stang101

There was some talk in illinois about making the license age to 18 and get the permit at 16..... that might still happen well have to see.

Blue Knight

Instead of starting a big hullaballoo on a message board, why don't you go down to the PD, ask for a sergeant, and have him or her pull the tape of the stop.

I am a street sergeant, and I pull at least one, and as many as half a dozen tapes a week for citizens who come in wanting their stop reviewed. I have yet to ever pull a tape where the story told matched the video. Not one. Now, some of the officers have said things they shouldn't have, and gotten a nasty-gram in their file, but the vaaaaaast majority of complaints turn out to be completely baseless.

Is the person coming in to complain a liar? Absolutely not. They were having a stressful moment when the officer stopped them, and their recollections end up being colored by emotion, and incorrect. When I play the tape for them, the usual response is embarassment. They were soooo sure... I had one last week with an older lady who said the officer cussed her. She almost fainted when the tape showed she was screaming at him, and said 'I hope you get shot'. The officer was very polite during the entire stop.

Go pull the tape. Then let us know what really happened.

mustangspeeder

What?? You can't have anyone ride in the car with you for 6 months after you get your liscense?

24FAN

What's the difference whether your holding the phone or talking hands free, a distraction is a distraction. I also like the comments that some feel they can drive while talking with no problem :nono: BS!

PeterPienaar

No, you're exactly right. Laws are inherently retributive, not preventative. At least, that used to be the theory. So go ahead and get drunk and then drive. But if you get in an accident, you're in big trouble. That will dissuade people from driving under the influence, but at the same time you don't run into the difficulty of judging motive, intent, or probability--always a nebulous task. The laws aren't there to prevent the crime, they're there to punish the crime. And punishment just happens to be the best deterrent, so you kill two birds with one stone.

ex-Galaxie500

Some woman on a cell phone almost smashed my new Mustang. She wanted to come into my lane while I was right beside her. She was definitely over 18. Don't let anyone use em is what I say. I can't anyway because I'm constantly shifting gears.

1999 Black 35th GT

I agree. I am an avid supporter of the no cell phone law. I have mine on my belt in the car on vibrate. If someone calls I let the voicemail pick up. If its my wife it has its own seperate ring/vibrate function and I pull over (safely, not just anywhere) and answer it.

Emergency situations may constitute usage but thats it. Period. Cell phones have really only become popular over the last 10 years or so. If we survived without them driving since the early 20th century then we'll be fine now.

PA now has a law that talking on a cell phone can be charged as a secondary offense while driving but it should be like it is in IL and hopefully will be.

Try to take it like this, that cop wasn't trying to be a jerk to you. He could have fined you had he wanted. All he was doing was looking out for your safety and the general public's safety. He wasn't trying to just see if he could harass you.

Cars are like missiles on wheels and your controlling where that missile is going.

Drive safe

stang101

You can only have one friend in the car if its family you can have as many as you can have but only one friend.

Ugly Ernie

Ever see anybody use a turn signal while talking on the cell phone?????
Me either.

Enfynet

^ I do

I know what you mean, that's really difficult. Especially making a left-hand turn from a stop... I've trained myself to only use the phone in areas I don't have to shift, or deal with traffic. Otherwise it's "hold on a minute" or "I'll call you back"... Then again, I've been fortunate enough to have been born with good driving genes. I've been cut off by people with both hands on the wheel doing exactly the speed limit and using their turn signal, as to let me know theyre changing lanes whether I'm there or not.

Axslynger

Ummm......I don't see turn signals from half the people in front of me even when there NOT on a cell phone.

Back to topic. I can't tell how many times I have been annoyed and even close to an accident because of a cell phone user. I don't drive while using a cell phone at all. As someone else stated....I'd rather pull over and either enswer my voice mail or answer the call safely.

Missiles on wheels........how true!!!

jgsmuzzy

It is against the law here too, you get your license endorsed as well as the fine. To cut accident costs, my company has fitted all company cars with a handsfree kit. If any of our drivers have an "at fault" and it transpires that they were talking without the hands free, they get fired.

kerafaith

Brandon ~ 1st of all he was not using his cell phone. Read it again. He was stopped at a red light & flipped his phone up to check if his friend had called. He flipped it immediately back down & returned it to it's resting place. HUGE difference there. I mean come on. Where I live I have time to read a book before a light changes. Flipping my phone up & then down is nothing.

Bruce ~ Man you know someone who can't chew gum & walk at the same time? They defiently don't need to be driving a car. When I was 7 I was riding a bicycle, chewing gum, & talking on a cordless all at the same time. (going around in circles in the drive way of course).

GhostTX ~ Man they're not allowed to drive after 10pm. That's got to stink for them. When I was 16 we used to go to plays or talent shows or something like that for extra credit & they almost always lasted until after 10pm. And what if you work & you have to close & the place you work at colses at 10pm? What then?

Also, another view for some of you guys to look at. I was in a wreck 09/11/03. I was talking on my cell phone at the time. However, it wasn't my fault. The guy hit me & was on my side of the road. And he was medicated, with an expired drive out tag, & a suspended drivers license. And the HP actually said I did a good job trying to avoid him.

Now, consider this. I almost always ride with my windows down & my radio blasting. Had I not been on the phone I would have been driving that way. As it was, my windows were up & my cd player turned on low. Now, had my windows been down then broken glass would have flown in the car & into my face. I am actually thankfull that I was on the cell phone at that particular time.

When I drive & talk on my cell, I am even MORE carefull than when I am just driving. Anyway. Something to think about there.

And btw, when you have 5 hours school & then a 30 mile drive for another 3 hours of school & only a 1hour time frame in which to get there. Then you tend to pick up something fast food & call home on the way. Especially when you live at home & you mother works 4:45pm till 1:15am (normal 8 hours, not including ot) & you have 80+ year old grandparents left at home to fend for themselves.

And there are countless other serineos that I could type out for you. But most of the time you guys don't even care what the drivers situation may be. It's either "stupid idot is probably on their cell phone & not paying attention", or even "@#@#@# female drivers".

Yes people could pay more attention while driving & talking. But that's not necessarily a reason to ban them completely. Anyway. Just my 2 cents worth.

adrenalin

I agree with some of you comments but as far as that accident goes, I would say that was pretty lucky. However, that is also sort of like when you hear about people that survived and accident because they were not wearing their seatbelts. If they had been they could have died. Very rare that it happens but it is still safer to wear a seatbelt just like it is safer not to talk on the phone. Most people that come close to hitting me are talking on a phone. If they were not on the phone the chance of getting in an accident is reduced substantially. It has been proven so why fight it.

Sure, people may have reasons to be on the phone but pull the darn car over and park it, then talk. You shouldn't be talking and driving at the same time. There was a time when there were no cell phones you know.

kerafaith

I use my turn signal ALL THE TIME! Even while on the phone. In fact is such a habbit for me that sometimes I use it when I am turning OUT of my friends driveway. Just like seatbelts. Because of her grandmother I RARELY go anywahere without my seatbelt on (drives my mother crazy, although I can't figure out why).

And as Axslynger pointed out. People are forever turning without signaling. Weither on the phone or not. I seem to do ok while talking on the phone & driving. If it's really, really heave traffic then I hang up. And I NEVER get into arguments while driving & talking on my cell. If I know this is where the conversation is headed then I hang up.

It would be worse for me to drive mad than it would be for me to drive & talk on the phone. And I also never drive when I am just too tired. A guy I work with told me that the other day he was driving down the interstate at like 80mph & was seeing 4 lanes (insead of the 2 lanes that actually exist). I would NEVER drive that tires. I would pull over 1st.

Again. How is that any different? You guys want driving & talking banned. What about driving while mad or driving while tired? So that not also be banned? Or what about driving while controlling the kids in the back seat? Or the dog in you lap? Or the cig you are tring to light? Or the coffee you are trying to drink? Or that test you need to go over 1 last time? Or that kleenex in your purse? Or that change for the toll booth?

How are any of those any better or worse than driving & talking? Please someone explain how 1 should be legal & the other shouldn't? Because I don't get it.

Ok, rant off. I am going to bed now.

Blue Knight

All good points Kerafaith, and raises the real question of the problem. Legislation is (or at least should be) the last resort. Cell phone useage is a symptom, not the problem. The hands-free crowd has the right idea on them. The number 1 accident causing issue I see in my city, is failing to yield right of way at intersections (drivers making bad decisions/badly designed intersections), closely followed by inattention and distractions in the vehicle. Like you noted, cell phones can be a problem, but those two screaming kids in the back are a whole lot more distracting. I have two myself!

Cell phones and talking to a passenger are different because the phone requires the use of your hands. Now, I gesture constantly while talking, so arguably, I am a danger when talking and driving. However, unless you have a hands-free that is voice activated, the driver has to 1)find phone 2)open-turn on phone 3) select answer or dial phone 4) Hold phone, eliminating one hand free to make steering or other adjustments. It is worse than just talking.

Turn off the stereo, the cell phone, and put a person alone in a car, and they'll probably be safer for a short trip. Make it a long one, and the fatigue will become more pronounced than if they had the 'distractions' to keep them more alert. Hmm...the problem is more complex than our legislators considered...boy that's rare *sarcasm off*

The law is over the top, but the intent is good. I personally see far fewer accidents caused by young drivers, than older ones. It's a shame we can't combine our reflexes at 16 with our experience at 40...I'd be amazing, but I'm just a slow old geezer with a bad attitude and a creaky stiff back. Unfortunately, when a young driver does crack one up, and it isn't just a backing error in a parking lot or alleyway, everyone goes to the hospital or worse, so the legislatures go nuts. Its also more aggravating to the public, because it fits the stereotype of irresponsible kids.

Wanna see irresponsible driving? Like Kerra noted, there are a whole lot of them out there, and only a fraction are are kids on phones.

adrenalin

Last time I checked.
1. Dog in the lap is against the law
2. Falling asleep at the wheel is known to kill people. If a cop see's you driving with your eyes closed I'd say there is a good chance you will hear sirens behind you. No different than if he see's you talking on the phone
3. Controlling kids in the back seat. A smart person would pull over before giving their kid a severe beating just kidding, but if kids are causing that much of a problem and you are turning around in your seat to either talk to or smack them, I sure don't want you driving down the same road I am on.


You keep stating things that to me are so obvious that you should never do in a car. I use to smoke but I would at least wait until I was at a red light before reaching for one and lighting it. Doing these things while driving in my opinion are plain stupid. It only takes a second of fidling around through a wallet, purse glovebox etc to get into an accident.

Again, you can't compare this to driving while talking on a cell phone. That is different. Want proof. Get in your car. Have a friend follow you in another car. Now call someone, preferable not someone driving another car. Drive around the city (not a highway) for 30 minutes making random calls and chatting away. Pull over and ask your friend how your driving was. A study showed that everyone on the phone thought their driving was perfect while the person following them claimed the driver was all over the road when trying to turn a corner. A few had noticed near accidents when the driver would hang up and then dial another number.

Herknav

So the verbage of the post reads. But oftentimes we percieve ourselves as doing one thing, and others percieve us as doing something else. I don't question the account, but I *do* question the attributed motives of the police officer. With almost no exception, I have found law enforcement officials to be courteous and professional in all of their conduct. But how many of us percieve what the officer says and does differently when *we* are the one being pulled over, etc?

Rebel73

Hey Guys,

I thought I'd chime in here on the cell phone issue. Personally, I definately believe they should be banned while driving. Being also a motorcyclist, cell phone users in cars are even more potentially deadly. Cagers (biker lingo for car drivers) barely see us as it is. Throw in a major distraction like a cell phone, and you're asking for trouble. A simple fender bender in a car could mean disaster to a biker. Frankly, I think it's a very selfish act. It shows that personal convenience is more important than the safety of those around you. We DO NOT live in a vacuum! We ARE NOT an island!

Living in So. Cal., the stereotypical image of some blonde in a HUGE suv with a cell phone glued to her ear is all too prevalent, and it irks me to no end. I can't tell you how many times I've been tempted to ride past and rip that thing off their ear. Get off the F*&^%N phone and drive!

rant over

Imatk

If only more people thought this way

A very strange thing happens in a car... it's as if when that door closes all the manners and common courtesy is shut down as well.

Of course some people don't even need a car hehe... their just a-hos.

I truly wish more people would just THINK before they did something.

"How will this affect others around me?"

And then of course do the right thing which is if what I'm doing DOES affect others negatively then I won't do it.