Texting while driving

[Creamer]

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

Or so you think until they figure out how to change it!

 

[prichard]

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

Great, so called adults can get in wrecks then.

 

[sld]

I just got back from a 1650 mile road trip. On the interstate, I did text some. But I always made sure there was no cars within probably 1/4 mile.

There was a car with a couple of young girls that would pass me, change into the right lane and then slow down. This would cause me to adjust my cruise control speed. After slowing down I would then pass them putting quite a bit of distance between us. They would creep back up and do it again. Why do people do that? I finally stepped on it, got up to triple digits (hardly any traffic on the interstate) and put about 2 miles between us. Didn't see them again.

An Asian guy pulled right next to me at 80 mph. I thought he was going to pass me but he stayed right beside me. I looked over and he was on a cell phone. I slowed down and got away from him.

I have to say that I-25 from Albuquerque to the Colorado state line is a beautiful drive. Early in the morning it was almost like the autobahn!

 

[bdog]

You just need practice and have to be good at multitasking to drive and text. Heck I am writing this while going 70 down the freeway.













Just kidding. Texting and driving is very dangerous. I bet the majority of crashes today are caused by people jacking with their phones. I can't count the times I have seen a car swerving around and when I get closer to them or pass them I see the driver staring at the phone.

 

[turnkey4099]

You just need practice and have to be good at multitasking to drive and text. Heck I am writing this while going 70 down the freeway.













Just kidding. Texting and driving is very dangerous. I bet the majority of crashes today are caused by people jacking with their phones. I can't count the times I have seen a car swerving around and when I get closer to them or pass them I see the driver staring at the phone.

There is no such thing as a human "multi-taskign". The brain is wired to do one thing at a time. You may think you are doing two at once but while doing one, you are totally ignoring the other.

I saw test. Subject had a car dash board and windshield there was a red light in the middle of the windshield. Subject was to text and touch brake every time the light came on. He mised 6 in a row.

 

[joefromga]

What about piano players and drummers?

 

[downsizingnow48]

Yeah also try accordion three things at once.

 

[turnkey4099]

Yeah also try accordion three things at once.

It's still just one activity and the attention is focused on that activity. Try playing one while talking or texting.

 

[turnkey4099]

Left town and got out on the open road, traffic moving at 65...had to slow down for a car in front doing about 58. Then came the corner and they slowed to 50 then picked back up to 58 after it. Corner? NOBODY slows down for it. It can be taken at 80 without even noticiing.the side force.

 

[ovrszd]

It's still just one activity and the attention is focused on that activity. Try playing one while talking or texting.

Or singing?

 

[the old grind]

Just practicing, Richard.

Considering a typical drive-time/phone-time ratio our younger folks are more like 'driving while texting'.

When/if phones migrate from palms to wrists will it be 'texting while driving one-handed'? ... or 1/2-handed?

Folks text me and say later, "It wasn't important." (... enough to call) So, why not save it for when something is? Otherwise IMO it's too often just 'babbling of the bored', and I'm not at the moment. (still want to call my smart-phone an 'I-crutch', and doing my best to get along without it as I have since the '50s)

#1 reason I'd rather not 'text' is not knowing if someone is behind the wheel. Many who fancy it seem to think an immediate response is essential.

For everything else I do I'm willing to be 'that guy', but I don't want to be the one who was texted back to just seconds before someone piles up their car/truck ... and then lose sleep over it.

 

[downsizingnow48]

I don't text, take, or make calls when driving. And I agree with all the dangers identified. But I think that playing accordion and singing is 4 things not one. It is beside the point so will drop it now.

 

[cqaigy2]

I heard someplace, that those of us that did not grow up with smartphone, drove and texted, different from those that grew up with smartphone. It was a question of priority, of driving or texting. Us old folks, driving is a priority, with younger people, phone is the priority. One person would look down for a few words, look up for a for a bit, then repeat. Another person would look down for twelve or so words then up for a second, then down for twelve or so words.

 

[TomSeller]

It's still just one activity and the attention is focused on that activity. Try playing one while talking or texting.

Do I have to stop walking and chewing gum at the same time? How about farting and drinking beer?

 

[turnkey4099]

Or singing?

Depends on whether what you are singing is the smae as what you are playing.

 

[turnkey4099]

Do I have to stop walking and chewing gum at the same time? How about farting and drinking beer?

If you haved to _think_ about either chewing gum or farting...

Idt ain't what you are doing physically, it is what the brain is doing.

 

[CCWKen]

OK I have to ask - how old are you? Or was this a go-kart?

I had a post-war VW that had the flip-out turn signal arms on the B-pillars. I don't remember the exact year but I remember it having the little oval rear window. Perhaps '48 or '49. I bought it to make a dune buggy at the time and scrapped the body. I've wished I had it back many times. It was a rare model.

The flip-out signal idea dates back to the early 1900s as an auto accessory. Some even had a hand shape. I think a lot of the European cars came standard with flip-out turn signals in the 40s and 50s.

As a side note:
I don't think they even teach driving hand signals any more. If you put your arm out to signal a turn now days, most other drivers think you're waving at them. Young drivers sure missed a period of living history. Most cars and trucks didn't come with such luxuries as turn signals, radios or even heaters. And forget air conditioning and automatic transmissions. Brake lights weren't even used until the late 20s and most headlights wouldn't light the road for more than 30 feet! That was back when you had to be a "real driver".

 

[PILOON]

Ever pilot an aircraft?
Throttle, mixture, flaps, gear retraction, change frequencies 2-3 times, monitor gauges, look out for traffic, adjust trim tabs copy clearances etc etc.
Oh and monitor radar, glide slope and localizer on approach all while looking out for traffic.
Multitasking impossible???

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

Ever pilot an aircraft?
Throttle, mixture, flaps, gear retraction, change frequencies 2-3 times, monitor gauges, look out for traffic, adjust trim tabs copy clearances etc etc.
Oh and monitor radar, glide slope and localizer on approach all while looking out for traffic.
Multitasking impossible???

He's right. Fair amount of science arround it. No such thing as multitasking. Only rapid task switching (can be very rapid and is what we call multitasking).

And Fixed Action Patterns (essentially muscle memory) don't count because they don't require attention (i.e. Continuous, ongoing prefrontal cortical involvement.

 

[downsizingnow48]

In that case texting while driving is not inherently dangerous. Just needs training like a pilot or musician. So they need to do it more and get proficient.