Commuters: How often do you see people texting while driving?

[rucky]

Me, usually 1 or 2 each day in my 30-minutes round trip on the freeway. I wasn't even looking for it at first, but happened upon it often enough to start taking notice. Scary.

[LisaM]

1. Constantly. And it's illegal here.

This weekend, I saw two people on the phone, and another texting - as they were merging on to the freeway.

It's bad enough to do it, but to be texting as you're merging on to a major highway at 7:00 on a Friday evening is completely irresponsible. And this person was at least late 30's.

Selfish, selfish.

[Phentex]

6. Same here. I can tell by the swerve if I'm on the highway...

they'll be drifting into the next lane and I can see them holding a phone up. I don't even try to get around them. I just move right and stay back.

Next thing you know, people will be honking as this idiot almost hits someone.

It's too common.

[Stinky The Clown]

2. I don't commute, per se, but I am often on the road. I have seen it maybe once or twice - ever.

What I *do* see are distracted drivers with a cell phone held up to their ear and the other hand off the wheel, waving around, gesticulating.

I think the genie is out of the bottle on the issue, though.

[Statistical]

12. Public will is all that is needed.

Make newer phones (which all have GPS) unable to text or dial when going faster than 20mph.
911 and handfree calling will still work though.

Could be done tomorrow. Now "legacy" devices will still be out there but very quickly people will want newer phones and within 3-4 years virtually all new phones will be "speed restricted".

[Stinky The Clown]

21. I ilke that, but what about if you're a passenger? Or on a train?

[Statistical]

26. It will suck to be a passenger but that is the price.

Many states have open container laws. It prohibits passengers from enjoying a cold one in a motor vehicle.

The reality is currently we (as a society) value the ability to text while driving MORE than the lives of our fellow motorists. Pure and simple that is what society is saying.

Maybe in a decade when deaths from distracted drivers exceeds that of DUI it may change. Sure passengers will be inconvenienced but if society decides a little inconvenience is worth saved lives then it will happen. It isn't a technical issue it is simply one of political/societal will.

20 years ago we go just fine not making phone calls (and worst texting on tiny screens) at highway speeds. Commerce still got done, people still got information, the world continued on it's axis.

Right now society isn't willing to let it go. Maybe eventually they will be. Just sucks to think of all the people who need to die between now and then.

For trains (and other mass transit) the train could send an encrypted signal which overrides the "speed block". Passengers in motor vehicles would need to wait until they arrive at their destination. Remember incoming hands free calls and 911 would always work.

[ThomWV]

3. As a motorcycle rider nothing scares me more than another braindead driver

[pipi_k]

4. Other other

I can't always tell when someone might be texting while driving, but I do see a lot of people actually talking on their cellphones.

Seems like every other driver is doing that.

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. Never once

Haven't seen it at all.

[kentauros]

7. A few here and there.

I'm usually too busy paying attention to all of the other bad drivers to notice if they're txting, too. Better to keep clear and drive defensively. Although having a good sense of assertiveness behind the wheel helps, too.

[rug]

8. Not often, I'm usually busy doing the crossword puzzle.

[kentauros]

11. The crosswalk puzzle?

:P

[SoCalDem]

16. HAH!!.. I did see a guy texting while crossing the street.. a right-turner

almost squashed him:)

[Behind the Aegis]

9. I don't commute, but I have actually seen bike riders texting while bicycling.

:crazy:

[marybourg]

14. Yes, me too. nt.

[rucky]

17. I guess it's better to be scared for someone than scared of them.

[Behind the Aegis]

25. I am scared of them.

I walk most every where. I live blocks from the French Quarter, so it is just easier to walk most places, occasionally taking a cab or streetcar. Many bikers here don't follow the laws of the road and are quite hazardous to those who are walking, the only thing that is better with the bikes is generally they aren't moving as fast as a car nor weigh as much and can be avoided in most cases, but it is still quite dangerous.

[Statistical]

10. More than 10 times a week? Hell more than 10 times a day.

Likely is double that. If I had to take a SWAG I would say 10-20 times per 45 minute commute.

I don't really pay close attention except to confirm my suspicions when they are swerving all over the road, driving in two ways, unable to keep constant speed, etc. Then when I pass them I look over and 99% of the time it is "yup texting & driving or dialing and driving".

[slackmaster]

13. I drove one mile to a deli, and one mile back on my lunch break today

I had to brake and use my horn three times because of idiots who weren't paying attention. At least one of them was using some kind of hand-held device when he pulled his pickup truck onto a busy street right in front of me.

[FloriTexan]

15. Here's one vote for ....

eating a hard shell taco (in one hand) while holding a phone (in the other hand) and trying to steer the car on to Interstate 30. Seriously! The driver's side door was bashed in - no surprise there!

[AsahinaKimi]

18. I was nearly

Run over by a guy on a cellphone..Wasn't texting but he wasn't paying attention either.

[CrispyQ]

19. Texting - only a couple of times.

Talking on the cell phone - all the time. Putting on makeup - frequently. Eating - frequently. Reaching for something elsewhere in the car - frequently.

The most unbelievable of all? A guy playing a guitar while driving down I-25 in Denver. His left hand was out the window on the neck of the guitar. He was picking with his right hand & 'steering' the car with his right knee. All this at 50+ mph. My husband was driving when I saw this fucker. I told hubby, "Stay far away from that car!" Unfuckingbelievable.

[seabeyond]

20. a few here and there and i am not on the road much..... nt

[RB TexLa]

22. Kind of hard to know what other people are doing in their cars when you were taught the virtue of

minding your own damn business.

[JerseygirlCT]

23. I can't tell if people are texting

it's too hard to see that while I'm so focused on driving myself!

But it's easy to see that there are still many, many people with a phone up to their ear, even though it's illegal here in CT. Usually easy to tell... they're the ones driving erratically (50 mph in the left lane, then suddenly 80 mph when they hang up).

In my town, it seems the cops who are supposed to be enforcing this are some of the worst offenders.

[Jamastiene]

24. Way too often. n/t

[HopeHoops]

27. The WORST offenders are the ones in SUVs the size of aircraft carriers (with no turn signals).

You would THINK that a $40K+ vehicle would come with turn signals, but apparently they don't have them.

[bigwillq]

28. A few here and there

More people I see are actually talking on the phone or doing something else like eating or drinking, putting on makeup, brusing hair, smoking a cigarette (which could be distracting, I smoke so I think it is), playing with the radio or IPod.