Ban on ANY cellphone use while driving

[AXOmom]

Our state bans cell phone use - has for about 2 years. I think Washington currrently does as well. I haven't heard of anyone being fined/ticketed for it yet.

I would imagine - don't know for sure, that the primary reason for it was the hope that knowing that they could be fined/ticketed would be enough to keep at least most drivers from driving and calling/texting.

My understanding is (could be wrong) that as was the case when the seat belt laws first came out - they don't stop you for it per se, but if they stop you and catch you red-handed so to speak (not sure how that would happen), they would ticket you or if, as was mentioned, you were in an accident, and they found out you were on a call/texting when it happened, you could have added consequences.

Don't know whether its been effective. Personally, I don't use the phone when I'm driving as much as I used to, but I still use it some.

[christiangirl]

Originally Posted by aephi alum

Ban on hand-held devices - yes. You need both hands on the wheel.

Just curious--how do you feel about drivers who simply prefer to drive with one hand on the wheel?

A woman told me she was ticketed because she used her cell phone at a red light. Like picked it up, had a 20 second conversation, and hung up all before the light turned green. She was told by the cop that handhelds aren't allowed on the road at all and she should have pulled over completely to use the phone. I think that was a little extreme (she wasn't even moving!) just like a blanket ban on all phone usage is a little extreme.

I'm not sure a blanket ban on phones will actually increase the safety of others, especially ones designed with road safety in mind. Someone mentioned drivers who feel the need to look at the passenger with whom they are speaking. Likewise, I have been nearly AND actually run off the road by drivers who were totally distracted and NOT on the phone. There are any number of situations that cause drivers to be too unfocused to drive safely and I don't think systems like Kevin's (I have a similar function on my phone) and Dee's fall into that category. If the root of the problem (increased amounts of car accidents) is the distraction of the driver, I can't say that banning devices with minimal distractibility is a better idea than educating people on why they shouldn't drive while having a screaming match with a passenger or so lost in their favorite song that they don't notice when traffic stops.

[Cen1aur 1963]

Pretty much everything in the car is a distraction and can cause an accident. I can see texting, but talking on the phone isn't any more of a distraction than adjusting the radio.

[DrPhil]

Someone mentioned drivers who feel the need to make eye contact with passengers.

I am watching "The Hitcher" again and this movie is basically all about distracted "eye contact" driving.

[AnchorAlum]

Sorry Big Brother, but I got the bluetooth feature on my new car last year so that I don't have to do something so dumb as to try to dial a call while driving. If someone calls me all I have to do is hit the button on my steering wheel and talk. How is that so different than talking to someone who is physically with me inside the car?

I NEVER text while driving, I think it's the single dumbest thing you can do next to drunk driving. I wish there was a feature on a cell phone that prevented you from texting while you are in the driver's seat of a car. I think that's a few years down the road, but in the meantime, there is no good reason to prevent someone from talking as long as it's hands free.

[Honeykiss1974]

I don't think there should be a ban at all really - too much gray area IMO (as we've been talking about above). I'm all for keeping our roads safe but as someone mentioned earlier, you can't regulate stupidity as hard as states may try. For example, in my state, wearing a seat belt is the law - not only can you the driver get a ticket, but so can your passengers if they are not buckled in as well.

[PiKA2001]

This is just too extreme of a proposal in my opinion. Yes, while playing Angry Birds or reading your emails while driving is dangerous and should be banned making bluetooth/sync systems or onstar type things illegal while driving is just too much.

[aephi alum]

Originally Posted by christiangirl

Just curious--how do you feel about drivers who simply prefer to drive with one hand on the wheel?

Oh, you mean like my husband? Who's halfway down our street before he fastens his seat belt? Letting go of the steering wheel completely while he does so - on a windy twisty road?

If you can control the car well with one hand on the steering wheel, good for you. But I would feel nervous as a passenger in a car where the driver had only one hand on the wheel if conditions were dicey (heavy traffic, rain, snow, etc).

I myself keep my hands at 10 and 2. My right hand leaves the wheel only to shift gears and occasionally to futz with the radio or air conditioning/heating. When I make a turn, I do hand-over-hand to make the turn and then I do hand-over-hand back to the straight-ahead position rather than just letting the wheel return to straight-ahead by itself. I also never use cruise control. I like to be in control of the car at all times...

Yet I drive an automatic and couldn't drive stick to save my life. (Go ahead and laugh.) Learning to drive stick is on my bucket list, though.

[christiangirl]

Originally Posted by aephi alum

Yet I drive an automatic and couldn't drive stick to save my life. (Go ahead and laugh.) Learning to drive stick is on my bucket list, though.

I learned on a stick (before I got too spoiled on an automatic) and had the HARDEST time with it. If you can get it to move without stalling out 50 times, you're better than I am.

BTW It takes a lot to scare me while driving and your husband sounds like he would have me terrified. I'm a one-handed driver but NOT while it's raining, the road is windy, or any of that other stuff.

ETA: The thing that gets me are people who get really into the radio and CLOSE THEIR EYES while singing. It's physically impossible for me to close my eyes for more than a second while driving (like if there's an eyelash in my eye or something). So when I see people do that or hear of someone who does it, it scares me witless.