted that these accidents are going to happen. During certain times of the day, traffic will be cruising along at 70 mph, and then suddenly, without warning, and for no reason I can think of, come to a complete standstill. It happens so quickly that you have to be really alert and ready for it. May people on cell phones aren't paying attention, and when traffic suddenly slows down, they plow right into the car ahead of them. Most of the time they lock up their brakes at the last second, but sometimes they hit the car in front of them so hard that it will cause a 4 or 5 car pileup.


I don't like riding on that road, especially at those times of the day, you are a sitting duck on a bike. My Vulcan 750 has 4 way hazard flashers and a brakelight modulator, which I use to try and get the attention of the driver behind me, but if they are on a cell phone, they aren't going to see ANYTHING. I even use my hazard flashers on my car and truck.


A few years ago, I was rear ended by a cell phone driver while sitting at a red light in my work truck, a one ton Ford with a service bed on it. I was not injured, and there was only minor damage to the truck. I had a 44 oz. Dr. Pepper in the cup holder, and it wound up all over the inside of the truck. The woman who hit me had a 5 year old kid in the car, fortunately neither one were injured, but the car, a late model Chevy Cavalier, was completely crushed. There was nothing left from the base of the windshield forward. She admitted being on a cell phone when it happened. My guess is she got nothing but a ticket for failure to control her vehicle. Jerry.

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Shadow Shack

That's what I need --- a 60s vintage pick up with a steel bumper on the back. Maybe even fill it with concrete.

Use it in front of a cell driver and stop, collect the lawsuit money, repeat until I'm a millionaire. I'll be able to retire before 50...

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SKEWTS

Now that's an interesting retirement plan...

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SKEWTS

I can tell you from experience, neither is safe. In my job, I've photographed dead people from both.

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@~ Judy ~@ 2009 Ultra Blue Metallic Honda Rebel CMX250C
"No matter how much louder you make the Rebel exhaust, the sound still comes from a Rebel engine. Peewee Herman at max volume is never going to sound like Barry White." By Fridgitator

JunkyardDog

I figure it would take about 5 beers to equal driving while using a cell phone, iPad, or some other handheld electronic device. These devices just showed up, there were no laws in place to control their use while driving, and the government seems to be dragging their feet on implementing any. The few that do exist usually involve a minor fine and no points. I think it should be a criminal offense, treated the same as DUI, involve huge fines, jail time, and loss of license. Maybe that would stop at least some of it.

People get so emotional about drunk drivers. I see so many bumper stickers saying" I had a loved one killed by a drunk driver" or something to that effect. But I have never seen a sticker that said "I had a loved one killed by a cell phone using driver" I personally just don't see the difference. Jerry.

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Shadow Shack

Several things need to happen here. For starters, there's no nationwide organization speaking out against cell phone users. We need the equivilent of MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Drivers) or such to get the lawmakers' attention.

Secondly, we also need to address the penalty process. Because the simple fact is that taking away a drivers license has never stopped a drunk from driving again. Ever notice how future violations always happen to a drunk driver with a suspended license? Face it, you DON'T need a drivers license to buy a car. Lawmakers need to treat this just like firearms: once charged they get taken away (re: confiscated) and dealers should not be permitted to sell them to convicted persons. This can be applied in the private resale market as well...out here in NV if you sell a gun in a private party transaction the registration needs to be transferred to the new owner at City Hall. Only a fool would let his gun go to a stranger without transferring the registration, so the same can be done with vehicles. Long story short, make it more difficult for the offender to repeat the offense and it's less likely to be repeated.

So enact such a law and clone it for cell phone offenses, the convicted cell phone driver may continue to buy cell phones, but he/she would not be permitted to buy a vehicle...

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"Ride Safe, Chop Safer"
Support your FLIBS (Friendly Local Independent Bike Shop)
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