Nationwide Cell Phone Ban?

[busterb]

Originally Posted by jinx

Lots of bad/dangerous drivers out there, with and without cell phones and other distractions. We don't need more laws we need better drivers. Make the damn tests harder.

What? And lose the minorty vote. Never happen. Not here anyway.

[Clodfobble]

Hands-free is already state law in several places.

[Aliantha]

You're not allowed to drive and text or talk on a mobile phone unless it's handsfree over here. The cops can and do pull people over and book them.

I support this move because I know it's distracting when you're on the phone and driving. I don't care how good you are at driving, if you're talking on the phone and you get into a situation, you firstly can't have instant control of your vehicle with both hands, and secondly, you wont notice as much because you're always going to block part of your periferal vision if you've got a phone pressed to your ear.

I'm glad we have these laws, but it still doesn't stop some people.

[capnhowdy]

I agree 100% on the texting issue. But talking? Come on... if you can't hold a little cell and talk while you drive then talking to a passenger, singing along with the radio, etc. will prolly affect your focus also. Some people just can't multitask. At all.

[DanaC]

My bro used to be able to drive a car with his knees whilst rolling a cigarette....is that wrong?

[glatt]

I've seen news reports on studies that say that talking on a cell phone is more distracting than talking to a passenger in the car. I imagine it's because when you talk to someone that isn't there, you use up some portion of your brain to make that person seem real to you. You focus on them more than if someone in the car is talking.

[Aliantha]

It doesn't really matter to me how many times someone tries to tell me they're not distracted when they're on the phone, I'll never be convinced. Multitasking is fine, but you're still not applying all your attention to one task and in my opinion, driving is a task which requires all of ones attention in order to avoid death.

[TheMercenary]

I support a national ban and going with hands free only. I have seen way to many distracted drivers not doing anything but talking first and obviously driving second. Sure many people can multi-task, but many cannnot. I say we go after the non-multi-tasking portion of drivers. Maybe if you can pass your driving test, written and driving portion, while talking on the phone you could get a special permit. I bet most people would fail that.

[DanaC]

You're not allowed to eat whilst driving either in the UK. It's not just using mobiles.

[Undertoad]

Next you'll tell us that road head is outlawed.

[tw]

Originally Posted by capnhowdy

I agree 100% on the texting issue. But talking? Come on... if you can't hold a little cell and talk while you drive then talking to a passenger, ...

One indication of a better driver: when approaching a dangerous situation while talking to passengers, he suddenly stops talking to deal with potential threats. Passengers recognize the threat and don't interrupt or don't try to keep pushing the conversation. Same is not true in cell phone use.

TheMercenary's citation is based in studies that confirm this problem. However the studies typically don't say why - only note the problem clearly exists? Offered is one reason why talking on a cell phone encourages a driver to concentrate too much on the conversation and not concentrate on many cars in a potentially dangerous intersection.

Do you look for the eyes of other drivers when approaching an intersection? Another technique routine for safety (especially when on a bicycle). Drivers on cell phones tend to be more distracted and do not look twice. Just another example of why a cell phone distraction is so strong as to increase the risk.

In one example, the lady almost drove over me while making a left hand turn. But I was watching her eyes (which were difficult to see because she held a phone that blocked her left side vision). She only looked once which explains why she did not see me. Some studies looked at this to identify cell phone talkers as more distracted. Good (and not distracted) drivers always look twice.

Studies also suggest that teenagers (newest drivers) with loud music are more distracted. An older driver will tend to 'tune out' the music that never really required much concentration anyway. Whereas music can be easily ignored with practice (one probably already knows the words), an important cell phone conversation cannot/typically is not ignored.

[DanaC]

@ UT: Don't be silly. That's perfectly legal, as long as one party is wearing a scandalously short maid's uniform.

[capnhowdy]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

Next you'll tell us that road head is outlawed.

[ZenGum]

Originally Posted by DanaC

@ UT: Don't be silly. That's perfectly legal, as long as one party is wearing a scandalously short maid's uniform.

Does it matter which party? Just asking.

[monster]

I agree with everyone.......

Some people can do it and some can't. It's not just a matter of being able to multitask, it's also a matter of being able to distinguish when road conditions allow you to attend to other things as well as driving. Few would deny that there's little danger from holding a phone conversation while driving on an interstate in Nebraska. (or in fact setting cruise control, climbing into the back seat and getting it on....)

Unfortunately, like so many things, the people who can't are the ones who most think they can...

So targetting only those drivers who are being dangerous would seem sensible except that.....it's usually too late. sure you'll catch some, and maybe prevent them from causing accidents, but most will dial up, start chatting, and have put someone in hospital before the cops can dust off the sugar and turn on the disco lights.

So you prevent them by ticketing all drivers seen near a cell phone.... but wait, we still don't have laws in some parts of the US to effectiely stop people who aren't wearing seatbelts unless we warn them it's a seatbelt enforcement zone.... we are probably jumping the gun to be worrying about making cellphone laws national....