Anti Texting PSA in London Schools

[DaemonSeid]

A bit graphic...be careful if you are home or at work



Are kids so desensitized that the graphic depiction won't matter?

Do you think this video would get the message across?

[RaggedyAnn]

Well, apparently so, if you read the second comment. I would have thought the first hit was far enough. The neck noise was scary real. I can't believe this was a dramatization.

[RU OX Alum]

That was actually less graphic than the driver's ed videos they showed us in school.

I hope it gets the point across though, which I think it has.

[starang21]

good. some kids need to learn like this.

[Kevin]

What a waste of time and money. This isn't going to convince one single kid to do anything different. I can't tell you how many grotesque individuals they paraded in front of us in high school, everyone still drank and whatnot. It changed nothing.

At that age, kids feel invincible. It'll take a hell of a lot more than a violent video to change what I'm convinced is essentially a psychological state of the adolescent mind, i.e., that bad things happen, but not to them [being whatever teenager happens to be thinking that thought].

[33girl]

Yeah, I'm messed up, but was I the only one who wanted her to surreptitiously reach over, pick up the phone and see if she got a text back?

This is like the "Bloody Mess Behind The Wheel" movies they used to show us in high school - so ridiculous and over the top that no one will take it seriously. Showing a kid getting a ticket, losing their car and/or license and being forced to ride a smelly, overcrowded with gross people bus would have been a more effective deterrent.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Yeah, I'm messed up, but was I the only one who wanted her to surreptitiously reach over, pick up the phone and see if she got a text back?

Awesome.

[RaggedyAnn]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Yeah, I'm messed up, but was I the only one who wanted her to surreptitiously reach over, pick up the phone and see if she got a text back?

No. That's what I thought she was going to do when she turned her head.

[PM_Mama00]

How the hell did they do that?

[DrPhil]

Teens tend to feel invincible and so do adults who think "I'm better than your average texting driver/drunk driver/driver with only one hand on the steering wheel/driver who is holding a crying baby/driver who is taking a quick nap on cruise control...so I can pull this off."

This, in combination with the laws in half the states, will probably reach adults more than teen drivers. I didn't even know this was directed at teenagers when Bill O'Reilly first aired some of it; and I saw the rest on youtube the next day.

It might not matter what age group it reaches. I haven't seen a study that states that teens text and drive more than adults do--there may be such a study. I just want it to reach people who wouldn't have the sense to not text and drive without the PSA.

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

It might not matter what age group it reaches. I haven't seen a study that states that teens text and drive more than adults do--there may be such a study. I just want it to reach people who wouldn't have the sense to not text and drive without the PSA.

That's one of my questions as well. There was a recent motor vehicle accident in the Boston area where a prominent physician at one of the Harvard-affiliated hospitals was killed. There was some discussion early on that she may have been texting/emailing on her Blackberry at the time of the accident. I didn't read any follow-up articles, so I'm not sure if that was the case.

However, with the growing popularity of Blackberries and other smartphones, and the resulting "always on the job" feeling that comes from them, I would guess that there's a sizeable amount of adults who are guilty of the same behavior.

ETA: Here's a link to the story on the Boston doctor: http://www.boston.com/news/local/bre...l_directo.html

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by KSigkid

That's one of my questions as well. There was a recent motor vehicle accident in the Boston area where a prominent physician at one of the Harvard-affiliated hospitals was killed. There was some discussion early on that she may have been texting/emailing on her Blackberry at the time of the accident. I didn't read any follow-up articles, so I'm not sure if that was the case.

However, with the growing popularity of Blackberries and other smartphones, and the resulting "always on the job" feeling that comes from them, I would guess that there's a sizeable amount of adults who are guilty of the same behavior.

ETA: Here's a link to the story on the Boston doctor: http://www.boston.com/news/local/bre...l_directo.html

Thanks for the link. I know a 30-something man who totalled the family car 2 minutes from their home because he wanted to send an "I'm home" text before he pulled into the neighborhood and parked his car.

I think adults text while driving more than teens. For one, adults drive way more than teens and, as you said, most adults have access to a BB or other device. Even if they are not texting, they may be checking their appointments, emails, GPS/directions, or making phone calls instead of voice dialing. Anything where you are messing with your phone--and not looking at the road--is the same as texting while driving.

And talking on the phone while driving is still dangerous even if you are hands-free. A study found that it is the conversation that is distracting and not whether your hands are free. That's why I try to keep convos to a minimum.

[CutiePie2000]

In the first few seconds, why does the driver dictate out loud: "Hi Dave"... but she is texting to James?

I guess whoever looks after continuity or whatever you want to call it, was not on top of their game.

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

And talking on the phone while driving is still dangerous even if you are hands-free. A study found that it is the conversation that is distracting and not whether your hands are free. That's why I try to keep convos to a minimum.

Very true.

...And another study released recently found that you're about 23 times more likely to be in an accident (or a near-accident situation) if you're texting, rather than talking to someone on the phone. The obvious problem being, when you're texting, you're not looking at the road.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-10296992-94.html

[lovespink88]

Ugh...my PR teacher just showed us this is class the other day. She warned us it was graphic, and I have definitely seen movies that are more graphic than this, but the neck thing grossed me out. I'm not sure if it was just shock or what, but I almost passed out when I saw it