Should cell phones be banned?

buldog · 02-06-02, 03:02

While they present a problem for some drivers they are handy to have with you. What do you think?

geekysteve · 02-06-02, 03:21

My thoughts:

If you're a decent driver, a mobile phone is no more of a distraction than a radio (especially with voice activated dialing)...

It's the idiots that are eating a bowl of cereal, reading the morning paper, dialing their boss to call in late all while trying to switch the radio station because they just hate that new Shakura song...these guys/gals are the ones that shouldn't have a phone, radio, cup holder, or mirror in their car and should have an ignition kill mechanism that turns off the car if both hands aren't on the wheel and their eyes aren't focused on the road.

Whew..can you tell I've had it up to (here) with the morning commuters? So glad I work from home!

JohnN · 02-06-02, 04:23

I nearly got WHALED by a woman who was on her cell phone, and not even looking as she drove right through a stop sign.

The problem with the 'if you're responsible, you won't hurt anyone' is that it doesn't protect you from the irresponsible cell phone drivers.

I agree with the geek (

) - although you won't be able to get to the root cause (which is people who pay more attention to anything BUT the road), banning cell phones while driving is a good start.

cvcaelen · 02-07-02, 03:57

a 40 to 1100USdollar worth penalty here if the "servants of the law" catch you.
IMHO I think it's reckless dirving,some people manage to keep cellularphoning while making turns,shifting gear,manouvering...
Some are real acrobats

jimwh · 02-07-02, 04:39

All the things said above I agree with...it seems that people will devote their attention to anything other than their primary responsibility....DRIVE THE CAR.

While learning to fly, my instructor drilled into me several mantras, one of which is: AVIATE, NAVIGATE, COMMUNICATE. I think that it says it all.

But sometimes I think that there should be an IQ test involved in getting a drivers license.

Lowejackson · 02-07-02, 11:58

cvcaelen Happy Birthday

Steven
Alfa 164

JeffBruce · 02-10-02, 03:54

Ban...Only for Women
jeff

Dan E. · 02-11-02, 02:12

No, I don't think cell phones should be banned. Yes there are a bunch of mo-fo's that pay more attention to their cell phones, than their driving,

but the pros outweight the cons.

What happens if your stranded in a snowstorm, or you have a flat tire in BFE, or your being hijacked by a dood, etc?

JohnN · 02-11-02, 02:19

Dan-

Honestly - if you were in any of the situations you mentioned, wouldn't you just use the phone and take the penalty?

It only takes one idiot on their phone, not watching the road, to make a serious enough incident to merit consideration...

Dan E. · 02-11-02, 02:28

OK, What happens, if some guy got in a really bad accident in the boonies, he was bleeding out of control, and nobody had a cellphone cause they were all banned. Everybody that drove by would have to drive to the nearest place with civilization because they couldn't call and report it when it happened.
And then the guy dies because paramedics couldn't get there on time, etc.

JohnN · 02-11-02, 05:48

Dan-

None of the legislation that's been introduced thus far has been around banning cell phones in their entirety (imagine that - the cell phone industry would never stand for that).

The legislation is around the use of the phone in a car - either banning it's use entirely within a car (which means any showing of the phone, either when stopped or while driving, would merit a ticket), or banning the use of the phone only while the vehicle is in motion.

Your examples don't fall under either case. People would still have phones - they just wouldn't be able to use them while driving, or in the car.

I know everyone here is conscious enough to keep their eyes on the road while driving, regardless of whether or not they're using the phone. It's the other people I don't trust. That woman I mentioned above - she wasn't even LOOKING at the road. She blew right past - and if I wasn't on the ball, if she wasn't moving as slowly, and if my vehicle didn't have such great brakes - something BAD would have happened.

It's unfortunate - it's like speed limits. In theory, there shouldn't be one. You should be able to go 100 MPH on the highway, under certain conditions (empty road, good weather, daytime). The problem - some people are *******es, and they need to be controlled. So in comes a speed limit, which makes everyone suffer. Still - the majority of people are safer, as a result - because some people need the limits in order to reign in their bad driving and poor judgement.

Don2000g · 02-19-02, 08:32

Stiff fines should be one avenue that all states and cities should develop.