Comments on: Did Text Messaging While Driving Play a Part in a Fatal Crash? http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/4619 Independent Tech News and Product Reviews from former VP and head of CNET.com and Longtime Computer Shopper Columnist, Alice Hill author of the popular "Hard Edge" column. Originally named AliceandBill.com. Mon, 01 Dec 2008 19:47:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: » “Jott” It Down » Blog Archive   Alice Hill’s Real Tech News - Independent Tech http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/4619#comment-304593 Sun, 07 Oct 2007 20:19:16 +0000 http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/4619#comment-304593 [...] At any rate, does it work? Yes, it does work. And in this age of concerns over text messaging while driving, and possible fatal accidents caused by it, this is a great idea. [...] […] At any rate, does it work? Yes, it does work. And in this age of concerns over text messaging while driving, and possible fatal accidents caused by it, this is a great idea. […]

]]> by: » 89% say texting while driving should be banned » Blog Archive   Alice Hill’s Real Tech News - Independent Tech http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/4619#comment-246755 Tue, 07 Aug 2007 19:01:58 +0000 http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/4619#comment-246755 [...] A recent story I wrote asked the question ” Did Text Messaging While Driving Play a Part in a Fatal Crash?” A Harris Interactive survey commissioned by mobile messaging service Pinger Inc. found 89% of those surveyed believe texting while driving is dangerous and should be banned. More on Pinger later. [...] […] A recent story I wrote asked the question ” Did Text Messaging While Driving Play a Part in a Fatal Crash?” A Harris Interactive survey commissioned by mobile messaging service Pinger Inc. found 89% of those surveyed believe texting while driving is dangerous and should be banned. More on Pinger later. […]

]]> by: Freud http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/4619#comment-231899 Tue, 17 Jul 2007 22:13:26 +0000 http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/4619#comment-231899 A professor in college (way way back in time) showed up for class all banged up. I asked him after class what happened. He was driving to a friend's home with a house plant as a house warming gift. He had it on the front passenger seat. Took a left turn - plant started falling. He reached over to 'save' it. Hit a telephone pole. All house plants should be banned from the front seat and be required to be belted into 'plant-seats'. Also, no smoking in vehicles when transporting house-plants. :-) A professor in college (way way back in time) showed up for class all banged up. I asked him after class what happened. He was driving to a friend’s home with a house plant as a house warming gift. He had it on the front passenger seat. Took a left turn - plant started falling. He reached over to ’save’ it. Hit a telephone pole.

All house plants should be banned from the front seat and be required to be belted into ‘plant-seats’. Also, no smoking in vehicles when transporting house-plants. :-)

]]> by: Alice http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/4619#comment-231662 Tue, 17 Jul 2007 17:25:44 +0000 http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/4619#comment-231662 I have to admit that when I was a renegade teen smoker (now reformed thank God) lighting a cigarette almost resulted in a fireball crash many times. Same with tuning the radio and so on until you get the hang of it. I'm not saying that you get used to texting but there are many distractions a driver faces, and the younger and less experienced you are, the easier it is to crash. I have to admit that when I was a renegade teen smoker (now reformed thank God) lighting a cigarette almost resulted in a fireball crash many times. Same with tuning the radio and so on until you get the hang of it. I’m not saying that you get used to texting but there are many distractions a driver faces, and the younger and less experienced you are, the easier it is to crash.

]]> by: Nasty Old Geezer http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/4619#comment-231432 Tue, 17 Jul 2007 14:07:38 +0000 http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/4619#comment-231432 "Stupidity has always been a universal cpaital crime. Sentence is carried out by Mother Nature, with no pity, no appeal, and no delay." -- Robert A Heinlien Making some activities illegal provides a way to avoid SOME -- never all -- senseless deaths. I am not allowed to hunt the rabbits in my back yard becasue I live in a subdivision surrounded by other houses. Sure, I can still pull out the shotgun and pick off a few -- but there are immediate consequenses -- arrest, fine, maybe jail -- if I am too stupid to see the risks to others. I care not at all if someone chooses to take a risk -- as long as they alone bear the consequenses. Distracted drivers force others to share the risk, and so should be illegal. ANY FORM of distracted driving should be illegal, but that will place too much reliance on law officers' judgement. The only option is to make lists of banned activities, so they have probable cause for stopping someone for a verifiable reason. “Stupidity has always been a universal cpaital crime. Sentence is carried out by Mother Nature, with no pity, no appeal, and no delay.”

– Robert A Heinlien

Making some activities illegal provides a way to avoid SOME — never all — senseless deaths. I am not allowed to hunt the rabbits in my back yard becasue I live in a subdivision surrounded by other houses.

Sure, I can still pull out the shotgun and pick off a few — but there are immediate consequenses — arrest, fine, maybe jail — if I am too stupid to see the risks to others.

I care not at all if someone chooses to take a risk — as long as they alone bear the consequenses. Distracted drivers force others to share the risk, and so should be illegal.

ANY FORM of distracted driving should be illegal, but that will place too much reliance on law officers’ judgement. The only option is to make lists of banned activities, so they have probable cause for stopping someone for a verifiable reason.

]]> by: Pyrial http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/4619#comment-231391 Tue, 17 Jul 2007 13:00:19 +0000 http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/4619#comment-231391 I just want to build a jammer so I can piss off other drivers talking on their cellphone as much as they are pissing me off by driving like idiots I just want to build a jammer so I can piss off other drivers talking on their cellphone as much as they are pissing me off by driving like idiots

]]> by: hang up and drive http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/4619#comment-230846 Tue, 17 Jul 2007 00:37:33 +0000 http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/4619#comment-230846 I carry a brick in my car to use with ignorant people that can't drive when on the phone. I've thrown many bricks since the advent of these distracting devices. I carry a brick in my car to use with ignorant people that can’t drive when on the phone. I’ve thrown many bricks since the advent of these distracting devices.

]]> by: idiotdrivingwithcellphone http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/4619#comment-230841 Tue, 17 Jul 2007 00:33:54 +0000 http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/4619#comment-230841 Get the hell off the sidewalk when I'm trying to drive & talk dammit! Get the hell off the sidewalk when I’m trying to drive & talk dammit!

]]> by: Charles http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/4619#comment-230837 Tue, 17 Jul 2007 00:26:47 +0000 http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/4619#comment-230837 Michael... we've definitely been over all this before. How many times do I have to say it... using a cell phone while driving IS NOT the greatest distraction. Eating while driving, playing with the stereo, and kids in the car are a greater distraction that the cell phone. All the studies bear this out. Police talk on a cell phone constantly while driving as do truckers. And delivery drivers, and millions upon millions of other drivers on the road. It's NOT the cell phone. It's the Driver!!! Michael… we’ve definitely been over all this before.

How many times do I have to say it… using a cell phone while driving IS NOT the greatest distraction. Eating while driving, playing with the stereo, and kids in the car are a greater distraction that the cell phone. All the studies bear this out.

Police talk on a cell phone constantly while driving as do truckers. And delivery drivers, and millions upon millions of other drivers on the road.

It’s NOT the cell phone. It’s the Driver!!!

]]> by: MissingFrame http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/4619#comment-230705 Mon, 16 Jul 2007 19:17:18 +0000 http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/4619#comment-230705 If you've actually tried texting while driving a motorcycle you'd realize it's damn near impossible, illegal or not. What I said was to provoke thought ... seemingly lost here. Speeding is illegal, quite a few drivers do it regularly, so how would make something illegal prevent it from being done. The problem isn't whether there needs to be a law, the problem isn't text messaging, the problem is people are bad drivers and fail to recognize that as the problem. Especially when they can blame something else, like OMG SMS SUX! Are eating or reading while driving illegal? If you’ve actually tried texting while driving a motorcycle you’d realize it’s damn near impossible, illegal or not. What I said was to provoke thought … seemingly lost here. Speeding is illegal, quite a few drivers do it regularly, so how would make something illegal prevent it from being done.

The problem isn’t whether there needs to be a law, the problem isn’t text messaging, the problem is people are bad drivers and fail to recognize that as the problem. Especially when they can blame something else, like OMG SMS SUX!

Are eating or reading while driving illegal?

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