Ducati Monster Forum

Seeing a recent news clip about a possible ban on texting while driving here in the United States got me wondering; how many Monster riders are guilty of doing this?

Me personally; if I use a cell phone while driving, I use hands free (and I try not to do that very often) and I never text while driving.  If I need to send a text, I pull over and park somewhere.

I'm not even going to get into the other distractions people do while driving like navigation, playing with the stereo, eating, reading, etc., etc.  I'm also not concerned about riding a motorcycle while talking on a cell, that requires a different poll.

How about you?

BTW, I want to hear from riders world wide, not just here in the US.

One has to wonder as always though if the same outcomes couldn't be handled via enforcing the existing traffic laws better i.e. failure to maintain control of the vehicle, or failure to maintain lane position, etc.  But I guess the politicians can't go around chest thumping during election time if we just enforce the existing laws better, so we have to make up new laws to enforce half assed.

You are not a real man unless you can handle driving, texting, talking and beating your kids all at the same time!

Everytime some one around me does something stupid driving they are distracted. So i am about // this close to buyinf a truck and welding a 5" steel pipe as bumpers and running people off the road. I am tired off people.


BTW..just so the  [leo] can't match the paint on my bumper to those of the cars i hit i'm re-painting my bumper every night.

It's already illegal to text and drive in NY state where I live.  It doesn't slow people down from doing it though so having it banned in the US probably won't do much.  I try not to use my phone much when I drive although I do use my Ipod, drink (water, coffee, no alcohol), and eat in my car (generally not all at the same time).  When using most hands free devices you still need to dial.  They are only hands free when you are actually talking so I don't think they really make people any safer drivers.  I see people putting on makeup, using laptops, texting, and other stuff while driving.  It is pretty scary.

Jim

You forgot boobies.

You should add an option for "Talk (without using the handset or hands free) / no texting."

I text on my motorcycle.  I pull off the road to do it though. Ok well ive only really done it once or twice.

I text while riding my motorcycle. This is me:

cool indian guy texting on motorcycle (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SqD8FWB6o4#normal)

saw a car coming towards me on a residential street weaving.
thought 'that jackhole is texting'

got a little closer and saw both hands occupied on device, "driving" with elbows.
only it was a PSP, not a phone  [roll]

nice driving, dude.

My worst fear is hitting a motorcyclist while driving in the safe cage.
 
I don't text and drive, but I do talk and drive.  On the bike, I text at stops, which might be a little stupid, but I don't get the phone out until at least one car has already pulled up behind me.

Occasionally I will make a phone call while driving in the cage, but no long conversations.

Usually just a quick call under 30 seconds.

I am concerned always about not seeing Motorcyclists as I drive the cage.

Dolph

I went to the hassle of wiring up a bluetooth kit into the car's stereo and making sure my wife's phone is properly configured to work with the handsfree dialing and all that other stuff.

Even then I'll cut conversations short "Sorry, can't talk long. I'm driving"

And I can always tell someone is on the phone or texting, because their driving sucks ass. It's apparently worse than drunk driving, so all I can say is that the penalty needs to be as bad as a DWI.

"But it's so convenient" - True, but being able to drink and drive is pretty convenient too. Doesn't mean it's even remotely a good idea.

They should have tip lines you should call to report drivers who are texting and driving like idiots.

Come to think of it, I think I'll start reporting erratically driving texters as drunk drivers  [evil]

Every dumb ass driver in my town seems to be texting or talking on a cell phone. It's not bad enough that they are horrible, dangerous drivers anyway, they have to make it worse by being even more distracted using cell phones! Then after dark they are drunk and driving and using their cell phones!! God damn combat zone. I never like using a cell when I drive because I'm too damn busy dodging all the other drivers. [bang]

If you guys can't appreciate my skillz, then I'm going back to India.

I appreciate them.

If cell phones existed when I was a kid my mom would've been real good at all 4 as well.

Possible ban? You mean it isnt illegal already??  :o

In Victoria (I cant speak for other States of Australia) its not only illegal to text whilst driving, its illegal to use a mobole phone at all except via a "an approved commercially produced hands-free device".  In other words, touch that phone whilst driving and you just broke the law.  I never text whilst driving (in fact I never text at all... lol... but thats another story) and I talk only on my mobile phone via hands free.... and even then I'm not comfortable doing so coz I know my concentration at the wheel suffers.  So I try to keep the talktime short. 

I drive 100,000km per year, so I'm on the road a lot..... and illegal or not, I see cagers distracted by their phone use dozens of times every day.  You can see em weaving around..... watch their head bobbing lap-wards whilst they go about their thumb twiddling "out of sight".  I see it.  But  [leo]  apparently does not, preferring to rely on speed cameras to take care of road safety.  So here's my point.....  doesnt matter if there's a law against phone use whilst driving or not unless its gonna be enforced.  And that costs money.  Whereas you can automatically book a speeding driver, send em a bill in the mail and claim the moral high ground (whilst also pocketing valuable State revenue). 

Too many folk in charge of a vehicle consider the driving to be a secondary activity..... maybe "lack of due care and attention" would be an adequate offence covering all inattention, including phone induced inattention? 

Phone users. I honk and point....  but its hard to shame the shameless.

I'm moving to Victoria Australia. At least they have good sense. Is it OK to shoot someone you see who is talking/texting while driving? Remember, I'm from Texas. [laugh]

I have 2 major issues with all this texting and talking and driving.

1. Driving is hard. The human brain does not multitask well, so with the amount of processing required to stay ahead of ones environment when traveling at speed in an automobile it is impossible to text, talk, eat, put on makeup, or whatever and be a good driver. I enjoy driving and I want to be a good driver, so much like when I'm riding, I try to make sure I am doing everything right.

2. What is so damned important that has everyone texting and talking anyway? With the ubiquity of cheap, easy, and available communication have we debased the very concept? I am wiling to bet that only 1% of conversations are meaningful, or of substance and the remainder is just idle chatter. What really bothers me is that while more and more people are occupying their time with idle chatter, I think that we're losing the ability, or at the very least the impetus to be successful at interacting with the world around us.

Where's the choice for "What's a cellphone? I don't own a cellphone."

Not everyone on this planet needs one of those damned things in their life, you know.

BC.

There's gotta be a way to talk about road BJs in this thread.  Oh look!  I just did.  ;D

I text in my cage at stoplights sometimes (though it's illegal).  And I talk on the phone hands-free on long freeway trips.  No talking while holding the phone unless I've pulled over.  Here's the really unsafe one:  I'll  sometimes read a short text without first stopping first.  Shame on me.  I'm one lone phone call by Drunken Monkey from being incarcerated.

All this stuff was much easier when I just didn't have a cage.

First off I think anyone who ever wants a drivers license needs to ride a motorcycle on the street for six months minimum! I guarantee you that we all are much better car drivers because we ride bikes and have to be twice as attentive to stay alive. Make that 3-4 times more attentive! Motorcycle riders make better car drivers... no question about it! [thumbsup]

What about shitty moto riders? Are they only half as make the beast with two backsed up when they're in a car?

Agreed if they start handing out first offense thousand dollar fines for talking/texting while driving, I think it would make a significant impact. And while we're at lets add failing to signal a lane change.

Or maybe a tip email where you can upload video of said driver, that way you can get there vehicle, plate and face. Then they can mail them the ticket. Kinda like mobile red light cams.

Hell if they did that Cali would be back in the black in no time.  [laugh]

I don't initiate calls while driving, only answer.  If I have to make a call, I'll pull over.


Sorry I forgot that option but it wouldn't be fair to add it now since so many have already voted. [laugh]


I totally agree.  I'm amazed at the number of times I've seen someone run off the road because they were trying to text or dial or something and because they didn't get involved in a wreck, they pull back on the road and (here comes the amazing part) they just continue on texting or dialing or whatever.  It never seems to dawn on them that they almost had a wreck. [bang]


Maybe we can set up some kind of point system; make a game of it (just kidding of course).


I think MOST riders are better drivers but not all.

Zactly. 

Not true.  We just talk a good game.  Enacting legislation which makes our "leaders" look like they're proactive in fixing a problem isnt any solution.  Thats my point.  You can outlaw the use of phones in vehicles by drivers as much as you like.  But you have to actually engage in some widespread enforcement for it to be effective in changing driver behaviour.  Almost nobody drinks-n-drives anymore, where once it was commonplace.  Similar vigorous education and enforcement programmes ought also be directed at the distracted phone-driver. 

No. Everything is illegal in Victoria  ;).  Although if you show your Texas driving licence I think you'll be excused  ;) [laugh] [thumbsup].

I have suggested this idea to friends. What would make it really work: Give the person sending in the video a cut of the ticket.

Downside: Now there'd be driver's distracted because they were taking cell-phone videos of texters.

It's a viscous circle, I tells ya.


That's also true because I know where you buried those midget hookers.

I'm surprised that; knowing how vulnerable we as motorcyclist are, 7 Monster riders voted that they text while driving.  I don't know who you are and I really don't care, but think about the consequences of your inattentive driving.  How important is that text really?

My nephew recently told me he texts while driving also.  And I know that in his case it's just buds asking where they are going to hang out that evening and shit like that.  That kind of behavior just REALLY PISSES ME OFF!!!  I don't care if you are the President of the United States, no message is important enough to endanger yourself and other users of the road.  If it can't wait till you get to your destination, take a second to pull over, put the vehicle in park and then send the message.

I really think that people have become so desensitized to violence, mayhem and death through movies and video games that the possibility of hurting or killing an innocent victim doesn't even bother them.

OK, rant over; we now return you to your regularly scheduled routine.

Sometimes it's nice that there is no cell service for miles around our home.

People don't stop being shitheads just because they own a motorcycle.  I know I didn't.   

So who is going to make cops stop doing it?   More then 50% of cop cars I see usually the driver is on the phone..  people will never stop if they don't..  ill only text while stoped @ a light..  I dntpickup calls thght and if I ever do it on speaker phone..    some people are just bad drivers.. well a lot..  my pops use to drive half asleep on his way home from work..  many time he didn't remember how he got home.. was never in an accident..

 :'(

You shame me into not doing something.

And then it goes away and I do whatever I want to do.

Back to texting while riding  [thumbsup]

You're not that evil, I just know you're not.

Ah, that's debatable.

Figured I'd throw thing into the mix.  Not saying you should text/talk and drive.  Just wanted to add to the conversation.

http://jalopnik.com/5644967/texting-and-driving-may-not-lead-to-more-crashes (http://jalopnik.com/5644967/texting-and-driving-may-not-lead-to-more-crashes)

I read the article in the link you provided and I agree, too many people are just plain distracted while driving.  I did state in my original post however, that I am concentrating my poll on cell use (talking &/or texting) only.  Trying to include all distractions would be another poll (and a very complicated one because of so many variables).

I did like what one of the responders to the article did:

(http://i930.photobucket.com/albums/ad148/dennisdib/340x.jpg)

....but now you have a car right on your ass trying to read your helmet.

It's interesting when I started riding bikes, my cage driver speed went considerably slow.  I can't explain it.  I suppose since I see the danger aspect from riding ( i was a maniac tail-gater ).  But then I get on the bike and on days, my evil side seems to come out and...........

[guilty of texting on few occassions and yet when I am on the bike when I see a cager texting, i get near them and just shake my head in disappointment...]

Texting Taking a Deadly Toll on Roads (http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20100923/hl_hsn/textingtakingadeadlytollonroads)

From the article:
and

You are probably right.  That's what a pocket full of washers or marbles is for... [laugh]

You forgot applying makeup (not guilty, except for that lost weekend)

You forgot waving to passing motorcyclists from your car out of habit (guilty because I'm getting old)

I do read texts sometimes while driving and occasionally will text something...even though I make sure there is no one near me, it's really inexcusable and I am going to make it a point to stop.

Road BJs I plead the 5th, unless you're taking votes pro/con.

Joel

I don't like when people, including transportation secretary Ray LaHood lump all distractions together.  Active and passive distractions are different.  Navigating my iPod menu (looking down, scroll, and hitting play and just listening) is vastly different than texting (reading text, thinking, hitting reply, typing text, editing text, hitting send).  That's why my conscience is not too bothered by my hitting a speed dial on my phone, having a brief conversation via bluetooth, and hanging up, taking my eyes off the road a total of one time to do all this.

And from the article, I don't buy that the result of removing one distraction -like cellphones- is the same shitheads will resort to other means to menace the driving public, as though Tiffany, age 16, will necessarily resort to reading the WSJ if her ability to text her BFF is taken away.  I think his point is that shitty drivers will be shitty, but I don't think he should use this as an argument against legislating phone use in the car.

And I *really* don't really care that there is not conclusive data that cell use while driving results in fatalities or injuries, because it is crystal clear that mobile phone use results in people driving like complete assholes.  If there are not laws governing use then don't think LEOs have incentive to find out (get logs from provider) if cell use was the culprit in an accident.  They probably just need to know who done it, not why.  As a result I don't think whatever data we have is accurate.  It is irrelevant anyways.  Ban texting and non-hands-free (handed?) phone use.

i'm driving right now...    [moto] [coffee] [thumbsup]