How's THIS for a great idea? Apparently there is a company that has developed a meathodf of detecting when a cell phone is moving at traffic speeds. When such is detected, the phone will be put on "hold" not allowing calls to go through. When someone calls the phone, they will get a message that the user appears to be driving and will offer an option to leave an "emergency voice mail" which will immediately be put through (my boss would probably always opt for the emergency voice mail). So, what do ya'll think?
I think its a great way for the government to further intrude on our privacy. Where are our forefathers when we need them?
I think they should do the reverse, and make a car that detects a cell phone talking driver... then immediately slows itself down and pulls to the side of the road and idles till the joker gets done yapping. Hey them Lexus cars can park themselves right... technology must not be too far off. Now, what to do about women putting on thier "face" during rush hour?
I don't know how they find their face equipment in their pocketbooks. My wife carries her stuff in there and I can't never find anything in there when she says, "look in my pocketbook." I think an illegal could get lost in there.
That baffles me too. My lady can remember exactly where a hair pin is located that she put in her purse two years ago, reach in and dig it out from underneath 5 dollars in pennies and old breathmint wrappers... yet she caint tell me how long the Check Engine light has been flashin.
I must be an exception. I got rid of my cellphone. Save money and besides in the mountains they go in and out. I have an emergency pay as you go, but I don't miss it. I think people talking on the phone and driving has become one of my biggest pet peeves. (Okay so the girl who caused our accident last year was on the phone). I think this kind of device would be great for teen drivers.
One of the best books I have ever read. Gave me lots of insight into why women appear to be whackos to men (and vice versa).
Not really. Speed limits are set to protect the safety of the public from a 2-ton vehicle moving at an unsafe speed in a general sense. Certainly Michael Shumacher in a Ferrari can likely run 100 mph down the road, but that doesn't mean little granny won't drive into his path. The point is that if that law is broken, you enforce that law. If you weave left of center, there is a law for that. If you drive drunk, there is a law for that. Talking on a cell phone while driving is hardly any different than someone attempting to eat or drink a beverage while driving, operate the radio, load a CD, adjust the HVAC, move the steering wheel or the seat. Turning around talking to baby or to spouse or having Fido fluffing his tail in your face while driving. I believe with experienced drivers, you enforce the laws you have and not make laws pertaining to one particular device. You single out one and leave other distractions in the same vehicle. If people can not talk on the phone, who says they can carry on a conversation with someone in the car actually with them? If a person breaks the law while operating a cell phone, charge them with the infraction that they committed. For that matter, there is motorists out there that can't even drive a manual transmission-equipped vehicle. Some can't even seem to drive at all!
And this device will protect the public from idiots trying to drive a two ton vehicle while their attention is on their sweetie on the other end of the call. How is it different? One presumes you don't lock the door to your house. After all tresspassing is a crime. All of the above should be prevented too. The point is, if you can prevent the crime from occuring (harken back to the lock on the door), why not prevent it rather than wait until the law is broken? It's not a whole lot of solace to the family of the little child who was run over to know that they cops charged the driver with driving while distracted. I have no idea how they could do it, but if they could figure out how to allow passengers to use the cells and only prevent drivers, would that work for you?
If we want to talk distractions or circumstances that could create a dangerous driving environment, there are many more distractions than just talking on a cell phone. Add in people who don't get a good night's rest or take medication that technically would affect their driving. Do you build a detector to exclude them from driving? Cell phones, in general, have been singled out and villianized and I think the sentiments by those that are so strongly opposed run deeper than just simply out of public concern. I think those that are most bothered by it, tend to have a subconscious annoyance for those that receive calls. They perceive them as more popular, more outgoing, and possibly more successful as a result. Now, granted some people's manners with cell phones are boorish, especially with their constant need to "biddy-boop" their way through a walkie-talkie session with someone like offered by Sprint-Nextel, Alltel and any others. Other cell phone users field calls and engage in long conversations in inappropriate public places without excusing themselves from the room. Yes, there are bad drivers with their phones stuck in their ears. However, I do not categorize myself with those and don't feel like its appropriate for someone to tell me otherwise. My driving record stands contrary to that opinion. Now, I don't talk on the phone a lot while driving, with my average call maybe lasting a minute or so. However, I do not pull over to the side of the road. Have you ever seen a car rammed in the rear by a sleepy or drunk driver at 70 mph?? Think about that when pulling over! As big a car as a Crown Victoria is, I've seen State Trooper Fords with the trunk slammed up behind the driver seat! Was what is left of your loved one in the back seat? There are more cars on the road today, more drivers and what that requires is a greater enforcement of the laws we have and a self-reliance to be more defensive drivers. None of us own the roads solely and if you remove one distraction, big brother might as well remove them all and take the license away of those who can't drive. I've got a feeling that groups like AARP will stand on their heads when we start looking closer at who should and should not be driving on our highways.
