HAZ-Matt

Agree 100%.

Threxx

No, but you'd hope that they made their decisions based on sound logic and research done by other reputable sources and experts on the subject. I mean you based or at least supplemented your opinion on some research articles you found on Ovid, why couldn't they at least do the same?


It wasn't "I've never heard it so it must be false", it was "I've never heard it before, where did you hear it or are you just stating your opinion as though it were fact" (something very commonly done on the internet)

SFireGT98

I agree with Robert on the license issue. It really is way too easy to get a license in this country. When I was getting mine, some of my friends described their "tests" and some of these "tests" included an instructor who had come in 30 min late and was backed up and was practically handing out licenses . Now this was about 9 years ago but still these same people now drive today.

I think the hands free cell phone stuff should be fine (I mean come on, like threxx said, if you cant talk and drive then should you be behind the wheel at all?) but texting is just stupid and using a cell without a hands free does keep one hand off the wheel which can be dangerous in many situations.

Good Ph.D

I agree.

HAZ-Matt

I guess nobody noticed that talking on a hands free has the same risk as a hand held.

I do not agree with making either illegal, however. We should punish those that end up causing collisions (no matter what they may be doing at the time) much more severely though.

90rocz

I read that, but disagree. There's no doubt, depending on the conversation, there's risks...but not the same.
I mean talking with a hand-held limits you head motion range, and trying to look over the phone-hand can obstruct your view...not to mention one hand is tied up holding a phone, not being used shifting, or steering.
Breaking the law is breaking the law, punishing someone "much more severely" for breaking the law while on the phone is irrelevant...but it will be much harder for them to make excuses.
In my CDL training we were told that ALL accidents are preventable, and our fault, to one degree or another. Observant and alert drivers see dangerous situations before they become accidents.
Where, (hell's freezing over again) I have to agree with Robert.
Our driver's training programs are a Joke!...Other than teaching kids what the roadsigns mean, and how to operate their vehicle, little is taught about accident avoidance, scanning traffic several cars ahead, driving for different weather conditions, safe spacing for every condition, how to safely react during a blow-out....etc..etc..etc..
No Laws can do as much for accidents as good driver education...

Eric Bryant

Exactly (and I noted that others made the same point as well). If someone does something stupid and hurts or kills someone, I'm not concerned with the cause - gross negligence is the same whether it's alcohol, talking on the phone, applying makeup, or simply lacking an understanding of physics. In my opinion, applying specific laws that cover only certain types of stupidity lends a certain amount of acceptability to other idiotic behavior.

guionM

I still don't see the purpose of texting unless you are in a meeting, a movie, or an enviroment where talking on the phone is disruptive or inappropriate.

Texting takes more effort, takes longer, & is more involved. If something really needs to be said, touch a single button, call whoever needs to be called, say what needs to be said, then hang up and go back to what you were doing in a fraction of the time & distraction it takes to text.

HAZ-Matt

Every study says the opposite