James Creasy writes:
>this driving thing is really whats dangerous. better outlaw that.
Please, NO!
>
>do you guys make a distinction between hands-free and hand-held? if not,
>better ban talking to a passenger.
First, most of what I think, on this subject, is intuitive based on my own
experiences and observations/conversations on the subject with others.
Having said that, yes, hands-free minimizes the physical distractions of
dialing-up and holding the phone. Those are distractions not unlike
tuning/changing radio stations or CDs or just reaching for something in the
next seat. One can perform those functions with intentional time-discipline
so that eyes/mind are only off the road for a second or so. Takes experience
to do it safely, thats one reason newbys (kids) have more accidents, they
haven't mastered time-discipline of distractions, either of the intentional
kind or by surprise. Had my first accident, a rear-ender, while talking
(looking) to someone (girl) in the back seat. Havn't repeated that again
(accident, that is). The more significant danger of cell phone use by
drivers is that the imersion in a conversation can go on for a whole trip,
during which time, the driver is trying to do two mind-absorbing things at
the same time. We humans don't do two same-time complicated mental
activities (like thinking) very efficiently. As for talking to passengers,
read my previous comparison of what I think is the sub-conscious way we,
differently, deal with the two kinds of conversation.
Hands-free, is to driver-in-car cell phone use as filters are to cigarettes.
Might take, only, a bit longer to get "cancer". And, OBTW, who do you think
is behind the various legislation efforts to require hands-free? Couldn't be
the cell-phone industry (phone makers and system providers), could it? Would
they be pushing an additional, money-making, restriction of their product in
order to save the bigger part of the pie? Go figure, they may as well have
previously been hawking the illusionary "safe" cigarette.
>
>i dont own a cell phone, but once i made a call from the cobra using one.
>i, of course, could not hear a thing, so just waited some amount of time
>after dialing and started talking. didnt even know if a machine or a person
>hung up. thats been my only call from a car, ever.
Keep it that way, you need all the attention you can muster to keep that
5000 HP, under your right foot, restrained :-)
Anyone for a non-controversial car "set-up" discission? :-)
Don
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