My first day of actual riding

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PatArmyRet · Tue Jun 05, 2007 2:45 pm

matthew5656 wrote: Oh and I would like to see a report that explains the idea of cell phone use having more of an effect than drunk driving. It sounds like a hoax to me. Alcohol impairs the vision, depth of perception, reaction times, among other things. A cell phone impairs one arm.

The study, published in the June 29 issue of Human Factors: The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, found that drivers talking on cell phones, either handheld or hands-free, are more likely to crash because they are distracted by conversation.

Using a driving simulator under four different conditions: with no distractions, using a handheld cell phone, talking on a hands-free cell phone, and while intoxicated to the 0.08 percent blood-alcohol level, 40 participants followed a simulated pace car that braked intermittently.

Researchers found that the drivers on cell phones drove more slowly, braked more slowly and were more likely to crash. In fact, the three participants who collided into the pace car were chatting away. None of the drunken drivers crashed.

The study:

http://www.hfes.org/Web/PubPages/celldrunk.pdf

enjoy!

tortus · #22 Unread post by **tortus** » Tue Jun 05, 2007 3:10 pm

PatArmyRet wrote: Using a driving simulator under four different conditions: with no distractions, using a handheld cell phone, talking on a hands-free cell phone, and while intoxicated to the 0.08 percent blood-alcohol level, 40 participants followed a simulated pace car that braked intermittently.

Researchers found that the drivers on cell phones drove more slowly, braked more slowly and were more likely to crash. In fact, the three participants who collided into the pace car were chatting away. None of the drunken drivers crashed.

Yes but drunk at .08 is hardly drunk at all. Most people who are just above the legal limit don't "feel" drunk at all. And many people do drive when they are legally drunk, even though they probably shouldn't.

Compare cell phone drivers to people who are quite noticeably drunk all the way to smashed, and the cell phone drivers will be significantly safer. It won't even be a contest.

matthew5656 · Tue Jun 05, 2007 4:32 pm

tortus wrote:
Yes but drunk at .08 is hardly drunk at all. Most people who are just above the legal limit don't "feel" drunk at all. And many people do drive when they are legally drunk, even though they probably shouldn't.

Compare cell phone drivers to people who are quite noticeably drunk all the way to smashed, and the cell phone drivers will be significantly safer. It won't even be a contest.

Exactly

I'm not defending drunk drivers whatsoever, but a BAC level would reach 0.08 after about one beer, of course depending on someone's weight, but roughly one drink. I suppose that is a decent argument but a cell phone will not impair a driver as badly as a few beers or more. I'm no doctor, scientist, or engineer, but it sounds fairly obvious to me....

Nibblet99 · Tue Jun 05, 2007 11:09 pm

Thats true, but 0.8 is legally drunk, because thats where it was deemed it starts to impair your abilities significantly, even when a phone is not as bad as being smashed out of your skull, its still worse than the legally defined "safe" standard

PatArmyRet · Tue Jun 05, 2007 11:56 pm

You ask for the study, which is provided...

Then we discover that the legally drunk drivers aren't drunk enough to support your point.

lol

shane-o · #26 Unread post by **shane-o** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 6:43 pm

halouis wrote:congrats on the ride. many more to come.

as for cell phones. i think they should be banned in cars. unless someone installs a hands-free device. everytime i see a cager with one on his/her ear they seem to drive like idiots.

In my country it is illegal to talk on a cell and drive at the same time.

At the moment they are about to ban talking on a cell in a car using hands free.

All the current stats suggest that a person a cell or using a hands free on a cell while driving is as a dangerous as they would be over the limit with alcohol. Their concentration is that effected.

I do like to abuse people when I see em on their phones while driving, but hey, I am 6'7 and extremely well cut, i sizzle to touch and the chicks reckon im buff

Bascal · #27 Unread post by **Bascal** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 7:25 am

Jadien wrote: If they're being careful of cops that means they're watching the road, and I'm good with that!

If theres a cop around i'm the best damn driver you've ever seen. Once he's gone I'm that "O Ring" cruising at 90 through rush hour while talking on the cell phone and I drive a manual! I've never been involved in an accident though (I did just get my second speeding ticket...)

Point is, yes some people can handle it. However, I'm still for a ban because there are some very stupid people out there who can not handle driving 65 and talking to their passenger.

But back to original topic. Congrats on your first day and a happy many more to come! I can't wait until I can be out there too!

Young Lover · Fri Jun 22, 2007 2:40 pm

Aamalthea wrote:Honestly, people who drive and talk on the phone drive me up the frikken wall. It should be BANNED. As should people who put those screens in the front seat to watch movies while they drive.

I do not talk on the phone while I drive, if it's an extreme emergency I'll use the hands free, say, "I'll call you back!" and hang up. Stupid cagers have no idea wtf their doing half the time regardless, I'm amazed every day on how stupid people are when they get behind the wheel (especially when they drive a SUV and have 1 child crying in the backseat...I don't CARE that you paid $100 to fill up that pos of a gas guzzler of yours, that's your fault PAY ATTENTION TO THE GD ROAD).

Anyway.

Grats Zenman!

omg i know!! i ******* hate it especially when its some skunt in the front seat of a hummer on the phhone it pees me off!!!! oMG its like ahhh.. ok my rant but +1 to you

dean owens · Fri Jun 22, 2007 3:49 pm

Jadien wrote:
matthew5656 wrote: .......it will only force commuters to watch out for police who may spot them on their phone..... distract drivers from the road because they will be watching for police!.... .
If they're being careful of cops that means they're watching the road, and I'm good with that!

not at all. watching the road is watching things surrounding you. checking blind spots and such. looking for cops is looking in the rearview and scanning many cars ahead - but not actually looking at the road. usually looking to the side of the road or at the trafic coming the other direction.

i agree that cell phone laws are just dumb. where do the restrictions stop? i eat when i drive sometimes. honestly, i'm more distracted by that than talking on the phone. and what about changing cd's? or radio stations? or talking to people in your car? or looking at landmarks that you pass? or holding directions and looking down at them to get to a new destination? or... there are so many distractions. wanna make a law for all of them?

we have a dumb on in north carolina. now teens can't talk on a cell phone (even hands free) while they drive - unless it's an emergency and they're talking to their parents. oh yeah, cops are going to do a great job inforcing that one.

i don't watch cell phone drivers anymore than any other drivers. any driver can be an idiot. and any driver can be drunk (which is a whole lot more dangerous - only there's nothing sticking out of their ear to warn you).

really, the cell phone demonization is just like people demonizing bikes. so funny that you guys can pick up on that but not cell phones.

matthew5656 · Fri Jun 22, 2007 7:07 pm

dean owens wrote:
i agree that cell phone laws are just dumb. where do the restrictions stop? i eat when i drive sometimes. honestly, i'm more distracted by that than talking on the phone. and what about changing cd's? or radio stations? or talking to people in your car? or looking at landmarks that you pass? or holding directions and looking down at them to get to a new destination? or... there are so many distractions. wanna make a law for all of them?

i don't watch cell phone drivers anymore than any other drivers. any driver can be an idiot. and any driver can be drunk (which is a whole lot more dangerous - only there's nothing sticking out of their ear to warn you).

really, the cell phone demonization is just like people demonizing bikes. so funny that you guys can pick up on that but not cell phones.

Thank you. Very good points. When will the laws stop? People will distract themselves from watching the road by any means possible. As I said, I don't think talking on the phone while driving is a good idea at all, but outlawing it will barely solve anything!