cell phones killed the dinosaurs

[louer]

One subject of recent impassioned debate in CA has been talking on a cell phone while driving. Californians, like NYers already, will be required to use hands-free devices by Jan 1, 2008

Comments

[ceilidancer]

For starters, I have to say the only accident I have ever gotten in was when I dropped a bottle of water in my lap and ran into a parked car, and I have had countless hours of cell phone conversations in my car-while driving-and without the use of a hands free device

[tweedldum9]

Amen.

[ernieleaf]

I read/heard somewhere that cell phone conversations are supposedly more distracting than conversations with someone in the car because a person in the car instinctively adjusts the pace of the conversation based on traffic conditions. For example, if you're trying to merge across five lanes of busy traffic, the person in the passenger seat might shut up so neither of you die, whereas someone you're talking to on a cell phone won't know how much they're distracting you.

I don't know about the (dis)advantages of hands-free phones. At any rate, there are like 40,000 motor vehicle fatalities in the U.S. every year, so driving is, with or without a cell phone, probably the most dangerous thing you do on a daily basis (unless you wrestle cobras every morning or something).

[captainhairdo]

A study in the British Medical Journal was done which supports the idea that it's the act of talking on a cell phone which increases accident risk; whether it's with hands or hands free seems to be irrelevant.

And I also talk on the phone while in the car, and for much the same reason, too. The only reasonable incentive I can see to ease the pressure of having to do so much is to add about four or so hours to each day.

[gillyfish]

hrm. i am a firm believer that a good portion of (at least the LA) driivng population would run into someone instead of dropping the damn phone if it came down to it. i am also a firm believer in holding the wheel with two hands at most times when going above 40mph... if it came down to it, there just wouldn't be enough seconds to drop the cell phone and get the other hand there to gain control of the vehicle if something went awry

i also have the same problems as monica...

however, i think that the people who are truly a problem with cell phones are the same people eating bowls of cereal and shaving while putting on mascara, so i doubt it'd help much...

next time you are driving somewhere, call me! :)