• Our software update is now concluded. You will need to reset your password to log in. In order to do this, you will have to click "Log in" in the top right corner and then "Forgot your password?".
  • Welcome to PokéCommunity! Register now and join one of the best fan communities on the 'net to talk Pokémon and more! We are not affiliated with The Pokémon Company or Nintendo.

Cell Phones & Driving

Guy

just a guy
  • 7,128
    Posts
    16
    Years
    I'm sure plenty of you have either come across this case or have been guilty of doing so. Today cell phones have become a source of life for many. Therefore, they live with their phones in their vehicles as well. Talking on the phone while driving, or even texting while driving has become a big part on the road today. It leads to accidents, especially for the younger generation of drivers. It can lead to terrible incidents such as death and can cause a lag in the one driving.

    For myself, I've come across too many driver's to count who either talk or text while driving. I can speak for myself and say for a handful it has become a habit and that for a following driver it can be very tedious to deal with. Constantly, the driver is either late on the pull off for when the traffic light turns green or they keep stepping on their brakes while driving because they are too occupied talking with someone else on the other line.

    The talking doesn't bother me too much, however if a law were to be passed about it, then I would prefer that if one must talk through the phone while driving then a speaker or Bluetooth should be used. As for texting and driving, personally, I disagree with the whole idea of the two. It is entirely dangerous for not only the one texting, but for those around him/her. The one texting and driving keeps their eyes and mind focused on their phone instead of the road. For this matter, it can be pretty risky especially how some drive today. The younger driver's like myself, are always on their phone (at least the majority) and it can lead to many fatal incidents for our age group and those who have the privilege of driving.

    Basically, my question(s) are asking what are your thoughts or opinions on this matter. Do you yourself talk/text while driving or have you come across others who have? Do you think it is something that shouldn't be allowed or at least restricted to?

    I checked around for a thread like this to see if this same discussion was made, but I couldn't find any of recent dates. So, if one has been brought up before, my apologies.
     
    Here in the UK a law against using your mobile while in your car without bluetooth or a speaker has been enforced for several years now. I actually noticed a slight difference in the general amount of errors peple were making since (barely) anyone was on their mobiles.

    Although you'd really be surprised by the amount of people breaking the law. I actually saw someone a couple of months ago on the motorway. They were so distracted with their conversation that they nearly moved onto a lane into another car. They noticed just in time but they still made the other car swerve nearly into the middle.
     
    Adding to what the above poster said, using your phone while driving is illegal in the EU as a whole. It distracts people from what they should be doing, you know, driving, and a distraction when driving can cause a death quite easily.

    In Spain, for instance, where we have a points system for our permit (similar to the infraction system on the forums), using your phone while driving (for whatever), unless you have an automatic speaker, it's worth 3 points (out of 12). I find it quite useful, since the number of deaths has been cut by half in the last 4 years.
     
    Adding to what the above poster said, using your phone while driving is illegal in the EU as a whole. It distracts people from what they should be doing, you know, driving, and a distraction when driving can cause a death quite easily.

    In Spain, for instance, where we have a points system for our permit (similar to the infraction system on the forums), using your phone while driving (for whatever), unless you have an automatic speaker, it's worth 3 points (out of 12). I find it quite useful, since the number of deaths has been cut by half in the last 4 years.

    That's basically why they need to disable it here. >_> The fact that probably HALF of the car accidents occur where we live is most likely caused by people that chat on cellphones. It's sad really because those are the people that blame it on the other person.

    It's just as bad as putting make up on while driving. Or doing something else that can pretty much cause distraction. If you really need to use a cellphone that badly, either invest in a hands free device or pull over and use it. I'm simply saying that for those that do it, to not risk killing or hurting someone else because you decided that your girlfriend was more important to talk about then watching where you are going. D:
     
    lol download ringtone ad appears...

    Needless to say, I am not 100% sure what the rules are here but I still find it the stupidest thing a person can do... Talking or even worse texting on the phone...

    It'd probably be Darwinistic to say that the more they crash into poles and such, the better. XD
     
    I've never done it. Echoing what others have said, it's just too dangerous. They made it illegal in California in pretty much the same way they do it other places. You can only use your phone if you have some kind of hands-free device.

    I'm curious what the laws are like in other states/provinces/countries.
     
    I don't drive. But my mom and dad drive while talking on the cell phone. We've seen people doing makeup, reading a book, and using a laptop while driving.
     
    I've never done it. Echoing what others have said, it's just too dangerous. They made it illegal in California in pretty much the same way they do it other places. You can only use your phone if you have some kind of hands-free device.

    I'm curious what the laws are like in other states/provinces/countries.
    I was about to say that too because I live in California and just got my license the past summer. XD

    Anyways yeah, in California driving while talking on cell phone is illegal, which was passed a couple years ago. I'm glad for that law because I don't know how many times my family and I were almost involved in accidents due to the people talking on their phones. :< The only thing though is even if you're using hand-free devices, you might be distracted by the conversation and not focus too much on the road, so I think it would be much better to pull over and finish the conversation if it's going to be a long one.



    That's basically why they need to disable it here. >_> The fact that probably HALF of the car accidents occur where we live is most likely caused by people that chat on cellphones. It's sad really because those are the people that blame it on the other person.

    It's just as bad as putting make up on while driving. Or doing something else that can pretty much cause distraction. If you really need to use a cellphone that badly, either invest in a hands free device or pull over and use it. I'm simply saying that for those that do it, to not risk killing or hurting someone else because you decided that your girlfriend was more important to talk about then watching where you are going. D:
    Ouch, that totally sucks. Yeah, hate that too. >.> Hm, you think you can talk to a politician or have someone else complain about this?
     
    Last edited:
    Eh. I don't do it, because I simply can't do other things while driving. My friend, on the other hand, is pretty much a perfect driver, and can be fiddling with his, GPS, texting, and changing the song on the radio, all while being completely aware of everyone around him. I'm not sure how he does it. I guess it just depends on the person and how many things they can do at once.

    Talking, I don't really get. I can't see how a bluetooth headset is much less distracting than holding your phone to your head, other than the obvious fact of having both hands free. You're still talking to another person and paying attention to them.

    How do you get caught texting while driving, anyway? Most people I know hold their phone at the bottom of the steering wheel. How can anyone see that unless they're stopped right next to you?

    I don't really think laws will help much. People are going to do it anyway.

    [EDIT] Offtopic, but... what the hell, why is this person's signature overflowing into my post? D:<
     
    Last edited:
    Actually, a couple of months ago NZ passed a law banning the use of cellphones unless you're using a hands-free appliance, I don't know how that works.

    But as my use of my phone while driving? I'm fine with it, as I don't have a car anyway.
     
    I don't really think laws will help much. People are going to do it anyway.

    Experience says otherwise. It's true that some people will keep using the phone, the same way some people still murder even it's illegal; but a law making it illegal means that: a) If the police catch someone using their phone, maybe they'll remember the fine next time they think of doing it again; b) Some people who follow the law will stop doing it because it's illegal. There are some people who follow laws out of the goodness of their hearts, specially the ones that grant you a higher chance of staying alive if you follow them; and c) If there is an accident and one of the people involved was using the phone, prove it (witnesses or something) and that guy is getting blamed, so no more "Yeah, I was using my phone but it's your fault!" (maybe it was, but maybe he could have braked harder, or earlier, to prevent further damage, or something). So it's not absolutely pointless.
     


    Experience says otherwise. It's true that some people will keep using the phone, the same way some people still murder even it's illegal; but a law making it illegal means that: a) If the police catch someone using their phone, maybe they'll remember the fine next time they think of doing it again; b) Some people who follow the law will stop doing it because it's illegal. There are some people who follow laws out of the goodness of their hearts, specially the ones that grant you a higher chance of staying alive if you follow them; and c) If there is an accident and one of the people involved was using the phone, prove it (witnesses or something) and that guy is getting blamed, so no more "Yeah, I was using my phone but it's your fault!" (maybe it was, but maybe he could have braked harder, or earlier, to prevent further damage, or something). So it's not absolutely pointless.
    And I never said it was absolutely pointless. But, if they think they're safe driving while on the phone, they'll do it. Those few people might stop, but people rely on their cell phones nowadays. There will still be plenty of people who do it. You can't catch everyone, especially when it's this hard to enforce. People will just put the phone down at the first sign of any kind of authority, and resume when they get far enough away. They may do it less often, but I doubt they'll stop completely.

    Also lol @ the "goodness of their hearts" thing.
     
    Adding to what the above poster said, using your phone while driving is illegal in the EU as a whole. It distracts people from what they should be doing, you know, driving, and a distraction when driving can cause a death quite easily.

    This. Although not that many people are caught doing it in the UK because we have a startling lack of police officers on the roads. :/ I find drivers who use their mobile phones whilst driving to be highly selfish. If they crash into another car and seriously injure/kill somebody, "oh well I was on my phone" hardly seems like an adequate excuse. Especially if they know it's against the law for good reason anyway.

    That being said, the other day I was driving behind an absolutely insane driver, and when she finally stopped at a traffic light I saw that she was applying mascara. Whilst driving. wtf. Vain cow. -.-
     
    I hate that people do that. Have you seen that commercial on Youtube with the girls in the car and the one driving is texting and she gets in an accident killing six people including herself? They only show that commercial in Europe I think. My dad showed me.
     
    Talking on a phone or texting on a phone doesn't cause nearly as many deaths as drink driving, driving on drugs or stupidity on the roads does. There's too many rules and regulations in everyday life now to not end up breaking one, and to me, this isn't a very big one. Everyone's done it. People do it without realising that they're actually doing it. I've seen police officers when they're off duty doing it.

    It doesn't matter if it's illegal or not. People are going to keep doing it. It's a lot easier to pick up and talk than it is to drive over to the side of the road and talk, or pick up and then tell them they can't talk because they're driving. I mean, they'd still be talking on the phone, whether it's telling them they can't talk or whether it's a general conversation.

    There's bigger things out there that need to be dealt with, imo.

    Also a fine won't mean anything to these people if they've hit a tree and they're dead, will it? Nope. Or if they've smashed into someone else and they have a hospital bill to cover, they might not have insurance, they'll have to pay for the other persons bills as it was their stupidity that lead to the crash and THEN they can worry about the fine.
     
    Well, it is illegal in California as far as I'm concerned. I think that they can't pull you over for it, but if they pull you over, and notice you doing it, then they can fine you. But what's a trip is, it isn't illegal to have a television screen in front of the driver. That'd seem more distracting than a cell phone. :/

    Making it illegal will stop a bunch of people. Because, a lot of people follow the law, and that will stop them. But, still, many people will do it. There are a lot more important things to deal with.
     
    I guess hate would be a strong word too use but i dislike people who drive and text/talk because i either almost get hit or people just drive to freaking slow making me get late to places. In any case its not only driving but even just normal walking. Not that its a bad thing but when you wont put your cell down to pay the bus fare and struggle with your bag thats just pathetic. People are slaves to the phone and its just becoming worst by the second.
     
    I keep my calls limited while i'm driving if I have to take them and i don't text. I mean, if my mom calls when I'm driving somewhere say for her, I can't just call her back it could be important. Most of time I personally say 'hey, can I call you back i'm driving' and i've never had a cell call last more than 5 minutes on the road. There are times I don't answer it and as my body is allergic to latex I can't wear a bluetooth headset [not that i'd want to they honestly suck. xD;]

    A previous poster was right. xD; People are going to do it regardless and you're going to fined up the butt for it by cops who are stalking for cell phone users instead of stalking the streets for drug dealers etc. and that sorta bugs me

    XD; and on the bad drivers... you're always going to have bad drivers. What's going to be the next excuse after cell phones

    "OH MY GOD THAT GUY CUT YOU OFF"
    "I KNOW. HE WAS LIKE, BREATHING AND STUFF"

    I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's great to 'ban' stuff like this but enforcing it isn't going to make everyone on the road drive like they are supposed to. ^^;
     
    Phones and drving do not mix. I never experienced this, but I know a friend who almost got into an accident cause of this. She wasn't the one doing the phone, though, the other was. : \
     
    It's illegal i guess nearly everywhere but i still see people do it and get away with it -_-'
     
    Back
    Top