Driving and texting.... Grrrrrrrrrrrrr..........

Started by NM_Shooter, November 13, 2011, 10:46:01 AM

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NM_Shooter

Out with my family for dinner last night, and noticed a Suburban weaving along a bit.  Came to a light, and sure enough, he was driving and texting at the same time.  The guy is driving an 8000 lb vehicle, and texting!  I see this all the time and it makes my blood boil. 

It's bad enough that people dial a phone, let alone keep their eyes glued to a screen, tap out a message and drive. 

I wish we could submit video of a driver who is texting, along with their license plate, and have that be sufficient evidence for prosecution.  I'd pay someone to ride shotgun to work the camera.   I know...... that seems a bit to Orwell-ish, but I'm rapidly getting to the point where I am tired of it.  I have two daughters of driving age, and I am terrified some fool is going to hit them. 

"Officium Vacuus Auctorita"



sparks

I hear ya NM. Usually I notice young teenage drivers doing this.

On my way back from Ohio yesterday, caught an eighteen wheeler pecking on his phone with his hands perched on top of the steering wheel..........

Running 70 MPH and one hell of a lot more than 8000 lbs




sparks
My vessel is so small....the seas so vast......

rick91351

One of my many bosses on the railroad, has a daughter that is now a paralyzed.  She was texting on the freeway and ran into a parked semi-truck.  Young gal about 18 had collages courting her for Volleyball and other sports.  Not that makes a lot of difference. But as he says she had it so together.  Grades, sports and with one dumb moment. 

But then we are all guilty maybe not texting but inattentive driving.  My wife and I were coming into the tiny town of McDermitt, on the Nevada-Oregon line.  I had a fifth wheel trailer and our pick up.  We met a truck and the driver was looking at a yellow sheet of paper and veering toward us.  I was in the gravel and could not give him any more room.  It was that or go off the road and tip everything over and at 60 mph our chance of making it were like none.  and if we hit none.  We just missed.  I was so POed 

You would think I would have learned from that!  We live in a rural area.  I picked up the mail and was looking through it as I was driving.  I looked up and almost forced a lady off the road.  That really sunk in.     
Proverbs 24:3-5 Through wisdom is an house builded; an by understanding it is established.  4 And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.  5 A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.

Gary O

Incredible
Yeah, we've all had our moments, and have re-learned the lessons from time to time.
Seems the stream of traffic will sometimes desensitize a driver, giving one a feeling of false security.
It only takes a second or two, and lives are upside down.
But a professional?
I have a lot of respect for drivers of big rigs.
I pulled a set of triples a few times. Learned that if you need to change lanes, just nudge the wheel. The tail end of the third trailor will whip pretty good, good enough for others to create that much needed space.....unless they're texting.....
Another adventure was driving a tanker....not sure about now-a-days, but those baffles didn't really help the sloshing that much.
Pulled a set of dry vans across the Oakland bay bridge.... full of rice cakes....... on a very windy day.
Did a bit of seat sucking.
And braking, there's a lag time, so you must create space.

But there are some out there that don't have a clue. We used to call 'em cowboys. A few weeks on the road and they're full of confidence, very dangerous confidence.
Early on, I once took a corner too tight, too fast, and braked half thru the turn (cardinal sin).....swapped ends. Thank God nobody was within striking distance. So, I hung up my spurs, and took 'er easy the rest of my trucking career....still had some close calls induced from four wheelers around me.

Standard truck driver joke;
'Boy, that PST driver is good, drivin' his rig in reverse like that.....and passin' me too!' (as you see your jack knifed trailor pass).

Truck drivers have their hands full, and it better not be a phone.

No matter how good you think your reflexes are, they don't compensate for stupid.

They really need to put some teeth to those texting and phone laws.
I'm enjoying all that I own, the moment.

"Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air." Emerson


Gary O

Sorry for the copied verbiage, but a worthwhile read while considering safety on the road.

For all drivers;

Driving  in the rain -- this may save your life GOOD VISION IN A DOWNPOUR
How to achieve good vision while driving during a heavy  downpour.
We are not sure why it is so effective; just try this method when it rains heavily. This method was given me by a Police friend who had experienced and confirmed it.
It is useful....even driving  at night. One method used by Canadian Military Drivers for years.
Most of the motorists  would turn on HIGH or FASTEST SPEED of the  wipers during heavy downpour, yet the visibility  in front of the windshield is still  bad...... In the event  you face such a situation, just try your POLARIZED SUN  GLASSES (any model will do), and miracle!
All of a sudden, your visibility in front of your  windshield is perfectly clear, as if there is no rain.
Make sure you always have a pair of POLARIZED SUN GLASSES in your car,  as you are not only helping yourself to drive  safely with good vision, but also might save  your friend's life by giving him this  idea.. Try it yourself  and share it with your friends!
Amazing, you still see the drops on the windshield, but not the sheet of rain falling.You can see  where the rain bounces off the road. It works to  eliminate the "blindness" from passing semi's  spraying you too. Or  the "kickup" if you are following a semi or car  in the rain. They ought to teach that little tip  in driver's training. It really does  work...
This next warning is a another  good one!
I wonder how many people know about  this: A 36 year old  female had an accident several weeks ago and  totaled her car. A resident of Kinburn , Ontario  was traveling between Kinburn & Ottawa. It  was raining, though not excessively, when her  car suddenly began to hydro-plane and literally  flew through the air.. She was not seriously  injured but very stunned at the sudden  occurrence! When she  explained to the OPP Officer what had happened  he told her something that every driver should  know - NEVER DRIVE IN THE RAIN WITH YOUR CRUISE  CONTROL ON .
She thought she was being cautious  by setting the cruise control and maintaining a  safe consistent speed in the rain. But the  Officer told her that if the cruise control is  on when your car begins to hydro-plane and your  tires lose contact with the pavement, your car  will accelerate to a higher rate of speed making  you take off like an airplane. She told the OPP  Officer that was exactly what had  occurred.
The Officer  said this warning should be listed, on the  driver's seat sun-visor -  NEVER USE THE CRUISE CONTROL  WHEN THE PAVEMENT IS WET  OR ICY, along with the airbag warning. We tell  our teenagers to set the cruise control and  drive a safe speed - but we don't tell them to  use the cruise control only when the pavement is  dry.
The only person  the accident victim found, who knew this  (besides the officer), was a man who had a  similar accident, totalled  his car and  sustained severe  injuries. NOTE: Some  vehicles (like the Toyota Sienna Limited XLE)  will not allow you to set the cruise control  when the windshield wipers are on.
I'm enjoying all that I own, the moment.

"Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air." Emerson

rick91351

#6
About inattentive driving.  Last year in the spring I had a lady pull out in front of me.  I was operating a train at 65 miles per hour.  I seen her coming.  She never looked my direction nor did she yield.  I think you know the results, another reason I am choosing to retire soon.  You just loose your willingness, your Moxie if you will to go through it again and again.  Each one exacts a total you just don't want to do it again.  After 35 years of it was not my first.  Everyone tells you it was not your fault, you know it was not your fault.  In your head you go over it and over it.  My headlights were on, ditch lights were on.  (Those two lights mounted low down by the plow.)  I started blowing the whistle sequence as soon as I seen her.  That was about a quarter mile away.  It was a private crossing you do not whistle at unless occupied or going to be occupied.  I remember I shouted over to the conductor.  "This is not going to good!''  OR MAYBE it was  @#$#@@#$#$#$@#@.

35 year of this you just know when you see one unfolding.  You place the train in emergency, this propagates maximum braking.  At 65 with that type of train about one and a quarter miles you come to a stop.  Activating the emergency channel on the radio you tell the train dispatcher, mile post and crossing.  You tell him get the ambulance coming, the police and most likely the corner.  The conductor grabs his portable radio, straps it on and out the door he goes cussing the stupid #$!#@!@@.  You sit there and say to yourself a thousand times, "God make it be okay."  It seems it is never okay.  Oh there have been a couple that were.  They were lucky.  This lady was not.     

I personally work also with the Idaho State Operation Lifesaver.  We work for railroad crossing and safety and trespasser safety.  So I know the investigators.  One of them told me recently that in that wreck they found the ladies cell phone, it had three digits on the screen.  Seems as if she was making a call.  With the force of impact of a 4,000 ton train at 65 is equal to you running over a soda can with your auto.  Only thing is a locomotive punts the vehicle into the air with the plow.  Your car flattens the soda can.

Please do not take chances around railroad crossings.   :(    Stop Look and Live     :)         

Proverbs 24:3-5 Through wisdom is an house builded; an by understanding it is established.  4 And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.  5 A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.

bayview


   Yes, I have also "sinned" . . .    So I shouldn't be casting stones.   I eat breakfast and lunch in between jobs, take phone calls, write notes, read maps . . .    But texting . . . No Way!

   Riding high in my truck/work van I have also observed . . .    Drivers that are - Drinking alcohol, smoking, combing hair, adjusting radios, texting, talking to rear seat passengers, applying makeup, dressing-putting on pantyhose, a lady "stimulating" the driver, screaming kids, pets hanging out the windows, picking up dropped items, changing dvd's - c/d's . . .

   It's a wonder there aren't more accidents . . .

//
    . . . said the focus was safety, not filling town coffers with permit money . . .