My Cell Phone, My Savior

[Satzaroo]

Thankfully for me, it is still legal in my state for drivers to use a hand-held cell phone. I was talking to my wife on my cell phone while I was waiting at a busy four-lane intersection for the light to change  I was the first car lined up in the right-hand lane. To my left was a mammoth SUV that blocked my view of any traffic crossing in front of me. Trying to hear my wife through a bad connection, I forgot to accelerate when the light turned green. Just at that moment, a car sped across the intersection. The SUV driver, whose vision was unimpeded, stayed put. Perhaps I would have proceeded through the green light without bothering to check for a car recklessly going through a red light and heading straight at me. Luckily, I was so intently engaged on the cell phone with my wife that I avoided getting sideswiped. But I can't always rely on a fluke to save me. I will have to be more focused, more vigilant, if I am to combat highway terrorists.

[oyasumi]

Calling that guy a terrorist is a little harsh. It's not like he intended to hurt or scare anybody, like, say, a cop would. He just is completely indifferent to the the world around him, and any dangers he could impose. I'd say highway solipsist would be more accurate.

[DavidW]

It's not like he intended to hurt or scare anybody, like, say, a cop would.

  Did you have some bad run ins with cops before?

[The new erato]

So being an irresponsible moron in traffic basically saved your ass? Your post amounts to saying that dying from something else than lung cancer basically proves smoking to be a smart move.

[oyasumi]

  Did you have some bad run ins with cops before?

No, but from what I've seen they're generally the only motorists who actively try to intimidate other motorists.

[DavidW]

Everywhere I've lived lots of tailgaters.  One guy tried to keep fake ram me to try to get me to pick up speed once.  It didn't work.  And why didn't he just pick another lane? it was a six lane freeway!

Anyway Satzaroo it is funny when an innocuous blunder saves your life.  It is pretty crazy.

[Satzaroo]

So being an irresponsible moron in traffic basically saved your ass? Your post amounts to saying that dying from something else than lung cancer basically proves smoking to be a smart move.

While driving, is using a cellphone any worse than being immersed in a cd, talking and listening to passengers, gawking at risque billboards, taking inventory of your life, or getting a blowjob? You can never eliminate distractions, technological or human. But I'll make a deal with you. I'll give up my cellphone if you exchange  scurrility for civility. 

[Gurn Blanston]

While driving, is using a cellphone any worse than being immersed in a cd, talking and listening to passengers, gawking at risque billboards, taking inventory of your life, or getting a blowjob? You can never eliminate distractions, technological or human. But I'll make a deal with you. I'll give up my cellphone if you exchange  scurrility for civility.

No. you're right, getting a blowjob is the best, no matter the circumstances. As for the others, I think that lack of focus on driving is the #1 cause of wrecks. In fact I know it is. However, some distractions are significantly more... distracting, shall we say, than others are. Given that it is a proven fact that you are 4 times more likely to wreck out whilst phoning, I submit to you that Beethoven is probably (always) preferable to talking on the phone. At home or away.

Thing is, if you kill me out on the highway, I'm really gonna be pissed.

[Scarpia]

While driving, is using a cellphone any worse than being immersed in a cd, talking and listening to passengers, gawking at risque billboards, taking inventory of your life, or getting a blowjob? You can never eliminate distractions, technological or human. But I'll make a deal with you. I'll give up my cellphone if you exchange  scurrility for civility.

From what I've read driving while talking on a cell phone is as bad as being drunk.  I can confirm, whenever you see a car wandering all over the road, usual doing 20 miles per hour below the speed limit, the idiot at the wheel has a cell phone plastered to his or her head.

[The new erato]

While driving, is using a cellphone any worse than being immersed in a cd, talking and listening to passengers, gawking at risque billboards, taking inventory of your life, or getting a blowjob? You can never eliminate distractions, technological or human. But I'll make a deal with you. I'll give up my cellphone if you exchange  scurrility for civility.

None of these activities constitutes responsible driving, and nothing to draw attention to in a post on a public board IMO. And you admit in your original post to being totally immersed in your conversation, paying no attention to traffic around you. What's worst I don't know, but I cannot for the life of me understand the point of you drawing attention to it in a positive way. I neither use cellphones, changes CDs or get blowjobs while driving. If my being uncivil manages to get that point across to someone, my work is done.....

PS Mosty of us does stupid tings from time to time - but making a positive point of it on a board while in truth the thing were best forgotten? As I said, I cannot understand you blatantly flogging your irresponsibility.

[Satzaroo]

PS Mosty of us does stupid tings from time to time - but making a positive point of it on a board while in truth the thing were best forgotten? As I said, I cannot understand you blatantly flogging your irresponsibility.
[/quote]

While driving, you don't intently listen to classical music in your car? You don't have a conversation with passengers, whether in the front or back seat?  You don't glance at flashy billboards? And you don't think about anything else except driving?

[Scarpia]

While driving, you don't intently listen to classical music in your car? You don't have a conversation with passengers, whether in the front or back seat?  You don't glance at flashy billboards? And you don't think about anything else except driving?

For whatever reason, cell phones tend to monopolize people's attention much more than taking to someone who is present, according to some studies I recall reading, and in my experience.

[The new erato]

For whatever reason, cell phones tend to monopolize people's attention much more than taking to someone who is present, according to some studies I recall reading, and in my experience.

Yep. That's why it is forbidden in a lot of countries while talking to a passenger is allowed.

While driving, you don't intently listen to classical music in your car? You don't have a conversation with passengers, whether in the front or back seat?  You don't glance at flashy billboards? And you don't think about anything else except driving?

Not to the extent that I don't pay attention to traffic lights and forget to notice when they switch:

Trying to hear my wife through a bad connection, I forgot to accelerate when the light turned green.

[Brahmsian]

Talking on a cell phone is probably not much more than a distraction than having a conversation with someone in the car, among other things.

Hands free device is best though.

While talking on a cell phone may not be all that dangerous, texting while driving is certainly VERY dangerous!

They have put a ban on cell phone usage while driving here in our province, yet we have not seen a decrease in cell phone usage.

[DavidRoss]

Thankfully for me, it is still legal in my state for drivers to use a hand-held cell phone. I was talking to my wife on my cell phone while I was waiting at a busy four-lane intersection for the light to change  I was the first car lined up in the right-hand lane. To my left was a mammoth SUV that blocked my view of any traffic crossing in front of me. Trying to hear my wife through a bad connection, I forgot to accelerate when the light turned green. Just at that moment, a car sped across the intersection. The SUV driver, whose vision was unimpeded, stayed put. Perhaps I would have proceeded through the green light without bothering to check for a car recklessly going through a red light and heading straight at me. Luckily, I was so intently engaged on the cell phone with my wife that I avoided getting sideswiped. But I can't always rely on a fluke to save me. I will have to be more focused, more vigilant, if I am to combat highway terrorists.

No doubt the car that sped through the red light was driven by a moron with a cell phone glued to his ear. 

[The new erato]

No doubt the car that sped through the red light was driven by a moron with a cell phone glued to his ear. 

[Florestan]

I can hardly wait for topics like "Changing the diapers of my baby", "Buying tomatoes at the greengrocer" and especially "Starting trivial topics on GMG ". 

[The new erato]

....."Starting trivial topics on GMG ". 

That is already a metatopic!

[MN Dave]

Oh, stay off the phone and drive your flippin' car. 

[Florestan]

That is already a metatopic!

What if GMG's sole purpose, for all its "truest religion or lack thereof" / "best of string quartets" / "most colorful symphony" threads, was to offer Satzaroo a venue for venting his existential enigmas? Errrrrmmmm, what then?