Cell Phones More Dangerous Than Cigarettes
When I first read the headline, I thought I would click through to find that cell phones were so dangerous because of the fact that so many idiots think they can actually dial a phone and talk while driving.
** Warning: Extreme Mom Rant Just Ahead **
I know if it’s happening to me, it’s happening to others out there to! You’re driving down the road when you find yourself behind a car that slows down, speeds up, slows down, swerves, shake, rinse and repeat. You pause with hesitation at the thought of passing, because what might happen if they break from the normal routine and swerve when they should have been slowing? It’s too big a risk!
When you finally catch a small window and it’s safe to pass, you notice the driver has one hand on the wheel and one hand at their ear with a cell phone. The person is obviously paying much more attention to the conversation then to the car they are driving or the motorists who are around them.
I happen to be prone to mild bouts of road rage and tend to lay on my horn while signaling the universal hand signal while passing when I encounter such negligent drivers.
While I can’t say I’ve never carried on a conversation or answered my cell while driving, I can say that I always tell the person that I’m driving and will call them back when I’m at a safe location OR I have someone else in the car answer the phone.
It’s not that difficult to go without using the phone while driving. I only hope my children have learned from my actions and habits - to recognize that people who talk on the phone while driving are flaming idiots with complete disregard for human life and to never become one of them.
** end rant **
News source: Fox News
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8 opinions for Cell Phones More Dangerous Than Cigarettes
Thrifty Karen
Mar 30, 2008 at 9:34 pm
mild bouts???? lol
BMS
Mar 31, 2008 at 7:19 am
I am the last human on earth under 40 with no cell phone. People look at me like I have 4 heads when I tell them this. I truly do not see how having one would simplify my life. I can be reached at work or at home for emergencies, and if I am out, there is no way I’m going to be able to get anywhere quickly anyhow, as I take public transit most days.
And seeing how I got into a fender bender at age 19 by simply changing the station on the radio when I shouldn’t have, I can’t even conceive of driving and talking at the same time.
Gayla McCord
Mar 31, 2008 at 7:36 am
@ Karen - yeah, mild bouts - I consider it a cross between road rage and community service. You never know when the crazy lady who flipped them off might just be the fix for making them not want to be in the same situation. After all, the next person may be flipping something else. :)
@ BMS - I’ve carried a cell, more for safety then anything. Several years ago I had a terrible and traumatic accident - friends and family didn’t know where I was for over 12 hours. Ever since, I feel safe in just having one close by.
I can certainly understand not wanting one though.
jessica
Mar 31, 2008 at 8:39 am
You know, my issue with people who talk and drive is generally with older people. When i see bad drivers on the phone, i find them to be sometimes teen drivers, but mostly 50+ aged people. This will sound really bad, but my husband and i (we’re 22) think those older people can’t talk and drive because they didn’t learn to talk and drive while they were young. We were irresponsible teens who talked while driving, but we quickly got used to it. We’ve never gotten honked at or pulled over or anything for driving clumsily. We pay tons of attention to the road, and will get off the phone if we’re in a tight spot, but in general, we’ve learned to multi-task on the road in ways that older people haven’t seemed to.
So sorry that seems horrible, but it’s kind of true, at least it seems to us.
BMS
Mar 31, 2008 at 11:06 am
Sorry, but there is almost no reason you NEED to be talking on the phone and driving. The person you are talking to is going to die without that information? I doubt it.
And no amount of ‘multitasking’ skills will make looking down at a phone to text message someone instead of looking at the road a safe thing to do. Hang. Up. And. Drive. I would like to be able to cross the street with my kids in my town and live to tell about it. Your ‘important’ phone call can wait.
PreSchool Mama
Mar 31, 2008 at 12:45 pm
Like BMS above, I don’t own a cell phone, so that makes two of us under 40 without a cell phone. Same reasons as her - Don’t need it, blah blah blah…
I am extremely anal about not letting my husband talk on his cell when we’re on the road. It’s one of my pet peeves, and I can get into full blown nag mode when he sticks the phone to his ear with a hand on the wheel.
Ashley
Mar 31, 2008 at 1:42 pm
texting while driving? Extremely dangerous!
But I have to agree with Jessica here - it took my mom a good ten years to talk on the cordless at home while doing something besides sitting in her chair (she’s answer it and go sit down)..I think with each generation we get more and more adept at multitasking. I do agree that talking on the phone can be distracting - but no more distracting than talking to another person in the car, fiddling with the radio, eating, or applying lipstick.. Bottom line - we should all be more aware on the road..
Off the subject, but I’ve seen some interesting things on tv about how teenage drivers are discriminated against way more than elderly drivers even though elderly drivers are responsible for just as many accidents..it was interesting.
tammy
Jun 18, 2008 at 12:51 pm
I have to say yesterday I encountered the most aggravating and annoying person. Not only was she oblivious to the road and all of us around her because she was on the phone blabbing to someone, and she was in her 20’s FYI, but she had a lit cigarette in her OTHER hand. She was using her right forearm to steer while doing all of this. She almost ran into traffic and then realised the light was red. I called the local police and reported her and gave a sworn statement. I also emailed thme the cell pictures of her doing all of this while driving–So I am warning any Central Pa drivers out there who pull this crap– I WILL call and report you and take pictures of you doing it. I may even put you up on U-Tube as entitled “loser behind the wheel”.
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