Cell-phone-driving ban takes effect July 1 in Washington (Washington State)

The Seattle Times ^ | June 23, 2008

[copaliscrossing]

everyone knows they will still get away with using the phone as long as they don't commit a primary offense

Be VERY careful. I just heard a WA. State Trooper on the radio talking to the host about different traffic situations mostly related to passing in the left lane. The subject changed to the new cell phone law and the Trooper gave a VERY LOADED hint that the primary offense they will use to pull you over in a lot of cases will be impeding traffic (holding up too many cars). He cited a study that said motorists typically drive slower while they are on their cell phone thus impeding traffic.

Here you have a good upstanding citizen trying their best to be safe and now will get pulled over because of the secondary offense.....Make enough laws and everyone will be a lawbreaker.....

[Stoat]

The accident I got into involving my cell phone was when I wasn’t using it. I was on my way to open my brother-in-law’s store. The phone ran two different times. I thought it might be an emergency, so pulled off the freeway to find a parking lot to call back from. I was waiting on the off ramp and got rear ended. I wonder if I would have been safer if I had answered.

I'm very sorry to hear that you had an accident, and I hope that you weren't injured. 

With the current gas price dynamics, you can probably pick up a nice shiny (and safe!) Hummer for a near-steal, and you could justify the extra gas expense by how much you're saving on hospital stays due to injuries suffered in tiny cars   :-)

"snicker"

 

[Joe 6-pack]

"A friend of mine told me that the number one distraction that causes accidents is tuning the radio..."

Don't worry...I'm sure there's a government solution for all of them. Once you breath into your ignition lock intoxilyzer of your 55-mph speed governed car, and fasten the 10-point seat belt in your isolated driver's compartment where your wrists are manicled to the steering wheel, there will be no way you could risk losing your liberties by breaking the law.

[Publius6961]

Add California to that July 1 deadline.
It's only a matter of time before it gets worse for the delusionals who think they can chew gum and walk at the same time --- better than anyone else.

Continuing research will prove adequately that whether they hold the phone or are hands-free, their impairment is practically the same; but the only ones that seem to notice are the drivers around them concentrating on --- ta-daaa--- their driving!

[isrul]

Uhura never looked that good.

[isrul]

They pass the laws, but don't enforce them. I live in NY and these freaks still mindless cruise along looking skyward as they yap on. People can't even navigate a freaking’ shopping cart in the market while jabbering away. They are always running into other carts and people too.

[Publius6961]

He cited a study that said motorists typically drive slower while they are on their cell phone thus impeding traffic.

I commuted for an hour and a half each day for 8 years on Interstate 5 and saw the evolution of the problem first-hand.

Driving slower is but one symptom. Erratic speed changes is more common, and wandering the lane from side to side is the third.

It got such that by the time I stopped daily commute, I could identify active cell phone users 9 times out of 10 from 200 yds back.

[boogerbear]

Of course the law won’t work. It’s not the holding the phone to your ear that makes the accidents, it’s the having the brain concentrating on the conversation that does it. Some people just can’t multi-task.

[dragnet2]

I refuse to use a phone while driving. When I drive I am totally into driving, and not concerned or bothered by telephones.

I’ve told my clients the same, so they just leave a message...I always get back to them when it’s convenient and safe for me to do so.

[copaliscrossing]

Driving slower is but one symptom. Erratic speed changes is more common, and wandering the lane from side to side is the third.

I think the Troopers will have no problem finding a primary offense. What I am worried about are drivers that are doing perfectly fine in their lane at a steady speed and getting pulled over for a broken tail light or doing the speed limit but having 5 cars following you. On the other hand, there are way too many drivers that cannot drive while on the phone (I will not include a specific gender or race in my comments) and should be pulled over because there are probably a dozen or so primary offenses.

[dragnet2]

Of course the law won’t work. It’s not the holding the phone to your ear that makes the accidents, it’s the having the brain concentrating on the conversation that does it. Some people just can’t multi-task.

Multi-task is corporate BS term for do more, work harder, for less money. Much like the corporate BS term "team player".

Multi-tasking while driving will make you a team player with the dead.

[Stoat]

Uhura never looked that good.
 

I'll have to agree   :-)

I suppose that warping all over the space-time continuum perhaps doesn't do a lot for a lady's 'vivaciousness quotient', although Yeoman Rand always used to set the young stoat heart aflutter....

"sigh"

[isrul]

You are aware that she was (perhaps still is) a nymphomaniac? Not that I think that's bad. Especially in her case. Yum.

[boogerbear]

I don’t think it’s BS, but I’m a natural born multi-tasker. I always have multiple things going, gaming while watching TV, reading and listening to music, working and FR. Always doing more than one thing at a time, keeps me awake.

Depends on what kind of vehicle you drive. Sticks are complicated enough to be right on the border of needing to multi-task just to drive. Motorcycles and semis are past the line. Which is why I drive a stick, when I have to drive an automatic I get a serious case of wandering brain, no left foot action, no shifting, just makes driving too boring. That’s when I do risk becoming a team player with the dead. No cellphone though, don’t like phones. I COULD phone while driving, heck I’ve shifted while hanging a corner with a cig in one hand and a soda in my lap and didn’t spill burn wreck or slip. But I don’t like phones, use them as little as possible, and just plain don’t need one with me at all times.

[dragnet2]

I’m a natural born multi-tasker.

Hey thats fine when not driving.

If you were on a firing line, concentrating, shooting for accuracy, would you multi-task at the same time? No you wouldn't.

Same while driving. A vehicle is a deadly weapon, laying waste to many daily.

[boogerbear]

Didn’t read after the first sentence huh?

[dragnet2]

Maybe not, what specifically are you referring to?

[boogerbear]

Well first off the fact that I don’t even have a cellphone so there’s no possibility that I’d be using one while driving. And second the fact that if I can’t multi-task I get bored and lose concentration. If I was on the firing line I’d be listening to music, if not physically then in my head, I’m always listening to music, either out in the real world or in my “internal” radio station, keeps the brain in rhythm. That’s how natural multi-taskers are, there’s always some part of the brain doing something not related to the task at hand, contemplating dinner, figuring out what to do this weekend, listening to tunes, always something.

[dragnet2]

Depends on what kind of vehicle you drive.

No it doesn't. Deadly weapons like firearms and vehicles, are not the venues to be multi-tasking.

Gezz I hate that term.

[boogerbear]

And did you bother to read past the first sentence of the second paragraph? You’re reacting to content that only exists in your head. Time to stop assuming and start reading. Maybe you’re doing a little too much multi-tasking.