Unpopular opinion: legalize texting & driving

[Moral]

distracted driving is a huge issue. Iowa's electronic device law doesn't work. It still allows for people to dial and put in GPS information while driving. That makes it almost impossible to pull someone over unless you can see them texting or on the internet. However, it's not just phone issues while driving, there are many other things that are just as distracting.

@Moral don't forget you wanted a story. I was following a vehicle on a 4 lane highway. It was primetime for intoxicated drivers and on a weekend. I started following a old conversion style van. Like the free candy kind, but only brown. The van was touching/crossing the center and fog lines several times, but not enough to pull it over. I took the next exit and as I did I watched the van continue north around a curve and watched it really cross the centerline. I decided to get turned around and catch back up to the vehicle to continue to monitor the driving. When I caught back up to it, it continued to drive poorly and I activated my emergency lights and stopped it. I walked up to the driver's side window and it's a scurvy guy driving. I get his identification and start talking to him and he is acting very nervous. I asked him to step out of his vehicle, so I could speak to him in my car. He agrees and gets out of the vehicle and starts to walk back with me. He starts to put his hands in his pockets and I stop him and tell him to keep his hands out of his pockets. He again tries to reach in his pockets and I tell him to stop a second time and ask what he's reaching for. He says nothing and goes to put his hands in his pocket for a third time. I grab his hands and placed him against the van and asked for consent to search him and he agreed. I reached into his pockets and pulled out a wired remote. I asked WTF is this and he said nothing. I follow the wire and figure out it's going into his ass. I asked him WTF was going on and he reached back and pulled a large vibrating egg out of his ass. It even made a suction noise when he pulled it out. I'm scurving out and putting my gloves on and tell him to put it on the bumper. He does, and the egg just sits there vibrating all around on his metal bumper. He has a bunch of meth on him too, so I arrest him and search his vehicle. I asked why he had that in his ass and he said he was bored driving, so decided to masturbate. In his cup holder was a large bottle of lube. The pump kind. He also had a video camera recording himself as he was driving and two large duffle bags of sex toys and videos.

I could tell stories of death or serious injuries including someone being paralyzed by someone texting and driving. It happens all the time. I will tell you that we will seize your phone and apply for a search warrant if we have reason to believe you were distracted. When we do, we can tell everything you were doing before and at the time of the accident. Best thing to do is hand free texting or wait until you're stopped.

Holy shit. You delivered a story, indeed.

 

[WorldSeriesChamps2015]

Anyone else notice what @ping72 did here?

Well done sir.

yes...

Hey @ping72, you done molesting collies yet????

Here is Pingy, tryin troll this joint and thinking he can try and take my fuggin award from me. You know what dickface, I will figure out something. Bastard!

 

[ping72]

It's the same thing as a remote for your tv for my heat or ac in my car. You don't even have to look, you know where the buttons are.

My controls for my radio are all on my steering wheel and my car is from 2009 but I'd still make the same argument above.

You can’t type out a text without looking at your phone? It’s muscle memory, just like your tv remote.

 

[z_ape]

I know some of you will think I’m nuts. But I think we are taking the wrong approach to texting and driving.

It’s obviously a dangerous issue... but why? When you’re texting behind the wheel and completely swerving into the other lane or not seeing brake lights in front of you, you clearly are not looking at the road at all.

Why are these people not looking at the road at all? Because their phone is on their lap or down low. Why? Because it’s illegal and they don’t want others to know they’re texting.

If it were legal, we could actually teach people to do it safely. Starting with holding the phone up higher so you can see the road behind it. You look for a second and then look at the road for 2-3 seconds. In this manner it is no different than checking your speed, mirrors, or anything else on your dash.

I know some of you will tell stories of injuries and deaths to refute. But in all those cases the person texting was doing it wrong and unsafely; having it legal and educating how to do it could have saved a life.

Makes sense. If I screw around with my phone I try to bring it up to eye level. (which, I guess, makes me more likely to be caught, but it's obviously safer)

Also... I feel like this debate about safe(r) phone usage is going to have parallels to a debate about abstinence.

 

[z_ape]

distracted driving is a huge issue. Iowa's electronic device law doesn't work. It still allows for people to dial and put in GPS information while driving. That makes it almost impossible to pull someone over unless you can see them texting or on the internet. However, it's not just phone issues while driving, there are many other things that are just as distracting.

@Moral don't forget you wanted a story. I was following a vehicle on a 4 lane highway. It was primetime for intoxicated drivers and on a weekend. I started following a old conversion style van. Like the free candy kind, but only brown. The van was touching/crossing the center and fog lines several times, but not enough to pull it over. I took the next exit and as I did I watched the van continue north around a curve and watched it really cross the centerline. I decided to get turned around and catch back up to the vehicle to continue to monitor the driving. When I caught back up to it, it continued to drive poorly and I activated my emergency lights and stopped it. I walked up to the driver's side window and it's a scurvy guy driving. I get his identification and start talking to him and he is acting very nervous. I asked him to step out of his vehicle, so I could speak to him in my car. He agrees and gets out of the vehicle and starts to walk back with me. He starts to put his hands in his pockets and I stop him and tell him to keep his hands out of his pockets. He again tries to reach in his pockets and I tell him to stop a second time and ask what he's reaching for. He says nothing and goes to put his hands in his pocket for a third time. I grab his hands and placed him against the van and asked for consent to search him and he agreed. I reached into his pockets and pulled out a wired remote. I asked WTF is this and he said nothing. I follow the wire and figure out it's going into his ass. I asked him WTF was going on and he reached back and pulled a large vibrating egg out of his ass. It even made a suction noise when he pulled it out. I'm scurving out and putting my gloves on and tell him to put it on the bumper. He does, and the egg just sits there vibrating all around on his metal bumper. He has a bunch of meth on him too, so I arrest him and search his vehicle. I asked why he had that in his ass and he said he was bored driving, so decided to masturbate. In his cup holder was a large bottle of lube. The pump kind. He also had a video camera recording himself as he was driving and two large duffle bags of sex toys and videos.

I could tell stories of death or serious injuries including someone being paralyzed by someone texting and driving. It happens all the time. I will tell you that we will seize your phone and apply for a search warrant if we have reason to believe you were distracted. When we do, we can tell everything you were doing before and at the time of the accident. Best thing to do is hand free texting or wait until you're stopped.

What did the egg taste like?

 

[Ignored]

distracted driving is a huge issue. Iowa's electronic device law doesn't work. It still allows for people to dial and put in GPS information while driving. That makes it almost impossible to pull someone over unless you can see them texting or on the internet. However, it's not just phone issues while driving, there are many other things that are just as distracting.

@Moral don't forget you wanted a story. I was following a vehicle on a 4 lane highway. It was primetime for intoxicated drivers and on a weekend. I started following a old conversion style van. Like the free candy kind, but only brown. The van was touching/crossing the center and fog lines several times, but not enough to pull it over. I took the next exit and as I did I watched the van continue north around a curve and watched it really cross the centerline. I decided to get turned around and catch back up to the vehicle to continue to monitor the driving. When I caught back up to it, it continued to drive poorly and I activated my emergency lights and stopped it. I walked up to the driver's side window and it's a scurvy guy driving. I get his identification and start talking to him and he is acting very nervous. I asked him to step out of his vehicle, so I could speak to him in my car. He agrees and gets out of the vehicle and starts to walk back with me. He starts to put his hands in his pockets and I stop him and tell him to keep his hands out of his pockets. He again tries to reach in his pockets and I tell him to stop a second time and ask what he's reaching for. He says nothing and goes to put his hands in his pocket for a third time. I grab his hands and placed him against the van and asked for consent to search him and he agreed. I reached into his pockets and pulled out a wired remote. I asked WTF is this and he said nothing. I follow the wire and figure out it's going into his ass. I asked him WTF was going on and he reached back and pulled a large vibrating egg out of his ass. It even made a suction noise when he pulled it out. I'm scurving out and putting my gloves on and tell him to put it on the bumper. He does, and the egg just sits there vibrating all around on his metal bumper. He has a bunch of meth on him too, so I arrest him and search his vehicle. I asked why he had that in his ass and he said he was bored driving, so decided to masturbate. In his cup holder was a large bottle of lube. The pump kind. He also had a video camera recording himself as he was driving and two large duffle bags of sex toys and videos.

I could tell stories of death or serious injuries including someone being paralyzed by someone texting and driving. It happens all the time. I will tell you that we will seize your phone and apply for a search warrant if we have reason to believe you were distracted. When we do, we can tell everything you were doing before and at the time of the accident. Best thing to do is hand free texting or wait until you're stopped.

You can have an egg up in there and one hand south of the border with the other hand on the wheel and both eyes on the road at all times, you know.

Just sayin.

 

[ping72]

Makes sense. If I screw around with my phone I try to bring it up to eye level. (which, I guess, makes me more likely to be caught, but it's obviously safer)

Also... I feel like this debate about safe(r) phone usage is going to have parallels to a debate about abstinence.

I almost made the abstinence comparison in my OP. Instead of just saying don’t do... teach ppl to do it safely.

You can do it w/o ever looking away from the road for more than 1-2 seconds at a time with the road in your peripheral vision. Just the same as peeking in your rearview mirror.

 

[Hawkfan_08]

You can’t type out a text without looking at your phone? It’s muscle memory, just like your tv remote.

I used to be able to... when our phones had buttons that you could actually feel.

 

[joelbc1]

I would favor capital punishment for folks who use their phone at all when driving. Deputize some gun owners, give them unmarked cars and turn them loose. If you get stopped and there is evidence you were texting/ talking while driving, your deputized arresting officer can offer you a phone call o the person of your choice, so you can say good bye and make arrangements to have your car transported and then you will be executed on the spot by the deputy. Execute a few folks and perhaps a lesson will be learned. Let’s put firearms to good use!

 

[SoDakHawk]

I wasn't texting, I was posting in HROT which is very important and is serious business. Also, I put my beer down while I post on HROT leaving one hand for the wheel. Safety first.

 

[WorldSeriesChamps2015]

I wasn't texting, I was posting in HROT which is very important and is serious business. Also, I put my beer down while I post on HROT leaving one hand for the wheel. Safety first.

You don’t jerk it while you drive????

 

[binsfeldcyhawk2]

I'm not

I'm agreeing that most Americans do not have the discipline to mess with their phones while driving.

But you do? I hope your texting and driving doesn’t get someone killed. I’m

😂😂😂😂

 

[goldmom]

I wasn't texting, I was posting in HROT which is very important and is serious business. Also, I put my beer down while I post on HROT leaving one hand for the wheel. Safety first.

If I saw you doing that right before you tee boned someone I’d probably kill you myself before the cops got there.
WHO does not have a vehicle that both lets you link up to talk hands free or have a text read for you?
Are you that poor? 😡

 

[Joes Place]

But you do?

Very much so.

I rarely spend time on my phone when driving. If I do, I treat it like the radio, or Apple Car-Play.
It's why I've never been in or caused any traffic accidents.

 

[goldmom]

I would favor capital punishment for folks who use their phone at all when driving. Deputize some gun owners, give them unmarked cars and turn them loose. If you get stopped and there is evidence you were texting/ talking while driving, your deputized arresting officer can offer you a phone call o the person of your choice, so you can say good bye and make arrangements to have your car transported and then you will be executed on the spot by the deputy. Execute a few folks and perhaps a lesson will be learned. Let’s put firearms to good use!

You need to post a winking or sarcasm emoji so you can fool enough people to avoid being put in a home.
I have no issues with syncing your phone so you can talk hands free. It’s really not so different than talking to a passenger in your car. But these dummies who are obviously texting while driving are from the shallow end of the gene pool and don’t need to be here.

 

[binsfeldcyhawk2]

Very much so.

I rarely spend time on my phone when driving. If I do, I treat it like the radio, or Apple Car-Play.
It's why I've never been in or caused any traffic accidents.

So you’re basically a danger to society…

Texting is the most alarming distraction. Sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for 5 seconds. At 55 mph, that's like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed.

You cannot drive safely unless the task of driving has your full attention. Any non-driving activity you engage in is a potential distraction and increases your risk of crashing.

Distracted Driving | NHTSA

Learn about distracted driving and consequences and dangers of texting and driving. Also get info on distracted driving statistics.

www.nhtsa.gov

 

[TylerJ84]

This thread is a classic.

I just hope @Joes Place doesn’t wreck or kill someone.

 

[Joes Place]

So you’re basically a danger to society…

Sure

Zero accidents in decades of driving makes me a frigging maniac...

 

[Joes Place]

Sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for 5 seconds.

No; it doesn't

It only does IF you defocus to your phone for 5 seconds. You can treat your phone like every other gadget in your car if you choose to operate it that way.

I fully understand, that the vast majority of people cannot exercise 1-2s discipline with their phones.

I do not stare at my radio, phone, or climate controls for "5 seconds", ever.

 

[binsfeldcyhawk2]

Sure

Zero accidents in decades of driving makes me a frigging maniac...

Delusional, deplorable and dangerous is no way to go through life Joe.

 

[millah_22]

@Joes Place You should prob go back and take your driving test. Playing with your phone, even treating it like the radio, is not okay.

 

[ICWestfan]

I hate bad drivers in general, but folks who text and drive are SOTE. The absolute worst, there is nothing worse than people on their phones while driving.

You could be an M1er and molest collies and you're still not as bad as the above.

 

[TylerJ84]

No; it doesn't

It only does IF you defocus to your phone for 5 seconds. You can treat your phone like every other gadget in your car if you choose to operate it that way.

I fully understand, that the vast majority of people cannot exercise 1-2s discipline with their phones.

I do not stare at my radio, phone, or climate controls for "5 seconds", ever.

How are you going to feel when you’re answering that text and kill a family of 4 ?

All you’re doing is proving how big of POS you are.

 

[Joes Place]

Delusional, deplorable and dangerous is no way to go through life Joe.

Using any distraction in your car, properly, is fine.
1-2s, max, is how long you should ever use any of them, including your phone.

 

[Joes Place]

How are you going to feel when you’re answering that text and kill a family of 4 ?

• I generally do not answer texts when driving; I may glance at a short one
• I never use my phone OR radio OR climate controls when in busy/hectic traffic

When driving I-80 across Nebraska, when there aren't any cars around is when I'm primarily using the phone; and even then, it's the Car-Play console (which is still "using the phone")

 

[binsfeldcyhawk2]

Using any distraction in your car, properly, is fine.
1-2s, max, is how long you should ever use any of them, including your phone.

 

[Joes Place]

@Joes Place You should prob go back and take your driving test. Playing with your phone, even treating it like the radio, is not okay.

ok

Don't ever touch any radio/climate controls in your car, ever again, though. Those are "bad".

 

[millah_22]

ok

Don't ever touch any radio/climate controls in your car, ever again, though. Those are "bad".

 

[Joes Place]

View embedded media

My insurance disagrees. They charge me a little bit over $25/month, per vehicle, for my car insurance. Standard coverages w/ $500 deductibles.

They seem to think I'm a pretty safe risk to them...of course, I haven't filed a claim in >20 years now, with the last one being fully recovered from the other driver who was at fault for an illegal lane change and sideswiped me.

 

[binsfeldcyhawk2]

My insurance disagrees. They charge me a little bit over $25/month, per vehicle, for my car insurance. Standard coverages w/ $500 deductibles.

They seem to think I'm a pretty safe risk to them...of course, I haven't filed a claim in >20 years now, with the last one being fully recovered from the other driver who was at fault for an illegal lane change and sideswiped me.

Well that certainly proves texting and driving is safe….🙄

 

[joelbc1]

Well that certainly proves texting and driving is safe….🙄

3 things "not long for this world" would be.......1) Dogs that chase cars, 2) Golf pros who constantly have 5' putts for par....and 3) auto drivers who "text and drive".........

 

[goldmom]

Sure

Zero accidents in decades of driving makes me a frigging maniac...

Hell it ain’t got nuthin to do with your driving.

 

[TylerJ84]

Using any distraction in your car, properly, is fine.
1-2s, max, is how long you should ever use any of them, including your phone.

I’ll remember this next time you get all high and mighty about COVID.

You have proved with this horrible take, that you dont give a shit about anyone but yourself.

 

[win4jj]

@Joes Place You should prob go back and take your driving test. Playing with your phone, even treating it like the radio, is not okay.

That’s exactly what OP’s mom said.

 

[Hawki97]

This take is on the HORT Mt Rushmore of weirdest hills to die on - fo sho.

 

[Joes Place]

Well that certainly proves texting and driving is safe….🙄

Certainly demonstrates, irrespective of any phone/radio/climate controls use by myself, that I'm fully capable of doing it responsibly.

 

[Joes Place]

I’ll remember this next time you get all high and mighty about COVID.

...cuz that's totally related 🙄

 

[LBoogie28]

This take is on the HORT Mt Rushmore of weirdest hills to die on - fo sho.

A worthy nomination would be the “tripped out truck” take/thread.

 

[TylerJ84]

...cuz that's totally related 🙄

You don’t care about lives while you’re driving. Why do you care about them from COVID?

 

[win4jj]

I honestly have no idea what any of you are talking about.