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Post by safetildecember on Sept 27, 2009 13:50:19 GMT -4
There is going to be a summit on driving distractions. What do you think?
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Post by RobMoore on Sept 27, 2009 14:09:18 GMT -4
I don't see a good way to make laws against distractions enforceable. I think the only reason cell-phones get the attention that they do is because other drivers can see you when you're on them. People love to make laws against things they see other people doing that they don't like (cell phones, smoking, ect).
There are any number of things that can distract a driver apart from, and as much as, cell phones. The car radio is one of them. Road-side advertisements are another.
I don't think the solution is to add more traffic codes to 1000s we have already. The solution, which I am near out of breath from shouting everywhere I go, is better training.
Make driver's licenses tougher to earn, and easier to lose. AllState Insurance might have "accident forgiveness", but the MVA shouldn't. Unless you are cleared of responsibility in an accident, you should have to attend remedial training.
The path to receiving a license should require training from a certified (state or private) instructor, not just your parents. If they suck at driving, what hope do you have?
That instructor, over the course of many lessons that could last a year or more, should have to "check you off" on driving in a wide variety of conditions, to include highway, city, in the rain, ect. If the instructor doesn't observe your performance and sign off on each individual type, you don't get your license.
All of the above would be "too difficult" for our legislators to undertake. They want a quick and easy law that they can proclaim "makes a difference". They don't care whether or not it will actually work, which it won't. Cell phones are an easy target, and will return a profit of votes come next election.
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Post by falgar25 on Sept 27, 2009 14:12:19 GMT -4
A summit on driving distractions or a summit on creative ways to ban cellphones? While it often seems that the bad driver I see has his hand to his ear, I've seen much scarier things like smoking and reading the newspaper while sitting in traffic and every once in while looking up to drive or adjusting the rearview mirror so the woman could see to apply her mascara while travelling down the road.
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Post by safetildecember on Sept 27, 2009 14:58:49 GMT -4
Statistically the worst drivers are teenagers and the elderly. Maybe if they just ban inexperienced drivers/teens from using them that might help. As far as the elderly, I think they should be made to pass certain physical functioning driving tests that test their reaction time. I cannot count how many times I have seen an elderly person driving that should not have been behind the wheel.
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Post by falgar25 on Sept 27, 2009 15:18:37 GMT -4
Statistically the worst drivers are teenagers and the elderly. Maybe if they just ban inexperienced drivers/teens from using them that might help. As far as the elderly, I think they should be made to pass certain physical functioning driving tests that test their reaction time. I cannot count how many times I have seen an elderly person driving that should not have been behind the wheel. Gotta love statistics. If statistics show that driving with a BAC of 0.8 increases the chance of an accident we criminalize driving with a BAc of 0.8. No exceptions, no additional considerations. If statistics show that texting while driving increases the chance of an accident we ban texting while driving. No exceptions, no additional considerations. Then if statistics show that driving while elderly increases the chance of an accident, shouldn't we ban driving while elderly? No exceptions, no addtional considerations? Maybe we should stop banning everything and start promoting solutions like RobMoore's meaningful driver training.
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Post by mcbeth on Sept 27, 2009 17:32:57 GMT -4
Maybe we should stop banning everything and start promoting solutions like RobMoore's meaningful driver training. Amen. And, like you, Falgar, I've seen others doing some amazing things. Observed one guy reading a novel while driving (not in stop and go traffic, while travelling the highway at 55+). Gotta love it.
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Post by RobMoore on Sept 27, 2009 18:50:30 GMT -4
You know a BAC of 0.8 is dead right? "Legally Drunk" (oxymoron) is a BAC of .08
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Post by falgar25 on Sept 27, 2009 19:34:12 GMT -4
You know a BAC of 0.8 is dead right? "Legally Drunk" (oxymoron) is a BAC of .08 Well OK then, maybe it is more than just a statistical coincidence that driving at .8 BAC results in more accidents. But, if we're picking nits here, the .08 is probably dead too , the "legal limit" is 0.08%.
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Post by moosie on Sept 27, 2009 19:54:13 GMT -4
Maybe we should stop banning everything and start promoting solutions like RobMoore's meaningful driver training. Amen. And, like you, Falgar, I've seen others doing some amazing things. Observed one guy reading a novel while driving (not in stop and go traffic, while travelling the highway at 55+). Gotta love it. wow! how did you know it was a novel? that's a nit more attention that you should have given him!
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Post by moosie on Sept 27, 2009 19:54:51 GMT -4
i've seen people playing musical instruments, reading, all of that stuff. very scary.
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