People Reading Novels While Driving!

Scopulus Argentarius · 10-24-2003, 04:36 PM

I fail to understand people actually do such a thing! Maps and Directions I can understand, but Novels???

I've discovered three people (in Baton Rouge), all of them women (btw) in the last 3 weeks reading while they were driving. One of these sightings was on I-12!, I passed the person who was going about 65mph. The other was on a surface street at around 45mph. Today's winner nearly hit me (when she improperly negotiated a turn) around 50mph on the giant 3-lane s-curve of I-110.

Geez....

I feel better now...not necessarily safer....

xoxoxoBruce · 10-24-2003, 05:23 PM

I've seen people doing some strange things while driving. Even saw a guy with a TV perched on the dash watching a porn film and driving one handed. But the guy on the Jersey pike reading a book, blew me away.
You can catch snatches (pun?) of video (unsafe) or a sentence or two off a brochure/newspaper (unsafe). You can even follow a map in little steps (unsafe) on a straight road and light traffic. But a Book?
If I'm distracted in the middle of a paragraph, it usually takes me longer to find my place and get back into the train of thought than it would have to finish the paragraph in the first place. Maybe others can switch back and forth faster without missing a thought but at turnpike speeds shit happens instantly.
You have no way of knowing what other drivers or God(s) are going to do. If your reading and driving how do you watch for cops, because if they see you, your trip *WILL* be delayed.

Elspode · 10-24-2003, 09:53 PM

I wonder if these women have heard about the latest innovation in literature, Books on Tape?

I hear that some day soon, they'll have ovens that use microwaves to cook food, and that there will even be men who have walked on the moon!

elSicomoro · 10-24-2003, 10:26 PM

My fucking microwave died tonight...damnit, that pisses me off.

Razorfish · 10-24-2003, 10:32 PM

Yea bad things happen when people read and drive. In the early 1980s an uncle of mine was involved in a bad ten car accident on a state highway. They brought in traffic reconstruction experts and located the cause. The conditions were icy that day and the driver cited as the instigator of the carnage had a romance novel pinned between her and the steering wheel.

I wish I could have found the article online for you guys to see but its an older story and no search seemed to yield it.

Another major distraction is cell phones. Most people use cell phone responsibly while driving but I can't count how many people driving SUVs while talking on a cell phone have almost hit me. Things like headsets seem to relieve the problem slightly. I use a headset and I can honestly say its musch better than having to hold the phone. Although there is some news/information that should not be heard while your going at 70 mph (i.e. WHAT, YOUR PREGNANT?!).

xoxoxoBruce · 10-24-2003, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Most people use cell phone responsibly while driving......

Most people *THINK* they use cell phones responsibly while driving. Most people think their driving is fine too. Ain't so.

elSicomoro · 10-25-2003, 03:52 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by sycamore on 10/24/03
My fucking microwave died tonight...damnit, that pisses me off.

False alarm. Apparently, our complex has been having power issues for the past 2 weeks (no lights in parts of the parking lot, no stairwell lights at times), and those issues are now affecting our apartment (power outage Thursday, limited power on some items Friday).

Elspode · 10-25-2003, 08:46 AM

There are few things more traumatizing than the unexpected death of a microwave. I can still remember when we didn't have them (visual: grey-haired geezer, toothless, sucking his gums, pointing a gnarled and crooked finger at the young whippersnappers) and we actually had to reheat pizza in the *regular oven*.

Barbaric, it was. Glad to hear that yours is still kicking, Syc.

10-24-2003, 04:36 PM	#1
Scopulus Argentarius Your current user title is: Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: BTR Posts: 301	People Reading Novels While Driving! I fail to understand people actually do such a thing! Maps and Directions I can understand, but Novels??? I've discovered three people (in Baton Rouge), all of them women (btw) in the last 3 weeks reading while they were driving. One of these sightings was on I-12!, I passed the person who was going about 65mph. The other was on a surface street at around 45mph. Today's winner nearly hit me (when she improperly negotiated a turn) around 50mph on the giant 3-lane s-curve of I-110. Geez.... I feel better now...not necessarily safer....

10-24-2003, 05:23 PM	#2
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	I've seen people doing some strange things while driving. Even saw a guy with a TV perched on the dash watching a porn film and driving one handed. But the guy on the Jersey pike reading a book, blew me away. You can catch snatches (pun?) of video (unsafe) or a sentence or two off a brochure/newspaper (unsafe). You can even follow a map in little steps (unsafe) on a straight road and light traffic. But a Book? If I'm distracted in the middle of a paragraph, it usually takes me longer to find my place and get back into the train of thought than it would have to finish the paragraph in the first place. Maybe others can switch back and forth faster without missing a thought but at turnpike speeds shit happens instantly. You have no way of knowing what other drivers or God(s) are going to do. If your reading and driving how do you watch for cops, because if they see you, your trip WILL be delayed. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

10-24-2003, 09:53 PM	#3
Elspode When Do I Get Virtual Unreality? Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Raytown, Missouri Posts: 12,719	I wonder if these women have heard about the latest innovation in literature, Books on Tape? I hear that some day soon, they'll have ovens that use microwaves to cook food, and that there will even be men who have walked on the moon! __________________ "To those of you who are wearing ties, I think my dad would appreciate it if you took them off." - Robert Moog

10-24-2003, 10:32 PM	#5
Razorfish Superhero Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: New England Posts: 104	Yea bad things happen when people read and drive. In the early 1980s an uncle of mine was involved in a bad ten car accident on a state highway. They brought in traffic reconstruction experts and located the cause. The conditions were icy that day and the driver cited as the instigator of the carnage had a romance novel pinned between her and the steering wheel. I wish I could have found the article online for you guys to see but its an older story and no search seemed to yield it. Another major distraction is cell phones. Most people use cell phone responsibly while driving but I can't count how many people driving SUVs while talking on a cell phone have almost hit me. Things like headsets seem to relieve the problem slightly. I use a headset and I can honestly say its musch better than having to hold the phone. Although there is some news/information that should not be heard while your going at 70 mph (i.e. WHAT, YOUR PREGNANT?!). __________________ Mostly lurking

10-25-2003, 08:46 AM	#8
Elspode When Do I Get Virtual Unreality? Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Raytown, Missouri Posts: 12,719	There are few things more traumatizing than the unexpected death of a microwave. I can still remember when we didn't have them (visual: grey-haired geezer, toothless, sucking his gums, pointing a gnarled and crooked finger at the young whippersnappers) and we actually had to reheat pizza in the regular oven. Barbaric, it was. Glad to hear that yours is still kicking, Syc. __________________ "To those of you who are wearing ties, I think my dad would appreciate it if you took them off." - Robert Moog

10-24-2003, 10:26 PM	#4
elSicomoro Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 12,486	My fucking microwave died tonight...damnit, that pisses me off.

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