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   Motorists get mad over cellphone use

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Topic: Motorists get mad over cellphone use (Read 274 times)

lakelady
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Motorists get mad over cellphone use
« on: Jul 8^th, 2005, 11:26am »

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Motorists get mad over cellphone use
Poll shows American drivers feel less safe now vs. 5 years ago

A recent poll found 31 percent of American drivers said talking on a cell phone while at the wheel is the most annoying behavior exhibited by other drivers

Daniel Hulshizer / AP file

WASHINGTON - Roughly a third of American motorists say cell phone use by fellow drivers is their main annoyance on the road and, ironically, a habit that four out of 10 admit they engage in themselves.

The Drive for Life poll, a survey on drivers attitudes conducted by Mason-Dixon Polling and Research, found about half of American motorists feel less safe on the road than they did five years ago, consider driving to be more aggravating than they did two years ago, and believe they are more likely to get into a crash.

The poll, released Thursday, found 31 percent of American drivers said talking on a cell phone while at the wheel is the most annoying behavior exhibited by other drivers. But 43 percent admitted they have used a cell phone while driving in the last six months.

Among other distractions, 33 percent said they had driven while drowsy, 17 percent said they had read something while driving and 8 percent said they had adjusted a DVD player for passengers while driving. Six percent admitted to sending or reading text messages and consulting a global positioning system while driving.

The poll also found:

Sixty-eight percent said they have driven faster than posted speed limits. About three-quarters consider it acceptable to drive 5 miles over the speed limit.
Seventy-nine percent said they always wear seat belts, and 15 percent said they wear them most of the time.
About one-third have driven through a red light at an intersection or as the traffic light was changing from yellow to red.
About half admit to eating while driving in the past six months.
Asked to compare their driving experience to five years ago, 54 percent said they felt less safe while 52 percent said they felt more likely to get into a collision.

The survey paints a troubling picture of drivers aged 16 to 20. Fewer than half 43 percent said their passengers always buckle up while 64 percent said they talked on a cell phone while driving. Thirty-two percent said they read or send text messages while driving.

Steven Yantis, a professor of psychological and brain sciences at Johns Hopkins University, said the poll highlights the dangers of distracted driving.

If you take away a little bit of that mental capacity at the wrong time, it can have disastrous consequences, Yantis said.

The poll was based on telephone interviews conducted June 8-12 with 1,100 licensed drivers. The margin of error was 3 percentage points.

Drive for Life, a safe driving initiative, is sponsored by Volvo Cars of North America along with the National Association of Police Organizations, the National Sheriffs Association and AAA, with technical support from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

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yesteach
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Re: Motorists get mad over cellphone use
« Reply #1 on: Jul 8^th, 2005, 4:21pm »

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I'm curious - since we have folks here from all over... are we the only country that does this? I know when my friend was visiting from the UK, he said they're not allowed to have anything in their hand while driving - no phone, no drink, no cigarette, no nothing! He can talk on the phone with a handsfree set, which he has integrated into his car's sound system somehow... so he's not actually bothering with head sets and such.

Are US citizens the only ones driving about with phones and Big Macs and Starbucks?

As for the things above, I drive while I'm on my phone, but not in heavy traffic - I live in the "sticks", so I wait til I'm off the interstate and then talk down the back roads. I've also been known to read and send txts while I'm driving... Roll Eyes

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Rupey
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Re: Motorists get mad over cellphone use
« Reply #2 on: Jul 8^th, 2005, 6:19pm »

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In '98, Brazil was passing a law requiring motorists to pull off to the side of the road to when using their cell phones.

Not that it's that much safer, but I use my ear piece when I talk on my cell phone in the car so I can keep both my hands on the steering wheel.

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Isle_be_back
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Re: Motorists get mad over cellphone use
« Reply #3 on: Jul 10^th, 2005, 3:11am »

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I was just talking about this with a friend of mine while I was on the freeway coming home from work. Grin

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luci
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Re: Motorists get mad over cellphone use
« Reply #4 on: Jul 10^th, 2005, 2:50pm »

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I've read that when a teen gets his driver's license from now on, they cannot use a cell phone in the car for 6 months!

Although I agree with this, how in the heck will they know? Stay after teens in cars using cell phones and let the really bad guy get away?

Personally, I feel no one should be on the cell phone and driving at the same time. There is no way the human brain can devote 100% attention to two things at the same time.
Is not possible!
I hate it when someone comes close to running me over and they're on the cell phone. Very very dangerous!

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Pocket
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Re: Motorists get mad over cellphone use
« Reply #5 on: Jul 10^th, 2005, 5:58pm »

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on Jul 8^th, 2005, 4:21pm, yesteach wrote:

I've also been known to read and send txts while I'm driving... Roll Eyes

YIKES! yesteach.......I sure hope you're kidding!

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lakelady
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Re: Motorists get mad over cellphone use
« Reply #6 on: Jul 10^th, 2005, 7:36pm »

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This is a huge peeve of mine. I just got a cell phone about a year ago ONLY for when the power goes out or I hit a deer on the road. DO NOT talk on the phone when you are driving unless it is an emergency. What is so hard to understand about that?

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luci
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Re: Motorists get mad over cellphone use
« Reply #7 on: Jul 10^th, 2005, 10:26pm »

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Mine was also purchased for emergencies. I do use it occasionally, but never stay on it while driving.
It's great to call my hunk to ask if he wants me to bring anything, as he does the same with me on his cell.

If either of us is running late, we call and let
each other know what is going on.

He bought the first one for me in 1996, when he was
to be working in D.C. for a month, so I would be, plus
feeling safer when out on the roads and him not here.

Oh, I was a lot safer as I spent two weeks in D.C. with him! Grin

Modified to say; I have the head set and sometimes use it if I need to call my daughter and don't have time.
Now that I'm retired I have plenty of time to talk while home!

« Last Edit: Jul 10^th, 2005, 10:28pm by luci »

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yesteach
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Re: Motorists get mad over cellphone use
« Reply #8 on: Jul 10^th, 2005, 10:50pm »

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on Jul 10^th, 2005, 5:58pm, Pocket wrote:

YIKES! yesteach.......I sure hope you're kidding!

Nope, not kidding... I send so many, I know where the buttons are... don't have to look at it.. just have it in one hand, drive with the other... I don't do it often, but I have been known to send a short reply if I get a txt... Sad

We're addicted to texting... my txt count is around 150 a month, including mobile emails - DD's is about 1000 (if she goes over 1000, she has to pay the difference... and yes, she's gone over. The most was about 1600 one month. )

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luci
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Re: Motorists get mad over cellphone use
« Reply #9 on: Jul 10^th, 2005, 11:15pm »

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I have no clue about texting. My Granddaughter
moves so fast on it, mke my Roll Eyes

spin!

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