LAist: You + Car + Cell = Worse than Drunk Driving

Oren

Fri, 30 Jun 2006 18:01:13 -0800

Cellphone Savant: When you're talking to a passenger, they can see what is going on in front of you and (presumably) will react at the moment when something dangerous happens, unlike your cellphone-mate who keeps jabbering away unawares.

He Man

Fri, 30 Jun 2006 14:59:55 -0800

Eating, drinking and so forth require less attention and concentration than carrying on a conversation. Also, those activities are of shorter duration than most phone calls. I would be surprised if it was more dangerous than drinking and driving, but not that it caused more accidents than drinking and driving. At least when many people drink and drive they attempt to be careful and focus on driving. Cell talkers do not, and that's the problem. Beyond that, they talk all the time in all conditions--fast traffic, slow traffic, surface streets, highway, parallel parking(one handed, how annoying); and they make terrible moves when they realize that they weren't concentrating on the road and, say, missed their turn or exit. Given the stupidity and lack of responsbility demonstrated by most drivers with cell phones, they should be banned, whether with hands-free or not. There are too many lives on the line and we've demonstrated, as a people, that we can't handle the responsibility.

dak ultimak

Fri, 30 Jun 2006 14:24:20 -0800

Driving while distracted is dangerous, period. I think there is a slight edge of safety when chatting with a passenger, because you have an extra set of eyes on the road. But I can't prove it. I personally don't like to talk on my cell when I'm driving. I don't like how distracting it can get. I'm also a very safe driver. But, making it illegal to talk on the phone while driving is stupid. You might as well make it illegal to drink your Starbucks, light a Marlboro and eat your New York Bagal while driving or operating any heavy machinery. These are all distracting, and I bet if they did risk studies, the numbers would be similar. Plus making it law would be redundant. It is already against the law to drive dangerously. It's called Reckless Driving. People who hold conversations on their cells in public are annoying, whether they are driving their SUV or shopping at Whole Foods. There isn't a law against being annoying, there shouldn't be one either. Annoyances are subject to context. You can't make some absolute law to govern it. There are all kinds of grey areas. What about emergencies? What about law enforcement & emergency crews? They are subject to the same laws as the rest of us. They have to constantly be communticating with HQ & other squads. Truck Drivers & CB communication? Do those count? Why or why not? Is it a matter of holding a conversation? or just Talking & Listening? Who determines the difference? More dangerous than Drinking & Driving? Gotta be kidding me.

CellphoneSavant

Fri, 30 Jun 2006 13:30:25 -0800

I agree that driving while talking on the cell is dangerous. I wonder why it would make no difference if you were on a hands free? Wouldn't that be just like talking to someone who is in the vehicle with you?

Alex

Fri, 30 Jun 2006 12:40:29 -0800

Yes. Then let's go to work next on walking the aisles of Trader Joe's without the Bluetooth headsets.