Not "Today" Old Man on Your Cell Phone! Almost another lost Maverick

[NoVaJimmy]

With all the talk of accidents lately, stay vigilant. I've been riding motorcycles since the 90s and made a habit early on of checking both directions at an intersection to make sure vehicles are stopped/stopping. This happened a couple of days ago but an older dude, probably 60's or 70's was on his phone, not paying attention and completely blew through a red light while making a left turn in front of me (No turn signal no less). This phone problem is so bad now, I don't understand why people can't put their damn phones down and just drive.

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[Transplant]

Some people just don’t have the common decency to remember that other people on the road don’t want to die while they ignore basic rules of the road like red lights mean effing stop.

 

[MostlySafeBear]

Seriously. Why is it so difficult to just put the phone down and focus only on your driving?

It's probably extreme, but I remember when mobile phones on the AMPS system were new (think "Motorola bag phone", they were analog, and couldn't even text), and I've watched them evolve from there.

I was taught that if you needed to use the phone that you should pull into a parking lot or pull well off of the road and PARK before using it, and that applied to anything having to do with the phone, no matter how quick it was, no matter if you thought that you could multitask, etc. It turns out that as a biological generality, humans suck at multitasking.

Navigation should be set before starting, and done by voice.

As far as setting music, I'll use the steering wheel controls. Way back before those were common, I adjusted a radio by touch, without needing to look at it. Ford had made the buttons on their radios distinctive enough which I appreciated.

 

[NoVaJimmy]

Seriously. Why is it so difficult to just put the phone down and focus only on your driving?

It's probably extreme, but I remember when mobile phones on the AMPS system were new (think "Motorola bag phone", they were analog, and couldn't even text), and I've watched them evolve from there.

I was taught that if you needed to use the phone that you should pull into a parking lot or pull well off of the road and PARK before using it, and that applied to anything having to do with the phone, no matter how quick it was, no matter if you thought that you could multitask, etc. It turns out that as a biological generality, humans suck at multitasking.

Navigation should be set before starting, and done by voice.

As far as setting music, I'll use the steering wheel controls. Way back before those were common, I adjusted a radio by touch, without needing to look at it. Ford had made the buttons on their radios distinctive enough which I appreciated.

I don't even eat while driving......riding a motorcycle lets you see just how bad the problem of distracted driving is. My riding position lets me see into everything, SUVs, trucks, cars. I regularly see people on their phones, looking at facebook, swiping on datings apps and then there's the makeup application steering with their knees, the eating while steering with their knees, it's pretty ridiculous and I wish there was a better way to crack down. I even see many law enforcement officers on their phones while driving which is sad.

 

[PlantMan]

Yes, riding a motorcycle does let you see just how foolish some drivers are. I thought the worst driver I ever saw was a driver playing the flute. Then I saw a teacher actively grading papers. Both while driving the DC beltway at speed in moderate traffic. More and more I think traffic laws are treated as advisory only.

 

[icegradner]

Seriously. Why is it so difficult to just put the phone down and focus only on your driving?

I doubt a phone had anything to do with it, they just didn't want to stop.

 

[MostlySafeBear]

I don't even eat while driving......riding a motorcycle lets you see just how bad the problem of distracted driving is. My riding position lets me see into everything, SUVs, trucks, cars. I regularly see people on their phones, looking at facebook, swiping on datings apps and then there's the makeup application steering with their knees, the eating while steering with their knees, it's pretty ridiculous and I wish there was a better way to crack down. I even see many law enforcement officers on their phones while driving which is sad.

I also don't eat while driving. I'll drink something, if it has a straw and doesn't come into my view when drinking from it.

I can't believe the sheer number of people that don't treat driving as deadly serious. It's not something to approach as "meh" or "no big deal", because one mistake at the wrong time can destroy lives.

 

[MostlySafeBear]

I doubt a phone had anything to do with it, they just didn't want to stop.

You're arguing semantics with the wrong bear. I didn't say that a phone had anything to do with it, OP did.

 

[icegradner]

You're arguing semantics with the wrong bear. I didn't say that a phone had anything to do with it, OP did.

That's what I get for being lazy and only watching the video.

 

[TCPTX65]

With all the talk of accidents lately, stay vigilant. I've been riding motorcycles since the 90s and made a habit early on of checking both directions at an intersection to make sure vehicles are stopped/stopping. This happened a couple of days ago but an older dude, probably 60's or 70's was on his phone, not paying attention and completely blew through a red light while making a left turn in front of me (No turn signal no less). This phone problem is so bad now, I don't understand why people can't put their damn phones down and just drive.

When I was just a wee airman working in the motor pool ('80s) we were taught that the government was "self-insured". Basically, what that meant was that if you were involved in a motor vehicle accident, and you had any liability, you got to pay for it. Since base pay for an Airman Basic was $500 a month after taxes, I became a really careful driver. The habits I picked up in the motor pool driving in San Antonio, West Germany, and the Hampton Roads area (Langley AFB) taught me to be a VERY careful operating any vehicle. To this day I always use my turn signals, don't assume another driver will stop because they are supposed to, and always use proper following distances based on speed. Some people are stupid, and regardless of what Bill Engvall says, they refuse to wear signs.

 

[JBryant]

I agree with what OP said, but would add it is not just old men on phones. I see a lot of young people driving while texting, talking and doing other things as well. People need to learn to use the hands free feature that can be used most of the time.

 

[TCPTX65]

I agree with what OP said, but would add it is not just old men on phones. I see a lot of young people driving while texting, talking and doing other things as well. People need to learn to use the hands free feature that can be used most of the time.

How about instead of focusing on demographics, we focus on bad behavior.

 

[Scupking]

Back in 2010 I was rear ended by a girl on her phone… I was stopped at a red light… Totaled my highly modified 01 mustang gt…. Nice thing was the money I got from her insurance I bought a nice 07 mustang gt!! I can’t stand people using phones while driving…

 

[NoVaJimmy]

How about instead of focusing on demographics, we focus on bad behavior.

The reason I mentioned it was an older man was because people seem to think it's just young kids. I am simply stating my experience, not really looking for any kind of woke analysis of the problem at hand.

 

[inthecabin]

We have the technology to let’s say if the phone is going 10mph plus and not using Bluetooth then it shuts down.

Almost no one wants that. So it boils down to personal responsibility which almost no one has anymore.. It’s someone else’s problem or fault or maybe the device “made me do it” aka narcissistic attitude..

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