"Homeless" Looking Officer Watching For Texting Drivers

[BE Mike]

How about we just skip the new technology/spying and simply address dangerous actions expressed in unsafe operation of the vehicle, you know, like swerving, unsafe lane changes, cutting in on the front bumper of a faster vehicle in another lane and standing on the brakes like the dumbass on 70 this evening--things that are dangerous and readily visible without having to peek in windows and try to identify pre-crimes.

Ah, but accusations must be proven in court! Officers can't be everywhere and after an accident happens that is the result of texting, I'd like the officer to be able to prove it in court. I'm not so much worried about the idiot texting as I am concerned about the victims.

 

[jd4320t]

These threads never let me down.

I'm so proud of the great INGO drivers who never do a thing in their vehicles that distracts them from driving.

 

[BE Mike]

These threads never let me down.

I'm so proud of the great INGO drivers who never do a thing in their vehicles that distracts them from driving.

I hope you aren't insinuating that texting and driving are acceptable. There are distractions and then there are DISTRACTIONS.

 

[jd4320t]

I hope you aren't insinuating that texting and driving are acceptable. There are distractions and then there are DISTRACTIONS.

That's exactly what I'm insinuating. It doesn't matter what you're doing, it's all distracting from driving. I refuse to support pumping money, time and resources into fighting texting and driving because it's simply a waste. Like everything else all that we can do is say it shouldn't be done and punish people when needed.

You may be the best and most responsible driver in the world but even you still allow yourself to be distracted from driving. We all do.

 

[rambone]

Mother Goose, this is Canary. Suspect spotted. Hispanic female seen laughing out loud while holding mobile device. Need backup. Suspect's fingers are on the move.

 

[BE Mike]

That's exactly what I'm insinuating. It doesn't matter what you're doing, it's all distracting from driving. I refuse to support pumping money, time and resources into fighting texting and driving because it's simply a waste. Like everything else all that we can do is say it shouldn't be done and punish people when needed.

You may be the best and most responsible driver in the world but even you still allow yourself to be distracted from driving. We all do.

We'll just have to agree to disagree. I cannot condone texting and driving anymore than drunk driving.

 

[Libertarian01]

This is the criminalization of risk, which I am generally opposed to.

However, there is some percentage at which the risk becomes so great that it should be criminalized. Where that is I do not know. Even if I did know, the risk level I am comfortable with is not what another person would be comfortable with. This is part of the problem living within a society where everyone's comfort level with risk is different.

I am olde fashioned enough to tolerate more risk than some of the younger generation, who, on average, seems to be raised in a more risk averse culture.

As far as driving goes, I can tolerate all of the olde, standard risks such as putting on makeup, shaving, eating in the car, changing the radio, putting in a tape, talking, talking on a phone, looking out the side window, etc. Per insurance institute studies ALL distractions increase the risk for an accident. And as we will NEVER make a car that is distraction free, I am willing to live with and tolerate most distractions.

Now to texting. I do believe there have been some studies that suggest texting, for some reason, is significantly more distracting than all of these other distractions by a very high magnitude. IF this is true then we should be able to rationally discuss exactly what that risk level is and compare it to our overall risk tolerance to determine whether it is worthy of criminalizing.

I know that these idiots are not going just after texting, so I am overall opposed to this sort of criminalization. However, I did want to make the point that there comes a point where an activity becomes so risky to other people that the benefit of avoiding it outweighs the resistance to intervention.

Regards,

Doug

 

[mikeruth]

I see texting every single day. I wait at green lights for the text'ers to get going. I was rear-ended on Post Rd. by one of the fools. Confiscate their damn phones.

 

[churchmouse]

I see texting every single day. I wait at green lights for the text'ers to get going. I was rear-ended on Post Rd. by one of the fools. Confiscate their damn phones.

No....we can not do that because it is OK to be distracted and drive.
I read it on Ingo.

Oh God, I just channeled Kirk.....

 

[ljk]

I see texting every single day going on in I-70 and I-65 on my way home from work. I have seen people almost rearend others while texting. I just don't know how it is more of a danger than say changing the channel on your radio or loading a CD, if anyone still have those in their cars. -Jason

What is a CD?

 

[churchmouse]

What is a CD?

Ugh..............

 

[jd4320t]

We'll just have to agree to disagree. I cannot condone texting and driving anymore than drunk driving.

You don't see my point but I didn't expect you to so it's OK.

No....we can not do that because it is OK to be distracted and drive.
I read it on Ingo.

Oh God, I just channeled Kirk.....

I assume you're always at 10 and 2, eyes only forward unless needing to look left or right??

 

[jd4320t]

This is a fad and nothing more. People jumping on something farely new and making it out to be the worst thing ever.

Yeah, people are dumb, they'll cause accidents just like with all the other dumb reason accidents happen.

I do my best not to let anything district me when the road needs my full attention. That's what we should ask of drivers

 

[churchmouse]

You don't see my point but I didn't expect you to so it's OK.



I assume you're always at 10 and 2, eyes only forward unless needing to look left or right??

That is a serious push and I think you know it.

So many folks are not that good at driving without the Texting.

I do not text and drive anymore as it is distracting "Far" beyond dealing with the radio. I drive Vans/Trucks so yes, in my mirrors a bit.

I am a very attentive driver with a zillion miles in my trade running a service truck. Never a work related crash. Yes, speeding but who has not slipped on that banana peel.

Texting is becoming one of the single worst distractions on the road.

I did not push this conversation towards new laws but like you, just enforce the ones we already have. We have way more than enough laws but I am certain from personal observations that Texting is a serious issue.

 

[dusty88]

You don't see my point but I didn't expect you to so it's OK.



I assume you're always at 10 and 2, eyes only forward unless needing to look left or right??

Yeah, see, I don't get how all these folks say they are SEEING other people texting. Because when I'm driving, I'm not typically looking inside other people's cars. That would be a distraction to safe driving.

I see people weaving, blocking the left lane etc. I don't know why they are doing it. If they don't respond to a beep, I have on 2 occasions called 911. It matters not to me if they are sick, sleepy, texting, whatever. They either need help or they need consequences.

 

[churchmouse]

Yeah, see, I don't get how all these folks say they are SEEING other people texting. Because when I'm driving, I'm not typically looking inside other people's cars. That would be a distraction to safe driving.

I see people weaving, blocking the left lane etc. I don't know why they are doing it. If they don't respond to a beep, I have on 2 occasions called 911. It matters not to me if they are sick, sleepy, texting, whatever. They either need help or they need consequences.

I drive a Van and a 4 wheel drive truck. When someone is weaving around and driving erratically there head is usually down and eyes off the road. When you get around them or next to them in traffic it is obvious when the "PHONE" is up in plan view. Especially when they are driving a Prius sized roller skate car.

So you think it is Peeping into cars....seriously.

 

[dusty88]

I drive a Van and a 4 wheel drive truck. When someone is weaving around and driving erratically there head is usually down and eyes off the road. When you get around them or next to them in traffic it is obvious when the "PHONE" is up in plan view. Especially when they are driving a Prius sized roller skate car.

So you think it is Peeping into cars....seriously.

I drive a 4WD SUV, I drive about 100 mi per day, so I get the fact that you can see in other cars and no I don't think you are "peeping". I'm just saying that you have to be taking your own eyes off the road to be seeing the other guy with his phone. Seeing it occasionally? sure. People who claim they see it all the time are either exaggerating or they need to get their own eyes back on the road.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Now to texting. I do believe there have been some studies that suggest texting, for some reason, is significantly more distracting than all of these other distractions by a very high magnitude.

I think many folks assume the distraction is just that you aren't watching the road. This is part of it, of course, and that's the same if you are texting or fiddling with the radio or what have you. The difference with texting is that you aren't watching the road AND you are taking up more of your brain power. You can only do so many tasks at once. Think of how many tasks that are involved in driving. You are operating a foot pedal and evaluating input to modulate the pedal to maintain speed, calculating distances and angles, using a hand/hands to turn a wheel to adjust your direction based on your intended route, the location of other cars, road imperfections, etc. You do most of this in your subconscious if you are an experienced driver, but you are doing it.

Putting a CD in requires no thought beyond putting something in a slot. Texting requires you to think about what you're going to say, think about the symbols that say that, push the corresponding buttons, etc. There's a lot more tasks there, and that's less brain power available for driving. It's the same reason talking on a cell phone is more distracting than talking to someone in person. On a cell phone your subconscious is filling in missing information, you are thinking harder because you aren't seeing the person you are having the conversation with, in other words. I bet there's no one here who hasn't been preoccupied by something or other and found yourself driving to work instead of to the store or something like that because your active thought process was tied up and your subconscious took over and you were driving on auto pilot. Well, what happens when your active thoughts are tied up with the conversation and your subconscious is tied up with making the cell phone work right? Way more distraction.

 

[churchmouse]

I drive a 4WD SUV, I drive about 100 mi per day, so I get the fact that you can see in other cars and no I don't think you are "peeping". I'm just saying that you have to be taking your own eyes off the road to be seeing the other guy with his phone. Seeing it occasionally? sure. People who claim they see it all the time are either exaggerating or they need to get their own eyes back on the road.

OK....what ever you say.

Guess I am just making this up. Maybe hallucinating. Yeah thats it......flash backs from the late 60's. That explains it.

So all of the people we are seeing heads down and driving it is OK but "We" need to get "Our" eyes back on the road.

Really.

 

[foszoe]

AAs long as you don't mind allowing the victim to sue those who do so into the poor farm.

I am going to step out on a limb here and suggest that laws against [insert activity] while driving are stupid. It is tantamount to saying, "If I can't manage to walk and chew gum at the same time, then it should be illegal for ANYONE to walk and chew gum at the same time." Seriously, all the negative actions attributed to talking, texting, eating, drinking (alcohol or non-alcohol), reading, fussing with children, getting fellated (unfortunately, yes, I have encountered people doing this on the highway), or any other distraction while driving are already punishable acts, much in the same way that I do not believe in any such thing as 'gun crime' since the crimes in question are illegal regardless of the hardware used to perpetrate them. Punish the actual misdeed, not the pre-crime which happens to be the battle cry du jour.

I would also have to ask what harm is being done if a uniformed officer cannot clearly see erratic/dangerous/reckless driving without having an officer pose as a bum to catch people texting WHILE STOPPED AT A LIGHT. I would be much more concerned about their attentiveness WHILE ACTUALLY DRIVING.