MidSouthBiker

https://www.carscoops.com/2018/07/po...clist-turning/

I won't comment because this is A & S.

I-Like-To-Bike

Article is perfect for A&S since it conflates holding a cell phone near the ear with texting as one and the same "distraction" safety issue. A&S posters may feel free to further conflate any/every other collision as probably the result of "texting."

genec

Meanwhile, some posters on A&S will contine to deny the distraction that ANY use of a cell phone can be, in spite of numerous studies showing otherwise.

I-Like-To-Bike

Really? Who? Please provide an example of such a post that denies the distraction that ANY use of a cell phone can be.

rydabent

Cell phones simply should not work if moving more than 10 MPH. If the phone call is actually that damned important pull over stop and make the call.

CliffordK

So, what are the penalties for using a cell phone while driving in the State of Misery?

One would think police cars would be equipped with the best hands free communication devices.

Personal cell phone?

unterhausen

Isn't it still true that using a cellphone to talk is not illegal in most states? Pennsylvania actually has a law that makes it illegal for cities to ban cellphones for talking. It was part of the law that made texting illegal

Putting on my moderator hat, talking about other bikeforums.net members in a disparaging way is really skirting the forum rules. If it's about a specific person, it's a violation of forum rules. Let's do a little less of it, please.

FBOATSB

At least the officer manned up and took full responsbility.

Cuyuna

Cell phones aside, police officers talk on the radio all the time without any hands-free technology, including during high speed chases when the consequences of such distracted driving might be even more dire.

dh024

If I am riding the bus or train, or a passenger in a car, I would appreciate having a working cell phone.

I-Like-To-Bike

That is true in Iowa. Using a cell phone for talking and listening while driving is legal; texting while driving is not.

downhillmaster

CB HI

Cop had little choice once he saw the camera mounted on the cyclist helmet.

genec

So just to be clear, you believe any use of a cell phone may be distracting and that said cellphone use by motorists can and has caused collisions between motorists, and between motorists and cyclists and such distraction is above and beyond the potential distractions that may be caused by simply eating or drinking in a moving vehicle, by the driver?

I-Like-To-Bike

I have not posted any of these "beliefs". To be clear, these are your straw man arguments, and you own them, not me.

genec

So what do you believe?

SHBR

Looks like a closed case, nothing to see here.

Cyclist got lucky that there were no major injuries.

Yet the usual BF pissing match continues, go figure.

I-Like-To-Bike

Whatz it to ya? Stop the electronic harassment. State your own "beliefs" if you wish and MYOB!

genec

When someone runs into you, or makes you take a massive evasive move, because THEY are distracted by their cell phone, then it is MY business.

BTW, do you follow that same impeccable MYOB logic with MADD too?

wphamilton

The cop may be "an irresponsible moron" as the cyclist is quoted as saying (I won't argue either way), and I almost hate to bring it up, but the cyclist was stopped in the area of the red circle here.

Really bad place to be in that intersection, and technically illegal stopped beyond the stop sign. It doesn't excuse the cop not paying attention, but had he seen the cyclist in time, the name calling might have been justified the other way around along with a ticket.

genec

How do you know the cyclist didn't stop behind the white line, then move forward to ensure the road was clear... a move that is not illegal?

I-Like-To-Bike

Assuming the accuracy of the location picture posted by wphamilton and the absence of any sight obstructions to see what was coming, why would the cyclist have to move forward at THIS intersection to ensure the road was clear? Below are Google views from behind the stop sign to the left and right. Perhaps a forest grew since the Google photos were taken?

genec

Well the picture appears to have come from google maps... and while the image and location are probably accurate, the date of the data may be old.

Go look at the video, and you will see that the visibility to the right is somewhat obscured... there is a 45MPH sign, a green road sign, and some weeds as tall as the green sign, in the direction from which the police car came... which probably didn't help the officer at all... phone call, weeds, left turn... looking down the road... it all added up... to a crash.

wphamilton

I watched the full video.

https://digg.com/video/cop-hits-cyclist

I also did not see much difference in the video and in the Google street view so I doubt that Google is much outdated.

genec

Watched the whole video eh? BTW thanks for the link.

Did ya happen to notice that there is NO white line, and that the officer "cut" the corner. Talk about illegal activity. Hell, the cell phone hardly matters if he keeps making turns like that.

But he should have seen the cyclist. The weeds are high, but not THAT high.. must have been "something else."