I Hate Cell Phones!

[-Painted Fan-]

With A Passion!  And probably my biggest pet peeve is people who TRY (and I stress the TRY!) to drive while using one!  I think there should be legislation outlawing the use of cell phones while driving.
Let me explain:
I'm on my way home yesterday after a long day at work.  I'm heading down 22 out of Barling when this idiot woman pulls about 4 feet into the lane from the nursing home.  I slam on the brakes, turning about 45 degrees, trying to miss her.  A Mustang also has to hit the brakes trying to avoid hitting me.  The woman doesn't try to back up; she just sits there looking at me and yapping on her cell phone!
Last year, I'm on Grand Avenue in Fort Smith, when the vehicle traveling next to me starts to drift into my lane.  I swerve to avoid a collision, look over and see a woman yapping on her cell phone, eating a burger, and driving with her knee!
And I heard about a girl that slammed into the back of someone in Fort Smith, because she was text messaging on her cell phone!
Now, I hear what you're thinking: "but, I need one for work".  The way I see it, you have 3 options.
1) invest in a head set and take it off your taxes as a business expense.
2) let your company buy the headset.
3) PULL OVER!
And I hear what you're thinking on #3: "but, it's too inconvenient".  Hey, is someones life and health not worth a little inconvenience for you?  Do you not care if you cause an accident (maybe a fatality) because you're too lazy and inconsiderate to just pull over?
My middle daughter wanted a cell phone to "call us when she's finished with cheer practice, basketball practice, softball practice, etc. (or so she said).  My wife went to Walmart and bought her a Simple Freedom prepaid cell phone.  You would have thought we slapped her!  What she really wanted was a Razor, with camera, text messaging, video games, etc.  Why can't a phone be just that- a phone?  Why do you have to have a camera, typewriter, computer, radio, video game console, datebook, photo album, have I missed anything?  I told her I do not want a $500 a month phone bill, which is what I'm afraid I would have.  And since she is just learning to drive, I don't want something else to distract her from the road (the first thing I taught her was the cars' stereo is NOT the most important part of a vehicle!).
All I'm asking is the same thing I would tell someone if they use alcohol:
If you drink, don't drive.  If you drive, don't drink.
If you chat, don't drive.  If you drive, don't chat.
Simple.
So please, take a moment and think of someone else's life, health, and happiness (namely mine!).
I'm stepping off my soapbox now.  Thank you for listening.
I think I'll get a bumper sticker I saw one time...
HANG UP AND DRIVE!

[pioneerbasketball]

What's a cell phone? 

I prefer string and 2 cups.

[RHS]

I think there should be legislation outlawing the use of cell phones while driving.

I know in some states it's illegal to talk on your cell phone unless you have a hands free device.

I have the same gripes of you, but a couples times I have been someone you might gripe about.

[razorback5]

OR! Instead of pulling over or getting a headseat you could just be really carefull......it's not tough.

[pioneerbasketball]

OR! Instead of pulling over or getting a headseat you could just be really careful......it's not tough.

Fixed that for ya, Sorry, It was bothering me

[-Painted Fan-]

Well, considering I've almost had 2 accidents in less than a year because of them, I beg to differ.  Evidently it's REAL hard for some people.
I was talking to some guys I work with about it and one guy said I should've hit the woman.  "Take her front end off".  Well, you never know what an accident is going to do to you.  I might not be writing this right now had I hit her.  I might be in the hospital.  I might have a life-altering injury.  I might be DEAD!
I really dislike pain.  And I like death even less.  

[pioneerbasketball]

Well, considering I've almost had 2 accidents in less than a year because of them, I beg to differ.  Evidently it's REAL hard for some people.
I was talking to some guys I work with about it and one guy said I should've hit the woman.  "Take her front end off".  Well, you never know what an accident is going to do to you.  I might not be writing this right now had I hit her.  I might be in the hospital.  I might have a life-altering injury.  I might be DEAD!
I really dislike pain.  And I like death even less. 

and fearless would miss you

[Father Guido]

Rage on, Painted Fan.  The Padre's got your back on this one.

[Boingy]

Boingy's got your back as well.  I've been nearly shoved off the road by people too intent on their cell phone conversations to be paying attention to traffic more times than I can count. 

[retiredlion05]

I make my living as a Realtor by talking on the phone.  I spend most of my day on the phone, even driving.  I was in a BAD wreck a year and a half ago because of some woman talking on the phone.  Here is how I handle this problem of talking on the phone and driving: 
1. If just talking, I keep driving.  If I have to write something down or look for something, I pull over.
2. I use a hands free device when I have it with me.
3. Pay more attention on the road while I'm driving, not only to my self but to the other drivers who may or may not be talking on the phone.

I don't think it's right to compare talking on the phone to drinking and driving.  Two completely different situations.

[mudturtle]

The genie is out of the bottle!  Cell phones in cars are never going to go away.  Hands free handsets are already becoming common. 

Improve driving safety - make it an offense not to have two hands on the steering wheel - doesn't matter whether smoking, changing the CD, putting on make-up, combing your hair, drinking hot coffee, hanging your arm out to dry or talking on cell phones.

Shoot while you are at it, make it a law that one armed people can't drive.

[GeorgeWBush]

It has been illegal to drive with a handheld cellphone in states like New York and California for over 5 years.

[mudturtle]

Does it make you feel safer when you cross from Oregon into California?

[hsu_05]

I don't think it's right to compare talking on the phone to drinking and driving. Two completely different situations.

That's where you're wrong.  In one of my classes, I did research on driving and cell phone use and it's directly comparable to drunk driving.  If you'd like, I can probably find my paper somewhere.

[mudturtle]

Add this to your study, have someone driving down I-630, when their cellphone rings, they have 6 rings to cross 2 lanes of traffic, come to a complete stop (missing 6 other cars already on the shoulder and 3 who are accelerating from a stop on the shoulder) and answer the phone.  Is that safer or more dangerous than drunk driving or talking on a cell phone while driving?

[RDFT]

Add this to your study, have someone driving down I-630, when their cellphone rings, they have 6 rings to cross 2 lanes of traffic, come to a complete stop (missing 6 other cars already on the shoulder and 3 who are accelerating from a stop on the shoulder) and answer the phone. Is that safer or more dangerous than drunk driving or talking on a cell phone while driving?

The idea is to answer the cell phone (most people can do this without looking), tell them to hold on while you pull over, put the phone down, then SAFELY  pull over. Duh!

[HA_Fan]

Add this to your study, have someone driving down I-630, when their cellphone rings, they have 6 rings to cross 2 lanes of traffic, come to a complete stop (missing 6 other cars already on the shoulder and 3 who are accelerating from a stop on the shoulder) and answer the phone. Is that safer or more dangerous than drunk driving or talking on a cell phone while driving?

You don't have to answer it.  The phone will show who the call came from.  Unless you're an E.R. doc, they can wait 5 minutes for you to exit or 20 minutes for you to get where you're going.

[AHM™]

I love my cell phone...minus the fact that i almost died today while talking on it and driving...but it wasn't my fault...mr crumby decided to call and talk to me and i was heading home from jonesboro....goin about 60mph i come up on a semi tryin to slow down to turn into a parking lot and i'm over in my lane talking and minding my own business when he semi driver decides that he needs to use both lanes to turn into the darn place... by this time i'm less than 5ft from the semi goin about 45mph yelling and cussin at mr crumby on the phone and he's tryin to figure out what the heck is goin on with me b/c i all of a sudden flip out on him....thank goodness for my good driving skills

but back to the subject if you actually pay attention to the road and talk at the same time its fine or do like me and have the person on speaker phone if you don't have an earpeice and keep the phone in your lap or dash while driving and talking...

[Lions84]

Rage on, Painted Fan. The Padre's got your back on this one.

Me too!  I have nearly got creamed 4 times this school year by idiots using cell phones and trying to drive.

[mudturtle]

You don't have to answer it. The phone will show who the call came from. Unless you're an E.R. doc, they can wait 5 minutes for you to exit or 20 minutes for you to get where you're going.

I'm not saying it is right.  It is just what will happen and it doesn't matter if you are an ER doc or not.  When a realtors phone rings, it could be someone looking to list a house. You call back 30 seconds later and the phone is busy as they call their second choice.  You have a family member in Intensive Care Unit and the phone rings, you are going to answer it.  "She bear" Moms are going to answer every call "just in case", and if it is a student who can only talk on the phone during the 5 minutes between classes calling back may not work.

Worst of all, it is almost certainly someone whose call is going to start, "Not much, how about you?"

The absolute best we can hope for is the proliferation of hands free hand sets and I am not sure they are safer.  If we try to ban them completely, the phone police will surely pull over Uncle Ivan as he lip syncs to Captain and Tenille.

[PHIL IS MY HERO aka RTVM]

With A Passion! And probably my biggest pet peeve is people who TRY (and I stress the TRY!) to drive while using one! I think there should be legislation outlawing the use of cell phones while driving.
Let me explain:
I'm on my way home yesterday after a long day at work. I'm heading down 22 out of Barling when this idiot woman pulls about 4 feet into the lane from the nursing home. I slam on the brakes, turning about 45 degrees, trying to miss her. A Mustang also has to hit the brakes trying to avoid hitting me. The woman doesn't try to back up; she just sits there looking at me and yapping on her cell phone!
Last year, I'm on Grand Avenue in Fort Smith, when the vehicle traveling next to me starts to drift into my lane. I swerve to avoid a collision, look over and see a woman yapping on her cell phone, eating a burger, and driving with her knee!
And I heard about a girl that slammed into the back of someone in Fort Smith, because she was text messaging on her cell phone!
Now, I hear what you're thinking: "but, I need one for work". The way I see it, you have 3 options.
1) invest in a head set and take it off your taxes as a business expense.
2) let your company buy the headset.
3) PULL OVER!
And I hear what you're thinking on #3: "but, it's too inconvenient". Hey, is someones life and health not worth a little inconvenience for you? Do you not care if you cause an accident (maybe a fatality) because you're too lazy and inconsiderate to just pull over?
My middle daughter wanted a cell phone to "call us when she's finished with cheer practice, basketball practice, softball practice, etc. (or so she said). My wife went to Walmart and bought her a Simple Freedom prepaid cell phone. You would have thought we slapped her! What she really wanted was a Razor, with camera, text messaging, video games, etc. Why can't a phone be just that- a phone? Why do you have to have a camera, typewriter, computer, radio, video game console, datebook, photo album, have I missed anything? I told her I do not want a $500 a month phone bill, which is what I'm afraid I would have. And since she is just learning to drive, I don't want something else to distract her from the road (the first thing I taught her was the cars' stereo is NOT the most important part of a vehicle!).
All I'm asking is the same thing I would tell someone if they use alcohol:
If you drink, don't drive. If you drive, don't drink.
If you chat, don't drive. If you drive, don't chat.
Simple.
So please, take a moment and think of someone else's life, health, and happiness (namely mine!).
I'm stepping off my soapbox now. Thank you for listening.
I think I'll get a bumper sticker I saw one time...
HANG UP AND DRIVE!

Well, the problem I see is not the cell phones, but just the women drivers!!!

[retiredlion05]

With A Passion! And probably my biggest pet peeve is people who TRY (and I stress the TRY!) to drive while using one! I think there should be legislation outlawing the use of cell phones while driving.
Let me explain:
I'm on my way home yesterday after a long day at work. I'm heading down 22 out of Barling when this idiot woman pulls about 4 feet into the lane from the nursing home. I slam on the brakes, turning about 45 degrees, trying to miss her. A Mustang also has to hit the brakes trying to avoid hitting me. The woman doesn't try to back up; she just sits there looking at me and yapping on her cell phone!
Last year, I'm on Grand Avenue in Fort Smith, when the vehicle traveling next to me starts to drift into my lane. I swerve to avoid a collision, look over and see a woman yapping on her cell phone, eating a burger, and driving with her knee!
And I heard about a girl that slammed into the back of someone in Fort Smith, because she was text messaging on her cell phone!
Now, I hear what you're thinking: "but, I need one for work". The way I see it, you have 3 options.
1) invest in a head set and take it off your taxes as a business expense.
2) let your company buy the headset.
3) PULL OVER!
And I hear what you're thinking on #3: "but, it's too inconvenient". Hey, is someones life and health not worth a little inconvenience for you? Do you not care if you cause an accident (maybe a fatality) because you're too lazy and inconsiderate to just pull over?
My middle daughter wanted a cell phone to "call us when she's finished with cheer practice, basketball practice, softball practice, etc. (or so she said). My wife went to Walmart and bought her a Simple Freedom prepaid cell phone. You would have thought we slapped her! What she really wanted was a Razor, with camera, text messaging, video games, etc. Why can't a phone be just that- a phone? Why do you have to have a camera, typewriter, computer, radio, video game console, datebook, photo album, have I missed anything? I told her I do not want a $500 a month phone bill, which is what I'm afraid I would have. And since she is just learning to drive, I don't want something else to distract her from the road (the first thing I taught her was the cars' stereo is NOT the most important part of a vehicle!).
All I'm asking is the same thing I would tell someone if they use alcohol:
If you drink, don't drive. If you drive, don't drink.
If you chat, don't drive. If you drive, don't chat.
Simple.
So please, take a moment and think of someone else's life, health, and happiness (namely mine!).
I'm stepping off my soapbox now. Thank you for listening.
I think I'll get a bumper sticker I saw one time...
HANG UP AND DRIVE!

Well, the problem I see is not the cell phones, but just the women drivers!!!

ROFLMAO!!!  That'll get you in trouble with the ladies of FF.

[Lions84]

PHIL IS MY HERO aka RTVM  you just opened a #10 size can of worms with that statement.

[HA_Fan]

...Uncle Ivan as he lip syncs to Captain and Tenille.

If there were a list of images I did not need in my head today, this would be near the top.

[amehr36]

I actually have an instance where had my friend stayed on the cell phone she might not have wrecked.  It was really late one night and she wanted to drive to texas to see her friend.  I told her id call and talk to her or she could call and talk to me if she got tired.  Well i was getting kinda nervous a couple hours later and i call her and she tells me shes getting a bit sleepy but its not bad, so we talk about 20 minutes and then she says she wants to let me go and listen to the radio.  Not 15 minutes after she calls me back and says she had a wreck cause she fell asleep.  Now i know the good is probably heavily outweighed by the bad, but she and i agreed if sheda just kept talking she would have stayed awake.

[retiredlion05]

I actually have an instance where had my friend stayed on the cell phone she might not have wrecked. It was really late one night and she wanted to drive to texas to see her friend. I told her id call and talk to her or she could call and talk to me if she got tired. Well i was getting kinda nervous a couple hours later and i call her and she tells me shes getting a bit sleepy but its not bad, so we talk about 20 minutes and then she says she wants to let me go and listen to the radio. Not 15 minutes after she calls me back and says she had a wreck cause she fell asleep. Now i know the good is probably heavily outweighed by the bad, but she and i agreed if sheda just kept talking she would have stayed awake.

I don't know about that.  One of the first things we're taught when driving is if you get tired, PULL OVER and get a hotel or don't really recommend this but sleep at a rest stop.  Or, again, don't recommend this but it has helped me more than once, stop and buy some No-Doz.  It works and when it wears off, you'll be ready for a great nap.