watch what your doing guys...

[denn454]

if my luck couldn't get any worse, a few months ago a friend of a friend ied in a street race, some of you might remember that in the kill storys section. today i found out a very good friend of mine from another school died in a car wreck with a semi when she was looking for her cell phone.

we really need cell phone laws in cars... its a big inconvience i agree, but i think this is where someone should draw the line.

http://www.kusa.com/storyfull.aspx?storyid=23735

i'm really at a loss as to what to say,

 

[Craig Smith]

Please accept my sincere condolences on the losses you have been through.

I feel that before we begin passing laws on matters like this, we need to consider that it's already illegal to cause an accident by not paying attention to the road. Mentioning specific items is not going to help. I'm sure everyone here has been behind the guy reading the paper while driving or the woman doing her makeup. It's all in the same category as talking on the phone and losing track of the world around you. I'd hate to see a tape of what I did when I dropped a bottle of Pepsi in my car recently. Hell, I've almost crashed because I was playing with the radio and didn't see the brake lights in front of me, and I think that's a pretty common story. Making the radio illegal doesn't seem like a rational solution. Being attentive to the road and other cars around you, unlike my above examples, is the only answer!

There are a million things that can distract us from our driving duties. If one of them distracts us enough that we cause an accident, we are busted. Being selective about the distractions does not seem to me to be the way to solve the problem.

As common as cell phones have become, though, I do agree that it's a point worth pushing. I bought a hands-free kit for this very reason, and it really is a world of difference. I would strongly encourage anyone to do the same. I got one for two bucks on eBay.

 

[turbot2496]

Sorry to hear about your friend. I'm a truck driver and have been in 1 accident so far with a fatality. Individual tried to pass me on a two lane road with no shoulder in the fog. Was driving a Geo and hit a pickup head on right beside me. If he would have waited just 2 more miles it turned into 4 lane and he could have gotten around. People make near fatal decisions all the time around me on the roads and it is frustrating. I see people driving down the road all the time reading books etc. Doing everything but driving. Texas has the cell phone laws now.

 

[wlaukaitis]

I am very sorry to hear about your friends.

we have laws here in NY, must be a hands free phone, but it doesn't make a difference. Today I saw some fool trying to shift a 5-speed saturn with her right hand and hold the cell phone with her left, also trying to merge from 2 lanes into 1. Brilliant!

 

[wlaukaitis]

Sorry to take it off topic a bit but:

Hey TurboT2496, when I was going for my CDL, I was amazed at what people do when an 80000 lb truck isn't going "fast" enough. I don't drive a truck (I'd like to P/T) for a living but I will never forget some of the things I have seen while learning to drive during those 4 short 1.5 hour lessons

 

[Raymond Bunch]

I agree with you 110%

Something does need to be done, and soon! This kind of thing really breaks my heart in two and I more than anything wish people would use a little more common sence

"While at the wheel"

Sorry to hear about the loss of your friend....

Ray

 

[denn454]

thanks guys, i know its not much but it does mean a lot.

they have been trying to pass a cell phone law here that requires a hands free thing, i have one and use it most every time i use my phone in my car, its a hastle if the phone rings and you have to hook it up to answer it, but if you plan on calling someone, or a long trip and already have it hooked up its great.

i've been there plenty of times with the radio, i have to really reach forward to reach it too, my seat has to be all the way back to be even close to comfortable. then i think of all the times i've been playing around in the glove box looking for some gum, man was that stupid.

but again, thanks.

 

[turbot2496]

Its pretty insane somedays. I was coming up 75 through Sherman TX today and another big truck that was passing me blew his right side steer tire. I look in the rear view and rubbers flying everywhere and he's veering towards me. Luckly, I was able to get out of his way. The guy just almost put her in the ditch but managed to get it back on the shoulder and stopped. Whewww got my blood pressure going. LOL.