Posted on 04/11/2016 8:49:59 AM PDT by Enterprise
OAKDALE, CALIF.
Oakdale teen Amanda Clarks phone conversation came to an abrupt end when her Chevrolet Trailblazer rolled three times before landing on its roof. Shed run a stop sign and was broadsided by another driver. Metal caved in around her but the roof stayed intact and she survived with just scrapes and bruises.
(snip)
One year later, almost to the day, Clark was driving in Manteca. Shed been on the phone arguing with her roommate. When she took the Highway 120 bypass to Interstate 5 she lost control of her car and crashed. Cell phone records show she was texting.
First responders told Spray it took them 40 minutes to free Clark from her crumpled car, but by that point she hadnt been breathing for 20 minutes. She died the next day.
(Excerpt) Read more at fresnobee.com ...
AMEN, SAYIT LOUD!
I’m for a 4 cylinder car with low compression and no electric starter! Can you say Model T.
During WW2, I saw my dad start our 1933 Ford V8 with a crank a few times. 85 HP.
This would eliminate 90+% of drivers today.
;^}
Maybe the real difference is not the technology but the sense of entitlement that people, especially young people, possess nowadays.
On the road when I see someone looking down at their groin while driving I honk as policy. Whatever they are doing is not driving related.
And yeah, it’s mostly chicks who do this and meander across lanes. Their parents failed.
I believe nothing quite engages a driver to the extent texting does, and I think stats might bare that out.
It seems a conversation and/or texting can totally remove drivers from their surroundings.
I don’t text or talk on a phone when I drive, usually don’t even carry a phone.
Had to carry a cell phone when I was working, hated it.
I have a cell phone around the house here some where, it will make noise at me when the battery starts to go dead.
The only thing they are good for is storing phone numbers that you might want or need to call someday.
In my opinion being constantly connected is highly overrated.
That’s pretty brutal.
The thing that really gets me is that the person driving distracted isn’t just affecting their own life.
Their passengers, those in the other vehicles, the rescue workers are impacted directly, and the families/friends of all involved are affected too.
It’s such a selfish and unnecessary risk.
I just dont think the brains of kids raised with ubiquitous texting, streaming videos, selfies and the like process info in quite the same way as the generations prior.
_____________
There is quite a bit of research showing that the brains of electronically raised kids are different than non.
That is why we had no television or screens when homeschooling the kids.
“Cant fix stupid.”
SHE did.
Texan’s don’t merge. They signal their intent and expect you to politely make room for them. All Texans (and former Texans) know the rules and they get along great.
It’s when the “Coasters” move in or visit that the problems start. In DC, New York, etc. you don’t use a blinker because it would tip off the other drivers and they might move to block. When you see a blinker on in Texas (really anywhere in the flyover states), it means, “I will be changing lanes shortly. You should not be in the space I plan to occupy next. Thank you for your understanding.”
People have been doing those things for years. I even knew someone who crashed while tuning his radio. But it is only recently that distracted driving seems to have become such a major problem. And it is quite common now to spot people who are driving in a screwed-up fashion while talking or texting on their phones.
“The technology must exist to have the option of making cell phones inoperable when the vehicle is moving...”
Absolutely, but no one will make it or enforce it.
I am at the light waiting to get on the freeway. It is a two lane freeway entrance. So, you have to be careful to turn into your lane, not get over in the other, etc.
We hit the light green. I look over at the car next to me (getting on the freeway too) and a little a head of me. She has her phone held up in the air at about, say, 2:00. She is looking at the phone while trying to get on the highway.
I literally wanted to kick her a$$.
One day while riding on a commuter bus to work, I looked out the window and in the next lane was a guy driving in a truck lighting up his crack in a spoon.
OMG!
Nice try. I lived in TX ...the problem is that they don’t use the acceleration lane to accelerate - they go to the end and stop.
In California the fine is less than $200. It needs to be higher, given the dangers of texting while driving.
Defensive driving teaches adherents to scan their mirrors every 7 seconds or so. That is taking ones eyes off the road to do the scan. It is doable.
You said Texas. You are actually talking about Houston, Dallas or Austin. ;o) Yea, that's different.
iMerge app?
It is an addiction.
I take the subway to work. When people get off at the stop and head up the stairs, it seems like about 3/4 are walking with their phone held out in front of them. It's like the Walking Dead with smartphones. I'm amazed they seem to be able to cross streets without getting run over.
The folks in the other car weren't badly hurt.
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