Can anyone defend texting while driving?

They delayed the bill, b/c they want to be able to text the Emperors Club at the Mayflower.

Hey, wasn't there already a 'Mayflower Madame' in the 1970's?

 

Can anyone defend texting while driving? no

 

I'm embarassed to admit that I read that book written by Sydney Biddle Barrows. I think she was called the "Mayflower Madam" because her ancestors came over on the Mayflower, not because of anything to do with the Mayflower Hotel.

Sydney Biddle Barrows - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

I can justify it, my shift starts and ends 30 minutes before my coworkers. The majority of them travel the same route for much of the same distance. Example of text message.

To all co workers
Stuck in traffic jam, take alt route to work (home).

 

Yes That Has the Mills Story.

 

I have been in 2 near misses ( accidents ) since the first of the year.
Both of the other drivers were using cell phones.:smash:

 

The key word here is stuck, I'll guess and say you're not moving while you text message? In that case, I don't have a problem with it. Other-wise I don't feel it should be done.
Spend some time in a Hospital Emergency room, you'll be amazed at some of the driving type injuries one can see first hand.
Woman with an eye brow pencil imbedded in her eye, she ran into the back end of another car while applying her eye makeup.
Numerous burns, from spilling a hot beverage on oneself while trying to drive.
Broken teeth, from cell phones being held to the face.
Going off road, abrupt lane changes, causing the driver to strike other cars or off road objects. Main cause is inattentiveness, although talking on cell phones are usually the cause. (Changing CD's rank way up there too.)
A man was more upset that the lap top he was working on was destroyed than the fact he caused a three car accident.
Cruise control doesn't steer for you, you can't get up and walk to the back of your van, turn completely around to take care of one of your kids, bend down below the level of the dash to pick up something you've dropped...
Oh, it goes on and on...

 

yes you are right key word "stuck" as in not moving. But technically still driving so I deserve honors for defending it... LOL j/k

 

I hope you were not driving while doing that?

To the OP, No!!

If you are stuck in traffic as it creeps forward make your way to the side of the road then text. (Putting on flame proof suit) If your inattention causes an accident I doubt your victim will be interested in how much time you saved your co-workers.

 

Hmmm, unfortunately the answer is that txting might not be as bad as talking. I really don't care for this result, but science isn't pretty. Watch the video of our research.
(click on the tag under "related video, cellphones and driving")
Mon Feb 4: Cellphones and driving; Veteran games; Whisper | CLOSE UP | ONE NEWS | tvnz.co.nz

The point to stress is that even though txting is self-paced (you choose when to do it) young drivers (among the most frequent txters) are often very poor judges of when it is safe.

Txting is bad, cellphone conversation, worse.
Feel free to disagree, but that's the way the cookie crumbles in the lab.

 

i can defend texting for me. i can see that everyone else on the road can't seem to text and drive... they can barely even drive.

I know what every button does. i glance down to check at a light or stop sign. texting will never take priority over my driving.

 

Yep, texting takes your eyes off the road, talking on a phone held up to your head takes you mind off the road. If you are really good at texting without looking at the screen I think it's safe but the laws are written to the lowest common denominator not the elite.

Don't text, don't read a message and don't hold the phone to your head when you are driving, even stopped at the lights.

 

Hell, I can't even defend texting while not driving!!!

 

This morning on thew way to work I saw...

Tailgating, a 4 car pileup, people texting, people talking on phones, people on phones driving real slow (50 mph), people putting on makeup, etc....

I believe use of a phone or PDA while driving should be illegal.

Of course I also live in MD where they just shot down the bill to make that a law...one of the biggest proponents argued that we should outlaw picking your nose while driving as it's just as distracting as being on the phone.

I kid you not.

 

OK, I'll defend it.

Yes, texting while driving is a valuable Darwinian force that helps thin the population of stupid people, and in these economic hard times, it generates much-needed income for the auto-repair and funeral industries.

 

Wise words indeed Paul. Unfortunately they take out intelligent people too.

 

This is great. So I can defend smoking crack while I drive - well for me - because I can handle it. But for everyone else, no.

Yours wins the prize for most ridiculous comment anyway. Texting (or speaking on the phone, for that matter) is not only about the fingers and glancing at the keys. It is about engagement. When your brain is partially engaged in one task (texting) it cannot be fully engaged in the other (driving). There is just no way around it - we humans do not parallel process well.

Good luck with the driving - I hope you don't kill anyone while you are texting out those oh so important messages.

 

Yup, I agree.

 

I can't see what the problem...Whoa! I almost hit that truck!...anyway I was saying that...Damn drivers! Keep your eyes on the road you jerk! Same too you!...as I was saying, I don't see the problem with texting while driving.

Tom