Can I rant? Driving stuff...
Picked up the trailer today after some warranty... I hate the rain and driving in Washington. Was on I-5 and Highway 16 from Tacoma to Poulsbo WA, about an hour drive. To the Lady in the Subaru...
Forum Discussion
IMHO the #1 threat on the road today, is driver's under the influence of their cell phone! I'm absolutely amazed and frustrated that laws have not been put in place to ban their use while driving - and not just texting. The problem has little to do with the hands, but more to do with a distracted brain. If you were having surgery, would you want your surgeon to be talking on a cell phone during the procedure? Why not?
As evidence, I'll ask you to watch shoppers who are chatting on their phones. They are usually oblivious to anyone, or anything, going on around them. It's as if they are in a trance, or under the influence. In fact, studies I've read state that drivers on cell phones display the same symptoms as drunk drivers - erratic speed, swerving in the lane, running red lights and stop signs, fast stops and slow starts. Most recently, I was nearly run over (as a pedestrian) by some bozo yacking on his cell phone, while he was staring way up in the sky at a building . . . as he blitzed right through a red light . . . just as I was entering the crosswalk. Fortunately, I'm well aware of watching out for such knuckleheads.
Similarly, on the way home from work recently, I watched the driver in front me nearly side swipe two cars a total of four times in the span of about 1/2-mile, while having a jolly cell phone conversation. I hope driving the multi-thousand pound vehicle wasn't disturbing his phone call!!
I know it's easy to target the various company vehicles and buses, but the fact is, the mom driving the kids around in her mini van, can just as easily injure, or kill, me and my family if she's distracted during a phone conversation and blows through a stoplight doing 50mph and runs into our vehicle.
May I suggest each of us make a commitment to keep the cell put away until the vehicle is stopped. Really, can't the conversation wait a few minutes? Sure beats causing an accident.
As evidence, I'll ask you to watch shoppers who are chatting on their phones. They are usually oblivious to anyone, or anything, going on around them. It's as if they are in a trance, or under the influence. In fact, studies I've read state that drivers on cell phones display the same symptoms as drunk drivers - erratic speed, swerving in the lane, running red lights and stop signs, fast stops and slow starts. Most recently, I was nearly run over (as a pedestrian) by some bozo yacking on his cell phone, while he was staring way up in the sky at a building . . . as he blitzed right through a red light . . . just as I was entering the crosswalk. Fortunately, I'm well aware of watching out for such knuckleheads.
Similarly, on the way home from work recently, I watched the driver in front me nearly side swipe two cars a total of four times in the span of about 1/2-mile, while having a jolly cell phone conversation. I hope driving the multi-thousand pound vehicle wasn't disturbing his phone call!!
I know it's easy to target the various company vehicles and buses, but the fact is, the mom driving the kids around in her mini van, can just as easily injure, or kill, me and my family if she's distracted during a phone conversation and blows through a stoplight doing 50mph and runs into our vehicle.
May I suggest each of us make a commitment to keep the cell put away until the vehicle is stopped. Really, can't the conversation wait a few minutes? Sure beats causing an accident.
