Page 1 of 2
Cell phone talkers as bad as drunk drivers
Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2006 1:20 pm
by 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.
Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2006 1:23 pm
by Tuggan
they shouldnt ban driving with cell phones, just legalize driving drunk.
Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2006 1:27 pm
by 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.
Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2006 1:32 pm
by Jimmy Durante
My personal favorite are those who hammer away at their Blackberries while maneuvering through traffic.
Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2006 2:25 pm
by Minrott
shrug. Cell phones or not 99% of the car drivers who aren't riders will find another way to be inattentive and dangerous.
Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2006 3:47 pm
by 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.
Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2006 4:13 pm
by Harrison
It's illegal to drive while on a cell phone in Massachusetts.
Women are pissed...
Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2006 7:48 pm
by 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.
Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2006 3:34 am
by Jay
Jimmy Durante wrote: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.
Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2006 11:07 am
by 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.
Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2006 2:44 pm
by Jimmy Durante
Gargamellow wrote: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.
Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2006 5:17 pm
by Narrock
Jimmy Durante wrote:Gargamellow wrote: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
Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2006 8:29 pm
by 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.
Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2006 9:31 pm
by Dylan
Owned. Fucking owned.
Poor girl, at least she was hot so she probably got the person she hit to pay for it.
Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2006 9:32 pm
by 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!
Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2006 10:22 pm
by Darcler
Jimmy Durante wrote:Gargamellow wrote: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)
Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2006 11:35 pm
by Jazendar
Sorry but women, for the most part, are horrible drivers.
Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 12:09 am
by 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
Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 2:50 am
by Jay
Darcler wrote:Jimmy Durante wrote:Gargamellow wrote: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.
Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 6:27 am
by 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.
Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 6:55 am
by Zanchief
Martrae wrote: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.
Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 10:54 am
by 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.
Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 11:24 am
by Harrison
Hasselhoff wrote:Women should be giving blowjobs while driving. If their mouth is full of cock they won't be able to talk on the phone.
Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 1:46 pm
by Jay
Martrae wrote: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.
Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2006 10:21 am
by Gaazy
women really cant drive for shit