Cell phone talkers as bad as drunk drivers

[Phlegm]

From Reuters:

WASHINGTON - People who talk on cell phones while driving, even using "hands-free" devices, are as impaired as drunk drivers, researchers said Thursday.

"If legislators really want to address driver distraction, then they should consider outlawing cell phone use while driving," said Frank Drews, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Utah who worked on the study.

The researchers used a driving simulation device for their study, published in the summer 2006 issue of Human Factors: The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

They studied 40 volunteers who used a driving simulator four times — while undistracted, using a handheld cell phone, using a hands-free cell phone and while intoxicated to a 0.08 percent blood-alcohol level — the average legal level of impairment in the United States — after drinking vodka and orange juice.

Three study participants rear-ended the simulated car in front of them. All were talking on cellphones and none was drunk, the researchers said.

Motorists who talked on either handheld or hands-free cell phones drove slightly more slowly, were 9 percent slower to hit the brakes, and varied their speed more than undistracted drivers.

Drivers with an 0.08 percent blood-alcohol level drove a bit more slowly than both undistracted drivers and telephone users, yet more aggressively.

"Driving while talking on a cell phone is as bad as or maybe worse than driving drunk," said Drews, who said alcohol was involved in 40 percent of the 42,000 annual U.S. traffic fatalities.

Just like many people who have been drinking, the cell phone users did not believe themselves to be affected, the researchers found.

[Tuggan]

they shouldnt ban driving with cell phones, just legalize driving drunk.

[Narrock]

What's next? Banning radios in cars, and then banning talking to passengers while driving? How about banning "looking at scenery" while driving. This is absolutely stupid. Anything can be considered a "distraction." The only legislation I would support is a requirement of hands-free cell phones while driving so you can still use both hands on the wheel for evasive maneuvering in an emergency situation.

[Jimmy Durante]

My personal favorite are those who hammer away at their Blackberries while maneuvering through traffic.

[Minrott]

shrug. Cell phones or not 99% of the car drivers who aren't riders will find another way to be inattentive and dangerous.

[Martrae]

Y'all need to watch more Mythbusters. They did this one before and, yes, they drove just as bad or worse when on the cell phone as they did drunk.

[Harrison]

It's illegal to drive while on a cell phone in Massachusetts.

Women are pissed...

[Minrott]

There are so many distractions available to drivers these days it's ridiculous. You're taking a 16 year old kid, being taught 1 semester of drivers ed by a teacher who probably teaches gym class on the side, giving him a 4,000 lb vehicle that can do 80+ mph, a cell phone, a TomTom, a DVD player, drive through at McDonald's, his girlfriend in the front seat and you think he's got any ability to watch the road?

However, bans are gay. Educate don't legislate.

[Jay]

My personal favorite are those who hammer away at their Blackberries while maneuvering through traffic.

Guilty as charged. I still drive fine while doing that though and the bulk of my BlackBerrying is done at stop lights.

[Gargamellow]

I agree. There should be a speaker phone only law with cell phones in cars. I saw this cunt almost smash intoa truck just yesterday with her two kids in the backseat.

Pathetic.

[Jimmy Durante]

I saw this cunt almost smash intoa truck just yesterday with her two kids in the backseat.

Pathetic.

That probably had more to do with the fact that it was a female behind the wheel, and less to do with someone gabbing incessantly into a mouthpiece.

[Narrock]

I saw this cunt almost smash intoa truck just yesterday with her two kids in the backseat.

Pathetic.

That probably had more to do with the fact that it was a female behind the wheel, and less to do with someone gabbing incessantly into a mouthpiece.

Oh shit! M vs. F war incoming! LoLz

[Drem]

lol we were driving up a ramp to merge onto this road and the ramp was two lanes and this girl was on our right and talking on the phone. we were driving along looking at her b/c she was a hottie and then she was suddenly gone. hit some stopped car at full speed. the whole right lane was full of rushhour traffic.

[Dylan]

Owned. Fucking owned.

Poor girl, at least she was hot so she probably got the person she hit to pay for it.

[Dylan]

That being said.

I was a delivery driver for well over a year and talked on the phone every night for 4-5 hours and I never hit anyone.

The one time I did get in an accident I wasn't on the phone!

[Darcler]

I saw this cunt almost smash intoa truck just yesterday with her two kids in the backseat.

Pathetic.

That probably had more to do with the fact that it was a female behind the wheel, and less to do with someone gabbing incessantly into a mouthpiece.

Truth.

Speaker only laws still wouldnt work. You'd still have to look down to dial, to see who's calling, to answer.
And taking away phones doesnt do shit because women still do their makeup in the rearview or read (I finally saw someone reading in their car that wasnt in rushhour traffic. I was amazed)

[Jazendar]

Sorry but women, for the most part, are horrible drivers.

[Witty]

This is a new angle to consider, seeing as how everybody that has almost hit me in all my pedestrian/biking days, previously blamed on age or cell phone use... they were all women. All of em.

Still, at least drunk drivers stop or say sorry when they almost hit you. Cell phone soccer moms just keep driving.

ps

Educate don't legislate.

qft

[Jay]

I saw this cunt almost smash intoa truck just yesterday with her two kids in the backseat.

Pathetic.

That probably had more to do with the fact that it was a female behind the wheel, and less to do with someone gabbing incessantly into a mouthpiece.

Truth.

Speaker only laws still wouldnt work. You'd still have to look down to dial, to see who's calling, to answer.
And taking away phones doesnt do shit because women still do their makeup in the rearview or read (I finally saw someone reading in their car that wasnt in rushhour traffic. I was amazed)

A lot of phones have voice dialing that can be triggered by Bluetooth headsets which are wireless. Yeah they look geeky but they are an awesome tool for talking while driving. A lot of Verizon phones have voice recognition too so that you don't have to program your voice in first before using the voice dialing.

[Martrae]

When Kahar did EMS duty in the Navy they had some chick that was putting on makeup while driving get in an accident. She jammed the mascara wand into her eye socket.

After incidents like that and the guy on the motorcycle he decided the medical field wasn't for him.

[Zanchief]

Y'all need to watch more Mythbusters. They did this one before and, yes, they drove just as bad or worse when on the cell phone as they did drunk.

[Captain Insano]

Women should be giving blowjobs while driving. If their mouth is full of cock they won't be able to talk on the phone.

[Harrison]

Women should be giving blowjobs while driving. If their mouth is full of cock they won't be able to talk on the phone.

[Jay]

When Kahar did EMS duty in the Navy they had some chick that was putting on makeup while driving get in an accident. She jammed the mascara wand into her eye socket.

After incidents like that and the guy on the motorcycle he decided the medical field wasn't for him.

Justice is served.

[Gaazy]

women really cant drive for shit