Psa - Please Don't Text And Drive, No Really.

[madcat6183]

So I know I do it, well used to, and I know probably 98% of us do, but I am going to give everyone a little story of my recent first hand experience and maybe it will end up saving someones life, or at least helping make everyone a safer driver.

 

 As most of you know my wife is prego, not just prego, but officially full term, 38 weeks along and ready to pop.  Anyways, had our normal weekly apt yesterday morning and everything was normal, still shooting for August 14.

 

Fast forward to the drive home last night, I get a text at 6:15 that she rear ended someone on I270 by Roberts Rd.  Of course I'm freaking out, get in the car and rush over there, find out she's pretty okay, 25-35 mph, but car is F'd.  I mean not like totaled but pretty good front end damage, front crumble zone worked perfect, along with hood crumble zone, but it did break the radiator and I am sure other things.

 

 So once we get it on the hook and head to Grant to be looked at I find out the reason it happened was her phone rang with a text message and she looked down to read it, looked up, boom.

 

Now I have told her countless times she tailgates, and to back off, but then toss in the text alert and game over.  I know I have texted often while driving and had been making a pretty good effort at stopping, mainly because I don't want to kill anyone, my kid, myself, my wife, my dog, the list goes on and on.  Anyways, that easily could have happened last night, including my unborn son. 

 

With that said, the next time you think you really need to text while driving, think of me, my wife, and would could have become of her and the baby.

 

Rant over but thanks for listening.  And for the record Grant Labor and Delivery is legit, super nice people, remodeled, and the resident OB Dr. last night was nice on the eyes and pretty young.

[bowdog]

Glad they are both ok!

Edited August 1, 2013 by bowdog

[Kmanlyst]

And this is why I put a lock app on both my wife's phone and mine to lock it while the car is in motion. I used to do it myself not all the time but one time I did 2 years ago an jumped a curb and nailed a fire hydrant, thought to myself what if that had been a person or a kid. Never again.

[madcat6183]

That sounds pretty cool. 

[Medina]

So I know I do it, well used to, and I know probably 98% of us do

 

I'm in the zero%. Dont text, never did, never will. Ever. 

fanatical anti texter

Fanatical. 

 

 

I am equally glad you yours and that baby most of all are ok. now.

 

[rant] Its your turn, become a fanatical anti-texter. Pay it forward. could be thats why you WERENT hurt?

 

I grew up in an era where it was ok to toss trash out the window, a time when "oh, he's not too drunk to drive"

What changed all that was social consciousness and UNacceptance. [/rant]

[Kmanlyst]

I just did a general search on the Play Store and found an app called Anti Text Safe Driving App. Not sure if they have this for iPhone but sure they have something similar. 30 day trial but well worth the money after the trial, has a lot of great features.

 

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.safedrivingassociation.everyonetexts&hl=en

Edited August 1, 2013 by Kmanlyst

[Kmanlyst]

I was going to crack something about "women drivers...", but Karl hit a hydrant, so that squashes my theory....unless Karl is actually a woman.

To the Bat Cave!

 

lol you know I am not a woman, it happened after dropping a buddy off for work, was coming down one of those industrial side roads, went to check a text when I was on the straight forgot about the curve ahead and went up over it into the hydrant, nice $1,500 mistake to replace the front end and radiator on the car.

[magley64]

Glad you and yours are doing well...

That said, I'm not a fan of an app locking me out of my own phone for any reason.

Most of the roads out here are pretty empty most of the time, so I often fiddle with my phone while underway...

Not when I'm within 100' of another vehicle, however.... to each their own.

[jschaf]

Glad your wife & kid are ok. Glad she didn't maim any motorcyclists. Hope she's done with this. I commute by motorcycle So I'll keep my eye on the mirror & be ready to tuck between the cars in front of me if need be.

[Dying Shadow]

I got something called smart actions that's on my droid and has a action called drive, never used it but supposed to cut ur volume whenur in motion or some shit.

[serpentracer]

it's going to happen and I hope it does.  a mandate all phones text features lock up while the phone is moving more than 15. i'd even support one that the phone completely locks up.

 

 

if you like the seatbelt mandate this is right up your alley

Edited August 2, 2013 by serpentracer

[serpentracer]

mandates is one word duhh

[wantahertzdonut]

Glad your wife and kid are ok. 

 

But you're right, texting while driving is an epidemic.  I see it everywhere and it's terrifying.  Usually it's the guy driving 5 under and getting slower the further he gets from a light, sometimes it's the guy weaving between lanes.  But sometimes it's the guy that blows the light at the intersection.  When I was driving to work, I'd lose count of people who are looking at their phones and not at the road.  It's so bad that it's distracting me because I'm glaring at everyone who is texting and not focusing myself!

[Medina]

Next time you text, think about how many times  you've looked over, in traffic (on your bike) and seen the asshole next to you texting, trying to hide it-like if you can't see them doing it, its ok, down on their laps, or next to the passenger seat. 

Assholes adding another full second to the time their eyes are off the road.  

[aforrest4]

Glad you and yours are doing well...

That said, I'm not a fan of an app locking me out of my own phone for any reason.

Most of the roads out here are pretty empty most of the time, so I often fiddle with my phone while underway...

Not when I'm within 100' of another vehicle, however.... to each their own.

 

 

You are kidding yourself. I hope you don't take someone out when you run off.

[magley64]

 

 

You are kidding yourself. I hope you don't take someone out when you run off.

 

Hey, Just cause some people can't walk and chew gum at the same time doesn't mean that I can't.

 

 

I know how to keep my vehicle in my lane, so "running off" isn't a concern.

 

As for when it's appropriate (for me) is any time my lane isn't in danger of being impeded, crossed, or directly adjacent to someone elses...

 

If i'm rolling through a town with things like intersections, pedestrians, and traffic, I'll let it be until I stop.

If I'm rolling down I-90 with 50 other cars around me travelling at differing speeds, and merging, I'll let it be until I stop.

 

However, most of my commmute time is spent on empty roads with no vehicles within 100' in either direction, route 45 between austinburg and orwell, route 46 between jefferson and mesopotamia, all of the side roads in between 46 and 45, route 11 between jefferson and kinsman... the roads are literally empty most of the time. These are also situations/times when i'm on the bike, I'll open up the throttle and let the bike stretch her legs a bit... ignoring most speed signs.

Edited August 2, 2013 by magley64

[magley64]

it's going to happen and I hope it does.  a mandate all phones text features lock up while the phone is moving more than 15. i'd even support one that the phone completely locks up.

 

 

if you like the seatbelt mandate this is right up your alley

 

 

So nobody ever can talk on a phone in any car, or even on a bicycle?

riding on a bus, in a taxi, in a limo, on a train.. nobody should be allowed to use a phone at all during any of those situations?

 

sounds pretty fucking stupid to me...

[Medina]

http://www.textinganddrivingsafety.com/texting-and-driving-stats/

 

 

hey, I can have a few drinks and be ok to drive right? I bet on an empty stretch of road I could take my eyes off the world for 4-5 seconds to type in LOL, right

 

f'ing amazing anyone can fool themselves into thinking the above

[magley64]

if it takes you 4-5 seconds to type 3 letters...you're doing it wrong...

[JStump]

if it takes you 4-5 seconds to type 3 letters...you're doing it wrong...

I think you are doing everything wrong, honestly, how can you stand to be here when everything you do or say gets completely torn apart by everyone else? Are we your only "Friends"?

Edited August 2, 2013 by JStump

[madcat6183]

Well this thread escalated quickly. 

[jbot]

making it mandatory to not be able to work your phone while in the car is dumb. public beatings and humiliation for causing a wreck while fucking with your phone, on the other hand, is much preferred and should be sold as PPV.

[CBBaron]

making it mandatory to not be able to work your phone while in the car is dumb. public beatings and humiliation for causing a wreck while fucking with your phone, on the other hand, is much preferred and should be sold as PPV.

Agree,

The only time I even think of picking up my phone while in the car is when I'm in the passenger seat. 

And that is often on long family trips where I want to have the option to check email, txt messages, where to stop for lunch, etc. I do not want to be locked out just because I am moving.

Our in dash nav system already locks me out even though a passenger can easily operate it, and that is my biggest complaint about it. Luckily I can usually access my phone to do the tasks I would prefer to use the nav for.

 

Doing any of these things as a driver is just stupid, and very selfish!!!!

[magley64]

making it mandatory to not be able to work your phone while in the car is dumb. public beatings and humiliation for causing a wreck while fucking with your phone, on the other hand, is much preferred and should be sold as PPV.

THIS

[8Rider6]

it's going to happen and I hope it does.  a mandate all phones text features lock up while the phone is moving more than 15. i'd even support one that the phone completely locks up.

 

 

if you like the seatbelt mandate this is right up your alley

 

That really doesn't make any sense... What if you're a passenger in a car, or on a bus? You can't use your phone? Stupid...