[Ravveendrra]

Originally Posted by muralisk

I did learn to drive in the US and I took three classes. Those three classes gave me a great deal of information on road manners, how to respect the other road users, and the importance of various road signs.

On the final day, he taught me two very important tips - one, never look down even if you spill hot coffee and two, never forget the first tip.

Yes, looking down into the cabin is a recipe for disaster. Looking down to spy that elusive pen / change / damage done by coffee or even to adjust the ICE can kill. 2 things contribute to the danger, the distraction to the mind and, focussing the eyes from outside to inside and back again takes longer than most people realise or admit.

Cheers,

[PaglaGoru]

Came across this PSA made to discourage the latest trend in mobile fone (ab)use while driving in US. I have personally seen people showing their typing skills on blackberrys while driving as well as handling multiple calls on the handset as well.

This video is graphic and request mods to delete it if they think this is not suitable.

YouTube - COW taster 001

One of the source links.

[vinaydas]

texting IMO is far worse then speaking on a phone while driving.
you spend more attention to the phone than driving.

[Ardy]

Saw "Seven Pounds" starring Will Smith yesterday. No better way to show what could be the result of texting while driving than this movie.

[shankar.balan]

yes it is terribly dangerous. One's mind tends to be more interested in and concentrate on the sms texting activity rather than the driving activity.

for some reason the message always seems to take higher priority than driving - possibly because we innately tend to assume in an arrogant manner, that the car is pretty much on auto-pilot and we can surely drive and text at the same time without any adverse effect.

On the contrary the most highly avoidable accidents take place while trying to drive and text simultaneously. And we have an even worse phenomenon on our roads, two wheeler riders trying to ride and text at the same time. Even bicyclists sometimes I ve observed!

fail-safe recipe for abject disaster!

[amitoj]

It is as dangerous as driving blindfolded. Simple.

[NevGin]

Texting & driving at the same time is knocking on the doors of death. I was on the sea-link about 10 days back when I see someone in the left lane going very slow and then suddenly as I was about to pass from the right, they saddled the centre line and almost took off my car's left side. The person apologized with a wave of their hand. You guessed it right: The hand had had a phone in it

[sanstorm]

Remind me of two news items read when I was working in UK -

1) A lady driver was jailed for causing accident on motorway ( reason was texting)
2) A man was jailed for causing accident and killing few with his van (reason was MASTERBATING)

Agree that there are maniacs everywhere!! After so much of driving awareness, stricter licenses regime and law enforcement, if this can happen in western world, I can only pray each time I take car on road

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by PaglaGoru

Came across this PSA made to discourage the latest trend in mobile fone (ab)use while driving in US. I have personally seen people showing their typing skills on blackberrys while driving as well as handling multiple calls on the handset as well.

This video is graphic and request mods to delete it if they think this is not suitable.... ... ...

Despite the accents of the girls, this is made in UK. In fact, I believe it was made to be shown in schools, so I'm sure BHPers are grown up enough to take the content.

Something else to be considered, watching this video, is the emergency services. This girl, in real life, would be facing all sorts of charges, probably including causing death by dangerous driving. The fictional youngster is looking at time in prison --- but at least she has a chance of her body functioning below the neck.

Here in India?

By the way... anyone see the texting-while-driving cartoon, on Gizmodo, I think... Death replying 'LOL'... I downloaded it, but hesitate to copy it to any other site for copyright reasons. If I find it again, I'll post the link.

[clevermax]

It is probably 10 times more dangerous than talking over cellphone with no hands free. But I have to confess that I had done it. It was on a deserted country road at night though. (Kundara - Bharanikkavu road, south Kerala - A breeze to drive anytime of the day)

[Thad E Ginathom]

It was dark... how can you be sure it was deserted!

Nothing personal, clevermax, but when people justify things like this, one often hears things like this, or, the road was clear, or, there was no other traffic. These are all things that can be true one second and very untrue the next.

I found that cartoon. It's worth a look. --> Texting While Driving - Cartoon About Texting

[Ravveendrra]

Originally Posted by PaglaGoru

Came across this PSA made to discourage the latest trend in mobile fone (ab)use while driving in US. I have personally seen people showing their typing skills on blackberrys while driving as well as handling multiple calls on the handset as well.

This video is graphic and request mods to delete it if they think this is not suitable.

.

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

........ the road was clear, or, there was no other traffic. These are all things that can be true one second and very untrue the next.

I found that cartoon. It's worth a look. -->

Great Vid and cartoon, thanks Goru and Thad. I am afraid to look down even to adjust the volume so am aghast that people can even contemplate texting.

Cheers,

[Thad E Ginathom]

I am afraid to look down even to adjust the volume

And even before mobile phones became as they are today, music systems caused plenty of accidents.

Isn't it crazy that the designs get more flashy and the controls more complex?

[rageshgr]

Originally Posted by Spitfire

They did a research to know that texting while driving is dangerous???

They could have given me the money instead, i could have told them how dangerous it is.

Ya! Absolutely right! You said it! One could rather drive blindfolded than text!

You take your eyes of the road. look down. Look closely at the mobile phone. The focus of your lens changes to see a small close object as opposed large far objects on the road. If it is night, then the bright cell phone screen makes ur pupil shrink to adjust to the screen. Not to mention 1 or even 2 hands dedicated in this act. Then, when you suddenly realise you have to go back to "oh what was I doing? Ya driving" , you cant focus quick enough, you have bring your arms together and you have lost valuable second my friend! Not worth it! Not worth the risk

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

And even before mobile phones became as they are today, music systems caused plenty of accidents.
Isn't it crazy that the designs get more flashy and the controls more complex?

Ya fiddling with music can be dangerous. What I do is don't look, just feel the controls /buttons with my fingers and adjust them for most basic functions.

[simply_sunny001]

Dangerous is a very small word for "texting while driving.

And like Thad mentioned, even adjusting HU volume etc can be dangerous.

Once this Indica guy coming from opposite direction almost crashed into me while coming to Delhi from Rohtak on a single Lane highway.

As i remember the incident very well, this Black Indica and it was new and it kept coming in my direction and this guys almost crashed into me and suddenly i had to swerve dangerously to my left to save my a**.

And you wont believe this guy was adjusting volume on HU and even the guy sitting next to driver was looking at HU. it all happened in a couple of seconds and then i thought if i werent 100% attentive, i would have been a goner due to some silly driver.

this incident left me totally shaken, came out of the car & took a 5 mins break and was finding it hard to believe what just happened?