What does this signal mean?

The big news on the radio was the Illinois Secretary of State announcing new traffic laws coming from the legislature...

No texting while driving... YOU'LL GET A TICKET!
No using cell phones whilw driving in a construction zone or school zone...YOU'LL GET A TICKET!
and he promised taht eventually we'll have
No using cell phone while driving... YOU'LL GET A TICKET!

I guess I'm supposed to think "About time!"

but....

http://www.pilotsofamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=30119

so I said, "A TICKET! So what?" "$50 plus costs. See the clerk."

And using a cell phone without a handsfree is already against the law in Chicago.
 
Trapper John said:
So they're going to have to link license plate numbers to VIN numbers, since insurance policies don't list license plate numbers. Then they're going to have to link the VIN numbers to the insurance policies, and all of the auto insurance companies are going to have to continually update the status of all of the policies. Plus all of the DMV registration records will have to be continually updated. Think that will be error-free? Not a friggin' chance.


Trapper John
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The database already exists in Texas. Your tag is linked to your insurance. If an insurance provider provides service in Texas they report your active policy to the state. The officer can know when he runs your tags if you have insurance on file from your provider or not. 99% of the time that means you are a "no-gotty"
 
mikea said:
And using a cell phone without a handsfree is already against the law in Chicago.
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That is the silliest law of all of them. CA already has this state-wide. Couldn't care less.

How about we focus on things that actually cause accidents? Like tailgating? Instead of making laws that people ignore?
 
sba55 said:
That is the silliest law of all of them. CA already has this state-wide. Couldn't care less.

How about we focus on things that actually cause accidents? Like tailgating? Instead of making laws that people ignore?
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Like tailgating?

Actually research shows that handsfree devices don't even mitigate the risk, other than allowing you to have both hands on the wheel as you ignore conditions around you.
 
Can someone explain why if 6% or 12% of the drivers are using cellphones while driving (according to various estimates) and the popular view is that cellphone usage by drivers must be outlawed because it's so dangerous, then how is it that accident rates haven't exploded?

Why hasn't all this research into the dangers of using cellphones while driving explained the lack of increase in accident rates?

What am I missing?
 
Bob Noel said:
What am I missing?
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Opportunities to promote an agenda and get your face on tv.

Cellphone LIKE ANY DISTRACTIONS do increase the CHANCE of an accident. But characterizing cellphones as the demons of driving is not fair. Eating while driving, playing with the stereo, plugging on your GPS to program it, etc. All also contribute. Yet cellphones are the current demon. Interesting to note that when cities do ban the use of cellphones while driving and mandate handsfree devices that the accident rates really do not move much. Then the focus starts to go towards the idea that even talking and driving is the problem so that no call, even hands free should be made while driving. If you remember prior to cellphones we NEVER had accidents due to driver distraction :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:
 
Bob Noel said:
Why hasn't all this research into the dangers of using cellphones while driving explained the lack of increase in accident rates?

What am I missing?
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I don't know...

I uh, may know someone who has been sending email on a blackberry, while eating a burrito..in a standard. I only type at red lights though. Drives my other half nuts.

I've been involved in a few accidents that were considered my fault...but those all involved gross stupidity on my part, not any lack of attention. :frown2: Haven't had any issues in the last 5-7 years though...

Having kids in the car is probably just as bad as a cell phone. :)
 
sba55 said:
That is the silliest law of all of them. CA already has this state-wide. Couldn't care less.

How about we focus on things that actually cause accidents? Like tailgating? Instead of making laws that people ignore?
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Especially since it was shown it's the (concentration required while) talking that's the hazard, not the holding of the phone.

But knees will jerk. Pols will "fix" problems.
 
Mike- what you say is true. It is relatively easy to see the cell phone on the ear as compared to some other distractions, and it is easy to pass laws based on what people see as opposed to understanding the problem.
 
smigaldi said:
...If you remember prior to cellphones we NEVER had accidents due to driver distraction :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:
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Like in old days when in the routine rush hour stop and go and I looked over at the car next to me and saw SHE WAS READING A BOOK she was holding up at the steering wheel? The guy reading the newspaper?
 
mikea said:
But knees will jerk. Pols will "fix" problems.
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It's not only pols knees that jerk. How many people work for companies that have policies against using cell phones (even hands free) when on company time or on a company phone? I know of at least three companies, two of which are very large.
 
I've been talking, texting, and using computers while driving since I was 16 years old. I have yet to have an accident in a car, my fault, or otherwise. People do tend to get pretty nervous when I get a text message that a server or service is down while driving. Grab the laptop, tether to my iPhone, fix it..no reason to get off the interstate :)
 
jesse said:
I've been talking, texting, and using computers while driving since I was 16 years old. I have yet to have an accident in a car, my fault, or otherwise. People do tend to get pretty nervous when I get a text message that a server or service is down while driving. Grab the laptop, tether to my iPhone, fix it..no reason to get off the interstate :)
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Sure. OK for you. We're talking mere mortals, Jesse. :D
 
Bob Noel said:
Can someone explain why if 6% or 12% of the drivers are using cellphones while driving (according to various estimates)

What am I missing?
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Reality? 6%-12% my a$$... 100% of drivers who own a cell phone use them while driving. I know I do, and everybody I've been in a car with in the last 5 years has as well. Hands free does help, especially the Blue Tooth link to the car. It's no different than having a conversation with a passenger which everyone also does.
 
I believe the 6% - 12% number is the drivers using them at the time.

Clearly we need laws banning conversations while driving. :-/
 
Back to the OT, the cashed car I own.

It should be ready for pick up on Monday. I have been dealing with my insurance company and letting deal with the fly by night (FBN) place that the other drive had. That fly by night place wanted to total the car, State Farm said nope as I wanted it fixed. Cost is only about $3k for the repairs.

The FBN offered $250 for medical expenses of which we have none and is now asking for social security numbers as they say they cannot verify our age for Medicare. WTF is that! I am not anywhere close to Medicare and the reported age is the age on the license and the police report. The FBN place also sent a letter stating they needed a whole bunch of info and had been unable to contact us. The funny thing was that the letter was signed by the person we had been speaking to on the phone. They sound like a bunch of idiots. Glad I have good insurance that can go off and deal with them. We just keep refering everything to them.
 
smigaldi said:
It should be ready for pick up on Monday. I have been dealing with my insurance company and letting deal with the fly by night (FBN) place that the other drive had.
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Scott,

What's the fly-by-night place? I'll be sure to avoid them... I'm shopping right now.
 
jesse said:
I've been talking, texting, and using computers while driving since I was 16 years old. I have yet to have an accident in a car, my fault, or otherwise. People do tend to get pretty nervous when I get a text message that a server or service is down while driving. Grab the laptop, tether to my iPhone, fix it..no reason to get off the interstate :)
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And I've been doing about the same for about the same time period, usually it was while towing a loaded 20' trailer. No issues yet.

So we can fly planes in clouds (without flipping them upside down), fiddle with the GPS and radios, write down amended clearances, all at the same time with nobody complaining, yet many of those same people would yell at us for using our cell phones while driving. I don't buy it.

People ignore traffic laws. No real point in having them. I'd say they make conditions less safe since whenever people see a cop they then do stupid things like slam on the brakes and duck into another lane. Whatever they do, they end up focusing their attention on the cop not on driving.
 
jesse said:
I've been talking, texting, and using computers while driving since I was 16 years old. I have yet to have an accident in a car, my fault, or otherwise. People do tend to get pretty nervous when I get a text message that a server or service is down while driving. Grab the laptop, tether to my iPhone, fix it..no reason to get off the interstate :)
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Tell us about how you tether...
 
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SCCutler said:
Tell us about how you tether...
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Everskyward said:
Enquiring minds want to know... and want to do it too.
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If you upgrade to iPhone 3.0 it is supported in the OS *BUT* it is disabled as ATT also does not officially support it.

The good news is that it is very easy to enable it. You're not jail-breaking your phone and I doubt it'll ever come back to bite you. Basically you just go to a page in Safari on the phone and it enables it. From there you either connect with Bluetooth or with the USB sync cable. I'm pretty sure Apple intentionally made it easy since ATT can't make up their mind over it.

This site explains exactly how to do it:
http://www.modmyi.com/forums/iphone-news/633111-easily-enable-tethering-3-0-via-iphone-safari.html
I did it right after 3.0 came out and have yet to have a single problem.
 
jesse said:
If you upgrade to iPhone 3.0 it is supported in the OS *BUT* it is disabled as ATT also does not officially support it.

The good news is that it is very easy to enable it. You're not jail-breaking your phone and I doubt it'll ever come back to bite you. Basically you just go to a page in Safari on the phone and it enables it. From there you either connect with Bluetooth or with the USB sync cable. I'm pretty sure Apple intentionally made it easy since ATT can't make up their mind over it.

This site explains exactly how to do it:
http://www.modmyi.com/forums/iphone-news/633111-easily-enable-tethering-3-0-via-iphone-safari.html
I did it right after 3.0 came out and have yet to have a single problem.
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You also must have a 3G or 3GS phone. Even with the newest firmware tethering will not work with the original iPhone (like mine :frown3: )
 
I was 1000 feet away from the left turn arrow. I made it but the red light on his side meant nothing to the blonde kid in the oncoming Jeep who turned right directly in front of me without even slowing down. I could see he was busy yakking on the cell phone he was holding up.

The best thing is I tried everything I could to get his attention. We drove the 2 miles and even when I pulled alongside he continued to remain oblivious.

All of my death stare evil eye powers failed to gain his attention.

I remember when I was immortal at that age.
 
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My take on this mess is... Back when alot of us kids were learning to drive we had to attend drivers ed, complete with those gory but "effective" training films. You know the ones, Mechanized Death, Signal Seven, etc,,,,,,,,,, people squished flat, truck drivers pinned to the steering wheel by steel pipe or burned to a crisp. To me that made a lasting impression about how a 4000lb piece of metal moving at 65 mph could cut short a human life in a blink of an eye. Now.... The current trend is to spoon feed the upcoming generation subtle messages and not show the reality of poor driving. A generation of video game playing, poor work ethic sniveling whinners is on our door step and guess what.. They will be running this country in a few years, :-(.. As for the facts, about 50,000 people will die on America's roads this year. That's around 136 humans dead every single day. !!! Let a plane hit a helicopter and kill 9, once in a few decades and the outcry is overwhelming.:yes:..
Go figure.:dunno::dunno:. Off my soap box now :loco:

Ben.
 
wsuffa said:
Does driving around the Arc de Triompe at rush hour count? How about Boston? ;)
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That traffic circle is the ultimate. And Boston? Did that for 5 months in high school. Didn't bend anything. Of course, driving a 1965 Olds Vistacruiser wagon didn't hurt. Everyone gave it room. What a tank, even for 1969.
 
Ghery said:
That traffic circle is the ultimate.
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I ran across the traffic circle to the Arc de Triomphe when I was a teenager, not realizing that there was an underground tunnel. Now that's the ultimate! :eek::yikes:
 
gprellwitz said:
I ran across the traffic circle to the Arc de Triomphe when I was a teenager, not realizing that there was an underground tunnel. Now that's the ultimate! :eek::yikes:
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i did the same thing in Boston to get to the north end over the very busy ramps to Logan at what is now the Big Dig in Boston. I spotted the underpass the next time.
 
gprellwitz said:
I ran across the traffic circle to the Arc de Triomphe when I was a teenager, not realizing that there was an underground tunnel. Now that's the ultimate! :eek::yikes:
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Me too, but I was in my thirties. (I "forgot" to mention that it was barricaded for the Bastille Day festivities at the time.)
________
Marijuana test
 
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N801BH said:
A generation of video game playing, poor work ethic sniveling whinners is on our door step and guess what.. They will be running this country in a few years, :-(..
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Have you met my kids?
 
N801BH said:
... The current trend is to spoon feed the upcoming generation subtle messages and not show the reality of poor driving. A generation of video game playing, poor work ethic sniveling whinners is on our door step and guess what.. They will be running this country in a few years, :-(..
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You forgot the "precious snowflake" part where every kid has to get a ribbon and helicopter parents step in where needed.

I read that hiring managers have to deal with them now where there can be no reprimands or expectations.

I suppose (know) on this topic when precious hits somebody they just call Mom or Dad to step in and it just has to be the other guy's fault like in my case fme ailing to yield to the oncoming red light running precious while I was making a left turn on a green left arrow.
 
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