The Shrine

So today I was walking to somewhere during lunch. I had the right of way, and some woman was making a right turn and busy talking to a cellphone at the same time. I think she saw me, but with the way the car was moving I wasn't really sure. I was already more than halfway acrossed which puts me smack into her path if she made a right turn, so I can't exactly stop. Obviously even if I tried to walk really fast the car is still much faster than me. I ended up crossing without incident but I think she past me really fast, and it was actually very scary.

I used to think people are exaggerating about how people who are talking on cellphone is as bad as driving while drunk, but now I see their point. I heard some people actually try to text while driving...

A girl who was (also underage) drunk and texting hit some people a few blocks from where I work a year or two ago (Edit - I heard that all but one person got away from it with minor injuries, but I did hear that one person was paralyzed (rumor, never checked). I did see the building she hit and the damage was fairly severe and that part of the building is built like a damned bank). I was also nearly wiped off the face of this planet earlier this year. I was crossing the street, the day was sunny as sunny gets, and noticed this car that was speeding towards me a block up as I started to cross. Seeing as it was a cross walk and I can usually just casually bound without stopping, safe within the confines of the four-way stop, I just kept going... Until I noticed she wasn't slowing down. As I ran to the other side of the street I saw her looking at her goddamned cell phone still completely unaware of my existence. I know she didn't see it, but the other people on the road certainly did, I gave her the middle finger - something I've never done to a driver.

Fuck her. And people who get caught texting should get the harshest sane penalty states can come up with. If an incident occurs, it should probably be as bad as someone hitting someone else while drinking and driving. It shows similar casual disregard for life. Seriously. Fuck these people.

I'm glad you're all right.

I heard this argument that cellphone/texting accidents should be worse than DUI. When you're drunk or on drugs you're at least under influence of something that messes you up. But you're not under influence of something beyond your control when you choose to use a cell phone or text while driving.

Shrinweck wrote:A girl who was (also underage) drunk and texting hit some people a few blocks from where I work a year or two ago (Edit - I heard that all but one person got away from it with minor injuries, but I did hear that one person was paralyzed (rumor, never checked).

I knew almost all of Big Al's staff around then from training with half of them. Heard about that the next day and could barely believe. Texting. While drunk! And she misses a turn! It was right around closing, too, so lots of people were standing outside.

Yeah I remember being about to lock up and seeing one of the guys in our kitchen just standing on the corner and staring. Really, just crazy stuff.

Anything can really distract you while driving. You can easily get distracted just talking to your passengers. I know I have been. Cellphone talking and texting are just among the worst since they require you to focus on multiple things as opposed to one. And driving while very tired I've always felt is very similar to driving while drunk but no one seems to be worried about this. Considering the pressures on people to work far more than should be allowed, this is a bigger issue than cellphones IMO.

Let's just hope all these cellphone laws that are coming in nearly everywhere are actually enforced. If you're gonna talk on the cell, be in the very right lane. I actually think that no talking at all is far too severe. You should just be as far away from affecting others as possible, so you should have to be in the right lane. Texting? Even worse than reading the paper while driving. It's too damned hard to do that and properly control your car and do all the checks you should be doing. Automatic suspension of license IMO. Start with a day, then a week, then a month, then a year, and so on. People will stop

I have driven while tired a lot, and that shit fucking sucks. It IS like being drunk, the car in front of you zooms in and out, putting the air on max, and blasting music doesn't help either, nothing wakes me up, but oddly enough when I reach my destination wherever it may be I'm up and awake no problems.

Eric wrote:I have driven while tired a lot, and that shit fucking sucks. It IS like being drunk, the car in front of you zooms in and out, putting the air on max, and blasting music doesn't help either, nothing wakes me up, but oddly enough when I reach my destination wherever it may be I'm up and awake no problems.

Driving while tired in my opinion is more dangerous than most people think. I'd actually rather be 'buzzed' than super tired.... both are bad

I remember going to traffic school once and the guy giving the class says he wanted 'sleepy' to qualify you for DUI since it'll clearly influence you to drive a lot worse just like drugs or alcohol.

Don wrote:I remember going to traffic school once and the guy giving the class says he wanted 'sleepy' to qualify you for DUI since it'll clearly influence you to drive a lot worse just like drugs or alcohol.

That'd be pretty fucked up if that were the case. And getting pulled over would probably perk you right up anyway....

It is now illegal in Illinois to text/browse web pages/etc on a cellphone while driving. It is now illegal in Missouri for people 21 and younger.

I try and use a bluetooth device when I drive.

Anarky wrote:Driving while tired in my opinion is more dangerous than most people think. I'd actually rather be 'buzzed' than super tired.... both are bad

Yeah, neither is good for sure. But everyone harps on someone who's had 2 or 3 drinks in 2 hours as being dangerous as hell while some poor accountant who's in the middle of tax season who's just worked 14 hours the day before, gotten home at 10pm, drags his ass out of bed at 6:30am, and starts driving to work as not a problem. I'd rather be behind the relatively light social drinker myself.

Imakeholesinu wrote:It is now illegal in Illinois to text/browse web pages/etc on a cellphone while driving. It is now illegal in Missouri for people 21 and younger.

I try and use a bluetooth device when I drive.

Someone explain to me how Missouri can make it illegal for people 21 and under but fine for 22 and up? First of all, someone who's younger is probably better at it than someone who's older since they're more used to using the device. Second of all, age has ZERO to do with it. It's a blatant way for the politicians to say "this is a problem for the kids so we're going to target the kids". Some of the worst texters I know are around 25 and they would get off?

Those politicians should be shot

Don wrote:I remember going to traffic school once and the guy giving the class says he wanted 'sleepy' to qualify you for DUI since it'll clearly influence you to drive a lot worse just like drugs or alcohol.

Unenforcable in a court of law. It needs to be more of a raising awareness campaign than even attempting to punish something that can't really be proven except in extreme cases.

Don't get me wrong, I agree, it's just not feasible

Zeus wrote:

Imakeholesinu wrote:It is now illegal in Illinois to text/browse web pages/etc on a cellphone while driving. It is now illegal in Missouri for people 21 and younger.

I try and use a bluetooth device when I drive.

Someone explain to me how Missouri can make it illegal for people 21 and under but fine for 22 and up? First of all, someone who's younger is probably better at it than someone who's older since they're more used to using the device. Second of all, age has ZERO to do with it. It's a blatant way for the politicians to say "this is a problem for the kids so we're going to target the kids". Some of the worst texters I know are around 25 and they would get off?

Those politicians should be shot

Zeus, more than 66 percent of the state pronounces the state name Miz-zer-ah. That's how we get these silly laws.

Some of you need to get off the soapbox. Ive driven either buzzed, drunk, on calls, and texting... and you have too. Dont lie. Fine fine, you dont make a habit out of it, but youve done it because youre not THAT tired, you only had a FEW beers, you were JUST looking at directions...

Flip wrote:Some of you need to get off the soapbox. Ive driven either buzzed, drunk, on calls, and texting... and you have too. Dont lie. Fine fine, you dont make a habit out of it, but youve done it because youre not THAT tired, you only had a FEW beers, you were JUST looking at directions...

Of course I've done all those things... I'm not going to lie. I just didn't come out and say it.

Ditto, but it doesn't make it ethically right.

Hmmm, driving and webrowsing? You would think common sense would be a little more common.

Ive been living carless for the last year and its been great. My car was old and my OCD always made me think it would suddenly break on me at any given moment. When i switched jobs to one where i could walk to in the city i unregistered the thing and parked it at my parents. I know its not feasible for everyone, which is a shame, because its very stress free.

Fuck that noise, I drive, play my PSP & DS at the same time while blasting loud music that makes my car and the cars around me vibrate and watch DVD Movies.

Flip wrote:Some of you need to get off the soapbox. Ive driven either buzzed, drunk, on calls, and texting... and you have too. Dont lie. Fine fine, you dont make a habit out of it, but youve done it because youre not THAT tired, you only had a FEW beers, you were JUST looking at directions...

No, no. I haven't. So, there. I get to totally look down on the people risking my life. (I've never had a license).

Flip wrote:Some of you need to get off the soapbox. Ive driven either buzzed, drunk, on calls, and texting... and you have too. Dont lie. Fine fine, you dont make a habit out of it, but youve done it because youre not THAT tired, you only had a FEW beers, you were JUST looking at directions...

The tired one I am guilty of....once. I got so tired I actually stopped the car on the side of the road and slept for half an hour. Was getting very tired to the point of not being able to stay awake. Never actually fell asleep at the wheel like some I know but that one time was close enough that I never did it again. And that's one that people aren't conscious of which is why, I think, it's actually more dangerous that being lightly inebriated (2-3 drinks in 3 hours).

Other than that one? Nope, never. Don't own a cell and never more than 2 drinks in 3 hours before driving, which for a man my size is like drinking water. And never gotten in a vehicle with anyone who's had more than that to drink. I like my life, I ain't gonna throw it away on stupidity.

Imakeholesinu wrote:

Zeus wrote:

Imakeholesinu wrote:It is now illegal in Illinois to text/browse web pages/etc on a cellphone while driving. It is now illegal in Missouri for people 21 and younger.

I try and use a bluetooth device when I drive.

Someone explain to me how Missouri can make it illegal for people 21 and under but fine for 22 and up? First of all, someone who's younger is probably better at it than someone who's older since they're more used to using the device. Second of all, age has ZERO to do with it. It's a blatant way for the politicians to say "this is a problem for the kids so we're going to target the kids". Some of the worst texters I know are around 25 and they would get off?

Those politicians should be shot

Zeus, more than 66 percent of the state pronounces the state name Miz-zer-ah. That's how we get these silly laws.

It's a waste of taxpayer's money to come up with a discriminatory law like that. Either yes or no, period. I'd be ashamed if I voted for an idiot who OK'd that law

Zeus wrote:It's a waste of taxpayer's money to come up with a discriminatory law like that. Either yes or no, period. I'd be ashamed if I voted for an idiot who OK'd that law

Zeus, part of being a member of any Congress is to vote for laws that you don't completely agree with. It might not have everything you want, but overall the law is good.

SineSwiper wrote:

Zeus wrote:It's a waste of taxpayer's money to come up with a discriminatory law like that. Either yes or no, period. I'd be ashamed if I voted for an idiot who OK'd that law

Zeus, part of being a member of any Congress is to vote for laws that you don't completely agree with. It might not have everything you want, but overall the law is good.

I DESPISE riders more than anything else. It's basically like being a sneaky fuck to get what you want when you know others don't have much of a choice.

Let's use this one as a test case. Is there anyway we can find out if this was the bill or a rider to a bill? If it's a rider, I'd like to see what it was a rider to.