[MMike]

http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/story.html?id=ecc096b1-1d64-4a01-86c2-8914e691128c&k=85088

Hmmm. I wonder if it will matter....pretty hefty fine too....

Seems to me it's usually the conversation that's more distracting than holding the phone. But I guess we'll see.

Is this law in effect anywhere else right now?

 

[narlus]

90% of the time there's a car that is not aware of the surroundings (esp on highway), as evidenced by keeping within the lanes, and/or maintaining the proper distance between themselves and the car ahead, it's because the driver is using a cell phone.

 

[LordOpie]

ounce of prevention and all that.

I'm totally for the legislation.

 

[MMike]

But is it because HOLDING the phone or is it jsut because they are engrossed in the conversation?

i'm not sure. I have a phone for work and spend some time talking while I'm driving. I'm not sure what distracts me more......

 

[manimal]

from personal experience: i find it more distracting to just hold the phone, the conversation itself isn't so dangerous. it's the combination of holding the phone, trying to make a turn, turn on the blinker, roll down the windows....... heck, i ride my bike at work with my radio earpiece in one ear and bluetooth in the other without incident.

 

[Dartman]

Is this law in effect anywhere else right now?

It just went into effect in New Jersey.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/02/cell_phone_law_taking_effect_f.html

 

[Toshi]

the law is being enacted in washington state starting july 1, 2008. i have my bluetooth car kit just for this reason. (jabra SP5050. highly recommend, btw.)

 

[LordOpie]

But it's not just the talking... if a cop sees a phone in your hand, you should be pulled over. Too many people here have been killed cuz people were txting or dialing.

 

[Changleen]

I'm pretty sure it's been illegal in the UK for a while now, they are contemplating it here.

 

[jimmydean]

There have been studies that show it's not the phone, but the conversation that is distracting. Last report I saw showed almost no difference.

In Oregon, you can't get pulled over for talking on the phone, but if you are talking when pulled over (speeding, illegal lane change, failure to stop, etc) it's an additional fine.

I'm all for it, myself.

 

[DirtyDog]

I think a cyclist was killed in Boulder in the last year or so by a dumbass on the phone. I'm all for it.

 

[N8 v2.0]

but what about the nomophobes..???

 

[Secret Squirrel]

but what about the nomophobes..???

The what?

The people that are afraid of you posting no mo??

I don't think there are any of those...

 

[Mike B.]

NY has had the ban for about 5 years I believe, may have been the first in the US.

Mythbusters did a segment on cell phones while driving but can't find a youtube link, this will have to do.

Cellphone vs. Drunk Driving

Myth: It is just as dangerous to talk on a cellphone as it is to drive drunk.

A British study that asked subjects to do memory tests, reasoning, and mental arithmetic, found that cellphone use did hurt driving. The study also compared it to drunk driving, though Adam didn't describe the exact results of that comparison.

For this mythbusting, they wanted to focus on the talking aspect of cellphones, instead of dialing, as drivers would some sense to them would dial when the car was not moving.

For the test they used Kari and Adam as the test drivers and they went to Infineon Raceway near Sonoma. The test course had four parts:

* Accelerate to 30mph and then stop at a stop sign.
* Parallel park
* Time trial: average 15mph through the whole course (not faster or slower)
* Accident avoidance: while going 30mph, told to switch to left, right, or center lane

Each part was graded by an instructor who was in the car with them.
Sober/Control Run

Both Adam and Kari passed the course, though Kari had a bit of trouble parallel parking.
Cellphone Run

For the cellphone run, Jamie talked to the driver on a cellphone asking three types of questions: * repeat the sentence (e.g. "The driver was stopped for driving 67mph in a 20mph zone") * verbal puzzle "If Jack stole Ann's ball, who's the thief", and the more difficult, "If you see a picture with a diamond, rectangle, and a circle, and the circle is to the right of the rectangle, and directly above the diamond, is the rectangle right above the diamond?" * list five things about a particular subject "Give me five things that are in the interior of your car," "Give me five things that are part of your daily work."

Kari failed, including offenses such as using her elbow to steer and failing over half of the obstacles. Adam failed as well.

FYI: Kari's answers to "give things that are part of your dialy work" included: "Kissing ass" and "doing my hair." Adam's daily work list included the more boring: "drilling and tapping," "making phone calls," "Checking my e-mail," "avoiding phone calls from certain people."
Drunk Driving Run

Both Adam and Kari got their blood alcohol level to just below 0.08 (legal limit), with police officers on hand to do the breathalyzer. Neither Adam nor Kari had eaten, so both were as hungry as they were tipsy.

Kari zipped through the stop sign, but her parallel parking was "one of her best efforts... marginally good." She went too fast through the time trial part and killed a couple cones. She failed again, but not as bad as with the cellphone test.

Adam failed the parking test, and "half failed" the time trial for not looking both ways. Overall he failed as well.
Overall

The cellphone tests were failed by a much bigger margin, though Adam's observation was that you can put down a cellphone -- you can't get instantly undrunk. Also, they tested the drunk driving below the California legal limit -- Adam, at least, has gotten much drunker for MythBuster tests than that.

Confirmed

 

[MikeD]

MMike, if it's conversation that's the problem, and not the phone, then we need to ban talking in cars altogether.

I don't see why (although my wife will argue with me on this--often taking my attention off the road--) a hands-free cell is any more dangerous than an ordinary conversation in the car. In fact, since there's no eye contact or gesticulation involved (unless you're an idiot--I hate seeing people talk with their hands while on a goddamned Bluetooth), I think it's less distracting.

 

[Silver]

MMike, if it's conversation that's the problem, and not the phone, then we need to ban talking in cars altogether.

You don't have to dial small numbers on a keypad to talk your your wife in the other seat.

Most of the people in this country can barely wipe their own ass. How many of them can figure out how to use Bluetooth and voice dialing?

 

[MikeD]

Well, dialing would be against the law--holding the phone while driving.

We're talking about conversing.

 

[Changleen]

In the UK they cited that conversation was the issue too, but they expanded on that by saying if you're conversing with someone in the car, they too are aware of the situation you are in, and naturally allow the conversation to pause or flow in a way that allows the driver to concentrate in tricky moments.

I think this is true, think about how you talk when you're driving. People shut up when 'things happen'.

When you're on a cell, the other person is unaware of the situation and you as the driver are forced to concentrate and follow a conversation even through the driving tasks that require more of your concentration.

 

[AngryMetalsmith]

I don't buy the " it's the conversation " argument.

If conversations with passengers were really that distracting, the population would be quite smaller.

People are trying to do too much while driving. I see it all the time, some idiot cruising around with a cell phone in one hand, burger in the other and a cigarette hanging out of their mouth. They are just too dam busy to drive.

I was driving down a 4 lane street when some dip sh1t started to swerve into to me, so I blew my horn to avoid an accident. The driver, on her cell phone, got pissed off and gave me the finger.

I've never considered myself to be important enough to talk on my phone while driving. I'm not saying that I don't answer it, but I usually tell the caller that I'm driving and I can call them back. If it's an important biz call then I pull over.

If you ever over hear the average cell user talking to someone it's usually some pointless conversation. A lot of times they are just narrating their lives. " I'm in the video store", " I'm picking up a video", "I'm reading the back of it ", " I'm putting it back on the shelf ", "I'm going to get this one ", " I'm in the check out ", " I'm getting in the car ", " I'm driving home "

I saw a video on some cops show or the like. The point of view is from a motorist who has stopped on the side of the road due to icy conditions. Here comes Bonny Sue Birdbrain on her phone. She hits the ice and spins out and slams into the stopped motorist. During the whole event, she never puts down her fvcking cell phone.

Another incident involving hand held cell phone use was a woman who died in an suv accident. Her severed arm was found still clutching her phone.

I am all for banning the use of hand held cell phones while driving.

 

[Da Peach]

Gesticulation should be banned.

 

[MikeD]

Gesticulation should be banned.

Many of us "gesticulate" above the waist, thanks very much.

 

[MMike]

Premature gesticulation.


There. I said it.

 

[I.van]

http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/story.html?id=ecc096b1-1d64-4a01-86c2-8914e691128c&k=85088

Hmmm. I wonder if it will matter....pretty hefty fine too....

Seems to me it's usually the conversation that's more distracting than holding the phone. But I guess we'll see.

Is this law in effect anywhere else right now?

Yep, law like this has been in force in Australia for years now, and the fine is pretty hefty ($240 where I am, and more elsewhere).

I think it's a pretty good idea, because I have seen some pretty shocking driving whilst people are juggling a phone.

But at the same time I don't see to much of a difference between holding a phone, coke or cigarette.

 

[valve bouncer]

Been against the law here for ages as well. As if that stops the f*ckwits though.....the ones that do stop to take/make a call often do it at places that make it actually more dangerous like on corners or the exit/entry to tunnels.
Talking to someone on the phone while driving versus talking to someone in the car while driving can't be compared ihomo. The conversation has a different dynamic, you're always more "involved" on the phone because the visual cues are missing.

 

[ire]

I see people texting while driving and that scares the sh!t out of me. How can you be paying attention to the road when you're looking down typing?? I hate cell phones, people use them in the most inappropriate places. I have one and my solution is to rarely answer it

 

[Westy]

Driving test should be given under highly stressful and distracting situations, if you can't pay attention while adjusting your AC and getting yelled at you shouldn't be allowed to drive. Fewer people able to drive will force people to use public transportation, reduce traffic and dependency on foreign oil and increase safety on our highways.

It should still be illegal to use a phone while driving.

 

[$tinkle]

ohio brought it up 'bout a year ago: when conversing w/ someone in a car, the driver can pick up on non-verbals cues which alert the driver of something which has to be dealt with.

if you drive a volga, no one can hear you scream

 

[MikeD]

Maybe I'm biased because my first job required me to command a vehicle which required driving and shooting directions simultaneously, with two radios screaming directly into my ears along with an intercom.

I think it's bizarre that a cell conversation would be more engrossing than a live one. A live one, to me, is far more engaging.

I think holding a phone while driving is, however, not very safe.

 

[$tinkle]

you were a spears roadie?

 

[jimmydean]

I think it's bizarre that a cell conversation would be more engrossing than a live one. A live one, to me, is far more engaging.

It's not the level of engagement, it's the lack of perception from the other person.

Holding a phone is tough, but the studies show almost no difference between hand held vs. hands free.

 

[MikeD]

you were a spears roadie?

Boyz 2 Men.

 

[SlapheadMofo]

90% of the time there's a car that is not aware of the surroundings (esp on highway), as evidenced by keeping within the lanes, and/or maintaining the proper distance between themselves and the car ahead, it's because the driver is an idiot using a cell phone.

Fixed that up a little...:biggrin:

I thinks it's another fairly useless 'feel good' law; why not just do a better job enforcing what's on the books now? They already cover all the real issues. I occasionally take/make a call in the car; it's not all that difficult really, just keep it short and to the point. Course I gotta admit, I would LOVE seeing people pulled over for it (not that I think it'll happen very often considering they can't even seem to deal with the assholes passing in the breakdown lane.)

 

[Da Peach]

I can't really have a decent conversation on the phone while driving. I usually wind up cursing someone out in the middle of a sentence.

If I've got both hands on the wheel, I can handle the driving just fine.

 

[Westy]

Maybe I'm biased because my first job required me to command a vehicle which required driving and shooting directions simultaneously, with two radios screaming directly into my ears along with an intercom.

I think it's bizarre that a cell conversation would be more engrossing than a live one. A live one, to me, is far more engaging.

I think holding a phone while driving is, however, not very safe.

You are forgetting that a large percent of the population is incapable of excelling at one task let alone multiple ones. Have you been through the normal lines at airport security?

 

[DamienC]

Just get one of these...problem solved.

Hand-held operation of cell phones while driving has been banned here in DC for a while now but from what I can tell that ban is largely ignored.

 

[ChrisRobin]

Yeah I saw a news report about the sales of bluetooth accessories going insane out east and that there's going to be a 3 month grace period where you'll only get a warning. I'm sure this law is going to work it's way out west.... I've never seen so many lousy drivers out here, banning holding cell phones would probably be a good thing.

I don't find it's the conversation that distracts me, it's holding the phone and trying to shift gears.

I saw that MythBusters episode. I think the conclusion was driving with a cell phone was just as bad as driving drunk or worse, I don't remember. At least when you're drunk you can use both hands.

 

[MMike]

Yeah I saw a news report about the sales of bluetooth accessories going insane out east and that there's going to be a 3 month grace period where you'll only get a warning. I'm sure this law is going to work it's way out west.... I've never seen so many lousy drivers out here, banning holding cell phones would probably be a good thing.

I don't find it's the conversation that distracts me, it's holding the phone and trying to shift gears.

I saw that MythBusters episode. I think the conclusion was driving with a cell phone was just as bad as driving drunk or worse, I don't remember. At least when you're drunk you can use both hands.

You should get hold of my brother (Da Peach). He is freaking out at how bad the driving is out there. (I don't miss it one bit.

But I can vouch for all the cursing and stuff when he's talking to me while he's driving out there.....

 

[MikeD]

my brother (Da Peach)

does he ever get mad at MMom for giving him such a weird name?

 

[MMike]

does he ever get mad at MMom for giving him such a weird name?

He picked that one. I named him in real life. (true story)

 

[ChrisRobin]

You should get hold of my brother (Da Peach). He is freaking out at how bad the driving is out there. (I don't miss it one bit.

But I can vouch for all the cursing and stuff when he's talking to me while he's driving out there.....

Dude, don't even get me started... on top of the lousy drivers, the intersection light system doesn't make sense. British Columbia doesn't believe in green left turning arrows. You end up turning while the light is pretty much red and hold up the rest of the traffic.

I'm sure talking on cell phones causes extra accidents here