« previous next »
Pages: 1 2 [All]   Go Down

Author Topic: Driving while texting  (Read 6291 times)

0 Members and 2 Guests are viewing this topic.

Offline Newby

  • x86
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10877
  • Thrash!
    • View Profile
Driving while texting
« on: August 30, 2009, 03:26:55 pm »
(The title is appropriate -- when you're texting, it requires most of your attention, the driving happens to be a side thing at that point!)

http://yro.slashdot.org/story/09/08/29/1224250/Utah-Law-Punishes-Texters-As-Much-As-Drunks-In-Driving-Fatalities?art_pos=23

What are your thoughts?

15 years seems excessive as a punishment, but I'm completely fine with people being sent to jail for texting while driving, especially if they get in an accident. It's willingly taking your eyes off the road and endangering everyone else around. At least when you're drunk your judgement is legitimately clouded. (Not that either is OK.)

Perhaps even just a minimal fine for texting while driving? Much like how California now doesn't allow anyone to chat on the phone while driving unless they have a hands-free way of talking.
Logged
- Newby
http://www.x86labs.org

Quote
[17:32:45] * xar sets mode: -oooooooooo algorithm ban chris cipher newby stdio TehUser tnarongi|away vursed warz
[17:32:54] * xar sets mode: +o newby
[17:32:58] <xar> new rule
[17:33:02] <xar> me and newby rule all

Quote from: Rule on June 30, 2008, 01:13:20 pm
Quote from: CrAz3D on June 30, 2008, 10:38:22 am
I'd bet that you're currently bloated like a water ballon on a hot summer's day.

That analogy doesn't even make sense.  Why would a water balloon be especially bloated on a hot summer's day? For your sake, I hope there wasn't too much logic testing on your LSAT. 

Offline Camel

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1703
    • View Profile
    • BNU Bot
Re: Driving while texting
« Reply #1 on: August 30, 2009, 03:50:27 pm »
I never had a problem texting while driving when I had a T9 flip phone. It's impossible with my Samsung Omnia!

People always seem to text me right around 5 O'clock, when I'm driving. I can't even open the app to read the messages, let alone type a response without dying.
Logged

<Camel> i said what what
<Blaze> in the butt
<Camel> you want to do it in my butt?
<Blaze> in my butt
<Camel> let's do it in the butt
<Blaze> Okay!

Offline iago

  • Leader
  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 17914
  • Fnord.
    • View Profile
    • SkullSecurity
Re: Driving while texting
« Reply #2 on: August 30, 2009, 03:59:53 pm »
Quote from: Camel on August 30, 2009, 03:50:27 pm
I never had a problem texting while driving when I had a T9 flip phone. It's impossible with my Samsung Omnia!

People always seem to text me right around 5 O'clock, when I'm driving. I can't even open the app to read the messages, let alone type a response without dying.
I have the same issue. Went I went from an old-fasioned 12-button phone to a full keypad, I suddenly lost the ability to text without looking. Now, I save my texting for red lights. :)
Logged

Offline Lead

  • x86
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 635
  • Shaman of Sexy.
    • View Profile
Re: Driving while texting
« Reply #3 on: August 30, 2009, 04:29:00 pm »
Quote from: iago on August 30, 2009, 03:59:53 pm
Quote from: Camel on August 30, 2009, 03:50:27 pm
I never had a problem texting while driving when I had a T9 flip phone. It's impossible with my Samsung Omnia!

People always seem to text me right around 5 O'clock, when I'm driving. I can't even open the app to read the messages, let alone type a response without dying.
I have the same issue. Went I went from an old-fasioned 12-button phone to a full keypad, I suddenly lost the ability to text without looking. Now, I save my texting for red lights. :)


You guys are crazy. I don't even touch my phone when I'm driving. There are enough maniacs and idiots on the road as it is and I don't need to contribute to the harm of other people :o
Logged


Quote
Son, if you really want something in this life, you have to work for it. Now quiet! They're about to announce the lottery numbers. - Homer Simpson

Offline iago

  • Leader
  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 17914
  • Fnord.
    • View Profile
    • SkullSecurity
Re: Driving while texting
« Reply #4 on: August 30, 2009, 04:31:27 pm »
Quote from: Lead on August 30, 2009, 04:29:00 pm
Quote from: iago on August 30, 2009, 03:59:53 pm
Quote from: Camel on August 30, 2009, 03:50:27 pm
I never had a problem texting while driving when I had a T9 flip phone. It's impossible with my Samsung Omnia!

People always seem to text me right around 5 O'clock, when I'm driving. I can't even open the app to read the messages, let alone type a response without dying.
I have the same issue. Went I went from an old-fasioned 12-button phone to a full keypad, I suddenly lost the ability to text without looking. Now, I save my texting for red lights. :)


You guys are crazy. I don't even touch my phone when I'm driving. There are enough maniacs and idiots on the road as it is and I don't need to contribute to the harm of other people :o
If you have the phone's layout memorized, then typing a text message while driving, at least on my phone, is something that can be done 100% without looking. It's really no different than driving with one hand on the wheel. I don't really see anything unsafe about that. :)
Logged

Offline Towelie

  • pwnstar
  • x86
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4873
    • View Profile
Re: Driving while texting
« Reply #5 on: August 30, 2009, 05:48:20 pm »
Quote from: iago on August 30, 2009, 04:31:27 pm
Quote from: Lead on August 30, 2009, 04:29:00 pm
Quote from: iago on August 30, 2009, 03:59:53 pm
Quote from: Camel on August 30, 2009, 03:50:27 pm
I never had a problem texting while driving when I had a T9 flip phone. It's impossible with my Samsung Omnia!

People always seem to text me right around 5 O'clock, when I'm driving. I can't even open the app to read the messages, let alone type a response without dying.
I have the same issue. Went I went from an old-fasioned 12-button phone to a full keypad, I suddenly lost the ability to text without looking. Now, I save my texting for red lights. :)


You guys are crazy. I don't even touch my phone when I'm driving. There are enough maniacs and idiots on the road as it is and I don't need to contribute to the harm of other people :o
If you have the phone's layout memorized, then typing a text message while driving, at least on my phone, is something that can be done 100% without looking. It's really no different than driving with one hand on the wheel. I don't really see anything unsafe about that. :)

There are two things I see that are wrong with it. I do it myself, but the problems are: you mostly focus on the texting (I really don't focus too much on driving normally though), and you have to look down after every word to check that you spelled it right, or the right one is selected if you use t9.
Logged

Offline iago

  • Leader
  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 17914
  • Fnord.
    • View Profile
    • SkullSecurity
Re: Driving while texting
« Reply #6 on: August 30, 2009, 06:00:28 pm »
Quote from: Towelie on August 30, 2009, 05:48:20 pm
Quote from: iago on August 30, 2009, 04:31:27 pm
Quote from: Lead on August 30, 2009, 04:29:00 pm
Quote from: iago on August 30, 2009, 03:59:53 pm
Quote from: Camel on August 30, 2009, 03:50:27 pm
I never had a problem texting while driving when I had a T9 flip phone. It's impossible with my Samsung Omnia!

People always seem to text me right around 5 O'clock, when I'm driving. I can't even open the app to read the messages, let alone type a response without dying.
I have the same issue. Went I went from an old-fasioned 12-button phone to a full keypad, I suddenly lost the ability to text without looking. Now, I save my texting for red lights. :)


You guys are crazy. I don't even touch my phone when I'm driving. There are enough maniacs and idiots on the road as it is and I don't need to contribute to the harm of other people :o
If you have the phone's layout memorized, then typing a text message while driving, at least on my phone, is something that can be done 100% without looking. It's really no different than driving with one hand on the wheel. I don't really see anything unsafe about that. :)

There are two things I see that are wrong with it. I do it myself, but the problems are: you mostly focus on the texting (I really don't focus too much on driving normally though), and you have to look down after every word to check that you spelled it right, or the right one is selected if you use t9.

My phone had a feature similar to t9, except you didn't pick from a list and it just gave you the most likely one (you could use '+' to get the next most likely). I knew the 2-3 words that I had to hit '+' on ('home'/'good' and a 2-letter word that I forget now), so that never became an issue for me.

I would write whole messages without looking. As long as my phone didn't go BEEP (telling me there was no matching word), I didn't look at it.
Logged

Offline Camel

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1703
    • View Profile
    • BNU Bot
Re: Driving while texting
« Reply #7 on: August 30, 2009, 09:23:42 pm »
Even if you picked the wrong word with T9, the meaning was rarely lost.
Logged

<Camel> i said what what
<Blaze> in the butt
<Camel> you want to do it in my butt?
<Blaze> in my butt
<Camel> let's do it in the butt
<Blaze> Okay!

Offline deadly7

  • 42
  • x86
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6496
    • View Profile
Re: Driving while texting
« Reply #8 on: August 30, 2009, 10:23:46 pm »
Quote from: iago on August 30, 2009, 06:00:28 pm
My phone had a feature similar to t9, except you didn't pick from a list and it just gave you the most likely one (you could use '+' to get the next most likely). I knew the 2-3 words that I had to hit '+' on ('home'/'good' and a 2-letter word that I forget now), so that never became an issue for me.

I would write whole messages without looking. As long as my phone didn't go BEEP (telling me there was no matching word), I didn't look at it.
Would those two-letter words be "he" and "if"?
Logged
[17:42:21.609] <Ergot> Kutsuju you're girlfrieds pussy must be a 403 error for you
 [17:42:25.585] <Ergot> FORBIDDEN

on IRC playing T&T++
<iago> He is unarmed
<Hitmen> he has no arms?!

on AIM with a drunk mythix:
(00:50:05) Mythix: Deadly
(00:50:11) Mythix: I'm going to fuck that red dot out of your head.
(00:50:15) Mythix: with my nine

Offline Towelie

  • pwnstar
  • x86
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4873
    • View Profile
Re: Driving while texting
« Reply #9 on: August 30, 2009, 10:50:53 pm »
Quote from: deadly7 on August 30, 2009, 10:23:46 pm
Quote from: iago on August 30, 2009, 06:00:28 pm
My phone had a feature similar to t9, except you didn't pick from a list and it just gave you the most likely one (you could use '+' to get the next most likely). I knew the 2-3 words that I had to hit '+' on ('home'/'good' and a 2-letter word that I forget now), so that never became an issue for me.

I would write whole messages without looking. As long as my phone didn't go BEEP (telling me there was no matching word), I didn't look at it.
Would those two-letter words be "he" and "if"?
me/of is another
Logged

Offline iago

  • Leader
  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 17914
  • Fnord.
    • View Profile
    • SkullSecurity
Re: Driving while texting
« Reply #10 on: August 30, 2009, 11:04:33 pm »
Quote from: Towelie on August 30, 2009, 10:50:53 pm
Quote from: deadly7 on August 30, 2009, 10:23:46 pm
Quote from: iago on August 30, 2009, 06:00:28 pm
My phone had a feature similar to t9, except you didn't pick from a list and it just gave you the most likely one (you could use '+' to get the next most likely). I knew the 2-3 words that I had to hit '+' on ('home'/'good' and a 2-letter word that I forget now), so that never became an issue for me.

I would write whole messages without looking. As long as my phone didn't go BEEP (telling me there was no matching word), I didn't look at it.
Would those two-letter words be "he" and "if"?
me/of is another
Yep, those are the ones!

he/if, me/of, and good/home. :)
Logged

Offline Falcon

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 241
  • I haven't visited my profile!
    • View Profile
Re: Driving while texting
« Reply #11 on: August 31, 2009, 12:14:43 am »
When I had a regular number pad phone that I had to use T9 on I could type out text messages while driving without problems. I have an Xperia X1 now and I type a lot slower even though it has a full qwerty keyboard =/
Logged

Offline Camel

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1703
    • View Profile
    • BNU Bot
Re: Driving while texting
« Reply #12 on: August 31, 2009, 01:40:48 am »
My phone has a T9-style (touchscreen) keypad. I'm going to try using it regularly.
Logged

<Camel> i said what what
<Blaze> in the butt
<Camel> you want to do it in my butt?
<Blaze> in my butt
<Camel> let's do it in the butt
<Blaze> Okay!

Offline Quik

  • Webmaster Guy
  • x86
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3262
  • \x51 \x75 \x69 \x6B \x5B \x78 \x38 \x36 \x5D
    • View Profile
Re: Driving while texting
« Reply #13 on: August 31, 2009, 04:46:22 am »
I'm completely the opposite. When I had T9, I never got used to it. As soon as I got a full QWERTY keypad, I could type very fast without looking, like I was using a laptop keyboard with my thumbs. Now that I have a touch screen phone, it makes it more difficult. I avoid doing so while driving because it's dangerous, and illegal in California (other places too?).
Logged
Quote
[20:21:13] xar: i was just thinking about the time iago came over here and we made this huge bomb and light up the sky for 6 min
[20:21:15] xar: that was funny

Offline Blaze

  • x86
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7136
  • Canadian
    • View Profile
    • Maide
Re: Driving while texting
« Reply #14 on: August 31, 2009, 05:37:11 am »
I could type with t9 without looking, but I try not to use my phone at all while driving.
Logged
And like a fool I believed myself, and thought I was somebody else...

Offline Lead

  • x86
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 635
  • Shaman of Sexy.
    • View Profile
Re: Driving while texting
« Reply #15 on: August 31, 2009, 06:57:02 am »
Quote from: Quik on August 31, 2009, 04:46:22 am
I'm completely the opposite. When I had T9, I never got used to it. As soon as I got a full QWERTY keypad, I could type very fast without looking, like I was using a laptop keyboard with my thumbs. Now that I have a touch screen phone, it makes it more difficult. I avoid doing so while driving because it's dangerous, and illegal in California (other places too?).

Yeah. They just passed a law to where it is illegal here in Ohio, too.
Logged


Quote
Son, if you really want something in this life, you have to work for it. Now quiet! They're about to announce the lottery numbers. - Homer Simpson

Offline Camel

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1703
    • View Profile
    • BNU Bot
Re: Driving while texting
« Reply #16 on: August 31, 2009, 01:15:01 pm »
In MA, they messed up and wrote the law so it's illegal to hold the phone to your head while driving. Texting is technically legal.
Logged

<Camel> i said what what
<Blaze> in the butt
<Camel> you want to do it in my butt?
<Blaze> in my butt
<Camel> let's do it in the butt
<Blaze> Okay!

Offline Falcon

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 241
  • I haven't visited my profile!
    • View Profile
Re: Driving while texting
« Reply #17 on: August 31, 2009, 05:01:47 pm »
I can't imagine a similar rule coming to Texas any time soon.
Logged

Offline dark_drake

  • Mufasa was 10x the lion Simba was.
  • x86
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2440
  • Dun dun dun
    • View Profile
Re: Driving while texting
« Reply #18 on: September 01, 2009, 05:51:29 pm »
Quote from: Falcon on August 31, 2009, 05:01:47 pm
I can't imagine a similar rule coming to Texas any time soon.
But I mean... think about West Texas. You can take a nap and still not be a threat to anyone else on the road.
Logged
errr... something like that...
Pages: 1 2 [All]   Go Up
« previous next »