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

[jschaf]

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...

If people don't have enough common sense to voluntarily not text while driving this is what it may come to in this "safety oriented" society of ours. I think a mandatory 3 days in jail & 6 month license suspension for first offense, 10 days/ 1 year for 2nd offense would be sufficient to instill a little common sense into most that still text & drive. I really don't buy the claim of those that say they can text & drive safely. Most drunks on the road think they can drink & drive safely too. You might get away with either without consequence for a long time but that doesn't mean it doesn't increase your probability of injuring or killing someone. So there!

[ohiomike]

I'm in the 'don't text' camp.  Never have, never will.  Using a cell phone will driving is bad enough (taking your attention off the road the other drivers) but texting makes it way worse, imho.  Unless you have one of those bluetooth setups where  its built into your car or truck.   I mean, honestly, how many times has another driver cut you off, or done something otherwise that nearly got you in a wreck, and they were on their phone either texting or talking, when it happened?  Seems it happens more than if the other driver is just driving along not using their phone.

 

There's enough crazy crap out there, enough asshat drivers out there without making it worse with them screwing with their phones while driving, imho.

[sParkSnare]

Penalize the result, not something that "could" result in dangerous driving. If someone causes a wreck or runs off the road because they were distracted, it shouldn't matter whether they were distracted because they were texting, putting on makeup, handing a bottle to their kid in the back seat, or freaking out because they dropped their Big Mac in their lap. If you want to reduce avoidable wrecks, make the penalty for causing an avoidable wreck such that people actually focus on driving safely.

[magley64]

Penalize the result, not something that "could" result in dangerous driving. If someone causes a wreck or runs off the road because they were distracted, it shouldn't matter whether they were distracted because they were texting, putting on makeup, handing a bottle to their kid in the back seat, or freaking out because they dropped their Big Mac in their lap. If you want to reduce avoidable wrecks, make the penalty for causing an avoidable wreck such that people actually focus on driving safely.

Some people are just shitty drivers, some people can't manage to listen to the radio, or carry on a conversation with someone in the car without careening into another lane...

Drive your car for the conditions you're facing.

[KZ900]

I am glad the baby is ok. She should lose her license and her mother card. Sounds like she is too immature  to drive or be a Mom. Seriously what type of idiot texts and tailgates while they are pregnant and due any minute. I guess she will have to kill someone to learn. Did she hurt the person she hit and are they suing you? If they do is she going to admit she was texting?

[Bitani]

I am glad the baby is ok. She should lose her license and her mother card. Sounds like she is too immature  to drive or be a Mom. Seriously what type of idiot texts and tailgates while they are pregnant and due any minute. I guess she will have to kill someone to learn. Did she hurt the person she hit and are they suing you? If they do is she going to admit she was texting?

Are you fucking kidding me? You should lose your posting card for being a judgmental asshat. Sounds like you're too immature to post or form a rational opinion.

 

I would usually call a post like that trolling, but if you really are that much of an idiot..

[jbot]

i just wish kz900 would tell us about his/her life so we can model our life around his perfect, blemish free sense judgement.  surely, he has never sped, rolled through a stop sign, left his lights off while it's raining in certain states, or anything else that could potentially result in him mowing down a thousand sweet succulent innocent babies.  please, jesus like KZ900, sing us the song of your people, so that we may learn to be more like you.

[KZ900]

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.

 

I am the asshat? Read the post she has been told countless times to stop tailgating and she does not listen. Finally at 38 weeks she decides the baby, her husband, and other drivers are unimportant. Picks up the phone to read some stupid text and runs the risk of destroying her a baby and all her loved ones lives. Not to mention the the guy she slammed into. Only a idiot would do that especially at 270 and Roberts road which by the way is a construction zone. I see these idiots ll the time when I am out riding. Drifting side to side, no reguard for others on the road. Making it almost impossible to navigate by them on a bike or car. If you say something like stop texting they flip you off instead of acting responsible. A car is a 3500 lb piece of metal capable of killing people. If you are too irresponsible to drive and not pay attention GET THE FUCK OFF THE ROAD! I might be harsh but what about the guy she hit or the next guy or baby she KILLS? It might be you and your buddies on this site will be asking for donations for the funeral or family. Grow up and drive like a responsible person. THERE IS NO EXCUSE TO TEXT AND DRIVE OR READ TEXTS. TAILGATING IS JUST AS BAD.  

Edited August 3, 2013 by KZ900

[jbot]

tell us more tales of your godliness, holy one. all bow to the water walker.

[KZ900]

Are you fucking kidding me? You should lose your posting card for being a judgmental asshat. Sounds like you're too immature to post or form a rational opinion.

 

I would usually call a post like that trolling, but if you really are that much of an idiot..

 

 

i just wish kz900 would tell us about his/her life so we can model our life around his perfect, blemish free sense judgement.  surely, he has never sped, rolled through a stop sign, left his lights off while it's raining in certain states, or anything else that could potentially result in him mowing down a thousand sweet succulent innocent babies.  please, jesus like KZ900, sing us the song of your people, so that we may learn to be more like you.

 

 

Please tell me what was wrong with my post? I would say the same thing about some idiot speeding through traffic, purposely running stop signs, or idiot driving in low light conditions without lights on. I am the idiot here and not the Wife, Mother to be, and Daughter of someone whose lives would be crushed because she was so selfish as to tailgate and text. PLEASE STOP MAKING EXCUSES FOR BAD BEHAVIOR! If it were my Wife I would be very upset and a long talk about being responsible would take place. Heck it would have taken place before the third time I told her to stop tailgating. I sure as hell would not have told her countless times. How long till she starts the stupid stuff again? She has been told countless times and it didn't sink it. Would you let her drive your children around?

Edited August 3, 2013 by KZ900

[jbot]

when you turn water into wine, does it take more concentration than texting on a smartphone?

[KZ900]

when you turn water into wine, does it take more concentration than texting on a smartphone?

 Again I ask what was out of line with my response? 

What would you tell your Wife?

What would you tell your Daughter?

 

When you refer to rolling through a stop sign is that by mistake or when its clear? 

Do you purposely drive with your lights off or did you just forget to turn them on?

 

When you text and drive you make a conscious decision to endanger others. Its not a mistake. You have determined that your text is worth risking someones life and your own.  Making you more important than others. It is a completely selfish act. Doing so at the risk of others. You shrug it off as no big deal. But tell me how many close calls on your bike you have had because some tool is texting? Have you changed the way you ride because you have to make adjustments for these idiots that could care less about your life while they weave about and cut people off and drift from lane to lane? Had the car in front of her been you on your bike most likely you would still be in traction or dead. She waits one more second and that airbag goes off on the Baby.

 

Texting and driving is serious shit. Making some BS statement about me being God Like is Crazy. Trying to defend stupidity by saying everyone does it flat out wrong. Texting and driving makes me wonder if I should park my bike everyday. 

 

I am right .....She is wrong and dangerous.....If she were my Wife she would not text and drive again. Why the hell would you need a app to shut your phone down when driving? Shut the damn thing off or leave it alone. Pull over and stop somewhere safe when you hear the little noise. 

 

I bet her husband is going to love the increase in car insurance of 4 or 5 hundred dollars a year for the next couple. Mighty expensive text message. Could have been a lot more expensive. 

 

when you turn water into wine, does it take more concentration than texting on a smartphone? One of the stupidest statements ever. 

[jbot]

as you feed thousands of people with only a few loaves of bread and even less fish, do you think to yourself, "Imma throw the first stone cause that's how i rolllll"

[magley64]

there is a time and a place, tailgating on the freeway probably isn't it...

[magley64]

Damn double post.... Move along...

Edited August 4, 2013 by magley64

[madcat6183]

Fuck, I just Love OR.  I love my friends(and friends I haven't met) on OR even more.  I won't say anything too over the top, but she understands her mistake and has owned up to it.  She was only cited with failure to assure safe distance and no texting because legally you have to be caught in the act to have charges.

 

The guy she hit had some beater and was totally fine.  However I did tell her it is still possible to sue us due to what happened, and that our insurance would have to fight it etc.   Also for the increase in rates, that ain't something I'll be paying, she will.  We each pay our portion of everything and that falls into the I didn't fuck up category, so I am not paying shit.

 

We had our talk, it's done and over, we had plenty of time in the hospital to talk about it and she knows she fucked up royally.  No need to rub it in.  

 

I am guessing KZ900 was just pissed off or had a bad day and wasn't directly attacking my wife, for what it's worth she's a Doctor, so she isn't "stupid" granted maybe she lacks in some common sense areas, but shit, she's a female.  So I won't take anything he/she said as an insult really, just someone who may have had an experience with being run off the road or almost killed by someone texting.  I ain't mad at cha bro.

 

However, like I said, the guys that responded in my absence, reminds me how tight of a family we really are on here.  I haven't even met everyone that did, but it was a feel good moment to see that people do have peoples backs if an insult is tossed out or judgement.  Again, thank you all for that, and like I said, I'm not mad at anyone, just disappointed really.  

 

Preliminary quote is $3,990, before tear down.  It will be $6,000 when tear down shows the mechanical and structural damage(radiator mount subframe, etc), maybe more.  But said 1-2 business weeks would be it.  

[max power]

Shit. Accidentally negged. I will vouge that MC's wife is no dumb broad. She's way outta his league.

Shit happens folks. Accidents happen every day for far worse reasons. I once rear ended a stopped semi truck in a work van because a truck spun in front of me. Dude dropped his phone. When I was 16 I rear ended a car trying to eject a tape. Olden time kids.

We've all done stupid shit in a car. Glad she and the future curtain climber are alright, bubby.

[Pokey]

Mother and baby are fine, all that matters and hopefully she learned a lesson. As much as I travel and drive due to my occupation, there is "no doubt" that the female species is by far the worst offenders for texting and driving. Friend of mine is a truckdriver and he has seen it all, he will easily backup what I just said.

[KZ900]

I stick by my responses. I guess to some I was too direct and straight up. If calling a texter an idiot is over the top we have really become soft. There is little room for error when driving. People know what is right and wrong but many today have decided there going to do what they want because its all about them and not the other guy. Even if its at the risk of others. We live in selfish times. How many time have you turned on your signal to change lanes and the guy in that lane speeds up and refuses to let you in? Guy in the fast lane poking and keeping you in the trucks blind spot with 10 cars behind. Why do they do this? Because they want you to know they are in control and could care less about safety.  I think you are right in the fact that woman are the biggest violators. But that no excuse. Sorry but I think you have to be firm and direct. Whats worse pointing a gun at someone or texting and driving. I just don't see it as an accident. Picking up the phone and reading when you should be watching the road is a choice. A Husband needs to be a Man and make sure his family is inline and acts responsibly.  Sets good examples and leads by them. Same with a Wife. If her Husband is driving like an idiot she needs to call him out on it and stand by it. My Daughter was tailgating at one point in her driving. I warned her. Then about a week later I am on the freeway behind her by chance and she was unaware of me behind. She was tailgating again. When we got home the conversation was not pretty and she walking to school and business only for a month. The selfishness is getting worse everyday. As a whole Americans justify bad behavior more everyday instead of calling it out. Look at the responses here. I called out bad, selfish driving habits and was attacked and called Jesus. Amazing. Then when I asked what they would do in the same situation.......More Jesus and atheism. It was easier to attack then answer the questions. 

 

madcat I was not attacking your Wife. I was attacking bad behavior. Hopefully she has learned her lesson after doing thousands of dollars in damage, traffic tickets, wrecking the day for the guy she hit, scaring the hell out of you leaving you to wonder if she is just going to stop doing it for now and start texting and tailgating in the future, and endangering the gift of life of the inside her. What scares me is you have told her countless time and she did not listen. Is this what it took to sink in? I bet you hope so. 

 

​Bad selfish behavior has no place in my home and family. I set the bar pretty high in my world. Its the role I took when I became a Man, Husband, Father, and now recent Grandfather. 

[magley64]

Whats worse pointing a gun at someone or texting and driving?

Definitely pointing a gun... because your intention is to actively and intentionally cause serious injury or death to a specific person...

Driving distracted is a problem that causes a lot of automobile crashes, fact. But to say that this distraction is inherently bad, and other distractions are okay is bullshit.

People need to learn how to drive. Period. I know a guy who has been driving accident free for decades. He drives a manual transmission while drinking a pop and smoking a cigarette, every time. There are people for whom this would be an unthinkable undertaking, and far too distracting to where they would crash. Does that make his actions inherently unsafe, just because it would cause some other asshole to crash?

Another example... I was in a car that got rear ended. The person in the car that hit us had no cell phone. (It was back before they got really popular) No, instead the driver was looking into a subway restaurant, trying to see if one of his friends was working. By this logic, if we ban texting and driving we should also ban the looking at restaurants while driving.

Edited August 4, 2013 by magley64

[jschaf]

Although I have a great disdain for distracted driving I am in no way affiliated with this kz900 bloke.

[KZ900]

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 text and drive and its ok because you say it is. You are a good enough driver and its just fine for you because you say so. .You are exactly the type of completely selfish individual I am referring to. You could care less about anyone but yourself. Then when you are called on it you come up with all types of scenarios to feebly justify your dangerous behavior.  Its all about you and what your going to do. Not the safety of others. 

 

Open your eyes and drive down the road. Its not tough to determine who is texting on the road before you even pull up along side them and see them Head Down Texting Away? Its everywhere and its out of control. Man Up and lead by example and do whats right. Its a very black and white issue with no grey area. Don't text and drive. Just Drive and Pay attention. If you don't sooner or later that extra second or two that you were looking away is going to Fuck something up. Get enough people doing it and the chance of a Fuck up is increased. 

 

The OP is about texting and tailgating when 38 weeks pregnant in a construction zone not speeding, running stop signs, eating or other forms of stupid driving. 

[jbot]

my work here is done. my only regret is not finding out what kind of sandals KZ900 wore, so I too could be just a bit more like heyzeus.

[KZ900]

my work here is done. my only regret is not finding out what kind of sandals KZ900 wore, so I too could be just a bit more like heyzeus.

 

 

Anytime you want to have a one on one sermon just send me a pm. Maybe I could be a key speaker at your next meet and greet. 

[magley64]

You text and drive and its ok because you say it is. You are a good enough driver and its just fine for you because you say so. .

Not it's not fine because I "say so" it's fine because I know how to drive, and I can judge the appropriate level of concentration required for different driving conditions...

Just because some people clearly lack the skill to do something, doesn't mean everyone lacks the skill to do it.