Things you just hate in the world

[DoomRulz]

But they aren't any less distracting that using a phone. The point is that your attention is being taken away from the road.

[First Blood]

Yes, those are all potential distractions, and if at all possible it would be best to avoid all of them while driving.

I looked at your avatar as I read that and it felt like it was being told to me by a driving instructor.

[Nightmare Asylum]

But they aren't any less distracting that using a phone. The point is that your attention is being taken away from the road.

Exactly, they are all distracting.

Yes, those are all potential distractions, and if at all possible it would be best to avoid all of them while driving.

I looked at your avatar as I read that and it felt like it was being told to me by a driving instructor.

[Crazy Rich]

Why justify more distractions just because others will exist at one point or another?

That's like knowing your furnace can potentially blow up so you aid it by putting natural gas, gasoline and TNT next to it while you're at it.

[DoomRulz]

I'm not justifying the other distractions, I'm simply pointing the lousy reasoning in one law designed to combat one such distraction, Your focus while driving always needs to be 100% on the road. But to say you can't use your phone because it's a distraction is stupid because there are other ways for a driver's focus to wane.

[SM]

Really? So someone cannot be distracted by fumbling about grabbing a piece of food in the passenger seat or, heaven forbid, choking on said food? Or getting into an argument with the person sitting next to them, just like you would over a phone? Or fiddling with the radio, looking for your favourite station? Or adjusting the volume? Or looking for that next song to play with a music player?

Did I ever claim that "someone cannot be distracted by [every conceivable potential distraction ever]"?

But lets go with the mindless logic of 'there shouldn't be laws against playing with your phone because there are other things that are distracting'...

Things like fiddling around with the radio are way less distrating because of things like station presets, one simple knob for the volume and controls mounted on the steering wheel.

As for arguing with someone in the car as you would on the phone - did you start arguing with them by fumbling around for your phone, seeing who's calling, then pressing the answer button?

Ideally you should not be eating and driving at the same time and some places do have laws against that kind of thing.

[Darwinsgirl]

Where I live its not illegal to use the phone while driving...only illegal to use a hand held phone.

Yesterday...I saw the oncoming car cross the center line into my lane & abruptly go back. When we passed each other I could only see the top of his head...no facial features were visible at all. I was going to honk but was afraid I might startle him into braking or swerving. The speed limit was 50 miles an hour.

This just over a month since a teen was killed here & seriously injuring the people in the car he hit head on while texting.

So sad & sooo senseless.

[SM]

Where I live, it's illegal to use a phone, unless it's voice activated and hands free.

Otherwise you have to pull over and stop the engine.

Last night a car swerved across three lanes to turn right and the car in front of me jumped on the horn.  I overtook her a little while later - and what ho!  she's on the phone....

[DoomRulz]

Really? So someone cannot be distracted by fumbling about grabbing a piece of food in the passenger seat or, heaven forbid, choking on said food? Or getting into an argument with the person sitting next to them, just like you would over a phone? Or fiddling with the radio, looking for your favourite station? Or adjusting the volume? Or looking for that next song to play with a music player?

Did I ever claim that "someone cannot be distracted by [every conceivable potential distraction ever]"?

But lets go with the mindless logic of 'there shouldn't be laws against playing with your phone because there are other things that are distracting'...

Things like fiddling around with the radio are way less distrating because of things like station presets, one simple knob for the volume and controls mounted on the steering wheel.

As for arguing with someone in the car as you would on the phone - did you start arguing with them by fumbling around for your phone, seeing who's calling, then pressing the answer button?

No you didn't and I apologize if it seemed as if I accused you of such. As for arguing with someone on the car, I'm not sure what fumbling around and such has to do with it. The point is that it takes your attention away from the road. And yes, it can be a serious problem with the extent to which some discussions become heated.

Ideally you should not be eating and driving at the same time and some places do have laws against that kind of thing.

Well there you go. The real idiocy though in laws such as these is enforcement. They cannot be properly enforced by officers of the law; how the heck do you watch for someone using what might look like an electronic device or might look as though they're eating?

[Crazy Rich]

Twice I've looked both ways before crossing a street with the "pedestrian" light on, to nearly get hit by a car slamming on the breaks and they were both holding a phone. *shakes head*

On a less related note, one time I almost got owned by a flying tire that flew off a driving van.

[SM]

As for arguing with someone on the car, I'm not sure what fumbling around and such has to do with it.

If you're arguing with someone in a car - or even just talking - you don't need to look at them and can keep your eyes on the road.

Which is different to picking up your phone and answering it, or picking it up (or fumbling if you don't know exactly where it is), finding the person you want to call , then calling them.

The talking isn't the issue so much as what happens before you start talking.

They cannot be properly enforced by officers of the law; how the heck do you watch for someone using what might look like an electronic device or might look as though they're eating?

How often do you see other drivers on the phone in a car?  It's not exactly hard to spot.

But hey - it's apparently hard to enforce, so let's not bother.

[DoomRulz]

How often do you see other drivers on the phone in a car?  It's not exactly hard to spot.

But hey - it's apparently hard to enforce, so let's not bother.

I don't really look for it, considering I'm paying attention to the road. At night it can be easier given the low lighting inside a car and any small bright light is usually a dead giveaway. During the day, not so much.

[SM]

I see it all the time, day or night. 

[Amaterasu]

The TV show called Glee. Really, nineteen year olds getting pregnant and having kids already? Oh come on, has TV sunk this low? I can't, I wish to slap kids who think Glee is the greatest show ever..

[Lie]

...

*Looks out a window at Broken Britain*

19 is pretty good considering.