Texting while driving

[2LaneCruzer]

Interesting story. Forgive me for sidetracking the thread but had to tell mine:

Back in the day, I drove an old '41 Chrysler that oddly enough, had the light switch on the passenger side of the dash. One Saturday night my date and I were headed for Enid to go to the drive-in, and she somehow managed to inadvertently turn off the headlights. She finally managed to figure out what she had done and turned them back on. Needless to say, about fouled myself before the lights came back on, but it otherwise turned out OK.

 

[mark02tj]

I was heading home from TSC on Saturday around 11:00 a.m. There was a car about 75 yards ahead of me on a fairly quiet road - speed limit 35 mph. I noticed the car drifting off the right side of the road and thought "that's a strange way to turn into a driveway". All of the sudden, I see a big cloud of dirt fly up (as the car drove up, over a driveway) and the car swerved over to the left side of the road, went into a ditch, hit a tree in the ditch and then spun around about 90 degrees!!

I pulled over, grabbed my phone and went running back over there. I heard crying that sounded like a child was in the car, but it was actually the 29 year old mother of two. She wasn't wearing her seatbelt and was sitting in the passenger seat with her legs still over on the drivers side. She scooted herself back into the drivers seat and was crying. As I was going into the ditch, I flagged down another car and had him call 911. There was some minor smoke coming out from under the hood, so I grabbed my fire extinguisher out of the Jeep as well. The squad showed up and put a collar on her and pulled her out on a backboard.

Not 100% sure, but in talking to the cop on the scene, we figured she was texting. Unless there was some sort of "medical emergency", there was no other good explanation for what I saw.

Interesting thing was that she wanted me to call her boss - at Pizza Hut - to let her know she was going to be late.

Be safe out there!!

 

[Retiredguy2]

I drove heavy trucks for a living for over 30 years. I truthfully think the vast majority of traffic accidents are caused by inattention of some kind, and texting ranks up at the top of the list for inattention. It truthfully scares me how poor driving skills have become and my brother in law was killed in a car/bike crash few years ago...yes, the car driver was texting at the time. I only foresee the problem getting worse...and what really scares me is that automakers constantly make new cars safer but driver skills continue to decline. It makes me laugh when I see a commercial for those self-parking cars..are drivers today REALLY that incompetent? I learned how to parallel park in a stick shift 1965 Galaxy with no power steering...it would be hilarious to watch a young person try to do that today. :laughing:

 

[turnkey4099]

I drove heavy trucks for a living for over 30 years. I truthfully think the vast majority of traffic accidents are caused by inattention of some kind, and texting ranks up at the top of the list for inattention. It truthfully scares me how poor driving skills have become and my brother in law was killed in a car/bike crash few years ago...yes, the car driver was texting at the time. I only foresee the problem getting worse...and what really scares me is that automakers constantly make new cars safer but driver skills continue to decline. It makes me laugh when I see a commercial for those self-parking cars..are drivers today REALLY that incompetent? I learned how to parallel park in a stick shift 1965 Galaxy with no power steering...it would be hilarious to watch a young person try to do that today. :laughing:

The car manufacgturers are also adding to the problem. Cramming more and more 'digital' in front of the driver. It isn't going to bet better until the NTSB bans any screen display of any kind or renders them inoperative if the vehicle is moving over 5mph. Same goes for phones and other 'play toys'. "But I need to make a call". SO PULL OVER YOU ROLLING ACCIDENT.

 

[ovrszd]

The car manufacgturers are also adding to the problem. Cramming more and more 'digital' in front of the driver. It isn't going to bet better until the NTSB bans any screen display of any kind or renders them inoperative if the vehicle is moving over 5mph. Same goes for phones and other 'play toys'. "But I need to make a call". SO PULL OVER YOU ROLLING ACCIDENT.

I believe their are some cars built today that parameters can be programmed regarding using electronics while driving. I think this will be more common in the future.

 

[Redneck in training]

The car manufacgturers are also adding to the problem. Cramming more and more 'digital' in front of the driver. It isn't going to bet better until the NTSB bans any screen display of any kind or renders them inoperative if the vehicle is moving over 5mph. Same goes for phones and other 'play toys'. "But I need to make a call". SO PULL OVER YOU ROLLING ACCIDENT.

I rented a Mazda few months back where even radio touch screen was locked while the car was moving. The controls on the steering wheel such as volume and scrolling through the pre-selected stations kept working.

 

[turnkey4099]

I believe their are some cars built today that parameters can be programmed regarding using electronics while driving. I think this will be more common in the future.

It is 'programmable' by the owner, it will accomplish nothing.

 

[Howling]

It is 'programmable' by the owner, it will accomplish nothing.

My new truck has programmable restrictions by key. Can prevent kids from doing the crazy things the adults are allowed to do.

 

[Retiredguy2]

What turnkey4099 says: "Pull over, you rolling accident'....to my knowledge it is illegal to pull over on most freeways UNLESS you have a real emergency. But yes, he makes an excellent point. I have programmed my phone to give me a notice of REALLY important calls through a series of vibrations and I ignore anything else while driving. A priority call, I will take the next exit on a freeway to check the meaning or pull over on a two lane road.

 

[ovrszd]

My new truck has programmable restrictions by key. Can prevent kids from doing the crazy things the adults are allowed to do.

Yeah, thats what I was talking about.