Cell Phone Deaths

PTC Guy's picture

For the first time in a long time road deaths increased.

Why? People dialing and otherwise being be preoccupied by their cell phones, not the road.

I am on the road more than I care to be. Cell phones stuck in drivers ears, especially in the left lane is annoying, impedes traffic flow and is dangerous because people are not paying attention.

Do I have cell? Yep!

Do I use it on the road? Yep!

So, am I condemning myself? Nope!

Why? Because mine is hooked to a speaker, not an ear piece even, and my numbers are voice dialed.

It is like talking to a passenger in my vehicle. My hands are free to drive. My eyes are on the road.

The road is getting more dangerous all the time. The left lane buggies that get a kick out of backing up traffic or feel they own the road. Those who no longer are capable of driving safety insisting they have right to be out there. Those who feel they do not need to be exercise any form of road courteous. Those who do paperwork, put on makeup, shave and other stupid things.

People need to rethink their concepts of the road. Don't do stupid things because it is convenient to you. Be aware you don't own the road.

The Laws of not impeding traffic need to be enforced. That would snare a lot of people no longer capable of driving.

We knew a driver with Alzheimer's. He would get lost. The police would not take his license away. They would just bring him home, with his car.

Another cannot see across the street. Still drives.

Others are scared of the road. They spend more time driving in the rear view mirrors, braking, trying to keep 10 car lengths in front and back of them at all times.

A lot of things need addressed. Not spending about $70.00 to add a cell speaker to ones vehicle and using voice dialing should easily not be two of them.

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Speaker Cell Phones
TinCan's picture
Submitted by TinCan on Sun, 04/23/2006 - 6:02pm.

If I correctly recall, the results of some studies I recently read indicated it's not holding the phone that's the distraction, but being involved in the conversation. Believe the article stated that the statistics for cell phone caused accidents are just about the same in both cases. I've also used my cell phone while underway, and it is distracting. Gave that up as a bad idea. By the way, I can walk and chew gum.
Woof


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cell fone
Submitted by bladderq on Sun, 04/23/2006 - 6:27pm.

I think we have already found that PTC-Guy is talking to his god. I have found that I agree w/ the studies that cell phone talking decreases my attention by at least 25%. God help the kids. I am 54 & have been driving since I was 10.

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RE: 25%
PTC Guy's picture
Submitted by PTC Guy on Sun, 04/23/2006 - 6:37pm.

I am 55. Get over it.

The study shows hand free drops to 17-18% distraction.

And states that motions and activity within the passenger compartments are far more distracting and cause far more accidents.

Really does not take a genius to figure out the cell is a distraction, as are many other things, but has less of an impact out of your hands than in it.

How many with it in their hands slow way down, have trouble staying in their lanes, and tuck it between the head and shoulder when trying to make turns?

And the study did not include hands free dialing. Think about it.

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RE: Speaker
PTC Guy's picture
Submitted by PTC Guy on Sun, 04/23/2006 - 6:24pm.

If speaking on a speaker phone causes accidents then so does talking to a passenger in your car. There is no difference.

The study showed that distractions such as dialing a cell phone, tuning a car radio, trying to read papers and such contributed to accidents because they all required dividing your attention between the action of driving and the other actions.

It takes more concentraton to keep a cell phone in place at your ear. And it partially blocks your vision and part of you hearing.

Speaking for my cell, if I want to answer a call, I keep it where I don't have to look at it. I just flip it open and I am connected. It is not held in my hand to talk. I do not have to take my eyes off the road.

To make a call, I, again, just flip it open, and a voice says, 'Name Please.' I say whatever name I coded in and it dials that number. Again, no holding or taking my eyes off the road.

Really, it is the same as talking to a passenger. In fact, you are more likely to look at you passenger than take your eyes off the road for a speaker voice since there is nothing to look at.

Having started without a speaker, I can tell you a speaker in safe, hand held is not.

Any distraction at all adds risk. I agree on that.

And I will not get into any technical discussion while on the cell. I tell them I will call back later.
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Keeping it real and to the core of the issue, not the peripherals.


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