Drivers And Cell Phone Rant!

[PA Reb]

I nearly bought the farm yesterday all because of a foolish young lady (mid 20ish) driving her vehicle while talking on a cell phone. I was on my Harley, in town and on my way to work (a 3-11 shift so it was broad daylight). I was on a busy road traveling around 30 MPH and in a gentle curve to my right. All of a sudden, a vehicle traveling in the opposite direction, made a left hand turn right in front of me. After she turned and then heard my tires squealing, this nimrod (dimwitt) decided to stop while sitting sideways in my lane. Because I was in a gentle right turn and hard on both brakes, the back end of the bike came around to my left - now I'm sideways to the vehicle, holding my bike up with my right foot dragging across the road (sort of like a dirt racer in a curve), and sliding straight at it. The bike stopped within inches of her Blazer and when it did, it quickly uprighted itself due to my momentum. I (me, not the bike) of course slammed against her passenger door looking in the opened window. What came out of her mouth next is what really pizzed me off. With a little giggle, she told the person she was talking to she had to "stop for some old man on a motorcycle" and that she would call them back! She then tried to continue into the parking lot she was headed to with me leaning against her vehicle. It was then I unleashed a vocabulary she won't soon forget! My back was hurting a little but it wasn't until I got to my destination when I realized just how badly it was hurting. It was a long day at work after that!

As far as I know, PA has passed a law which prohibits texting while driving. My question is how many people will have to be hurt, maimed, or killed until they outlaw cell phone use completely while driving?

 

[jag312]

The only difference between you and me is that I wear a full face helmet when I ride. With a full face helmet, they can't hear me screaming obscenities at them. One of my friends is convinced that I will be killed on my bike by a woman talking on a cell phone while driving an SUV.

I truly sympathize with you.

 

[gdauth]

While I don't ride a bike, I have almost been wiped out by some jerk talking on a cell while driving. It may sound extreme, but in my opinion we need the death penalty for cell use while driving.

 

[schutzen]

You should have called the police and filed a report. Dim-wit left an injury accident. That is a felony in some states. Plus, you did not know how badly hurt you might have been. Call me a *** or whatever, but stupid should be punished. Phone/Texting while driving is stupid.

Sorry to rant more, but I'm a Dad who spent 6 days in ICU with my daughter because a dim-wit was talking and driving. Fortunately my daughter is fine (a sophomore in college breaking Dad's checkbook, but that's ok), however I have 2 friends who visit their children in the cemetery. It tears my heart out. I cannot believe people can be so senseless and cavalier with the lives of others.

 

[Gunslinger808]

Yeah, when the wife's driving I'll make a point of seeing how many folks are texting/phoning while driving.
My best guesstimate is about One in Four, and that's not counting the other idiots distracted by eating, putting on makeup, talking, or just not paying attention.

 

[Indiana George]

Glad to see that you are still here to tell the tale, PA Reb.

I've ridden for 35+ years and during the last 10, it seems as though every time I ride, it's like running a gauntlet.

 

[vytoland]

1. you needed to call the police immediately (use her cell phone)
2. you needed to capture her vehicle description and license plate number.
3. you needed to obtain her drivers license number, name, address, phone number, insurance policy number and insurance company.
4. you needed to note the time, date , weather conditions and a description of what happen.

 

[venomballistics]

Glad to see that you are still here to tell the tale, PA Reb.

I've ridden for 35+ years and during the last 10, it seems as though every time I ride, it's like running a gauntlet.

Ive watched the level of competence drop out there. I think it'll continue to decline till the nitwits are called on their games and made to pay for their stupidity.
way back in my adventurous years, I found it prudent to avoid sharing road space with minivans. they were often good for the worst possible move at the worst possible time. Econo cars took second place for cars to avoid. Probably a function of the added agility allowing them to correct themselves.
now its spread to nearly every vehicle type on the road, so these profiling methods are no longer valid.
I have a better idea than death sentences for the inattentive, self absorbed drivers out there. Impound their vehicles and leave em with a moped to drive for a few months of sensitivity training .. but then, given that a good number of them will remain on the roads before they get caught ... its kinda the same thing as a death sentence

 

[photoman]

I had a similar experience in the past. First thing I did was call the kids insurance company...

 

[NYlakesider]

I live in the people's republic of NY. We got laws for everything.

Of course ''celling'' and texting is against the law (as it should be). The truth is they are the two most broken traffic laws in the state. (much more than speeding) I drive interstate 87 (Northway) on a very regular basis and you will notice that IMHO at least 20% of the traffic the driver has a cell phone up to their ear, or in my high riding 4x4 you can look down and see a lowered phone with some idiot pushing buttons as fast as they can.

O yes I have had more than a few close calls due to these idiots. I have a friend that has a set of air horns off of a tractor trailer on his pickup truck. You want to see something funny let him get cut off by a "celler" and with a 10 second blast on the horns, he really gets their attention and the need for a pants washing.

The thing is unless it's a special campaign you never see these yahoos pulled over by LEOs.. During the campaigns they notify the public in advance and they then will ticket some of the offenders.

 

[old bear]

PA Reb, first and foremost I'm glad that you were not really hurt!!
I have two friends who have been in accidents caused by jerks talking and driving, thank goodness no one was hurt but in both cases their cars were totaled, and insurance never fully covers all of the expenses.

Until local governments get serious about the problems of texting and talking when driving, folks will never stop doing it. Sadly in many cases we've become a society of I'm so much more important than everyone else, I can do what ever I damn well please.

 

[Steve in Vermont]

I've watched this younger generation for some time and have come to the conclusion that what you experienced is fast becoming the "new normal". For these folks being "connected" isn't an option, it's a way of life. And this doesn't apply just to driving. Recent studies have concluded that walking while using a cell phone is causing more injuries each year. They are walking into traffic and other people, oblivious to their surroundings. We need to practice defensive driving and carry all the insurance we can afford, this problem isn't going away and education won't make much difference.

 

[Damn Yankee]

There are 2 Military Bases on the coast. 1 Air Force and 1 Sea Bee. I have friends who work on these bases and if I call them they may not answer and if they do they will tell me that they are on base and can't talk while driving.

MP'S write tickets.

 

[CajunBass]

Blaming the cell phone is no different than blaming the gun.

Careless and reckless driving is careless and reckless driving. I'm pretty sure it's already against the law in most if not all states.

Enforce the laws we already have. We don't need new ones.

 

[Doug M.]

This was a matter for which you should stayed there and called the cops. If you have ANY sign of an injury, it is a BIG DEAL. Your insurance company will be annoyed with you for not calling, and back injuries, bone or soft tissue, are no laughing matter.

I had some Adam Henry almost change lanes into me on the interstate Thursday - he was washing the inside of his windshield while driving. There are a lot of dullards, mostly morons from the People's Republic of the I5 Corridor, who don't understand the mandate to keep right except to pass. It's a constant problem in my daily commute. I wish they were not allowed to come east of MP 52.

 

[5-Shot]

PAReb,

Like you, I ride a bike regularly. Not a single ride passes without a cell phone incident. Around here there's the widely held belief that a soccer mom in a van using a cell phone is the most frightening thing on the planet.

Closed course studies have shown that cell phones degrade driving performance more than alcohol.

I seriously doubt that there's many folks out there who can use a cell phone and drive unimpaired. I saw a program on multitasking not so long ago. The researchers took a bunch of college students ann asked them to rate their own multitasking abilities. Then they tested those abilities using distractions including cell phones. Those who though they were good at were deceiving themselves.

I far phone users on the road far more than I fear drunks.

 

[Iggy]

I watched a gal back out of a parking place recently. She had her cell phone tucked between her shoulder and ear. She has a cup of coffee in her right hand and was trying to back out with her left. Of course with the phone cradled against her ear, she couldn't look behind her or in the rear view mirror.

She backed out in front of me, I hit the brakes and the horn. Didn't phase her a bit.

 

[vrichard]

After 50 years riding Harley`s I quite riding my H.D.2 weeks ago ,& took up riding ATV`s.
Dick

 

[deadin]

I think I could support requiring all cars to be equipped with cell phone jammers that function if the car is moving. (Especially for those that can't seem to be "out of touch" for more than 5 minutes at a time...) You want to take or make a call, pull over. That's what I do.......

 

[LVSteve]

They just passed a distracted driving law here in Nevada that covers use of cellular devices by driver. FYI, not all people are too retarded to talk and drive at the same time, just most.

For a freewheeling state law enforcement has been pretty up on dishing out tickets since the new law was passed. Long may it continue.

For these folks being "connected" isn't an option, it's a way of life.

+100. Back in 2005 a nephew came to live with us while he got some money together to get his own place. One day he comes home and rants about cell coverage as he had been unable to contact my wife or me by cellphone. When he shut up we both told him that this was likely because we were both at work and our phones were off. The "Does not compute" light came on at maximum brightness and I must confess I had trouble keeping a straight face.