Hang Up and Drive

[DanStokes]

I just came across town during rush hour (something I don't normally have to do) and noticed about 85% of the "drivers" were talking on the cell phone whilst "driving". I put "driving" in quotes because I don't see how anyone can actually drive with your shoulder propping up your cell phone with traffic whizzing all around you. The "driving" I saw on the way home today did nothing to change my mind on this.

Well, I had a thought. Everyone knows the universal sign for "f@#$ you". We also have one for "hello" and/or "goodbye". We need a universal sign for "hang up and drive". I thought of using the OTHER universal sign, but I knew the Bozos would have no idea of why I was giving them the finger.

The best I have come up with so far is ..... make a fist. Stick your thumb and little finger out to the side, making the sign that comedians use when they are indicating that they are on the phone. Honk loudly so as to interrupt the phone call, and when they look, wave your hand downward to indicate "hang up". I'm not sure this is a good signal, but it MIGHT get the idea across.

If the 1700 or so of us all start using whatever sign we decide to adopt, maybe we can start a movement and someday, our peer pressure will be enough to create a new paradigm (what ever THAT is).

Suggestions, thoughts
Dan

[KeithTurk]

Re: Hang Up and Drive

Dan I happen to know you don't do this... but the rest of us.. well we talk and drive all the time... Simply not task saturation for us...

it's when you start smoking, drinking diet coke and have to change the book on tape that the damn chore of driving gets in the way...

Keith

[Monk]

Re: Hang Up and Drive

I drive about 60,000 miles a year in 5 states.......cell phone is a must (I can remember back in the day spending time along the road side at pay phones).
I use a headset...Bluetooth and will not use the phone unless I have it....it gives me a much better chance of concentrating on the phone and driving.
Our company encourages headsets and even pays for them......most folks that work out of our marketing department use them.
I drive defensively.........always looking what's going on in the other lane(s).....I've witnessed more than my share of highway deaths.

[shaun callaway]

Re: Hang Up and Drive

i broke down and got a bluetooth device, i hate it but only use it when im in the car.

Dan im with you, I commute everyday and in the evening its the people on the cells that hold up traffic not accidents.

[BigBlockMopar]

Re: Hang Up and Drive

Here in the Netherlands, when the cops even see you just HOLDING a phone in your hand while driving, you'll get pulled over and are handed a fat fine of around 140 Euro... That's about $204.- with today's currency-exchange.

[shaun callaway]

Re: Hang Up and Drive

i heard something about how cops supposed to crack down on drivers talking on cell phones but who knows, when i was out at lunch today i saw a cop driving and talking on a cell phone.

[Brian Lohnes]

Re: Hang Up and Drive

We all have these stories...so here's mine.

A couple of years ago I was working at a job where I needed to commute 70 miles one way to the office. I traded my Mustang Cobra in on an SVT Ford Focus. The little thing was really pretty fun. It had a 6 speed in it, a great set of Recaro seats and got good mileage while being able to carve up corners. This this was SCREAMING yellow.

I'm sitting in traffic one day on my way home and was in the unenviable spot of being at "the end of the line". I'm sitting there minding my business when I look in the rearview and see a 3/4 ton Ford van coming in at 6 o'clock...dude on the phone..looking down.

The guy hit me going 30 mph and I was at a dead stop.

The little Focus did what it should have done and absorbed the impact while crumpling into a large yellow accordian. I got out and when I got me wits about me I went ape shit on the guy...I didn't hit him, mainly because I didn't want the state police taking me away, but he got both barrels.

I told the cops he was on the phone and someone else sitting next to him when he creamed me said the same thing. Apparently he was cited for it, but he could have killed someone.

The hands free stuff is cheaper than hell now...should be the law everywhere that they are required. NY state did it years ago. Mass did it for commercial trucks, but not passenger cars.

Brian

[Monk]

Re: Hang Up and Drive

Here in the Netherlands, when the cops even see you just HOLDING a phone in your hand while driving, you'll get pulled over and are handed a fat fine of around 140 Euro... That's about $204.- with today's currency-exchange.

Bring it on!!!.......in the USA
One of our big problems are teens.........they're driving with 2 or 3 friends (after watching a Fast & Furious movie) trying to text message at the same time.

I learned back in the '70's to drive with my headlights on during the daytime ....everyone thought I was crazy......people would flash their headlights back at me.....guess what??
They saw me ???
Driving a vehicle is a serious business......one dis traction and you or someone else is dead.
Several years ago a folder slid off the front seat......for just a few seconds I reached over to get it and I was on the road side taking out foliage.
It happens just that fast.

The first time you spend, on the road side, holding someones artery so they won't bleed to death and I guarantee damn t ya you'll take driving a lot more serious.

[BigBlockMopar]

Re: Hang Up and Drive

That's why I feel that everyone should experience a very hard (controlled) collision during drivingschool.
The majority of people on the road don't even know how it feels like when you slam into something, or something slams into you.
I think EVERYONE should know how that feels. Only then will 'most' people think a bit more serious about driving I guess.

[shaun callaway]

Re: Hang Up and Drive

that may get some of these f@#%*#$ retard off the road at the same time by scaring the crap out of them.

[Monk]

Re: Hang Up and Drive

That's why I feel that everyone should experience a very hard (controlled) collision during drivingschool.
The majority of people on the road don't even know how it feels like when you slam into something, or something slams into you.
I think EVERYONE should know how that feels. Only then will 'most' people think a bit more serious about driving I guess.

Hey!!!!!!!!!!

Ok........I'm starting to show my age again.
Who here remembers all those driving films they would show us back in high school......??
I mean this was some real raunchy stuff..........dead bodies, mangled cars etc.........this was in
the '60's and was a real eye opener.
They oughta bring 'em back.........you know, something like boot camp ;D

[Woodward_Dreams]

Re: Hang Up and Drive

My dad came home not that long ago to a story of someone changing their pants while driving. there's stupid and then there's retarded...

[Brian Lohnes]

Re: Hang Up and Drive

If I had the time now I could share the story of being in the passenger seat of a Kenworth that the driver (with whom I was giving a check ride to due to an earlier accident) laid onto it's side.

He wasn't on a cell phone, he just wanted to prove the boss wrong that he was going too fast on the off ramp.

Scariest thing ever.

Brian

[Scott Liggett]

Re: Hang Up and Drive

Here in Cali cell phone talking without hands free devices will be outlawed as of 7/01/08. Law was passed 1/10/07. They gave us 18 months to get the stuff we need. The state also passed a law that starts on the same day that anyone under 18 using a electronic device of any kind while driving will be ticketed.

I have to admit that I use the phone while driving, but since I drive for a living; I do not let it get in the way of my driving. My driving often gets in the way of talking on the phone which annoys people I am talking to. I don't care. I don't have a choice. my income is based on my license and keeping it clean of tickets and accidents.

[71SC/360]

Re: Hang Up and Drive

Here in NY it's hands free cell phone use only. The ticket for holding a cell phone can easily buy a nice bluetooth set up for your phone and then some. I hear that a lot of other states have passed laws against cell-ing while driving. There will probably be a lot of changes for cell phone use while driving in the next few years but there will always be people that still do it...