Police Losing Battle To Get Drivers To Put Down Their Phones

I damn near got hit by a driver who was texting a couple of weeks ago. I had the green light, it was a fresh green light. It was a damn good thing that I had the reflexes that I had or my car would've been T-boned. I stopped so fast my tires screeched and I left rubber on the road behind me. I should've given the person the horn but I could see the stupid look on the person's face, it was a definite "WTF!" kind of look.
 
scojer said:
I can't see the future so I don't know if/when you'll get hit.

I'm not volunteering, but I've accepted that if something happens, it happens. I can't stop it.
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So no point in reducing the risk?
 
tec1500 said:
So no point in reducing the risk?
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There is no point in putting forth an effort to reduce the risk. They'll still do it even if there is penalties or laws to "prevent or punish" them.
 
scojer said:
There is no point in putting forth an effort to reduce the risk. They'll still do it even if there is penalties or laws to "prevent or punish" them.
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So if we stop putting in effort, will the accidents increase or stay the same?
 
tec1500 said:
So if we stop putting in effort, will the accidents increase or stay the same?
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well as you can see, they put in an effort and they wrote more tickets than ever. And according to this site the numbers go up each year.
 
Cops are part of the problem as they are among the biggest offenders, almost every cop I see is on their phone. Why would they enforce a law they break themselves. The punishment needs to be changed to voluntary manslaughter or attempted manslaughter. Marijuana users need to be let out of prison and refilled with cell phone abusers.
 
A simple forced software update to all smart phones required by law to disable texting functionality of a smart phone with data from accelerometers and GPS would be a good start.
It's proven that people regardless of good intentions can not be trusted to follow simple rules of safety while driving and the solution must be imposed on the user.
Technology for autos and smart phones can be developed for future phone releases that can detirmine a phone user as a passenger rather than the driver.
The risk of injury or death out weighs the inconvenience imposed on phone users.
 
I always blast the car horn and flip the bird to chumps and chumpettes who are on their phones while driving.

I have also been known to pull in front of them and hit the brake lights to break their concentration and interrupt their cell session.

Usually it some stuck up bitch in an SUV doing 30 in the fast lane, weaving over the lines being a general ass. In the city I live in the police have quit patrolling and just rely on the highway cameras to alert them when to go clean up the wrecks.

I am totally ok with citizens running these assholes off the road into a ditch. :punch:
 
Xyrax said:
Here's an idea. Actually enforcing the law and pulling violators over. Far too often I see people blatantly using their phone behind the wheel in front of cops and nothing happens. Can't complain about a law being ineffective if there's little to no effort in enforcing it to begin with.
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agreedd but its evn worse with peopel driving in the left lane. in texas its illegal acocridng to state law is only for passing. yes till people go out there for no good reason and slow down other traffick.
especially if they are on the phoen as well ans pay no attention to the line behind them that are trying to make a pass.
 
I commute on a motorcycle every day, and live in SoCal so I get to split traffic (I'm not a jerk about it). This has given me so much ability to notice what drivers are up to in their vehicles that I will confidently say that it's not really the phones. It's that the average driver has no actual training, no desire to practice, and is so unable to think that being completely distracted at 75 MPH seems like a fine idea. A short list from the last month or so:
makeup
reading a book
crosswords / sudoku
poke man
movies / TV
cereal / oatmeal (in a bowl)
clipping fingernails

The Dunning-Kruger effect needs to be a part of whatever training, be it drivers ed or just high school. The average person spends the most dangerous part of their life being a brainless zombie.
 
Maybe I live in fantasy land, but I feel like all the text/driving hysteria is nothing more than people wanting something to be afraid of.

I see all sorts of stupid shit on the road, but the vast majority of it does not involve a driver using their phone. I also see a lot of people using their phones on the road, but the vast majority of them don't seem to be posing any imminent danger to anyone.

Then when the local police do decide to enforce it, they just camp out at long red lights, and nab the people who at least waited until their cars were stationary and posing no danger, rather than targeting phone users in moving cars.
 
Wrecked Em said:
Maybe I live in fantasy land, but I feel like all the text/driving hysteria is nothing more than people wanting something to be afraid of.
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Yep fantasy sure, roads are dangerous.
When problems are found they need dealing with.

I see all sorts of stupid shit on the road, but the vast majority of it does not involve a driver using their phone. I also see a lot of people using their phones on the road, but the vast majority of them don't seem to be posing any imminent danger to anyone.
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Sensible people distracted by their phones can become killers without any intention of ill will.
Because they know the risk, there is a potential for a manslaughter charge. And with good foundation.

Then when the local police do decide to enforce it, they just camp out at long red lights, and nab the people who at least waited until their cars were stationary and posing no danger, rather than targeting phone users in moving cars.
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There must be no ambiguity for something this serious.
 
True- but that (as mentioned before in this thread) is part of the problem. The police need to treat is as an offence worth pulling someone over, and (especially) stop doing it themselves.
 
This is why we need automated cars. People can't be trusted to not try and do stupid shit while they drive. I primarily travel by motorcycle. To the point that my cars have battery tenders, not my motorcycles. People just plain do not pay attention while they are driving. It's not just phones, but they are the primary culprit the last few years.
 
Last thing I want is a robot car. Talk about taking taking the fun out of life. For those of us who actually enjoy cars and driving anyway.

How about this idea? Insurance companies give you a nice discount if you put a device in the car that blocks cell phone communication.

Money talks.
 
Or, cheap licenses for those that have robot only, and German style testing for 'open use' drivers licenses... :cool:
 
Probably multiple approaches that could be taken that don't necessarily involve the stick. The carrot may work better in this case. Personally if Allstate would give me a 10% discount every time I renew - would be happy to install a short range cell signal blocking device.
 
DrLobotomy said:
I always blast the car horn and flip the bird to chumps and chumpettes who are on their phones while driving.

I have also been known to pull in front of them and hit the brake lights to break their concentration and interrupt their cell session.

Usually it some stuck up bitch in an SUV doing 30 in the fast lane, weaving over the lines being a general ass. In the city I live in the police have quit patrolling and just rely on the highway cameras to alert them when to go clean up the wrecks.

I am totally ok with citizens running these assholes off the road into a ditch. :punch:
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I do much the same. I don't care if it a sweet looking little old lady or a 300 LB brute, I lose my shit when I see someone using their phone behind the wheel.
 
Riptide_NVN said:
Probably multiple approaches that could be taken that don't necessarily involve the stick. The carrot may work better in this case. Personally if Allstate would give me a 10% discount every time I renew - would be happy to install a short range cell signal blocking device.
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Yea, but that only works on people that apply logic to their driving. I just saw someone putting their shoulder belt on as they made a turn at 45 mph, on to the freeway entrance. There are no parking spots within blocks of that corner.
 
Riptide_NVN said:
Last thing I want is a robot car. Talk about taking taking the fun out of life. For those of us who actually enjoy cars and driving anyway.

How about this idea? Insurance companies give you a nice discount if you put a device in the car that blocks cell phone communication.

Money talks.
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Sorry, but the better way forward is for you and I to have our fun at driving ranges while leaving the mundane driving to automation. Reason being is that traffic congestion can be worked out better.
(in before how machines will not care to preserve your life if it means that the system can save more lives by having you die)
 
Sure, as long as the state can keep instituting ever increasing fines and penalties, then yes, by all means, let the nanny state dictate how you live your life and ask for more.
 
westrock2000 said:
The problem with that, is that police would have to actually drive around and mingle with the public. At least here in Texas, it's much easier to just park your car backwards on the highway and wait for free money to come by.
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And that right there basically proves why nearly every vehicular code in the US is not about safety, but about making money for the state.
 
Raise the fines. Impound the phone. Charge $250 to retrieve the phone from the impound station. Also impound their car. Charge another $250 to retrieve the car from the impound lot. Then charge a $150 tow fee. Charge a $150 transport fee for the phone. Make sure both car and phone are in separate locations separated by at least 10 miles of city.
 
I've found that a great way to discourage passing lane vigilantes is to get up on their bumper and hold my phone up and pretend I'm texting.

For added effect I usually turn the phone and my head to the side just far enough so I can still see clearly straight ahead, but to a casual observer, it looks like I'm looking no where near the direction I'm moving.
 
I'm afraid that the ONLY thing that will stop distracted driving is summary execution. Do it often enough and folks that want to do it will stop.

Remember that episode of Star Trek The Next Generation where Wesley Crusher was sentenced to death for stepping on grass. LOL
 
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jevans64 said:
I'm afraid that the ONLY thing that will stop distracted driving is summary execution. Do it often enough and folks that want to do it will stop.
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Folks that do it will die you mean. But, death is not a deterrent, because people are stupid, and really do believe that they will not be caught. Sometimes they even think they are too smart to be caught. It's got to be a form of insanity really.
 
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