Speed limits, texting, and a poll.

[mountainman]

I find it a unbelievable that anyone would try to type a message on a 2 inch keyboard at anytime when they are holding a telephone in their hand, much less while driving. Have never texted and don't intend to while there is an alternative.

[Jamesp]

I wonder how safety statistics on the autobahn stack up against freeways with speed limits?

[BIGJake111]

Originally Posted by Jamesp

I wonder how safety statistics on the autobahn stack up against freeways with speed limits?

Alot less multi car accidents and less of a death rate, I would contribute some of this to the smaller vehicles rather than speed and maybe even build quality, but while people drive 150 and wreck, pileups and such are much less common.

[Joe B]

Originally Posted by particlewave

Hmmmm....on second thought, those types already drive that way and at those speeds

Bingo! When the speed limit on I-15 in central and southern Utah went from 75 to 80, no one seemed to drive much differently. They are considering raising it to 85. Oregon has a 65 MPH speed limit statewide and lots of people (including me) go 70-75 (and sometimes get tickets). I've heard that in Europe driver's licenses are much more expensive and require a lot more training.

Anyone who texts and drives is an idiot and should lose their driver's license !

[Timco]

Originally Posted by Joe B

Bingo! When the speed limit on I-15 in central and southern Utah went from 75 to 80, no one seemed to drive much differently. They are considering raising it to 85. Oregon has a 65 MPH speed limit statewide and lots of people (including me) go 70-75 (and sometimes get tickets). I've heard that in Europe driver's licenses are much more expensive and require a lot more training.

Anyone who texts and drives is an idiot and should lose their driver's license !

It is 85 from Tooele to Wendover.

[jsceash]

Texting in a car is dangerous even if stopped for a light. I've seen two car rear end the car in front while the driver was texting and not paying attention. I've also seen countless other still sitting in a lane that the light was green. Put your phone in your pocket or purse. There is no call that is so important that it should cost someone's life.

[jsceash]

2012 Cell Phone and Driving Statistics

• In 2012, 3,328 people were killed in distraction-related crashes.
• About 421,000 people were injured in crashes involving a distracted driver.
• In 2012, 11% of drivers under age 20 involved in fatal accidents were reported to be distracted at the time of the crash.

[danch]

Yeah we have to sit a 50 question theory test, then a 14 section hazard perception test followed then by an actual driving test.

Then if you have a manual licence you can drive auto or manual but if you have an auto licence then you are stuck with auto's only.

[Coaster]

I use a blue tooth to make calls and voice text during my 30 min each way commute. I'm on a toll road doing 80+ for 30 mins, I can use cruise most of the time. Hardly any turns and mostly light but getting worse every year traffic. When I first started using the toll road the limit was 70 and you could drive with your eyes close and just stay between the dummy dots. Each year more and more people are willing to pay to stay off the parking lot aka I35. Recently they raised the limit to 75 and then to 80 to attract more people. That was ok even if it increased traffic because just about everyone was doing the same speed. The worst change was when they lowered the toll for semi- trucks. They "only" do 60 or 65. I don't know if it's for fuel economy or related to amount of time they can drive but they cause the worst traffic. If you get one doing 62 passing one doing 60, traffic backs up and takes miles to unwind and cause extreme frustration for several drivers. I don't think "mixed" speed limits would work well with a moderate amount of regular traffic. Maybe on the open roads in West Texas it could work but I can't see it working on I35 at anytime between San Antonio to the North Texas border.

[Perfectlap]

I ignore all texts and phone calls while I am driving. People who know me call twice to let me know if something is important. If I don't pick up they know it's either because I'm busy with work or driving/biking.

MOST annoying is when people will text me knowing full well that I am driving at that time with questions like "are you on the way?". "where are you?" "how much longer". These people are terrible drivers usually.

on a side note, texting is really not a communication tool for friends and family. People are allowing low tech methods to interfere with interpersonal connections. MAKE the time to speak with people that matter no matter how trivial the discussion.
Also, these days people have 'friends' that they've not had an actual conversation with in over a year, yet they continue to text and Facebook stalk each other. These are not really friends....

p.s.
As a daily cyclist, I want to murder people who text and drive. As well as people who drive right past stop signs, over cross walks and only bother to stop to see if its safe for them to merge.
I especially dislike drivers who talk on the phone while blowing past the stop sign and cross walk. This was rampant on my last visit to Orlando.

[BFeller]

Autobahn speed limits and higher speeds in general are not possible with the current structure of the US. My basis for that statement is from my five years experience driving the autobahn in the late 80's to my current experiences on the Interstate system.
Drivers in the US Can get an oral test if they can't read. At that time in Germany - the student paid for his own drivers ed training. Cars in Germany were better maintained. An autobahn breakdown could result in a ticket. Here a car gets a 15 or 21 point safety inspection - they have a much stricter inspection. I saw a few art cars in Germany - not stuff held together with bailing wire. Drive right, pass left was more than just phrase on the Autobahn. Here, it's "I paid for the road, I darn well will drive in whatever lane I want."
As for graduated speed limits based on ability - any trooper ought to be able to tell you the dangers of speed differential in traffic situations. Traffic going 55 does not mix well with traffic going 90. See the drive right pass left statement and think about it. You go from cruising the left lane to having cars treated like moving autocross cones as they are dodged.

[Davev]

I drive regularly thru Utah on I-15 and most of it is now 80 mph, and really no difference in the driving habits since it went up. Just less worry about cops hiding behind trees.

85-90 is a good cruising speed for me. I find myself going slower as things simplify in life.

[Deserion]

Then again if people looked in their mirrors first before changing lanes... I lost count of how many times I almost get clocked by someone who thinks it's a wise move to pull in front of me as I'm about to go past them, and then they get angry at me about it. Ugh.

[thstone]

I never text or call when I'm driving. If I get a call that I have to take, I pull to the side of the road and stop, then take the call.

Texting while driving is inexcusable.

[nieuwhzn]

Cell phone is in pocket and stays in pocket while driving.
I don't want a hands free because it is almost equally distracting.
I'm in charge of a lethal blunt object of a few thousand pounds and so are the people around me.
Eyes on the road and hands and feet at the controls, that's it, just leave me alone!

[particlewave]

Originally Posted by nieuwhzn

Cell phone is in pocket and stays in pocket while driving.
I don't want a hands free because it is almost equally distracting.
I'm in charge of a lethal blunt object of a few thousand pounds and so are the people around me.
Eyes on the road and hands and feet at the controls, that's it, just leave me alone!

+1000

If only everyone thought this way...

[Coaster]

I agree texting and driving is a terrible (potentially deadly) combination; however, I'm ok with using the phone in hand free mode while driving. I can have a conversation with some one via blue tooth just as easy as if they were in the car. I think CA requires phone calls to be of the hands free type also. I do believe maturity has some impact on this and so does the state of Texas, kids under the age of 18 can't use a phone while driving (not even hands free).

[BIGJake111]

Originally Posted by Coaster

I agree texting and driving is a terrible (potentially deadly) combination; however, I'm ok with using the phone in hand free mode while driving. I can have a conversation with some one via blue tooth just as easy as if they were in the car. I think CA requires phone calls to be of the hands free type also. I do believe maturity has some impact on this and so does the state of Texas, kids under the age of 18 can't use a phone while driving (not even hands free).

That is actually a great idea, no texting laws are not very efficient, alot of people text in their lap then, so now not only are they distracted, but not even their peripheral is on the road.

[Porsche Chick]

My Boxster came with built-in Bluetooth, and I'll use that once in a while.

But I also have an auto text that I programmed into my phone. I hit a couple of letters and it spells out "I am driving and will respond to your text later". Then I text when I am parked at my destination. Takes the pressure off.

[jb92563]

Originally Posted by Porsche Chick

My Boxster came with built-in Bluetooth, and I'll use that once in a while.

But I also have an auto text that I programmed into my phone. I hit a couple of letters and it spells out "I am driving and will respond to your text later". Then I text when I am parked at my destination. Takes the pressure off.

I don't understand the urgency with cell phones. Phones are designed to queue things so you can get to them later. Answering machine for voice, texts queue, emails etc.

That's how I use mine. I only occasionally answer phone calls directly and leave them to the answering machine and texts for later retrieval at my leisure. Seems to be making me more of a commodity since I am not available to everyone, all the time, when ever THEY want.

If the world loses contact with people for an hour or 3 it will not come to a grinding halt, unless your in active duty combat.

As a matter of fact if most of us mysteriously disappear forever it would merely be an uncomfortable feeling for the rest, which would soon pass.

Based on some stats others posted, calling someone in their car could be a good way to kill them without ever being investigated for homocide. Time to start calling the EX more often.

Rant complete, thanks for reading and planning your counter argument!