Put the cell phone down and drive, dammit!

[TommyO]

I was driving to my favorite amusement part today, there was construction on one of the highway bridges and traffic slowed to merge into a single lane (about a 3/4 mile backup). The idiot behind me was gabbing on his cell phone, and just plum forgot to hit his brakes before hitting me. It was at a very low speed, no damage to either car, just a tap. I told the young man, in my most polite voice that if he put the phone down, he might just be able to avoid hitting other cars. He didn't apologize or anything. ARGH!

[acmavm]

1. You know, I read you post and clicked out of it but then I knew I had to

come right back. I have ALMOST been hit a dozen times by people on cell phones. I can remember the very first time. On 72nd and Blondo about 5 or so years ago. Guy was too busy talking that he forgot to get in the left lane to make his turn. So at the very last second he swung his car right in front of me and turned West. Almost wet myself.

Since then there have been incidents such as the woman on the interstate talking on the phone, putting on mascara, and DRIVING WITH HER KNEES. She started to drift into my lane, and I had no where to go. That started my day off with a bang.

I wish that anyone caught talking and driving would get a 90-day sentence. Life if they cause an accident.

[Joe Fields]

2. That is probably my biggest pet peeve.

I have a dozen close encounters a week by cell phone gabbing drivers.:hi:

[pagerbear]

3. Driving while talking on the cell phone is against the law in many places.

I wish more citations were issued--folks would stop if it cost them money!

[TommyO]

5. Not in Pennsylvania, yet

Of course, even in NJ where it is a primary offense, it's easy to lose count of how many hand-held cell phones I see during my daily commute.

[liberaltrucker]

4. You got that right!

In my line of work, I see that kind of shit all too often.
But if you think someone in a car is bad, consider someone on
the phone pulling 80,000 pounds. Yes, I'm referring to my
fellow truck drivers.

Couple years ago, I was sitting in a truck stop in Ohio. No
other vehicle anywhere near me. This idiot comes hauling ass
through the lot, cuts short, and takes out my front fender
with his trailer wheels. Yep, he was yakking on the phone.

:grr:

[Redstone]

7. Quadruple the fines for truckers. That's just reckless endangerment, right there.

You're lucky it was only your fender.

Redstone

[Redstone]

6. And put the fucking burger down too, would you? Your car is NOT a snack bar.

Jesus, can't you just DRIVE?

Redstone

[Kutjara]

8. Here in CA, they've finally passed a law outlawing handheld...

...cellphone use in cars. The bill was signed last May but the law doesn't come into effect until 2008. WTF? Obviously, someone realized that careless drivers gabbling on phones is dangerous and is costing lives, but this is not sufficiently serious to stop people from using them for two frickin' years? What, are they giving people time to finish their phonecalls or something? Even the average Californian can wind up a call inside of two years.

[greatauntoftriplets]

9. It is technically illegal in the City of Chicago....

If talking while driving, you are supposed to use hands-free. I see it violated every day. Well, I didn't see it violated over the last two days, but I haven't been in Chicago since returning from work on Friday.

Pisses the hell out of me. If I need to use the phone in the car (and that is rare), I pull into a parking space and stop.

:evilfrown: