Bills to ban cell phone use while driving

[dos7]

Personally, I'm not a big fan of the safety nazis on Capitol Hill, but I don't think the legislation truly addresses the real issue. I believe the real issue isn't so much having your hand occupied while driving, it's the mental distraction of having to multitask so much while driving, and the mobile/cell phones only add to that work load. So on that basis, they should ban car radios/CB radio's, and ban talking to any passengers that may be riding along with you. I don't think the legislation will have a marked impact on road safety in short.


dos7

[Goldwingnut]

Next time you watch a cellphone driver almost hit you, check out his eyes. While you are sitting in the entrance to the parking lot, paying attention, he will be driving with a dazed-and glazed look. Unfocused eyes that see nothing.

I believe that cellphone users are visualizing the person they are talking to. I believe that their visual cortex is too busy imagining the other party, and there is no brain power left to pay attention to the rather demanding task of driving in an urban environment.

This has been the case in every close encounter of the cellphone kind I have had.

I have managed to survive 46 years without needing to make or take a phone call while driving. I wonder how it went from a possibility to a necessity so quickly?

Smokers have learned that they can survive without a cancerette for the duration of a flight. When will cellphone users get this message?

[linux_guru]

Hey, using a cell-phone while driving has been banned here in Australia for years ! AND, attracts a hefty fine. There's even some recent talk about banning the hands-free type as well.

If there's a way to milk Mr. Taxpayer, and generate revenue, both the Aust. federal and state governments will find it.

Next they'll be fining us for listening to the radio or talking to passengers, while driving !

[Wiruz]

Using a cell-phone while driving has been banned in Denmark for some years now, and i supprt the idea, since there has been a few accidents involving people using cell-phones while driving. the hands-free stuff is still legal though, and i hope it will stay that way - I'm a bit addicted to my phone, but i dont have a car though, but i'm planning on getting a hands free set to use while riding my scooter: people always hang up by the time i have braked and taken off my helmet :-(

...Safety First - Good idea

[hbm@calloneonline.com]

The current legislation is off base.
It is not talking on the mobile phone
that causes problems, it is the process
of dialing.

[daveleau]

I am not one to be overly cautious or thinkt he govt should regulate everything, but this is an item that should be pushed through. Cell phones cause so many accidents and this legislation could save many lives...and make many better drivers. http://dev-www.sysopt.com/news/gws/cdata/smile.gif

[grogel]

Hands off sell phones aren't any better than the hand held ones. Drivers talking on phones are so distracted they don't know what going on around them. They are as dangerous as a drunk driver and have the same reaction time, slowwwwwwww.

[kcbpilot]

I use a headset, which for me reduces the hazard and distraction drastically. I would use a GOOD hands-free system using a built-in mike and the car speakers, if I could afford that, but the headset is great for now. Voice-activated dialing won't be long in coming. I think that consumer demand for more safety and convenience will obviate the need for government to get involved.

[kbpilot]

I use a headset, which for me significantly reduces the distraction. I would use a GOOD hands-free system using a built-in mike and the car speakers if I could afford that, but the headset is great for now. Voice-activated dialing won't be long in coming. I think that consumer demand for more safety and convenience will obviate the need for government to get involved.

[jaykar]

If your going to drive, especially in todays
enviroment on the road, Pull over, perferably
without running over someone.
Enough distractions without cell phones in
use will driving.
Another one who almost got hit in shopping center by an idiot. In this case was a she.
Later

[JL_in_Vail]

I have to agree with the idea that it's not the holding of the phone that's the main issue, it's the remote conversation. While I'm sure there are accidents which are the result of one-handed driving, I think most of the accidents start with loss of focus on the driving task. Things are different when you are talking with someone in the car, as you are both in the situation. More important is the fact that the majority of human communication is non-verbal. Remove that vital part and you have to focus even harder on the act of communication, removing attention from the road. Listening to the radio (even talking back) is not communication and while a radio can be distracting, it doesn't take the attention of an actual conversation. I fully support a ban on any 2-way communication devices used by the driver.

[kudos]

Banning of Cell phone is nothing more than
populist politics. It seeks to pacify the
pro-banning people without seriously
addressing cellphone user's needs. People
use cellphones because their life is
un-predictable and they need to juggle,
co-ordinate several things in life. in
very short duration of day.

For e.g. Most of the hands-free kit available
in market are clumsy. One of them actually
contains a clip-on which you are supposed
to clamp on the cell phone speaker!!!! If cellphone user buys a cheap device it is
only to "be compliant". Both operation
and installation are so clumsy that user
will be more distracted than before.

Of course, using cellphone on road
requires that you are responsible and
mature enough to handle both. Also
using it on busy streets is asking
for trouble.

Also, most equipments available are
not hands-free friendly. Lawmakers
should force manufacturers to have
equipments that can avoid or minimise
distractions under sensible usage.

We should create laws that say that phones should that meet certain weight restrictions
should be usable in hands-free kit.
Handsfree kit should be jerk-resilient.
Installation of the phone in the hands-free
kit should take less than 5 secs, etc...

For e.g. most phones that have "voice dialing" only pick it up from the pre-entered
numbers. Why can't it accepts voice-numbers ?

In the end, we need to create a social
campaign much the same as "drunk driving"
to be effective. We as a society have to
embrace "cell phone" as a technology that
is here to stay and create safety laws that
include/enforce civil usage and not "ban" it
off.

[kudos]

Banning of Cell phone is nothing more than
populist politics. It seeks to pacify the
pro-banning people without seriously
addressing cellphone user's needs. People
use cellphones because their life is
un-predictable and they need to juggle,
co-ordinate several things in life. in
very short duration of day.

For e.g. Most of the hands-free kit available
in market are clumsy. One of them actually
contains a clip-on which you are supposed
to clamp on the cell phone speaker!!!! If cellphone user buys a cheap device it is
only to "be compliant". Both operation
and installation are so clumsy that user
will be more distracted than before.

Of course, using cellphone on road
requires that you are responsible and
mature enough to handle both. Also
using it on busy streets is asking
for trouble.

Also, most equipments available are
not hands-free friendly. Lawmakers
should force manufacturers to have
equipments that can avoid or minimise
distractions under sensible usage.

We should create laws that say that phones should that meet certain weight restrictions
should be usable in hands-free kit.
Handsfree kit should be jerk-resilient.
Installation of the phone in the hands-free
kit should take less than 5 secs, etc...

For e.g. most phones that have "voice dialing" only pick it up from the pre-entered
numbers. Why can't it accepts voice-numbers ?

In the end, we need to create a social
campaign much the same as "drunk driving"
to be effective. We as a society have to
embrace "cell phone" as a technology that
is here to stay and create safety laws that
include/enforce civil usage and not "ban" it
off.