About.... Texting and Driving......4 Times worse than drunk driving..please ..for the New Year...

[Stuart G]

I am sure we know people who text and drive and think they can do it..Well it is much worse than drunk driving..4 times as bad.
These people know that they are ok for that moment when they take their eyes off the road, and look at that hand held phone/computer...Just for a moment...Sure..just for a moment...and whammmmmmmmmmmmmmmm you are gone..(and someone else too....................maybe you and me)
These kinds of accidents, unfortunately are greatly increasing...please help prevent accidents...please don't text and drive..and
pass this on for the New Year.......thank you.............Stuart G.

(I see them all the time..they are lost...especially at red lites,,sitting there..lost in the computer)

[Mnemosyne]

1. It just astonishes me that people are willing put others lives at risk to text: lol omg br...

I thought the phones were bad, the texting is insane. I see them too, the lost, too often. I wonder how many of those I see running red lights are texting and didn't see it.

[Stuart G]

3. I am afraid that this is going to get much worse.

There is a certain kind of cockiness among those that do this. Oh, it is ok..I can do this in a safe way. While drunk driving deaths have been reduced, (and people at least know this drunk driving is wrong) this texting is on the increase..very very sad..totally preventable..just pull to the side of the road...and read it..if it cannot wait...

[Mnemosyne]

20. So many with no regard for human life, very disheartening, isn't it? nt

[Stuart G]

21. You are right, no regard for human life. But this texting is at the beginning..

It may take years before it gets the attention of the public like drunk driving did. There was a cover story about drunk driving that i saved in the mid 80s that helped to change public attitudes. ( I used it in my classroom for a number of years)
.. Now, we start again. Who knows how many will die because of this attitude about regard for others. But one thing is for sure..that attitude is as old as one can think back in time..

[Mnemosyne]

22. People seem to have a serious need to learn the hard way. I was dodging cars in Mongomery during the

nineties, had to keep the mirror turned up so I couldn't see all the near miss tailgaters. I may have to get a tank to feel safe on our roads.

[peacefreak]

2. My friend lost her nephew this way.

Bright, young kid. Gone, because of someone else's stupidity. His family is devastated.

[NutmegYankee]

4. It's become an epidemic.

The problem is each person thinks they can do it without danger, so they have no guilt. I can't count how many times I've nearly been sideswiped by someone texting on I-95.

[Stuart G]

5. No danger people think?...boy are those people wrong...texting is very dangerous..

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3521534

A post from October 2008 about an idiot who was texting while being an engineer of a commuter train....remember...
.killed 25 people..(turns out he missed 2 red lights) ...tough job..stop at red lites..so he misses two of them..
read it..It was posted here at Democratic Underground..

[NutmegYankee]

6. I don't get the tone of your reply.

I was complaining about the people texting believing they pose no danger. It's that "90% of drivers think they are better than everyone else" problem. I know they are dangerous. They nearly sideswipe me some mornings.

[Stuart G]

7. My tone was wrong, it was against the idea that people think it is not dangerous..them, not you..

There are so many people that think they are above danger..I am sorry..This was meant for them, not you..You are correct," that 90 percent that think they are better than everyone else" is correct, you are correct. I did not mean this against you..I am sorry..I changed headline.

[NutmegYankee]

8. No problem. Trust me, I'm 100% with you on texting.

It's frustrating that people just don't see the danger.

[JI7]

9. does anyone know what happens if they are caught texting and driving ?

i guess it would depend on the state. but anyone know what fines or anything else they might get ?

[Luminous Animal]

10. I think is $100 in California.

[JI7]

11. that's pretty low, people have gotten 300, 500 etc

and even when the driver was paying attention but because of things like the roll rather than complete stop at the stop sign .

[Lordquinton]

13. I don't know if it applies to texting

but being on the cell phone is a small fine at first, but gets exponentially bigger every time you are cited.

[NutmegYankee]

12. Theoretically, $100 in Conn.

Not that the police ever enforce it.

[barbtries]

14. where did you get the statistic

about 4 times worse than drunk driving? i don't think that's a useful way to express it. a person who's been killed by a drunk driver is just as dead.

my point being neither one should ever happen.

eta: you don't have to find me a link. i googled and it came up with dozens of hits. i am still disturbed by the way it's being characterized. neither drunk driving nor texting while driving is a healthy or advisable activity.

[Stuart G]

15. There was a study 2 or 3 years ago, and that number stuck in my mind

It was conducted by a state police agency.. I do not recall which one. This study showed that people who texted while driving were 4 times more likely to take their eyes off the road, for more time, then those who were drinking. Also, reaction times were measured. Drinkers were slower to react, but if the texters were not paying attention..which was more likely, then they , the texters were much more dangerous. No, I do not have a link..I understood the logic completely. Drunks know they are wrong..Texters think they are pulling something off...I can do it.

[barbtries]

16. i edited my post after googling

i'm glad the issue is getting publicity. i still don't like that as a basis for comparison. i have no doubt that drunks are still killing many more people, because there are so many more of them. on the other hand i think it is a good thing to publicize the dangers of texting while driving. crashes involving either are both completely avoidable tragedies that should never happen.

[Stuart G]

17. I agree...totally avoidable death..for what?...texting..just to get some info that can wait.

I am 66 years old. I can recall less then 10 phone calls that were of total emergency that needed to be dealt with with no time to wait..
Probably 5 in a lifetime. So what is the urgency for people to look at these messages while driving, or create them??

[tavalon]

18. I can barely text sitting on my couch

No way, no how am I ever texting while driving or even walking.

[UnrepentantLiberal]

19. I can't believe anyone would do that.

Being in construction I drive quite a bit. I've known since high school that the #1 thing that keeps you from getting in wrecks is paying attention to what the other driver does. I can't imagine driving around oblivious to what's going on around me. I might view a short text from my boss when I'm stopped at a red light but that's it.

[slackmaster]

23. That is presently my biggest driving-related pet peeve

It's simply stupid for a person to attend to anything other than driving while driving.