There is not really much research on the area, and most
people tend to believe the papers that reinforce their
prejudices anyway. There are strong prejudices toward
using the phone among the more powerful in society.
You're not saying that distraction makes some drivers safer?
You're not saying that some drivers are pretty unsafe, so it's
OK for me to be a whole lot less safe, cause I'll still be safer
than them? Give me a break!
It's a crap shoot with distractions like this. You drive for period
A tuning the radio, no problem. During period B you will kill
somebody. Suffering any distraction while driving increases
your risk of killing my kids. Not a matter of whether one is more
distracting than another, it's less safe to allow yourself to be
distracted. It's bad driving. Pull over if you need to talk on the
phone.
Just take a simple count of the percentage of numbskulls you
encounter on the road -- what percent are talking on phones.
I'd say about 40-50% of drivers I have to look at because of
stupidity are on a phone. Of course, if I'm on the phone., I won't
notice the stupidity of others, or much else...
Getting distracted while driving is bad driving practice. Dangerous.
If you run into me while you're on the phone, you can be sure that
I'm coming after you with my lawyers. (not "Mike" but "anyone")
If tuning the radio distracts you, don't do that while driving either.
My last reply on the subject.
Jerry Mouton mailto:jerry@moutons.org Laissez les bons temps rouler!
----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael R. Clements" <mrclem@telocity.com>
To: "Jerry Mouton" <jerry@moutons.org>; "Anthony Tabacco"
<atabacco@california.com>; "Bay_Area_Autocross_List"
<ba-autox@autox.team.net>
Sent: Saturday, February 23, 2002 3:08 PM
Subject: RE: How racers drive
> Jerry, I admire your purist attitude. It's true that phone is a bad
> distraction but remember that some people are more dangerous behind the wheel
> even without any distractions. The term "unsafe at any speed" comes to mind.
>
> The research I have read is inconclusive in this area. It is certain that
> using a hand held cell phone does increase the probability for mistakes and
> collisions. But this fact alone is a red herring because tuning the radio or
> having a conversation with a passenger also increases the risk. What needs to
> be shown, and to my knowledge has yet to be shown, is whether using the phone
> increases the risk more than these other distractions.
>
> It seems to me that the most effective and fair thing to do is to enact much
> stiffer penalties for causing any accident. If it's really true that cell
> phone users are at greater risk, then they'll pay the piper just like
> everybody else.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-ba-autox@autox.team.net
> [mailto:owner-ba-autox@autox.team.net]On Behalf Of Jerry Mouton
> Sent: Saturday, February 23, 2002 12:17
> To: Anthony Tabacco; Bay_Area_Autocross_List
> Subject: Re: How racers drive
>
>
> Sorry, Tony,
>
> Great record, but if you talk on the phone while driving,
> you're cruisin for a bruisin. It's a distraction, it's
> a basically different sort of distraction to listening
> to music or talking with a passenger. It's dangerous, and
> shame on you for doing it.
>
> No comments about women drivers, but if you want a real
> "loser count", try counting how many of the drivers
> you see doing bonehead moves or acting like they are
> in another world are talking on a phone of some type.
>
> It should be illegal, and I'm gonna work to make it so.
>
> Jerry Mouton mailto:jerry@moutons.org Laissez les bons temps rouler!
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Anthony Tabacco" <atabacco@california.com>
> > > Tony tabacco (writes):
> > >
> > > >(behind the wheel 39 years, no tickets, no accidents, so don't even think
> > > >about phone in car comments)
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