So... You like to text and drive?

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   paradigmsearchposted 13 years ago

   Picture 1 of 9 (8 pending).
   
   

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   Rochelle Frankposted 13 years ago

   It's insane-- or a death wish. I wouldn't even text and walk. In fact, I don't text.

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   lrohnerposted 13 years ago

   Ditto, Rochelle. Just three weeks ago, my neighbor's car was totaled by a young woman who was texting and driving. The kick to the whole thing? His car was parked out in front of his house when she hit it. Over $10,000 in damages later, he just got his car back from the shop.

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   ralwusposted 13 years ago

   i'm betting they won't be doing that any more. it's a shame mingled with stupidity.

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      paradigmsearchposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      You are very, very right. Pictures 7/8/9 might not even be approved by HP for posting. This sequence could very well end at 6.

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   ralwusposted 13 years ago

   OK. then I shall not be back.

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   Rafiniposted 13 years ago

   omg - I have a funny story about this. 
   
   
   My 16 year old son was driving us to the store, on the highway, when I saw the driver of the car in the right hand lane (we were in the left lane), in front of us by at least 1-2 car lengths, texting.  It was a hot day, all our windows were up and the air was on - so were their windows. 
   
   "Don't text and drive!!"  I yelled as loud as I could with the windows up - and she heard me!!   She jerked her head up and looked around to see who had yelled - I swear my face has never been soo red!   (At least, for then, She stopped texting! )

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      Mrvoodooposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      How could that picture possibly bring to mind a funny story?

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         Rafiniposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         They heard me.  How??  My guess is, a guilty conscience.
         
         
         oh, I just got what you meant. duh.
         
         It was the topic that brought it to mind, not the picture - unless I went so far as to say I prevented a repeat of the picture.

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         china manposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         I don't think a picture is serious issue so much, thousands die like this each week, just because we see a picture doesn't change it, life goes on etc.  Now if I was in the car I might feel differently about it ?

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   china manposted 13 years ago

   Interesting side note - here in China it is normal for drivers to text and phone while driving a scooter with the passenger holding a sun umbrella over the driver while holding a baby and a kid in the foot well holding the mirrors and one on the carrier facing backward not holding on.  Crashes are most unusual and those that do occur are overwhelmingly tiny bumps.  It is not about the texting while driving, it is about the perception of safety that rigid lane control and driving habits create.  It is also about a general level of care about others on the road reinforced by the expense of being liable for any and all damage you cause anyone else, rather than the reliance on the skyfairy of insurance to bail us out from our own negligence and stupidity.

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      Rafiniposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I think you're onto something there - I'd add the fact that people are too sue happy in the US.
      
      
      
      "Why don't you watch what you're doing?  I'm gonna sue you!"
      
      "Oh no you don't!  I'm going to sue you first!  This is all your fault!!"
      
      And then the juries award one of them over $1,000,000 personal injury.

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         china manposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         I guess so - this is the logical result of having an invisible third party being responsible for your actions ?
         
         It is not so different here, if you damage someone you pay.  This means that the consequence of causing damage and distress is that you pay everything and so bear that consequence yourself.  This alone makes the driver more careful.
         
         One funny result of this is granny's with a death wish - we always need to be on the lookout for old ladies (and men) who would appear to think they are worth more dead than alive !  It is not so uncommon for them (and others) to stroll diagonally across the busiest intersections without even looking at the traffic whizzing around them - and yet I have never seen one of htem knocked down yet, or any of the thousands of schoolkids who do the same in droves at school escape time!  Kids are kinda up there as number one national treasure and it would be unthinkeable to run one of them over !  (as much as I might temporarily feel that one or two might deserve it after a hard day's teaching!)

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            Rafiniposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            I live in a college town and we have the same problem on campus.  Everyone steps off the curb without looking first whether or not they're at a crosswalk.  It's become so common that the laws were changed so that cars have to stop for pedestrians as soon as they step off the curb at a crosswalk.  It makes me wonder, sometimes, who seriously does the thinking when creating new laws?   Doesn't anyone realize it takes a car longer to stop than a pedestrian?
            
            Just yesterday morning as I was approaching an intersection with a green light, a pedestrian approached and pushed for the walk light.  Then they stepped off the curb and crossed the street.   !!!  What if I hadn't been able to stop??   What if I hadn't seen or noticed them??   And then, two seconds later, a bicyclist drops off the curb a few feet away from the crosswalk - just so they could get across too.  !!!  What if I hadn't been able to stop??  What if I hadn't seen or noticed them?? 
            
            The only two explicable reasons for an accident, and I had two incidents at the same time where someone crossing the street didn't even consider it could happen to them.
            
            (not paying attention is no excuse when driving!!)

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   ralwusposted 13 years ago

   good for you Rafini and happy belated birthday too.

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      Rafiniposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks ralwus.
      
      It was soo funny!  It's not the first time I've yelled something to another driver, but it's the first time I knew I'd been heard! 

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   ross670dawposted 13 years ago

   I get really annoyed and angry when I see someone texting or reading, talking on the phone while driving, it's total disregard for others well being on the road. I tend to beep the horn at em.

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      china manposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      But that is the bigger cause of accidents I believe, people driving angry and frustrated CAUSES as many accidents to others as texters do to themselves ?

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         ross670dawposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         I am not talking road rage, but, as you say driving angry is just as dangerous. Some drivers just seem to have no respect for others on the road.

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            china manposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            The other one is the constant stream of near accidents as some plonker drives down the middle of the  road really slowly and cars trying to get past forced onto the other side of the road - and I know they do not understand the problem they cause even after many years of driving because I tried to explain to my father in law what a plonker he was

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               ross670dawposted 13 years agoin reply to this

               Lol, and another Lol, that gets me too. How hard would it be for them to travel along at the speed limit and at least consider those stuck behind them and maybe moove over. Over cautious drivers are as big a hazard.

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    paradigmsearchposted 13 years ago

    Pictures 2 and 3 of the sequence:
    
    
    
    

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    Kidgasposted 13 years ago

    Texting and driving is just plain stupid.

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    Kathryn LJposted 13 years ago

    I don't understand why people would think it's acceptable to text and drive.  You wouldn't type a letter and drive.  Or read a book and drive.  Or watch a movie and drive.  Or sew a sampler and drive. Or knit and drive.  So why the hell would you take your eyes off the road and a hand off the wheel to squint at a tiny phone and tell some one that your on the motorway.  Insanity!

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       drej2522posted 13 years agoin reply to this

       What? I don't know...I read books and drive all the time!

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    paradigmsearchposted 13 years ago

    Picture 4 of the sequence:
    
    
    

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       PaulaHenry1posted 13 years agoin reply to this

       It is soooo very sad that people continue to do this. I find it frustrating that we need to use our lawmakers time and energy, not to mention tax payors dollar, to start and enforce laws to keep people's eyes on the road! Common sense has been killed by this all-too-time comsuming obsession of texting. What is so darn important that it cannot wait until you call on the phone or get home? And by the way- call from home or when your not driving cuz that irritates the s**t out of me too!

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    paradigmsearchposted 13 years ago

    Pictures 5 and 6 of the sequence
    
    
    
    
    
    

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    CarInsuranceqposted 13 years ago

    Texting is more intoxicating than drinking and Testing while driving is not less dangerous than driving while you are drunk...Common!! at least think about your fellow drivers who can become victims of your negligence

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    GmaGoldieposted 13 years ago

    I MADE myself give up my blackberry for this very reason - just was obsessive - now I am only obsessive on being online on Hub Pages.

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    klarawieckposted 13 years ago

    Considering the traffic jams we get here in Miami, it's hardly texting and driving. It's more like "Road Rage Therapy"

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