Texting and Driving

Funny this thread was put up today.

I drive from Balt to DC for work so I get about 2 hours a day of 95 to 495 action.

Today I am in the far right lane of 4 on 95 S just passed the ICC connector which is still under construction. A car is in the 2nd to right lane, I am passing her on her right and there is a jersey wall right there on my right.

She decides to swerve over about 3 inches across the line into my lane. She was texting on her phone. I have my window down (b/c my A/C is broke! ohh yeah!) and I gave her a proper bird b/c my horn is broke.

The bumper stick "horn is broke, watch for finger" literally applies to me.

I do not give the bird often and reserve such use for the proper times.

My Android phone has a cool feature that allows you to speak your text messages. Now this is good for a short message, I wouldn't recommend doing it for a long text. While I don't text a lot, this nifty little feature has helped me avoid having to text and drive.

Well one more quick story. This was a day or so after the no talking/texting while driving law was passed.

Driving home from work kinda early around 3 pm. Little traffic, cruising up 95 N doing the speed limit at 65.

I see a black honda going about 50 in one of the middle lanes. Its looks like one of my buddies cars. I slow down and pull up next to him and its him, a big fat guy glasses beard talking on the phone. So I proceed to give him a huge middle finger right next to him then sped up still giving him the middle finger.

I get no reaction from him so I slow back down to 50 mph like he was going. He slows down even more so that we wouldnt be side by side like I was trying to do. After a few seconds I just start going the speed limit again.

Mile down the road he passes me on the right taking an exit lane and gives me the bird.

So, ironically, I text him something like "hey man no talking n driving ya big dummy". he texts back "what are you talking about?", I txt back "I just passed you on 95 and gave you the bird", he texted "dude, im sitting on my couch right now I didnt have work today". I didnt flick off and try to pull up next to my buddy but some big stranger dude.

DOH! Good thing that dude wasnt in a pissy mood b/c he was a big boy and would have had every right to knock my teeth out.

PS - my eye sight is incredibly bad since my left eye got injured and I dont have glasses. Whenever a game is on, no matter how big the TV or how close im sitting I cant read the score and have to ask my lady about 10 times an hour. Oruioles games? I cant see that dang ball once its hit at all.

I will text/check e-mail/etc at a stoplights occasionally. When it changes I set the phone down. Put the phone up so I can look at the light or car in front of me while texting. I used to think texting and driving was the dumbest thing you could do, then I saw this (http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-shaving-driving,0,1367286.story)


A few years ago I got into a fender-bender doing just that. I saw the light go green, the cars on either side of me move but the car in front of me didn't. No one is immune to these sort of mistakes.

I'm setting up an office in my car so I don't waist time while driving. I'm having a computer, fax, scanner, copier, and a phone installed in my car with driver side access. The best way to explain the set up is for you to think of a drum set and the drums set up around the drummer. I actual came up with the idea while playing my drums. It will be so cool to check and send emails while driving down the interstate or issuing a homeowners policy while merging into trafic. I can make money while driving kind of like my own 'cash cab'. Nothing like writing car insurance while driving 65mph. It should give me a better feel for the coverages my customers needs. I'm also having a coffee machine added and because of the coffe machine I'm thinking a toilet might be a good idea. Then if another drive pisses me off I can just get in front of them and flush. Its in the design stage now but soon I shale be faxing and craping all around a town near you.

looks like someone already beat you to it FD, Excel not included of course

http://www.ronmartin.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/7-a-office-in-car.jpg

I am guilty of it sometimes, but i never have a full conversation, and if i have to send out a message, it is only when i am on the road alone on a wide open stretch, never in traffic...plus my new phone doesnt have T9 Word, so i have to type everything on the pull-out keyboard.....

Ill text at stop lights and stop signs and VERY seldom one word replys while moving, but i do mess around with gps, music selections and other driving apps on my phone while driving, all of which make me pretty hypocritical in starting this thread….

Its like speed when driving, going 10 over isn’t all that bad but going 30 over and it’s a little dangerous for others on the road. Or road rage, slamming on the horn isn’t bad but tailgating is. True with alcohol as well, .08 is a heck of a lot safer then .20.

Here’s something pretty sobering:

News Headlines (http://www.cnbc.com/id/31545004/Texting_And_Driving_Worse_Than_Drinking_and_Drivin g)

I've checked a text while driving, but I've never typed one out. As far as the phone I have the Ford Sync system which works great for talking hands free in the car.

10 die in Memorial Day weekend crashes in Virginia - The Washington Post (http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/10-die-in-memorial-day-weekend-crashes-in-virginia/2011/06/01/AG4Z7rGH_story.html)