I think cell phone use by drivers should be banned

[jeffandnicole]

You don't have the liberty to put my life and health at danger.

Jesus Christ, Jeremy, not everyone who talks on the phone while driving puts your life and health at risk.

Everybody who drives on the same roads as me puts my life and health at risk.  Add a cell phone to the equation and the risk goes higher.  I have a serious problem with that.  Can't the call fucking wait?  I bet you're one of those guys who goes through the line at the grocery store yakking on the phone.  Am I right?

On the same token, you are also an increased risk to everyone else on the road.  Everyone is a risk to everyone else out there. 

[Brandon]

You don't have the liberty to put my life and health at danger.

Jesus Christ, Jeremy, not everyone who talks on the phone while driving puts your life and health at risk.

Everybody who drives on the same roads as me puts my life and health at risk.  Add a cell phone to the equation and the risk goes higher.  I have a serious problem with that.  Can't the call fucking wait?  I bet you're one of those guys who goes through the line at the grocery store yakking on the phone.  Am I right?

On the same token, you are also an increased risk to everyone else on the road.  Everyone is a risk to everyone else out there. 

Tell me about it.  Jeremy, if you don't believe us, check out the Driving Pet Peeves thread over in the Off Topic section.  There's a few videos of people acting like idiots while not on their phone that'll make your hair stand on end.

[1995hoo]

You don't have the liberty to put my life and health at danger.

Jesus Christ, Jeremy, not everyone who talks on the phone while driving puts your life and health at risk.

Everybody who drives on the same roads as me puts my life and health at risk.  Add a cell phone to the equation and the risk goes higher.  I have a serious problem with that.  Can't the call fucking wait?  I bet you're one of those guys who goes through the line at the grocery store yakking on the phone.  Am I right?

On the same token, you are also an increased risk to everyone else on the road.  Everyone is a risk to everyone else out there. 

Tell me about it.  Jeremy, if you don't believe us, check out the Driving Pet Peeves thread over in the Off Topic section.  There's a few videos of people acting like idiots while not on their phone that'll make your hair stand on end.

This one isn't in that thread, but it was pretty egregious. Videos like this are why I needed to learn how to add a bleep sound before I started uploading! The driver of the offending car was an older Oriental man who was not using a mobile phone.

[seicer]

"Oriental"? Wow.

I guess I'm "oriental" now, just because of my lineage.

[1995hoo]

"Oriental"? Wow.

I guess I'm "oriental" now, just because of my lineage.

What do you want me to say? I was trying to be neutral because he was clearly Oriental but I couldn't tell whether he was Japanese, Chinese, Korean, whatever, and something like "Chinaman" would be offensive.

[Takumi]

Girls! Stop! You're all pretty!

[J N Winkler]

What do you want me to say? I was trying to be neutral because he was clearly Oriental but I couldn't tell whether he was Japanese, Chinese, Korean, whatever, and something like "Chinaman" would be offensive.

"East Asian" is the safe adjective these days--"oriental" (in reference to East Asian ethnicities rather than, say, a type of carpet) has been unsafe since the mid-1980's.  But actually it is better to re-think whether the ethnicity has to be specified at all to make your point.  If what you really mean is "This guy looks like he is from East Asia because his eyes have epicanthic folds, so he can be visually distinguished from the other involved parties on this basis," then isn't it better to choose a different, race-neutral identifying characteristic such as the make and model of car he is driving, etc.?

[agentsteel53]

What do you want me to say? I was trying to be neutral because he was clearly Oriental but I couldn't tell whether he was Japanese, Chinese, Korean, whatever, and something like "Chinaman" would be offensive.

"oriental" is outdated - at least in the US.  like "colored". 

"Asian" is, as of 2013, the way to go.  that said, is his race all that relevant? 

[1995hoo]

The reason I thought it potentially relevant is that in my experience based on observation, older drivers who hail from other parts of the world often exhibit driving behaviors that are uncommon among people who grow up in the United States or Canada. Pulling to the right shoulder to make a left turn is one example; I've seen Latino drivers do that on two-lane roads and it seems to confuse the crap out of many American drivers, but it's common practice in parts of Mexico and other Latin American countries so to them it doesn't seem the least bit bizarre. I've never travelled to any part of Asia (whether the Orient or the Indian subcontinent or anywhere else), but I'm told by people who have been there that all sorts of driving behavior that we would consider anarchic is quite common except in Singapore ("a fine city") and Japan. Thus, I was conflicted on whether the guy in front of me was doing something that might not cause people in his home country to bat an eye or whether he was just being an arsehole.

[tradephoric]

Yay!  America is turning into a politically correct nanny state.   
Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils.

[1995hoo]

Yay!  America is turning into a politically correct nanny state.   
Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils.

[formulanone]

Great, they censored how we'll get to the White Mountains. Maybe a bra was involved; perhaps this is why they are hard to remove.

[1995hoo]

No, the fuzzed-out part is just where the two parts of the page match up. Note the "No. You must go" on the left side of the page. Maybe the guy's blog software couldn't handle the whole page as a single image: http://the-haunted-closet.blogspot.com/2010/03/white-mountains-boys-life-mar-1981-july.html

(Edited to add: When I was a kid and I first read the books after seeing the comic-strip adaptation, part of what was interesting is knowing the story was set in a future version of our world but not necessarily knowing where all the places were. I read those books again earlier this year and it was interesting to re-read them as an adult who could recognize landmarks like Notre-Dame in Paris and Lake Geneva and such. As a kid I knew it was set in Europe, primarily France, but I didn't get all the references to today's world.)

[hbelkins]

I bet you're one of those guys who goes through the line at the grocery store yakking on the phone.  Am I right?

Nope. I usually don't take the phone in the store with me unless I need to call home to ask if a certain product is what is needed or wanted, or I want to take a photo of an item for some reason or another. I don't understand why people feel the need to carry on their conversations in public like that; I've heard plenty of things in the Walmart aisles that are best reserved for a more private setting.

[Duke87]

I can take road pictures without my eyes leaving the road.  I can turn the radio up without looking away.  I can't answer a phone without looking away.  That is where the line in the sand lies.

It sounds like you support cell phone bans because answering a phone requires the driver to take their eyes off the road.  The Monash University study linked below found that the average parent takes their eyes off the road for three minutes and 22 seconds during a 16-minute trip.  Driving with kids was 12 times more distracting than talking on a mobile phone.

http://monash.edu/news/show/children-more-distracting-than-mobile-phones

Should parents be banned from driving when their kids are in the vehicle?

To some degree it's a question of what you can and can't mitigate. You can refrain from making or taking phone calls while you're driving. But you can't make your kids not be kids while you're driving.

Also, I'd argue that most of the distraction that comes from phones is drivers texting, checking their email, looking at the maps app, etc. - all of these things require taking your eyes off the road a lot more than making a phone call.

The overwhelming consensus in the scientific community is that hands-free offers negligible, if any, benefit to drivers

This is because having a conversation with someone is distracting regardless of the means. As I mentioned before, an adult passenger in the car with me is pretty much as distracting as my phone on speaker in the cupholder. There's a reason why on city buses they ask you not to talk to the driver while the bus is moving.

What makes a handheld camera distinct from a handheld telephone is the degree to which it monopolizes the hand you're holding it in. Some steering maneuvers require two hands to perform properly. If I use a camera while driving I usually pick it up briefly and then put it back down, and I can always partially grab the wheel with my second hand while the camera is still in it if need be. But if I have my phone in my hand and am having a conversation with someone over it, then my hand has to keep holding the phone to my ear and I cannot use that second hand for steering when I need it. That has the potential to not end well even if we factor out it being distracting.

[Molandfreak]

But you can't make your kids not be kids while you're driving.

To an extent. You can pull over and tell them you aren't going until they behave. But apparently parents don't do this in all areas of the country.

[corco]

What makes a handheld camera distinct from a handheld telephone is the degree to which it monopolizes the hand you're holding it in. Some steering maneuvers require two hands to perform properly. If I use a camera while driving I usually pick it up briefly and then put it back down, and I can always partially grab the wheel with my second hand while the camera is still in it if need be. But if I have my phone in my hand and am having a conversation with someone over it, then my hand has to keep holding the phone to my ear and I cannot use that second hand for steering when I need it. That has the potential to not end well even if we factor out it being distracting.

Totally agreed- I would hazard to say that if a camera is used in the way you describe, which I think is how most of us who have practiced a lot do it, it's more along the lines of the "adjusting the radio volume" level of distraction than the cell phone/eating/dealing with kids level of distraction.

The only time I feel like maybe I'm diminishing my driving ability when I take pictures is when I start positioning myself in lanes/etc in order to get a good shot (e.g., crap, I'm coming up on a BGS and a truck is in the way, best take the foot off the gas), which could be annoying to other drivers in trafficky situations. I try to just stay in the right lane as much as possible if I'm on an urban freeway or something to minimize this.

[Laura]

I'm surprised no one has acknowledged my example of talking on my cell phone in order to stay awake while driving.

I don't do this as much anymore because I haven't done a lot of late night driving alone lately, but I used to call people all the time and talk to them in order to stay awake. Part of the key was that I had to be the one talking the majority of the time. Ha, back when Mike and I were just friends, most of these types of conversations were me pretty much describing my entire drive. "Oh I'm at exit 243 - JMU is at this exit - have you ever been to JMU? I went to a party there once...let me tell you all about it for the next 5 minutes...oh at this next exit is that gas station where I usually stop to buy cheerwine..." To this day there are trips where we can't figure out if he was actually there or not because I would describe the entire thing to him.

Yes, I could pull over and sleep, and I do this more than the average person (I've slept at more rest areas, truck stops, walmarts, 24 hour gas stations, 24 hour mcdonalds than I can count) but if someone is expecting me, I don't want to accidentally oversleep somewhere and worry the crap out of them (I slept the entire night at a park and ride 15 minutes from home once, thinking it would be a 20 minute power nap...)

[ET21]

Hands free is the way to be. Love the new driving update I got where it's all voice texting and voice calling 

[Duke87]

I'm surprised no one has acknowledged my example of talking on my cell phone in order to stay awake while driving.

I don't do this as much anymore because I haven't done a lot of late night driving alone lately, but I used to call people all the time and talk to them in order to stay awake. Part of the key was that I had to be the one talking the majority of the time. Ha, back when Mike and I were just friends, most of these types of conversations were me pretty much describing my entire drive. "Oh I'm at exit 243 - JMU is at this exit - have you ever been to JMU? I went to a party there once...let me tell you all about it for the next 5 minutes...oh at this next exit is that gas station where I usually stop to buy cheerwine..." To this day there are trips where we can't figure out if he was actually there or not because I would describe the entire thing to him.

Heh. Mike is an amazing man to tolerate that. If you or anyone else tried that sort of thing with me I'd be cutting you off and hanging up after a few minutes. I did have an hour and a half long phone conversation with an ex of mine while she was driving home from a trip once, but it was a conversation, not me listening to her talk and talk and talk. Actually it was amusing since I (sitting at home) seemed to have a better idea of where she was the whole time than she (driving) did.

When you did this were you holding your phone to your ear or hands free by some means? If the latter then I see no issue with it.

When I was a bit younger I used to keep myself awake when driving home late at night by driving really fast. It got the adrenaline going and was effective at keeping me alert, but of course it was also dangerous. Nowadays I just crank my music up really loud if I need to be woken up... and try to avoid putting myself in situations where I'm still out driving at I should've been in bed three hours ago o'clock.
I've never slept in my car and doubt I could if I tried. I can't fall asleep in a sitting position and there isn't enough room for me to lie down anywhere.

[Laura]

I'm surprised no one has acknowledged my example of talking on my cell phone in order to stay awake while driving.

I don't do this as much anymore because I haven't done a lot of late night driving alone lately, but I used to call people all the time and talk to them in order to stay awake. Part of the key was that I had to be the one talking the majority of the time. Ha, back when Mike and I were just friends, most of these types of conversations were me pretty much describing my entire drive. "Oh I'm at exit 243 - JMU is at this exit - have you ever been to JMU? I went to a party there once...let me tell you all about it for the next 5 minutes...oh at this next exit is that gas station where I usually stop to buy cheerwine..." To this day there are trips where we can't figure out if he was actually there or not because I would describe the entire thing to him.

Heh. Mike is an amazing man to tolerate that. If you or anyone else tried that sort of thing with me I'd be cutting you off and hanging up after a few minutes. I did have an hour and a half long phone conversation with an ex of mine while she was driving home from a trip once, but it was a conversation, not me listening to her talk and talk and talk. Actually it was amusing since I (sitting at home) seemed to have a better idea of where she was than she (driving) did.

When you did this were you holding your phone to your ear or hands free by some means? If the latter then I see no issue with it.

When I was a bit younger I used to keep myself awake when driving home late at night by driving really fast. It got the adrenaline going and was effective at keeping me alert, but of course it was also dangerous. Nowadays I just crank my music up really loud if I need to be woken up... and try to avoid putting myself in situations where I'm still out driving at I should've been in bed three hours ago o'clock.
I've never slept in my car and doubt I could if I tried. I can't fall asleep in a sitting position and there isn't enough room for me to lie down anywhere.

Hahaha! Yes, he is. I did exaggerate a bit - we had normal conversations with both people conversing, but if I was REALLY tired, I would have to do the majority of the talking (not necessarily nonstop). It seems silly, but I can tell the different varieties of tired I am, and in those cases, if I could push through it long enough before the caffeine kicked in (about 20 minutes) then I would be good for a couple of hours. But yes, we've had moments where we can't figure out "did I go to such-and-such town on such-and-such route with you?" "No, I think I described it to you so well in a conversation that you were practically there..."

if i was talking to anyone else, I didn't really talk about the scenery beyond a sentence or two. I think Mike tolerated it because a) he was a roadgeek and b) he had a crush on me, lol.

I've used a mix of holding the phone, using earbuds, and using a wireless bluetooth device. I don't really talk and hold the phone for long periods driving anymore because I have tendinitis in my right thumb (de Quervain's tenosynovitis) so holding a phone with the right hand or driving with that hand alone is painful.

I'm a bit wiser now and try to avoid driving crazy late at night. Sleeping in the car isn't the most comfy thing ever - I usually put the driver (or passenger) seat all the way down and sleep awkwardly sideways on it - but when I get tired, i am out like a rock, so comfort is something I can do without.

[realjd]

I'm surprised no one has acknowledged my example of talking on my cell phone in order to stay awake while driving.

I don't do this as much anymore because I haven't done a lot of late night driving alone lately, but I used to call people all the time and talk to them in order to stay awake. Part of the key was that I had to be the one talking the majority of the time. Ha, back when Mike and I were just friends, most of these types of conversations were me pretty much describing my entire drive. "Oh I'm at exit 243 - JMU is at this exit - have you ever been to JMU? I went to a party there once...let me tell you all about it for the next 5 minutes...oh at this next exit is that gas station where I usually stop to buy cheerwine..." To this day there are trips where we can't figure out if he was actually there or not because I would describe the entire thing to him.

Heh. Mike is an amazing man to tolerate that. If you or anyone else tried that sort of thing with me I'd be cutting you off and hanging up after a few minutes. I did have an hour and a half long phone conversation with an ex of mine while she was driving home from a trip once, but it was a conversation, not me listening to her talk and talk and talk. Actually it was amusing since I (sitting at home) seemed to have a better idea of where she was the whole time than she (driving) did.

When you did this were you holding your phone to your ear or hands free by some means? If the latter then I see no issue with it.

When I was a bit younger I used to keep myself awake when driving home late at night by driving really fast. It got the adrenaline going and was effective at keeping me alert, but of course it was also dangerous. Nowadays I just crank my music up really loud if I need to be woken up... and try to avoid putting myself in situations where I'm still out driving at I should've been in bed three hours ago o'clock.
I've never slept in my car and doubt I could if I tried. I can't fall asleep in a sitting position and there isn't enough room for me to lie down anywhere.

Mute + speakerphone work well in situations like that. 

[hbelkins]

Nobody here's ever taken a photo while driving, eaten something while driving, drank a beverage while driving, or scratched themselves when driving, or had thoughts while driving. Those are freedoms, too.

Or this...

http://kpac2.blogspot.com/2006/07/no-merit-in-this-system.html

The most egregious case was probably that of Richard Vissing. Vissing was a Transportation Cabinet employee who, during the Patton administration, got caught masturbating while driving along I-65 in a state vehicle. The media coverage brought Kentucky another round of national embarrassment. The Transportation Cabinet fired him, a state hearing officer upheld the dismissal, but the Personnel Board rejected that recommendation.

On a whim, I used the Wayback Machine to see if it had the actual news coverage of this episode, since the story is no longer on the originating station's website.

It was...

https://web.archive.org/web/20080202062039/http://www.whas11.com/news/politics/local/stories/WHAS11_LOCAL_Vissing.b5e3ca9a.html