cpp_is_king
Member
There you go again. Keep bolding stuff for people, Ill check back tomorrow to see how many more things youve had to bold for people.
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Smartphones Are Killing Americans, But Nobodys Counting
- Thread starter Lonely1
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There you go again. Keep bolding stuff for people, Ill check back tomorrow to see how many more things youve had to bold for people.
SoulUnison
Banned
Back in 2006 I was in a car with my roommate at night on dangerously icy freeways, and his first thought was to whip out his cell and text a buddy about - and I'm not making this up - how dangerous and icy the roads were. And, mind you, this was 2006. Smartphones weren't a thing yet. He was driving with one hand while staring at his phone and tapping this message out with predictive text. He didn't even slightly slow down.
We almost sideswiped the wall on an off-ramp and yet he still got violently defensive when I tried to call him out on just how fucking stupid and lacking self-awareness he was acting.
Thankfully the drive was to the airport to pick up a friend who was helping me move, so I never had to deal with him again.
We almost sideswiped the wall on an off-ramp and yet he still got violently defensive when I tried to call him out on just how fucking stupid and lacking self-awareness he was acting.
Thankfully the drive was to the airport to pick up a friend who was helping me move, so I never had to deal with him again.
Good in theory, but there isn't a way to qualify cellphone distraction.
with drunk driving you can put a number on blood alcohol level and draw that line, which is necessary for laws.
Cellphone usage? How do you say, empirically, that cellphone usage was the cause of distraction - at what point do you blame the cellphone. Obviously something like full admittance of a call during the even of an accident is evidence enough, but as you go down the line into grey areas, where do you draw that line?
I'm all for laws though, that limit cellphone usage during driving.
It's a hard thing though. because we have such laws, yet I still see people making calls, which I believe are totally a different thing than talking to another person in car, and people checking their phones are (badly) trying to discreetly look at their phones on their lap, which in many ways is probably worse.
Saint Gregory
Member
My brother does this constantly and it drives me insane. We nearly got in nto a head on collision because he was looking down at his phone not two minutes after I told him to stop.
Yeah, I rented a Ford Edge a couple of weeks ago and I'd never drive another. I felt totally blind on the rear sides.
Exact same thing happened to me at a pedestrian crossing. Woman stopped for pedestrian in front of me, started texting and maybe saw person in front of me finish crossing so accelerated straight into me.
Fuck anyone so incredibly selfish that they think they should have the right to seriously injure or kill someone so they can check their Instagram every ten seconds.
I'm not going to pretend I'm totally guilt-free of doing bad things in a car, but it is 100% true that using your cellphone even at a stop is a distraction. you are not paying full attention to the road, and you should be if you're in the drivers seat, at all times.
I do realise that some of us are better at it than others, and others again THINK they are better than others at it, but ultimately, you can't make laws and police them based around the "best" people - you have to apply them to everyone, and hence you have to target them at the level of just not allowing it.
This doesn't work in America. Too many places like Texas where there's no good public transportation: if you don't drive, you don't work, and you can't buy food
It's easy. If the cellphone is in your hand/lap/accessible while driving that's too much. If the vehicle is on then your cellphone should be either off, in your pocket in DND or nowhere within hands reach.
It isn't fine. Just stop trying to defend it. You're making yourself look like more of an ass than you probably are. I've almost been hit at a crosswalk because of it. I've seen people almost been hit. I now take pictures of assholes doing it and report them to the police for their ticket because it's illegal in my province. It's dangerous and can/will kill someone. You are not paying attention to the road if you're on your phone, period. Stop comparing it to a fucking radio.
Earthbound64
Banned
I've thought about doing that (both for people using cellphones, and also for people turning right through a solid walk signal - which people do all the time), but I don't want someone chasing me down in a car.
TheHolyTurnip
Member
This means no one could ever use their phone as a GPS ever again.
I get where you're going, and that hardline needs to be somewhere. like definitely no holding, that could be it.
but not within arms reach? I use my phone in a holder as a GPS. when a phone is in the dash, and you;re using it for glance able info, it's not too different from operating any other piece of dashboard device. Obviously messaging is a no and the like.
Dreams-Visions
Member
I check my phone at stop lights. I don't respond to or check anything else while in motion. I simply refuse. I see distracted drivers drifting all over the roads, though.
dragonfart28
Banned
Same.
I think most people are starting to understand the nuance of this and they know when it's appropriate and when it's not.
Bluetooth earphones also helps.
Looks like we have less danger on the road than in 1975. The number of fatalities has gone down even though the population has tripled.
Dreams-Visions
Member
remember there were no seatbelt laws in 1975. I'm not even sure if all cars had seat belts built in at that time. and of course, the design and materials used all help to preserve life. Engines are designed to drop down instead of intrude into the cabin, for example.
If the car is in drive and you're on your phone, you're fucking up.
I hate being behind you and waiting for you to notice the light's turned green, too.
Not to mention when you look up from your instagram to see the light's green so you accelerate without looking around to "catch up" and create a potentially dangerous situation.
Put your phone away.
The Faceless Master
Member
all these laws are just another way to punish the poor and minorities. that's who will be targeted and ticketed and fined disproportionately while the people driving their beamer in the nice neighborhoods get a pass
Dreams-Visions
Member
Thanks for your input. I'll keep doing what I'm doing, though. I don't even have an instagram. lol
nabe_shogun
Member
Just because you've experienced people doing that, not all of us who check our phone messages at a light do this.
If I check my phone at a light, I'm still checking the intersection like every other second. You can tell when its about to turn green anyway by looking for when the other direction turns yellow. Also the bad drivers who accelerate without looking around would probably do that even if they weren't on a phone, as they'd probably be distracted by something else.
Also, my car doesn't have 'drive' so I guess I'm good anyway.
curiouscharles
Member
Not sure why you responded to my same post twice. The scaling fine is a decent idea, but I'm not sure how that would work with the unemployed or those who are currently on a welfare program of some sort. There still needs to be a level of punishment available, and it will ultimately hurt the perpetrator in one form or another. But I believe that enacting laws to potentially save lives rises above the comfort level of those putting others in danger, ie. just don't fucking do it.
That would be an enforcement issue. Not sure why you would want to throw out the baby with the bathwater. And really, this isn't some social justice issue, nobody of any background should be using their phone while driving. Again, just don't fucking do it.
cpp_is_king
Member
You've almost been hit at a crosswalk because someone was using their phone at a stop sign while not moving? feels like there may be more to this story than you're letting on.
Making it as serious an offense as drunk driving won't do shit except give police another excuse for pulling over minorities.
People do it for two reasons, they haven't been educated in just how dangerous it is, and even when they have, human beings have this natural flaw where we think "yeah but not ME. I'm not distracted, I'm fine, I'm looking down for a second, I'm a good driver, it doesn't apply to me".
No laws, no ads, no self righteous anger is going to stop the rise in accidents caused by device distraction because we are fighting human nature. It won't stop until our driving becomes fully automated.
People do it for two reasons, they haven't been educated in just how dangerous it is, and even when they have, human beings have this natural flaw where we think "yeah but not ME. I'm not distracted, I'm fine, I'm looking down for a second, I'm a good driver, it doesn't apply to me".
No laws, no ads, no self righteous anger is going to stop the rise in accidents caused by device distraction because we are fighting human nature. It won't stop until our driving becomes fully automated.
Cool, hopefully you get a ticket before you hurt somebody.
laws and public shaming worked quite well for drunk driving actually
This is so deeply stupid, between the "bad drivers are bad even when they're not doing the bad thing" and the "I drive a stick lol".
7DollarHagane
Banned
Why are phones not disabled when the gps detects movement greater than 15 miles per hour?
Android and iOS should have this baked into the core of the OS.
Android and iOS should have this baked into the core of the OS.
The Faceless Master
Member
because the baby is already dead and they're gonna target minorities for manslaughter charges.
because most vehicles have more than one seat.
iOS does have this, but you can get around it by tapping "I'm not driving" in the dialogue box that comes up.
7DollarHagane
Banned
It doesn't matter. It's still illegal to drink while being a passenger. It would do everyone good to stay off the phone in the car.
Here in the UK its a £200 fine and 6 points on your license. I think 12 points gets you banned from driving iirc.
Some jobs in the UK (like mine) require you to have less than so many points as company policy.
The law here is quite clear, If youre using a phone behind the wheel you need to be pulled over somewhere safe with the engine off and the key out of the ignition. You cant use the built in speakerphone or headphones but you can use a Bluetooth ear piece or audio system.
Some jobs in the UK (like mine) require you to have less than so many points as company policy.
The law here is quite clear, If youre using a phone behind the wheel you need to be pulled over somewhere safe with the engine off and the key out of the ignition. You cant use the built in speakerphone or headphones but you can use a Bluetooth ear piece or audio system.
prag16
Banned
I dont' understand all the whining about people checking their phones at stop lights. Near where I work there is a series of ~30 second+ stop lights. Yes, I may shoot a txt or read an email at said stop lights. No, that doesn't mean I'm peeling out of there before being aware of my surroundings. Deal with it.
Worst case I don't notice the green light immediately, but that's rare and probably actually happens more often just from staring off at the side of the road while stopped.
Then a passenger cannot use their smartphone as a GPS, which is basically the modern version of a map which is something that is sometimes essential for driving. A smartphone is a useful tool even in a car as long as it is a passenger that has it. A passenger drinking in a car has no practical use.
I disagree with the "baby is already dead" angle. As long as there are continued victims of such negligent driving, then they deserve at least some level of protection or justice. An imbalance in enforcement is something that can still be worked on while continuing to protect responsible drivers and pedestrians. I don't see why a full withdrawal is required, especially since minorities are victims of negligent drivers just as much as white people.
It just feels very defeatist. Kind of like the gun debate in America, "Can't be solved; do nothing." I strongly disagree.
LMAO @ the absurdity. EDIT: it's also absurd imo that passengers cannot drink.
nabe_shogun
Member
Agree. I mean, if I wasn't checking my phone, I'd just be staring of at other things while stopped at a light, like other cars, my radio, gauge cluster, ect.
And really, I think I look at my phone maybe 3 times a month while in the car. So if being on your phone was actually made illegal where I live it wouldn't really bother me. I'm just arguing that looking at it while stopped is not dangerous, where as looking at your phone while moving is. You can't hit something if you're not moving.
I had a friend that would constantly text and drive because he had to answer people right away.
I called him an idiot several times and that he lacked empathy as he could seriously injure or kill someone.
He couldn't stop, he was addicted.
Kept saying he had the ability to do it properly.
He also drove a manual transmission.
Don't hang out with them anymore.
I called him an idiot several times and that he lacked empathy as he could seriously injure or kill someone.
He couldn't stop, he was addicted.
Kept saying he had the ability to do it properly.
He also drove a manual transmission.
Don't hang out with them anymore.
RoadHazard
Gold Member
Smartphones don't kill people, stupid people kill themselves (and potentially others).
People can't help themselves. I've even seen near-accidents caused by people "just checking their phones while waiting in traffic". You're controlling a large metal death-machine, start taking some personal responsibility
Of course its nothing specific to smartphones, my wifes grandfather was killed by someone texting behind the wheel
Of course its nothing specific to smartphones, my wifes grandfather was killed by someone texting behind the wheel
lifeexpectancy
Member
As long as you arent actively using your phone I dont see why headphones would be illegal. Its no different than driving with your music turned extremely loud. Or beinng deaf. My uncle is deaf and has a license. The only prerequisite for driving is good eyesight (there are amputees who drive). Thus taking your eyes off the road for a phone is a problem, but listening to music or being deaf is not a problem.
This has to be satire. This is literally the "guns don't kill people" line, but guns as smartphones, and bad people is replaced with stupid people.
If you check your phone (for anything other than a set-up-before-driving GPS) while driving, you're a danger to everyone on the road and you deserve a punishment for it. I hate driving with y'all, I hate the three times I've almost been hit at light crossings while cycling because of you idiots, and I hate that people think it's okay at any time other than when you're pulled over/parked. No, long stop lights aren't an excuse. Listen to the radio, turn on a CD, set up a Podcast before you leave out. Shoot, you could also just sit it out -- even a silent, minute long stoplight won't kill you! We don't need to be connected 24/7, especially when we're driving a literal weapon.
Whatever you "have to do" can wait.
I have argued with my family so much over this. Even the close calls they've been in aren't enough to get it through their thick skulls. Throw some actual repercussions at them and even they may get the memo.
Earthbound64
Banned
Not to mention that it had basically been posted already.
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