Are you a distracted cage driver?

[The Bearded Duc]

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.

[ungeheuer]

Seeing a recent news clip about a possible ban on texting while driving here in the United States got me wondering....

Possible ban? You mean it isnt illegal already?? 

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    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.

[fastwin]

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.

[superjohn]

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.

[Bladecutter]

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.

[Spidey]

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

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.

[fastwin]

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!

[kopfjäger]

Motorcycle riders make better car drivers... no question about it!

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

[Lor]

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 

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. 

[dennisd]

When using most hands free devices you still need to dial.

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

You forgot boobies.

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

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

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.

Is it OK to shoot someone you see who is talking/texting while driving? Remember, I'm from Texas.

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

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!

I think MOST riders are better drivers but not all.

[ungeheuer]

....... What is so damned important that has everyone texting and talking anyway?...... I am wiling to bet that only 1% of conversations are meaningful, or of substance and the remainder is just idle chatter.....

Zactly. 

I'm moving to Victoria Australia. At least they have good sense.

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. 

Is it OK to shoot someone you see who is talking/texting while driving? Remember, I'm from Texas.

No. Everything is illegal in Victoria  .  Although if you show your Texas driving licence I think you'll be excused  .

[Drunken Monkey]

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.

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.

I'm one lone phone call by Drunken Monkey from being incarcerated.

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

[dennisd]

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.

[somegirl]

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

[Spidey]

I'm surprised that; knowing how vulnerable we as motorcyclist are, 7 Monster riders voted that they text while driving

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