texting driver and motorcyclist..

[Cormanus]

It is, of course, no comfort, but this problem is epidemic the world over. The Police here often seem to blitz it, but it's very hard to eradicate short of some mandatory circuitry in cars preventing mobiles from working. Fat chance of that!

[curlyjoe]

It's a big problem here too.

Yeah, lack of common sense seems to be an common affliction these days along with self centered behavior. The woman in the video shows both and when she's not texting, she's driving aggressively.

Possible solutions?

-Self driving vehicles (long term solution)
-GPS sensor disabling keyboard on cell phone when traveling over 10 mph (not fair for passengers and people taking public transportation).
-sensors in steering wheel that triggers alarm when one or both hands are removed for more than 5 seconds.
-internal cams focusing on driver and sounds alarm when driver is distracted or holding a cell phone. (expensive option)

Maybe the last 2 should be linked to turning on 4-way flashers or light up an LED sign in the rear window saying "caution: distracted driver on board".

Well, none of this is realistic but it was fun thinking about it.

[redbirds_imp]

This is a serious problem everywhere. I see it constantly, people texting, farding, searching for the cigarette, CD or whatever they dropped. The only effective measure, one that will never be enacted, is to make the first offense mandatory jail time, suspension of driver's license and impound of the car. In my mind distracted driving is equivalent to felony reckless driving and should be handled accordingly.

[Rebel73_imp]

It boils my blood when I see that crap. It seems like every other car has a driver talking/texting on their phone. Penalties need to be steeper and cops need to really crack down on it. It's just as dangerous or more as drunk driving. Perhaps if the penalties were closer to that of a DUI people would take it more seriously?

Phones are a big part of this problem, but it's not the phone; it's the driver. Drivers make a choice to engage in distracting activity and when the police see that manifest itself with erratic driving, they should charge the person and the penalty should be equivalent to driving while intoxicated.

Thank you! I responded to this thread before reading all the posts but I said basically the same thing!

[co6aka_imp]

There is a different opinion on the subject. I can't recall where I read it, but here it is. Before smartphones became ubiquitous, road rage was a huge problem. Now, it is a lot less of a problem, as people are paying less attention to the road, and more to the phone. Take if for what it may, but, on a motorcycle, I'd much rather deal with careless / distracted driver than with an enraged one. If you're riding like you're invisible, anticipate people making idiotic moves, and leave yourself a way out, you will arrive home safe. On a bike, I'd much rather deal with traffic situation that's turning into a reading room, rather than a wild rodeo of people gone mad. YMMV.

[emptysea]

There is a different opinion on the subject. I can't recall where I read it, but here it is. Before smartphones became ubiquitous, road rage was a huge problem. Now, it is a lot less of a problem, as people are paying less attention to the road, and more to the phone. Take if for what it may, but, on a motorcycle, I'd much rather deal with careless / distracted driver than with an enraged one. If you're riding like you're invisible, anticipate people making idiotic moves, and leave yourself a way out, you will arrive home safe. On a bike, I'd much rather deal with traffic situation that's turning into a reading room, rather than a wild rodeo of people gone mad. YMMV.

An interesting perspective, to be sure. Here's my perspective on this perspective:

Point 1...I would have to see the statistics that road rage has declined, but if it has it's more likely cause is that the enraged know that their anger can be recorded and that the police are just a phone call away. I find it hard to believe that a significant portion of potentially enraged motorists are suddenly so engrossed in their phone that they don't have time to get pissed off.

Point 2...You are absolutely entitled to your opinion and I am not criticizing it in any way, but given the choice, I would rather encounter someone who was angry at me than someone who is not paying any attention to me whatsoever. At least with the former, I usually he's out to get me and I can take action to avoid him. Unless I see the impaired/distracted motorist driving erratically as I approach him, I have no way of knowing that he's about to weave into my lane as I pass or whatever other thing he may do.

[LongRanger_imp]

Rather than self-driving cars, my approach would be different (and very unlikely): Require all cars to be sold with manual-shift transmissions. Abolish automatics. I can't imagine trying to drive a stick while texting, although I'm sure somebody would be able to figure it out.

[Rebel73_imp]

Rather than self-driving cars, my approach would be different (and very unlikely): Require all cars to be sold with manual-shift transmissions. Abolish automatics. I can't imagine trying to drive a stick while texting, although I'm sure somebody would be able to figure it out.

That would be great, but manuals are becoming relics, unfortunately. That is all I have driven most of my life because I enjoy it, but in the convenience culture we live in that'll never happen. And I can see the argument against stick when one has a long commute stuck in bumper to bumper. That just sucks.

[the Ferret]

mine was even easier.. eliminate power steering and brakes. For those of us that remember pre-power it took everything you had to steer that 23" steering wheel with both hands lol

[RidingMidMo_imp]

+1 !!