I was on my way to WalMart to purchase more of my sons favorite vegetable (catchup) when some women brushed me with the mirror of her cadillac escalade. I caught up with her at the next light and could see her fingers dancing over the keyboard of her cell through her right mirror. She was texting and did not even notice me until she almost wiped me out. Did you know that since the laws against texting came out that the accident rate in has gone up in states that have made texting illegal. It seems that people do not want the police to see them texting so they hide the cell down low. This requires them to take there eyes off the road for longer periods of time than they would if they were not hiding the phone. I believe this because I have ridden with friends and relatives that do this until I offer to put the phone where the light don't shine.
Inattentive or distracted drivers
- Thread starter reb1
- Start date
Allen_Wrench
Resident Mad Scientist
The seat of my minivan sits higher than a car, so I've seen what you're talking about. Some do hold their phone "out of sight", or so they think. I was carpooling once with a co-worker whose daughter was driving. She began to send a text, her mother objected, and she - the driver - began to lecture about how she is capable of texting and driving responsibly at the same time, right as she runs over a squirrel and gasps mid-sentence.
I definitely think there should be laws against drivers using cellphones and participating in other distracting behaviors while driving. It's a shame when bicyclists are injured or killed because of careless drivers. Personally, I prefer to either ride my bicycle on a sidewalk or a bike trail to keep a safe distance from traffic.
bairdco
a guy who makes cool bikes
cell phones are evil. i should know, i spent twelve years of my life climbing towers to make the stupid things work (yup, it's all my fault.
)
all summer long i've been hanging out at Newport Beach, since my friend has a house on Seashore Dr, just steps away from the sand. there's a bike path that runs down the street in front of his house, and my new pet peeve is people texting while walking, biking, and fruit-booting (rollerblading.)
on a crowded day, you see people staring at their phones, oblivious to everything else, as they wander aimlessly back and forth on the path. i ride a non-motored cruiser around and my favorite thing is to skid to a stop inches from someone with their phone blocking their view. funny, they always seem like they're mad at me...
even the hands free crowd sucks. nothing looks stupid-er than someone riding their bike by themselves, and carrying on a conversation with someone who isn't there.
i mean, they used to lock people up for talking to themselves...
)all summer long i've been hanging out at Newport Beach, since my friend has a house on Seashore Dr, just steps away from the sand. there's a bike path that runs down the street in front of his house, and my new pet peeve is people texting while walking, biking, and fruit-booting (rollerblading.)
on a crowded day, you see people staring at their phones, oblivious to everything else, as they wander aimlessly back and forth on the path. i ride a non-motored cruiser around and my favorite thing is to skid to a stop inches from someone with their phone blocking their view. funny, they always seem like they're mad at me...
even the hands free crowd sucks. nothing looks stupid-er than someone riding their bike by themselves, and carrying on a conversation with someone who isn't there.
i mean, they used to lock people up for talking to themselves...
Goat Herder
Gutter Rider
I like to just where the ear piece [without the phone]. Then I can have bizarre conversations with my self in places like the grocery store.
Bairdco, just drove 12,000 miles around the US and Canada and got a first hand taste of what you are saying.
People would step off the curb against red lights while texting and then look at the drivers like some how they were at fault. They walked up the side walk with people dodging out of thier way because they wouldn't watch where they were going.
Saw one guy in Canada walk full tilt into a telephone pole. That staggered him. Cut on top of his head looked nasty as well. Jerk looked around like someone had clubbed him.
The people in the stores talking to themselves while other people look at them like they have gone mad and should be committed is priceless.
Wish you were here so I could tell you how funny the term "fruit bootin" is in person.
Steve.
People would step off the curb against red lights while texting and then look at the drivers like some how they were at fault. They walked up the side walk with people dodging out of thier way because they wouldn't watch where they were going.
Saw one guy in Canada walk full tilt into a telephone pole. That staggered him. Cut on top of his head looked nasty as well. Jerk looked around like someone had clubbed him.
The people in the stores talking to themselves while other people look at them like they have gone mad and should be committed is priceless.
Wish you were here so I could tell you how funny the term "fruit bootin" is in person.
Steve.
This highlights yet another unintended consequence of the busy-bodies who lobby for the nanny state.
I shouldn't even get started on this subject but suffice it say that as of tomorrow at this time I will be officially retired. For the past 15 years I've had an 80 mile a day commute and I could probably write a book on the idiots I've seen on the road. Cell phone usage has become a national epidemic that should never have been allowed from the get-go but distracted drivers have been around longer than cells. One that stands out in my mind was a guy in a bright yellow VW doing 50mph in the fast lane of a 65mph highway...playing a trumpet...I swear it. His rival was a young woman sitting at a stop light next to me. She was holding a newspaper up on the steering wheel with one hand, holding a cup of coffee and a cigarette with the other and...breast feeding a baby. I kid you not.
Tom
Tom
Fossil
New Member
2door,
I think I got one better. NJ Turnpike south bound side. A guy with his car jacked up changing a tire in the middle lane of 3 traffic lanes. 6 miles of backed up traffic behind him! His whole family in the car. What thought process tells you that is correct thing to do? I could also write a book about all the stupid things I have seen in 2,000,000 plus miles of driving truck.
Jim
I think I got one better. NJ Turnpike south bound side. A guy with his car jacked up changing a tire in the middle lane of 3 traffic lanes. 6 miles of backed up traffic behind him! His whole family in the car. What thought process tells you that is correct thing to do? I could also write a book about all the stupid things I have seen in 2,000,000 plus miles of driving truck.
Jim
bairdco
a guy who makes cool bikes
i saw a guy with an electric shaver in one hand, a cigarette in his mouth, and a cellphone in his other hand, driving a stick shift.
i have no idea how he could hear or be heard over the noise of the shaver, but i had to give him respect for being such an amazing multi-tasker.
i have no idea how he could hear or be heard over the noise of the shaver, but i had to give him respect for being such an amazing multi-tasker.
Goat Herder
Gutter Rider
How about the three lights yeah gotta wait through [left turn] while all the four wheelers cut ya off and your in the middle lane trying to make the turn.
My grandfather drove truck.. I went with him when I was younger just about seen it all. Wait! Never say that you can always be amazed.
Yeah I can't stand my cell phone for the most part. At least once a year I get a bogus charge like international calling. Which I have never ever done in my life.
When I call them up after they clear it up I always get the question I see your internet and text messaging is turn off. Would you like to get these wonderful services? I answer immediately wow you mean I can pay an even bigger bill like I am exited. Cuz that would be kewl!!
Then I make it perfectly clear my phone rings I ether answer it or I don't all I ever asked for was a plain Jaine phone...
Last edited:
BarelyAWake
New Member
While it condemns me as another "distracted" driver, the above reminds me of a great moment I had a coupla years ago lol
On my commute to work (late as per usual) I hadta stop at a light, in a hurry that mornin' I just grabbed some essentials and was shaving while driving. Looking over to my left I see a BMW w/a suit doing the same... and we both paused staring at each other, him in his beemer w/a cordless electric & me in my ol' army jeep with a cheap disposable razor... After a mo' we both laughed at this clash of cultures & drove on - coulda only have been better if he was on his cell phone while I was yappin on the CB, but w/e - close 'nuff lol
Allen_Wrench
Resident Mad Scientist
Saw this guy while riding the bus in the front seat: the (slow, weaving) driver of the SUV in front of us was talking on a cell phone propped on his shoulder, eating some kind of breakfast sandwich, AND WATCHING The Matrix ON A DASH MOUNTED DVD PLAYER! He also had a GPS hanging from the ceiling just above it, but I don't think he was looking at that.
Now, at least he picked a cool movie, but JEEZE!
Now, at least he picked a cool movie, but JEEZE!
Black_Moons
New Member
Hah. I heard in europe
some fools where trying to get telephone/power poles PADDED because texters where walking into them. I think they should just have spikes at forhead level insted. You'd start paying attention after finding texters impailed on telephone poles, unable to get the phone inbeween them and the pole to dial 911.
PS teenagers: 911 does not respond to text messages
some fools where trying to get telephone/power poles PADDED because texters where walking into them. I think they should just have spikes at forhead level insted. You'd start paying attention after finding texters impailed on telephone poles, unable to get the phone inbeween them and the pole to dial 911.PS teenagers: 911 does not respond to text messages
. PS teenagers: 911 does not respond to text messages :)[/QUOTE said:as a 17 yearold, I am absolutely appalled at the behavior of my peers. Its ridiculous! padded telephone poles? watching the matrix while driving? Ill admit I text regularly, but think Its a stupid crutch for the upcoming race of cromagnons. Why not just pick up the phone? you can at least watch the road with that stupidity-box glued to your ear!
Allen_Wrench
Resident Mad Scientist
Ya know, I almost forgot to mention the one I saw back in Mansfield when I was in my early twenties. Not a distractED driver, but a distractING driver. I was driving up Park Avenue, the main drag, toward downtown when I chanced to look over at the driver next to me at a light. In a red convertible Cavalier, with the top down, was a knock-out of a blonde. Very buxom. Obviously buxom. Because I could not help but notice that she was BUTT-NAKED! I'm glad she didn't see me staring 'cause I just froze. I have no idea when the light changed, but after a while she moved forward (and my brain was still goin "WHAT?!?!?!") and then I resumed driving. I half thought about following her, to be honest, but then I thought "What on earth would I say?"
BarelyAWake
New Member
An earnest "thank you" woulda prolly sufficed lol 
Allen_Wrench
Resident Mad Scientist
An earnest "thank you" woulda prolly sufficed lol
Probably. But the difficulty is that if I were toe-to-toe with a gorgeous naked woman who doesn't know me, and she says "Yes? You wanted to say something?", everything that would come out of my mouth after that point would just sound like Pig-Latin.