[kellyjdrummer]

The key phrase is "while driving." I pull over to do things in my car. I don't dig through the glove box, reach under the seats, look for a disc, use my phone etc., etc., etc.

If you know there can be a problem, fix it.

BTW, nearly every law is controversial.

Honestly, I didn't start this thread to engage debate. I just wanted to bring a problem to the fore front that really shouldn't be a debate.

So be it. I wanted close it after posting it. The videos on the No Phone Zone site are very enlightening.

As far as the law coming to your state, many will be inline to buck against it, those would be the people, in my opinion, who would be likely guilty of breaking that law.

[xxtrrublexx]

I agree, texting while driving is unsafe, but this is a controversial law. And Gov. Granholm was on the show signing the bill, so I thought I'd bring it up here.

EDIT: Eating, doing makeup, changing your car's radio, dealing with three yelling kids in the backseat...those are all distracting too, but nobody thinks twice about any of that.

Though I agree that all of these things are dangerous, does any not realize how hard of habits these are to break?

I've had my license for 5 years now and there really were no laws back then on texting. So naturally, I have been texting and driving since I could drive. It's like second nature.

Telling teenagers and other young adults to stop is going to be harder then those who have driven for decades.

It's going to take a lot to break that kind of habit.

And I'm not trying to defend the bad habit cause I do realize that it is a bad habit.

[WhoolioPreludee]

To those in this thread I am very sorry for that outburst (which I will not delete.)
That got under my skin. Attacking a woman who has done more good in a day than
that simpleton will in a lifetime annoyed me. Calling a black woman an ape pissed
me off.

...we return to your regularly scheduled program, already in progress...

Just so we are clear, ape because of her looks not because she is black. Oprah is woman that happens to be black. She could be middle eastern for all I care but that's beside the point that I'm posting.

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[WhoolioPreludee]

Anyway apologies to the OP for distracting from his original point. Not for what I said

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[kellyjdrummer]

Though I agree that all of these things are dangerous, does any not realize how hard of habits these are to break?

I've had my license for 5 years now and there really were no laws back then on texting. So naturally, I have been texting and driving since I could drive. It's like second nature.

Telling teenagers and other young adults to stop is going to be harder than those who have driven for decades.

It's going to take a lot to break that kind of habit.

And I'm not trying to defend the bad habit cause I do realize that it is a bad habit.

Unfortunately, drastic action such as 10 years in prison after the accident is hindsight, but normally is par for the course.

[kellyjdrummer]

Anyway apologies to the OP for distracting from his original point. Not for what I said

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Throw the shovel away.

[ohnoitsbrandon]

Throw the shovel away.

He's digging himself deeper because he's trying to apologise?

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[kellyjdrummer]

"I'm sorry" without a "but" is an apology. Denigrating Oprah, then apologizing with, "but I still think she's what I said" is not an apology. Are we all so selfish here?

I'm not impressed.

A week ago I said the wrong thing on a bike forum I frequent. I pmed the op with a sincere apology, no "but I still feel the same way." I was accepted and forgiven. All was and is well. Apologies don't justify themselves. They apologize from the heart.

/thread

[amazinglygraceless]

Just so we are clear, ape because of her looks not because she is black. Oprah is woman that happens to be black. She could be middle eastern for all I care but that's beside the point that I'm posting.

This is the very last time I will be addressing your stupidity. You can TRY to
paper over your comment however you wish but you cannot separate her color
from her looks. THAT is why it is offensive. The ape/monkey barb has been
leveled at blacks for friggin ever and if you can't understand why that is
offensive you are either truly uneducated, racist, or just plain stupid.

[kellyjdrummer]

Distracted Driving / Heather Lerch (full-length version) / Driving while Texting

This comes from my home state. I grew up 70 miles +/- west from this town. Aberdeen, WA.

[Appleluver23]

So can we make the united states a no Ape zone so we can ban Oprah ? I'd sign that petition in a heartbeat

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It is so pathetic to see these types of comments in 2010.

P.S. - I am a black female.

[kellyjdrummer]

So true. There were responses that went through my mind for Whoolio, but I don't think that way, nor am I racist or prejudiced. That's never a way of compassion.

[the_sandman_454]

Just get in the habit of putting the phone in silent mode and set it face down while driving so you can't see the red light flashing.

No message you could be sending or receiving, is worth the risk.

People drive badly enough even without the distractions.

It's not just phones, it's reading, makeup, etc. People need to stop treating their cars/trucks as if they're offices, phone booths, bathrooms, or the library. It's a 2000lb+ guided missile, hopefully being guided by a person around obstacles that appear. You can't properly guide your vehicle if you're distracted. Pull over if you have to do anything other than driving with your head up and eyes looking left, right, front, back, and constantly scanning for potential obstacles. If you're not looking and planning at least 5-6 seconds ahead (preferably more), you're doing it wrong.

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[amazinglygraceless]

Sandman, my level of respect for you just shot up a few notches. Well said brother

[the_sandman_454]

Thanks, AG.

It irks me to no end that sometimes you see the same people who often harp that gun control isn't strict enough, participate in behavior more dangerous than playing with a loaded gun. Especially when traffic/driving related fatalities account for more deaths than firearms in this country, at least last I checked.

Of course try to push for more strict restrictions on driving, better/more extensive training, more in-depth testing, and people go bezerk.

As far as I'm concerned driver's training should more closely resemble race driver training including maneuvers like skid recovery, and learning to drive something with a manual transmission. Maybe a special license for people wanting to drive bigger vehicles or any recreational trailers even.

The fine for being distracted while driving should be huge, if there's an accident just before/after sending or receiving a message/call.

Carelessness could easily kill someone. Bottom line, end of discussion, that's what it boils down to, driving responsibly.
If you don't believe it, have a friend randomly stand in a deserted parking lot and take turns holding up a sign or something as you approach as you're fiddling with your phone. I bet you wouldn't be able to react in time. Might not be able to if you were paying attention either, but you would be going an awful lot slower with the extra reaction time being reduced and placed in braking time instead.

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[Appleluver23]

Just get in the habit of putting the phone in silent mode and set it face down while driving so you can't see the red light flashing.

No message you could be sending or receiving, is worth the risk.

People drive badly enough even without the distractions.

It's not just phones, it's reading, makeup, etc. People need to stop treating their cars/trucks as if they're offices, phone booths, bathrooms, or the library. It's a 2000lb+ guided missile, hopefully being guided by a person around obstacles that appear. You can't properly guide your vehicle if you're distracted. Pull over if you have to do anything other than driving with your head up and eyes looking left, right, front, back, and constantly scanning for potential obstacles. If you're not looking and planning at least 5-6 seconds ahead (preferably more), you're doing it wrong.

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Your 100% right. Everyone always feels like they should be able to do thirty things at once, when in reality most people can only do two things correctly at once. Personally, I don't even talk and drive. I simply can't do it cause it is too much of a distraction. I also notice that most of the time when someone in another car is driving and on the phone, their driving is HORRIBLE!! I see people drift into the opposite lane or drive too fast or too slow. It is really annoying.