Re: New AAA study on distracted driving and cell phones

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Gordon Peterson <gep2 () terabites com>
Date: December 31, 2008 2:30:55 PM EST
To: dave () farber net
Subject: Re: [IP] Re:   New AAA study on distracted driving and cell  
phones

It's true that many things can distract a driver.

However, relatively few of those are likely to distract a driver for  
as long a time, and as continuously, as a cell phone conversation  
commonly does.

Part of the problem is that the person on the other end of the cell  
phone conversation is generally unaware of traffic conditions the  
driver is in, and therefore expects the full attention of the driver,  
even when they cannot safely give that.  Talking to another rider in  
the same car is different, since they hopefully can see when traffic  
gets hairy, and pause the conversation for a while until things ease  
up a little.

It is very frustrating when, after being angered by another driver who  
is clearly not paying attention to what they are doing, you finally  
get past them and see that VERY VERY often they are (predictably)  
talking on their cell phone.

The fact that other things CAN also distract a driver is not a reason  
to not address the problem.

Other driver voluntary actions which are equally irresponsible and  
equally lengthy (putting on makeup, eating a sandwich, reading a  
newspaper, whatever) while driving should be equally illegal.

David Farber wrote:
> I have seen this often oin Pittsburgh djf
> Begin forwarded message:
> From: ben guthrie <treebeard () treebeard net>
> Date: December 31, 2008 12:29:26 PM EST
> To: dave () farber net
> Subject: Re: [IP] New AAA study on distracted driving and cell phones
> Yes,
> there many distractions which impair our driving ( and I'm not that  
> good to begin with ).
> But, as a denizen of New York City, I have to tell you that I've had  
> many cell phoning pedestrians walk into me on the sidewalk.  Every  
> time it happens I think "How could they drive a car and talk if they  
> can't even walk and cell phone at the same time?"
> Just my $.02's worth.
> ben guthrie
> David Farber wrote:
> > Time to regulate yelling kids, etc   djf
> >
> >
> > Begin forwarded message:
> >
> > From: Lauren Weinstein <lauren () vortex com>
> > Date: December 30, 2008 8:37:03 PM EST
> > To: dave () farber net
> > Cc: lauren () vortex com
> > Subject: New AAA study on distracted driving and cell phones
> >
> >
> > Dave,
> >
> > AAA has a new study out, that appears to confirm what many of us have
> > been saying for *years* -- hands-free cell phones are no safer when
> > driving than hand-held devices.  The problem is distraction, and  
> > there
> > is a wide spectrum of circumstances that fall into that category.
> > Laws that mandate the use of hands-free units are clearly called
> > into question ( http://lauren.vortex.com/archive/000396.html ).
> >
> > The full AAA report is well worth reading:
> >
> > http://www.aaafoundation.org/pdf/cellphonesanddrivingreport.pdf
> >
> > --Lauren--
> > Lauren Weinstein
> > lauren () vortex com or lauren () pfir org
> > Tel: +1 (818) 225-2800
> > http://www.pfir.org/lauren
> > Co-Founder, PFIR
> > - People For Internet Responsibility - http://www.pfir.org
> > Co-Founder, NNSquad
> > - Network Neutrality Squad - http://www.nnsquad.org
> > Founder, PRIVACY Forum - http://www.vortex.com
> > Member, ACM Committee on Computers and Public Policy
> > Lauren's Blog: http://lauren.vortex.com

--

Gordon Peterson II
http://personal.terabites.com
1977-2007:  Thirty year anniversary of local area networking




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