Since all our country's other problems are solved, the Obama administration may push for an outright ban (http://thehill.com/blogs/hillicon-valley/technology/123637-lahood-proposes-outright-cell-ban-in-cars) on cell phone use while driving, hands-free or not. Cell phones can obviously be a distraction, Transportation Secretary LaHood said hands-free devices are a "cognitive distraction."

If we're going to ban that distraction in cars, here are a few more to ban along with it:

Police radios
Police cameras
Stereos of any sort
DVD players
On Star systems
GPS
CB radios
Children
Other passengers
Billboards
Traffic signs and signals
Traffic
Pedestrians

What else? Oh, and I hear but haven't confirmed that traffic accidents and fatalities are declining.

Banning the phones entirely in cars is a little excessive. I have read many police reports that detail the cause of accident as being inattention caused by texting or hands-to-the-ear cell use.

Just don't take away my morning mug of coffee .

just don't take away my morning mug of coffee .
Just don't position it between your thighs when you're removing the lid to put in cream.

Hello Steve:

In a few short years, we ain't going to be driving anyway. Our cars will do it by themselves. Then we can call, watch TV or diddle around. But, until then, maybe we SHOULD be paying attention...

What? You're FOR more carnage on the roads??

excon

Oh, and I hear but haven't confirmed that traffic accidents and fatalities are declining.

True enough, thanks to a host of government incentives:

- Raising of the minimum age for unrestricted drivers licenses
- Crack downs on drunk driving
- Federally-mandated safety features in cars, such as air bags, ABS brakes and antiskid technology
- Higher standards for impact protection
- General improvements in highway infrastructure, such as median barriers on highways and uniform standards for highway design

Just don't position it between your thighs when you're removing the lid to put in cream.

Ouch, lol.

If you grind your beans at home and pour the freshly brewed cup of awesomeness - with cream - in a Nissan thermal mug (http://www.thermos.com/product_details.aspx?ProdID=508&CatCode=MUGS) you're good to go.

Banning the phones entirely in cars is a little excessive. I have read many police reports that detail the cause of accident as being inattention caused by texting or hands-to-the-ear cell use.

Which reminds me, instrument panels have to go. You can't be distracted by things like watching a speedometer.

In a few short years, we ain't going to be driving anyway. Our cars will do it by themselves. Then we can call, watch TV or diddle around.

I'm not giving up that much control to a machine.


But, until then, maybe we SHOULD be paying attention...

What? You're FOR more carnage on the roads??

Hey, I can scream "put the phone down and drive" as good as the next guy, but if cops and truck drivers have been driving for all these decades with their radios, everyone else can learn how to drive and talk at the same time. Aren't you tired of morons and regulations ruining things for the rest of us?

everyone else can learn how to drive and talk at the same time. Aren't you tired of morons and regulations ruining things for the rest of us?Hello again, Steve:

So, instead of an outright ban, we could settle on more driver training...

excon

everyone else can learn how to drive and talk at the same time.
Not 18 y/o girls who text and turn in front of me and my new car.

There are some restrictions that are reasonable and drivers should be fined for all acts of negligent driving no matter what the cause. Answering a cell is a distraction, holding one in your hand while driving impairs driving skills, reading an SMS does too, so does loading a CD into a player or selecting a radio channel, and having an argument with a passenger, but who remembers to turn off a cell when entering a car, loading the CD before starting the journey or selecting the radio channel. Hands free talking on a cell isn't a problem but texting is but you can't legislate common sense. Where I come from using a cell while driving is illegal, doesn't stop people doing it.I agree a car full of noisy kids is also a distraction but what are you going to do short of throttling them

Which reminds me, instrument panels have to go. You can't be distracted by things like watching a speedometer.Do you know what texting is? It doesn't compare to the 2 second glance at the speedometer.

I agree a car full of noisy kids is also a distraction but what are you going to do short of throttling them
You do what I used to do -- stop the car on the side of the road and refuse to go any further until everyone promises to behave. Otherwise, turn around and go home.

Hands free talking on a cell isn't a problem
Oh, yes, it is! Studies are finding that talking on a phone even hands-free commands more of your brain than talking with a real person in the car with you. It's a more complex cognitive activity.

I'm not giving up that much control to a machine.Hello again, Steve:

Like you'll never stop tuning up your car?? Things change, Steve. When the only way for you to get from here to there IS to let your care take you there, you'll do it. And, it's happening FASTER than you think.

excon

You do what I used to do -- stop the car on the side of the road and refuse to go any further until everyone promises to behave. Otherwise, turn around and go home.

A bit ridiculous two hours out from home, no the solution is to have quality breaks and activities and frequent seat changes and avoid having more than two in a car.

Car Accident Cell Phone Statistics & Driver Text Message Facts
... that texting is their number one driver distraction. Cell Phones, Text Messaging, and Car Accident... United States send text messages while...
www.edgarsnyder.com/car-accident/cell-​phone/statistics.html - Cached


I thought this was quite interesting.

A bit rediculous two hours out from home, no the solution is to have quality breaks and activities and frequent seat changes and avoid having more than two in a car.
Well, obviously two hours from home would change the method of discipline! But what if you have four children? Leave two at home?

Well, obviously two hours from home would change the method of discipline! But what if you have four children? Leave two at home?

Why do you think god invented roof racks ? ;)

Why do you think god invented roof racks ? ;)
Never thought of that! Our neighbors will be so relieved!

I'll tell them not to smile on the next trip so they don't get bugs caught in their teeth.

Well, obviously two hours from home would change the method of discipline! But what if you have four children? Leave two at home?

Definitely the recommended method

Not 18 y/o girls who text and turn in front of me and my new car.

I said learn how to talk and drive at the same time, not text.

Do you know what texting is? It doesn't compare to the 2 second glance at the speedometer.

First of all I'm not an idiot, I text as well as the next guy. Secondly, are you and Wondergirl too distracted to pay attention on the internet? I clearly said "learn how to drive and talk at the same time (https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/current-events/just-ban-everything-518511.html#post2574882)." Talk on the phone, talk to your passenger, talk to your kids, talk to the radio or the driver that cut you off while texting. Talking is not texting.

Hello again, Steve:

So, instead of an outright ban, we could settle on more driver training...

Not a bad idea. Here in my own state, or at least in my area, DPS quit giving actual road tests to get your license. I think they've resumed that again but there's a whole generation of drivers here that didn't have to sit down with a Trooper and prove they could drive safely.

Hello again, Steve:

Like you'll never stop tuning up your car???? Things change, Steve. When the only way for you to get from here to there IS to let your care take you there, you'll do it. And, it's happening FASTER than you think

Not if I can help it. That's why I keep voting AGAINST the nanny state Dems.

First of all I'm not an idiot, I text as well as the next guy. Secondly, are you and Wondergirl too distracted to pay attention on the internet? I clearly said "learn how to drive and talk at the same time (https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/current-events/just-ban-everything-518511.html#post2574882)." Talk on the phone, talk to your passenger, talk to your kids, talk to the radio or the driver that cut you off while texting. Talking is not texting.

You didn't say any of that in the post that I was responding to: https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/2574839-post8.html:

Which reminds me, instrument panels have to go. You can't be distracted by things like watching a speedometer.I wasn't responding to anything else but that but so I'm confused by your post.

I said learn how to talk and drive at the same time, not text.
It has been proven that talking with a vehicle passenger uses different cognitive processes from that of talking on a cell phone, even a hands-off one. Phone users block off everything but the voice coming out of that little contraption; their brains go into a different thinking/comprehension mode.

(If you Google "cell phone use car cognitive" -- without quote marks -- or some other similar keywords, you will bring up the sites of many university and traffic safety studies.)

I hate driving and I drive a minimum of 52 miles a day to and from work. When they come out with self driving cars I will be the first inline for one. I really don't have a problem with people talking on the phone when they are driving. I do have a problem with people doing 80mph on I-95 reading a newspaper or putting on their make up.

I wasn't responding to anything else but that but so I'm confused by your post.

Just don't begin your comments with things like, "Do you know what texting is?" I wasn't born last night.

I do have a problem with people doing 80mph on I-95 reading a newspaper or putting on their make up.

I hear you brother.

While I was in South Carolina last summer, visiting a buddy at Clemson, I see this guy, looked to be in his 50s, on the highway riding a motorcycle, and being a rider myself I go to check out his bike and it's a GoldWing from the Reagan administration. Has his helmet on, but that's where it ends. The rest of him is in a wife-beater, sandals, shorts, and he's eating a sub on his lap.

Since then, I looked up motorcycle fatal rates and most of them occur in the south. North Carolina especially.

So speechless has a point, if we're banning cellphones, let's go the whole nine yards because there are clowns on the road who weren't on a cellphone but are just as distracted.

Or we can just drive defensively.

All I know is if people are incapable of talking while driving safely, they shouldn't be on the road anyway.