Do You Text while Driving?

[TomoHawk]

On Dr. Phil today, tere were two kids that had experienced problems because they were "texting" (reading & typing text messages) while driving. The first highschool student was a girl who absolutely assured the audience that she could drive safely while texting, and that was after getting cited for speeding, hitting a guardrail, weaving in traffic, etc. all while texting. Dr. Phil setup a simulator test to see how this girl could rate, and out of 100 points, she got 10! During the test, she went off the road several times, rossed a double-yellow centre-line several times, and hit a firetruck head-on! :eek:

The other student only ran over a cyclist ( he died later.) :mad:

Do you do this stuff while you drive? It's scary enough that people talk while driving. At least they are looking at the road. But these people were basically driving their car by looking down at the phone.

With all the close-calls I've experienced by getting cutoff on the street & freeway, people speeding & weaving on the highway ( to get to work?) and other dumb stuff, it almost makes you want to stay home.

Do kids really need to be texting while driving, or do they really need a cell phone at all??? They should install a radio chip in the cars that will deactivate your phone while it's in any gear.

[BRE-240Z]

Who is Dr. Phil?

[e_racer1999]

Who is Dr. Phil?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr._Phil_%28TV_series%29

that's just stupid. people don't pay enough attention when they're NOT on phones.... give them another tool to kill someone with >

[TomoHawk]

Dr. Phil is a psychologist with the highest-rated daytime TV talkshow where he gets people to confront their problems like obesity, drugs, violence. ad whatever. Sometime's he'll sponsor extra stuff like the driving simulator test. Once he tracked down a lady who claimed to be "Mrs. Dr. Phil" and rip people off for money.

Sometime's he'll connect people with doctors, weight-loss clinics, or whatever, and he's sponsored several weight-loss challenges.

www.drphil.com

[Walter Moore]

Dr. Phil is a psychologist...

www.drphil.com

That may be giving him more credit than he deserves in my opinion, but text messaging while driving is something that we really need to stop ASAP. There was a group of teens killed earlier this summer because the driver was messaging her friends. They went head-on into a truck or something. (I don't remember the details.)

On the other hand, I have actually observed drivers in Tokyo apparently watching TV while they were driving in rush hour traffic! So I guess distracted driving isn't just a U.S. thing.

[TomoHawk]

Ever see the State Auto TV commercial? One guy is checking stocks, one girl is doing makeup and another guy is putting on his pants!? :eek: We used to make fun of guys shaving or reading the newspaper, drinking coffee, and other stuff, but that was before cell phones.

So what would you suggest that people do about it, besides stay home until all the texters kill thelves off?

I have even heard of some penalties for fooling with your navigation computer while you drive. Once I program my nav, I leave it.

Some people may say that texting is a "freedom." Real freedom is the ability to do the right thing, not to just do anything.

Walter-

I can appreciate what people like Dr. Phil or even Judge Judy do. It's the people (guests or litigants) on the show that have the real problems. Otherwise, they could sit down & solve things without having to do it on TV (?)

thxZ

[BRE-240Z]

Dr. Phil is a psychologist with the highest-rated daytime TV talkshow where he gets people to confront their problems like obesity, drugs, violence. ad whatever.

I've seen Dr. Phil, I was attempting to be funny.

I don't have time for Dr. Phil...

As for the 'texting while driving' thing, my own personal opinion is that a driver's license is far too easy to get, and far too easy to keep. A few states are trying to get tough with certain violations, for instance in North Carolina if you are convicted of reckless driving (it's easier than it sounds, according to the statute getting a ticket for going 70 in a 55 qualifies you) that will result in a license suspension of one year.

[TomoHawk]

Well, there's a proper place for everything.

Go to VIR or drive I-95 if you feel the need for speed. Go to the mall if you wanna talk on the cell phone. Just don't forget to go to Church on Sundays to tell the man upstairs you're glad he invented Mr. K. (among other things)

[Montezuma]

I can do it....not fun but possible.

[Mike]

I text all the time while driving. No accidents or close calls. I guess you have to be experienced. An 18 year old kid won't know how to do this correctly. When I have to concentrate, I put the phone down.

[1 Bravo 6]

C'mon now Mike,

You ARE joking aren't you??????????????????????????????

At what point, when driving a car, (except when stationary), are you NOT concentrating????????

Experienced ???? I'd be more inclined to suggest LUCKY.

Rick.

:devious::devious:

[TomoHawk]

Maybe Mike's driving a bulldozer or the lawn tractor?