biker7

Some time has now elapsed since sydney's passing and I am sure you have all taken time to reflect on what has happened and like myself your thoughts run the gamut from sadness to outrage. His story has resonated throughout the country even among my non-cycling friends and family because it struck a chord we all know is true. Sydney helped countless with his advice if you needed it and he did not deserve what happened to him and perhaps, just perhaps, as in life and now in death Jim can make even a greater difference by making all our lives safer throughout the US. This would bring some justice to what has happened. As bicyclists, we are in tremendous peril every time we venture out on the road. It goes without saying that what happened to sydney could have been any one of us who is reading this. For those that don't read or participate on the mechanic's forum, please visit the "Regarding Sydney" thread. Our Koffee Brown has taken an important step to improve all of our lives in the name of Jim Price. It is time. No, it is well past time. People turning their automobile into a lethal weapon by irresponsibly being distracted by using a cell phone while driving resulting in maiming if not killing innocent fellow citizens should no longer be tolerated by a rational society. The act of talking on a cell phone while driving should never have been permitted in the first place. I like many on this forum am a businessman and a cell phone user. Anybody that owns one knows how easily one can be distracted by talking on a cell while driving. This problem is not specific to the cycling community. It affects each one of us as drivers and citizens. Whether I am riding my bike or driving my car or walking down the side of the road, I personally want legislation against drivers not responsible enough to focus on the serious and potentially life altering challenge of driving an automobile. Public safety doesn't matter to many until it strikes them or a personal family member or close friend. Thank you Koffee for putting together this thoughtful and very important request for improved legislation. Jim would have been very proud to make such a profound difference as he did in life. Please sign Koffee's petition and insert your views on the subject. My comment was in effect, a simple enactment of legislation can improve public safety by a measurable degree. There is no simpler solution that can make a bigger difference. To the legislators...next time it may be "your" loved one God forbid who is needlessly stricken. It is long past time to forbid the use of cell phones while driving.
Thank you Koffee.
George

daytonian

bump

spinnaker

Here is a link to the thread

This should be a sticky thread on all of the forums. It is certianly far more important than "What kind of road bike do you have" or "The Aussie Thread". Why these are sticky threads in the first place is beyond me.

TheKillerPenguin

done. I agree with spinnaker- make it a sticky on all the forums.

It'd be awesome if the petition could be promoted on other forums where sydney posted too.

RiotBoi

I believe there was someone else who was just hit in a similar situation a few days ago... maybe a slight rewrite to include them in the petition is in order?

Guest

I can't rewrite. Once the petition is submitted, that's about it.

What you can do is when you sign the petition, put in your personal stories, links to other stories like it, etc. There's a comments section after you sign it, and they'll see the comments too.

Koffee

DXchulo

While you're at it, e-mail your local representatives and let them know you want a ban on cell phones for drivers. I did it last night, and it doesn't take much time.

Believe it or not, some of the local representatives will actually pay attention, especially if you live in a smaller area.

RiotBoi

or you could crash a rental car into theirs while holding a phone and be like "my bad, was textin"

hi565

ahahahahaha.

But that would cause problems

Jakey

I signed it....but I don't think its practical. Hopefully it will at least bring up the debate. Personally I think you should be able to use a phone with a hands free headset or something. But texting while you are driving is downright stupid.

spinnaker

I agree with this also. If there was justice in the world, then the little punk would have drifted in front of a semi instead of hitting this poor man, improving the human gene poor. You know weed out the stupid ones.

hi565

I would at least accept enforcing handsfree headsets.

For example, in my dad's car there is bluetooth built into the car, and all he has to do is press a button on the steering wheel and bam, he is on the phone. no touching the phone invloved. I mean heck, cell phone technology changes so rapidly that it is getting cheaper to get very nice handsfree things.

Guest

It's more than just not using your hands... it's the DISTRACTION from the road that results when you're not fully focused on the road. If you're dividing your attention between a phone call and looking at the road, I don't think we are safe when that driver suddenly gets into a deep discussion with someone and their concentration strays from the road to the conversation, and the vehicle starts drifting. Realistically, what we should demand is no use of the cell phone while driving. If you want to talk, pull over. Period.


Koffee

TheKillerPenguin

I disagree koffee. Should all conversation in a car be banned too? I would think that would be more distracting than talking to someone on a headset.

hi565

See, this is why this most likely won't go by well...

(no offense penguin, just saying) (I support it, as I said, I am just saying)

biker7

You may be right. Will see. Technology and related laws evolve over time. When cell phones first came on the scene there was no data as to how driver behavior would be affected. We now have data and the news is bad...cellphones distract drivers from the road. It is time to do something about it. Perhaps approval of only wireless voice actuated phones will be a first and positive step. What I see out on the roads today is downright frightening and I work in the auto industry designing cars and have spent a great deal of time working in vehicle safety. Cars kill people if not used properly. This has never been more evident then it is today. I don't like to see lives traded for the expediency of talking on a phone while driving. I am fearful our society is cheapening people's lives in favor of expediency. I don't like the shift in balance and I hope others feel the same way to do something about it.
George

Guest

Show me studies that conversations in a car kill people. So far, we're seeing a trend towards increased death with increased phone use. I haven't seen such a study for increased conversations and increased death. If it exists, show it to me, and perhaps I'll modify my thinking.

Koffee

merlinextraligh

it's more appropriately addressed to your state legislative representative. Traffic regulations are traditionally in the state domain. Even when congress has gotten involved in issues like seat belt use, and speed limits, its been by the carrot and stick of highway funds as oppossed to direct regulation. I agree with the sentiment of the poposal but it should be done at the state level.

Elvish Legion

I signed it, and then emailed it and posted it on other boards for more exporsure.

Cell phones and driving are like drinking and drive, your reaction time is slow doing both. Hands free doesn't solve the problem.

TheKillerPenguin

Koffee, I agree that using a cell phone without a hands free device is dangerous, but I don't see how talking on a hands free headset would be any more dangerous than talking to a friend sitting in the passenger's seat. Why would talking on a headset be any more distracting than talking to a passenger?

And what about people who, like hi565's dad, have bluetooth built into their car? All he has to do is push one button and he's talking on his cell phone. He doesn't even have to take his hands off the steering wheel to do it. My dad had something similar in the early 90's- he had his cell phone wired to his car's speaker system, so that when someone called all he'd have to do is press a button and he'd be able to talk hands free. How is this any more dangerous than holding a regular conversation

Granted, in both cases (using a headset and having the phone wired into your car), you still have to press a button to answer a call, but that's about the same amount of distraction as using the radio. Should using your radio while driving be banned as well? I think what you're asking for is too much. There is a definite difference between sending a text message or holding your phone in your hand while you drive, and using a headset or other hands free device.

hi565

Those are good points Penguin, in the end this is a very very disputed case. The other thing is that the cell phone companies have so much money, they are not going to let this little petition get in the way of thir big money sales? This most likely has been considered when making cell phones, but in the end bypassed.

Grasschopper

Ok people there have been studies done here and I will only go into this briefly. There is a huge difference between talking to a person sitting next to you in a car and talking to someone on a cell phone. When talking on a phone your mind builds a picture of that person...sort of a virtual reality of the conversation. You mind sees you right there with the person having the conversation. This is a real and significant effect as it takes your focus and attention away from the rather important matter at hand which is controlling a several thousand pound object with wheels and a motor. If you are talking to a passenger in a car your mind doesn't do this because the person IS right there.

The move visual a person is the stronger the effect and the more in depth the conversation is the more of the individuals attention is draw away from the act of driving.

Recent studies have shown that talking on a cell phone, EVEN HANDS FREE, has similar or even greater impact to a persons reaction time as being legally drunk.

People I agree 110% with the petition, we HAVE to stop talking on our phones in the car...it DOES cause accidents.

Shifty

Think of this too, a whole generation of children are growing up watching and listening to their parents blabber on while driving with a cell phone in one hand trying to drive with the other, what will they do as 'normal' driving practice'? If we don't stop this now, think how unsafe it will get over time.

We don't need text capable telephones, but what is being sold now scares me ever more , that is video that you download on the cell phone and play them back. Small display screens mean you have to focus more intently, Sprint is pushing this with a strong media blitz, god help us ALL! Watching video while driving, coming to drivers in your community.

TheKillerPenguin

https://www.driveandstayalive.com/art...ne-dangers.htm
https://www.iii.org/media/hottopics/i...ce/cellphones/

You two seem to be right, but according to the second link, there is at least one study by the AAA that says cell phones are less dangerous than other distractions. Doesn't mean cell phones shouldn't be banned when you're driving though. My bad

Elvish Legion

IPods have video abilties do they not? A lot of people I know plug there ipods in in the car.