Texting while driving

[k0ua]

Having used a 2 way radio in vehicles for decades with thousands of hours of operation, I will state that using a 2 way radio does not take even 1/10 the concentration of trying to text while driving. With a 2 way radio, your eyes stay on the road and your ability to drive is does not seem to be diminished. I can't say the same about texting. I cannot text and drive safely, but I sure can talk on a 2 way and drive safely, and have done it for a long time.

 

[turnkey4099]

"Practice makes perfect! "

Texting while on a skate board must have taken a lot of practice.
I kid you not, saw that for real and I clocked him doing about 15mph

Maintainign balance is pretty well automatic, now steering requires paying attention

 

[turnkey4099]

Having used a 2 way radio in vehicles for decades with thousands of hours of operation, I will state that using a 2 way radio does not take even 1/10 the concentration of trying to text while driving. With a 2 way radio, your eyes stay on the road and your ability to drive is does not seem to be diminished. I can't say the same about texting. I cannot text and drive safely, but I sure can talk on a 2 way and drive safely, and have done it for a long time.

Tests have shown that the mere act of talking on a phone (or radio) greatly degrades reaction time.

 

[Retiredguy2]

Tests have shown that the mere act of talking on a phone (or radio) greatly degrades reaction time.

Query here: What about listening to loud music on the radio or chatting with passengers? Don't those actions also degrade reaction time? What about eating a Big Mac and fries while driving? It truthfully scares me how incompetent the vast majority of drivers today are. While on the way to the store yesterday I saw two other drivers completely blow thru a red light because they were not paying attention to the road.

 

[Industrial Toys]

In Ontario I believe Hams and other two way radio operators are still exempt from the distracted driving laws. What about having three kids in the car, all with ice cream? And a dog? How can that possibly amount to any sort of attentative driving?

Years ago when we were doing fire alarm inspections on lake freighters and had to drive accross the country to meet them, I worked with a guy who was very able to drive, eat, change his shoes, and play cards with his passenger, while in motion. I never felt nervous driving with him. In fact quite the opposite.

 

[TomSeller]

I worked with a guy who was very able to drive, eat, change his shoes, and play cards with his passenger, while in motion. I never felt nervous driving with him..

That's nothin'. I can pick my nose with one hand, change the radio station with the other while steering with my knees.

 

[sld]

On long straight stretches of highway I like to steer with my knees and give my arms a break. It's pretty easy actually.

One time, as a naive young one, I left right after work for a 500 mile drive to go snow skiing with some friends. They were already there and I was driving by myself.

The truck was a 1990 F150 extended cab and the front seat was a big ol' bench seat. I was sooo bored and tired that I started driving from different sitting positions. This was on a long straight 4 lane interstate with the cruise set at the speed limit. I sat on the passenger side and drove from there. I sat like I was on a divan with my back against the driver door and drove from there. Finally, I got in the back seat (remember it's a bench) and drove for a while from there. Talk about stupid! It did keep me awake though. Good thing cell phones weren't invented then!

 

[turnkey4099]

Query here: What about listening to loud music on the radio or chatting with passengers? Don't those actions also degrade reaction time? What about eating a Big Mac and fries while driving? It truthfully scares me how incompetent the vast majority of drivers today are. While on the way to the store yesterday I saw two other drivers completely blow thru a red light because they were not paying attention to the road.

They do indeed. My reaction time at age 81 sucks, Iwon't degrade it further by listening to the radio...especially 'talk radio'. I almost ran into the back of a slow moving truck on a freeway while doing nothing but talking to my sister.. As for eating a big mac? It doesn't take much "thinking" to eat.

The whole problem is inyour last ling "not paying attention to the road". comes right back to the "no such thing as multitasking. Anything that requires your brain to be engaged in it detracts from 'attention tothe road'.

 

[Retiredguy2]

Not quite on topic here but I wanted to share this story: Two days ago 10 teenagers were on their way back from a day at Cedar Point, heading back to Michigan on I-75 in a full size Chevrolet Express van at about 1 am in the morning, and the 17 year old girl driver tried to switch seats with another passenger so that person could drive it. The driver lost control and the van struck the median and rolled, and all ten were taken to the hospital, two passengers were ejected and those two were the most seriously hurt. Supposedly the driver was "getting sleepy" and she asked the front side passenger to take over the wheel. The van rolled over several times.

DUUHHH !!! They are darn lucky nobody was killed....!!! No word on if texting was involved, however.

 

[turnkey4099]

Not quite on topic here but I wanted to share this story: Two days ago 10 teenagers were on their way back from a day at Cedar Point, heading back to Michigan on I-75 in a full size Chevrolet Express van at about 1 am in the morning, and the 17 year old girl driver tried to switch seats with another passenger so that person could drive it. The driver lost control and the van struck the median and rolled, and all ten were taken to the hospital, two passengers were ejected and those two were the most seriously hurt. Supposedly the driver was "getting sleepy" and she asked the front side passenger to take over the wheel. The van rolled over several times.

DUUHHH !!! They are darn lucky nobody was killed....!!! No word on if texting was involved, however.

Probably not, per the story they must have been too dumb to know how to text