Talking on cell phones while driving...

Should it be banned?

  • Yes

    Votes: 26 47.3%
  • No, but put restrictions on it (require a headset, etc)

    Votes: 21 38.2%
  • No

    Votes: 8 14.5%

  • Total voters
    55

Speedo

Esse Quam Videri
Joined
May 29, 2003
Messages
4,891
Location
NC USA
Just prompted by an accident yesterday in NC: A truck driver dropped his cell phone and was trying to find it- he hit a stopped school bus, killing a 5 yr old girl (who was boarding the bus), injured the girl's mother and injured more than a dozen other childern.

Also of interest, "<the truck driver> had been involved in at least two other accidents and had four previous driving convictions, including one for going 30 mph over the speed limit."

Discuss.
 
Yes ban them. It's been contemplated in my province for a while now after a few mobile phone related deaths.

A colleague of mine has been off work for months now due to injuries he sustained when some stupid cow on a mobile ran a stop sign and t-boned him. Unnecessary.
 
It's hand free or nothing for me. I use to own a cell and I used it while driving for my job. That's why you have to allow people to use the hand free option. A lot of jobs need the cell phones by now.
 
They don't allow CD headphones on your ears while you're driving, so I'm mystified as to why cell phones are OK, since they certainly need more attention.
 
No banning is necessary. We have too little control over vehicles that WE own as is. Rather, charge those who actually have accidents caused by cellphones.
 
Why ban them? Just throw the a-holes in jail who get in wrecks while using them. That ought to cut back on usage.
 
Originally posted by Vancouver2010
It should definitely be banned! If you're trying to talk on your cell phone while driving, you can't be paying as much attention as possible on the road!

And the same goes for the person having a serious conversation with the passenger in the front seat? I can't count how many times I've just about been sideswiped by someone yelling at either a kid in the backseat or the passenger in the front. The last happens far more than someone on a cell phone (though the cell phone "thing" is definately on the raise)

No, I don't think we should "ban" them. You might find that harder, today, than banning guns LOL. Although I do think that "hands free" devices should be used, kinda like a seatbelt for the phone....ohhh man am I tired tonight LOL
 
banning them is fine with me, I hate cellphones anyway. Although a prefered alternative would be to require a IQ test of some sort to be able to get your license, everytime i drive it seems someone is trying to kill me.
 
Alright, a more moderate solution. Cars with cell phone jacks on the dashboard. Impossible to dial numbers while plugged except at speeds of less than 5 mph [ie, parked or at a light], but you can speed-dial or hang up with buttons that come out on wires from the phoneholder and which have suction cups - you can stick them to the dashboard or wheel or wherever is easiest to reach. Thus, just like flipping the wipers or rolling down the windows, no need to look down from the road.
 
Well, I always phone while driving using a free hand kit. It works well and I see no reason to ban the free hand kit. However, it's definitly sure it's dangerous to keep the phone in one hand while driving... especially when you're driving in the streets of Paris !

So, I've picked the second option : "No, but put restrictions on it (require a headset, etc)"
 
Originally posted by Pontiuth Pilate
They don't allow CD headphones on your ears while you're driving, so I'm mystified as to why cell phones are OK, since they certainly need more attention.
People tend to play music quite loud, so they don't hear sirens. However, I believe most, if not all, headsets only go for one ear.

Restrictions are my vote. Also, someone should pull over or be stopped (like a red light) if they were to dial...otherwise, go for the voice-activated options.
 
It's illegal here and I'm suprised it isn't in NYC.

It's not like a hands-free set'll cost much.
 
Put restrictions, even though I hate telephones.
The "hands-off" system works wonders, and some of the newer cars don't let you dial a phone maually unless you're at a red light. Talking on a phone via the car speakers should not be banned, if playing loud rock music so everyone within the next mile can hear isn't.
 
I hate these idiots who talk on their phone when driving, they're all over the place

I have to admit i do it all the time though
 
A recent Swedish study showed that talking on a cell phone actually makes people drive more carefully; slower, leaving more room to the car ahead etc. There was no difference between hands-free or having to hold the phone with one hand.

This leads me to the conclusion that while talking on the phone certainly sometimes may make you lose your concentration, it is no different from a heated conversation with other people in the car, screaming kids in the backseat, the occasional sip of coke while dricing, smoking etc. I don't see why talking on the phone would be banned, when other just as distracting things aren't.
 
Don't ban it.

When I used to smoke I once dropped a cigarette between my legs while driving. That was a far greater hazard to traffic safety than talking on the cellphone :ack:
 
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