Almost "Got it" this morning from a "Cell-Phone talker"

[BlueJazz]

Cruising down 66th st (3 lanes) this morning...started going through a Green light.
This Van with a Guy driving just blows through the Red Light (from my left) with a #%$^%$ Cell-phone plastered to his ear.
I slammed on brakes...spun around in intersection...almost hit another car.
And I swear, I don't think the Dude was even aware that He went through the Red light, much less, almost killed me.

Man..Oh..Man..When the hell are those things going to be banned from anybody who is operating a vehicle.

Yeah..I know..Never...Sigh...

[alcibiades_mystery]

1. It's against the law to drive with a handset in many areas of the country

You should agitate for that law where you are if you want it.

[sharp_stick]

12. We've had a law like that around here for awhile

it's done nothing to reduce the number of assholes with that damned phone up to their ears. It's kind of like speeding around here the cops don't do anything about it so nobody is going to stop. I can count the number of speedtraps on the freeway since I moved here 6 years ago on one hand.

[1monster]

20. Heck, I've seen police and sheriff's officers driving with cell phones clamped to their ears.

Yes, we do have a no cell phone while driving law here.

If they don't obey the law themselves...???

[lilymidnite]

2. Happened to me recently, too

Almost identical scenario, with exception of location. Ran red light. Idiot talker completely oblivious.

Plus, I ride bike to work a lot of days. I do a lot of yelling at the assholes on cell phones. Fuck 'em and their self-important asshole egos.

[TexasObserver]

3. anyone who talks on the phone in heavy traffic is a danger to others

it should be outlawed

even in light traffic, it's a distraction and talking drivers are a threat to others

[Gold Metal Flake]

4. Someone will be by shortly to tell you how wrong you are.

But, yeah, this is a significant safety issue. Glad you weren't hurt.

[Jim__]

5. Over the weekend, 2 cars drifted into my lane on the freeway.

I always look, and both of the drivers were on their cells, completely oblivious to the fact that they were all over the road.

Glad you didn't get hurt.

[asdjrocky]

6. It's against the law to talk on a cell

without an ear piece in Ca now.

edit: er, hands free

[BlueJazz]

7. Yeah....(Calmly) I guess the problem is a lot of people can talk on phones...

..whether with an ear-piece or not.
Unfortunately, a large share of the population can barely walk and chew gum at the same time..much less control a 3000 lb automobile...oh well. :)

[TexasObserver]

8. New England Journal of Medicine ran an article on this: as dangerous as being drunk and driving

The study they discussed revealed that people who talk and drive have the same lack of reaction that appears in drunk drivers. They concluded that driving while talking on the phone was as dangerous or worse than driving while drunk.

People only THINK they're safe drivers when they're talking on their cell phones. Connecting part of their brain to the conversation takes away from their ability to drive.

[LiberalFighter]

15. There was a report recently about how those on cell phones slow everyone else down

I'm not sure if it was because they are stopped at a light and they are too busy with their conversation to pay attention when the light changes.

[RaleighNCDUer]

16. AND there is virtually no difference in the driver's capacity

whether using a hand held or hands-free unit.

It's not the phone that is the distraction - it is the conversation ON the phone.

[TexasObserver]

17. that's right

I stopped talking on the phone while driving a few years ago, because it was obvious to me that people who drive and talk do so poorly. They drift into your lane, they don't notice the sign or the light, they simply don't see everything around them.

[PeaceNikki]

18. It it different from having a conversation with someone who's IN the car with you?

Curious...

[TexasProgresive]

22. That can be a distraction, too, but

the other person may be aware of the traffic situation (if they have eyes) and studies have shown that when it gets dicey conversations between people in the car tend to pause. The person on the other end of the cell call is totally unaware of what you're facing.

[kiva]

24. I think the difference is that when someone is in the car

with you, they're aware of what's happening around you. If you're in particularly heavy traffic or poor road conditions, most passengers will be more careful about distracting a driver with conversation.

[TexasObserver]

25. I agree. And it may mean someone else is helping you pay attention.

When two people are in a car and talking, both have an interest in the safety of both of them. They may be talking, but they're both looking forward, so there are two sets of eyes to catch things like "hey, there's already a guy in this lane over here."

As you note, disengaging conversation in a car is different than on the phone. We have all been on the phone with someone who is in a car, and heard them suddenly become aware of some traffic matter, and know how that immediately causes the driver to shift attention from talking to driving. It is that reaction that cell phones tend to slow down. The driver doesn't see something he might ordinarily see.

The biggest problem is there are many drivers who simply never shut up talking on the phone while driving. They're compulsive. They cannot drive without the phone by their ear. I think tasing on the side of the road would be an appropriate warning ticket.

[RaleighNCDUer]

27. Yes.

It is very apparent to me, as a person who has communication difficulties, that conversation with a person face-to-face (so to speak, even while not looking at them) is far easier than over the phone. Nuance in personal conversation is lost over the phone; therefore, you must concentrate far more to follow the phone conversation than to follow an in-person conversation. Additionally, the voice in the ear is highly focused, and tends to 'drown out' other sensory stimuli, whereas in person the one speaking is just one input of many.

[TCJ70]

9. If the guy was going fast enough to where he almost killed you...

...how can you be sure he had a cell phone on his face? Maybe he just ran the light?

[BlueJazz]

10. Good Question. I'm pretty observent at intersections....probably from my training...

...when I drove a Greyhound bus...2 years.
I saw him coming for (I guess 2-3 seconds???)...enough to see him and my mind to react.

There is no doubt..He had a cell up to his ear. ..right hand

Good Question though...

[liberal N proud]

11. The first cell talker to hit me will have a new suppository

I will take their damn phone, cram it up their ass and start calling it.

I will set it on vibrate first.

[LiberalFighter]

13. Are you sure it would do any good considering how small they are now?

[liberal N proud]

26. It would take it out of their hands

At least until they got to the next cell phone kiosk

[ourbluenation]

14. They're banned here in california now. Now everyone has those thingys attached to their heads

looks weird.

[1monster]

19. There's an intersection that I have to travel through on a regular basis where, at night, people

often run the red light going straight when it is a left turn only green arrow.

One night, a truck ran the red light as I was making the left turn and HE had the nerve to honk his horn at ME.

I've learned to go through there very carefully.

Not sure if cell phones are involved, IMHO, there is no excuse whatsoever for not seeing a red light at night. No possible believable excuse.

I'm glad you were able to avoid an accident and that you didn't "buy the farm."

On edit: I was rearended once when I was stopped to make a left turn (turn signal on) by a woman talking on a cell phone. Fortunately for me, it was a 25 mph school zone. Otherwise, I might have been seriously injured. As it was, I had $700 damage to my super strong Astro Van bumper. I'm sure her car had worse damage because my bumpers were really good.

[DailyGrind51]

21. I think I know that guy!

He almost broadsided me while I had the green light at the intersection of Dempster and Skokie Blvd. in Skokie, IL. I actually followed the bastard, honking my horn, to get him off his fucking phone, and he would not put the damn thing down! Now, how is a moron like that any less dangerous than a .09 drunk?

[trof]

23. I take traffic lights with a grain of salt now.

Entirely because of cellphone drivers.
Unless I can see traffic stopped and blocking all crossing lanes, I slow down and look.
I've had your same experience many times and it's getting worse.

[Greyskye]

28. Almost "got it" this morning from a "newspaper reader"

Car just ahead of me drifted into my lane, then back into his own. When I went past, a guy in a business suit was reading his freaking paper as he drove. I gave an angry honk as I went by. A couple seconds later, he caught up to me again, looked over at me, and shook his paper at me. I picked up my cell phone, and indicated I was going to call the cops.

He dove off the freeway at the next exit. :grr: Asshole.