Hands Free Laws!!!! - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

BigFish · 03-17-2006, 01:36 PM

Ok......I am curious what you think about the "Hands Free" cell phone laws that many states are passing? This has been a thorn in my side for a few years now and everytime I hear it mentioned I get so PO'd!!!! So I am curious if you all think it will save lives or not? Now I am going to bless you with my opinion......

!

Now I think the problem with using a cell phone while operating a moving vehicle has absolutely nothing to do with the hands......I think it is more of a situation of when folks are using a phone....cell phone/home phone...whatever, they tend to zone out and their mind gets tunnel visioned! The problem is in the mind while talking on the phone, not that one hand is not on the wheel!!!! I would like to kick the person in the teeth that thinks otherwise! You ever talk on your cell while driving for about 10 minutes and then when you hang up you don't remember passing certain things/landmarks? Its because your mind was busy on the phone!!!!

Reason I bring this up is I was just coming home and had a guy pull out from a wide open side street with great visibility in both directions, with moving traffic coming at him from both directions, he is talking on one of the hands free headphone phones and he decides he is going to pull out in front of a car that has the right of way, is traveling at the posted 40 miles per hour and is only approx. 150 feet from him when he does so.........fortunately for him the oncoming vehicle was paying attention, slammed on his brakes and stopped inches shy of creaming this idiot!!!!! And the guy continues his conversation with a blank "I am on the phone" stare and backs up waving at the guy that almost hit him like it was no big deal........the guy almost killed him!

These hands free laws are not going to save even one life and I will argue to my death with anyone who believes they will!

People need to pull over when they need to talk on the phone...plain and simple!

Slipknot · 03-17-2006, 01:47 PM

we'll miss you when you are gone Bigfish

fishaholic18 · 03-17-2006, 01:48 PM

Larry, follow that guy to the supermarket and beat his a$$.

I know what you mean though, happens to me all the time, and they look at you like YOU did something wrong.

BigFish · 03-17-2006, 01:49 PM

Am I going somewhere?

BigFish · 03-17-2006, 01:50 PM

I still don't hear if you guys think "Hands Free" is the answer....convince me!

spence · 03-17-2006, 01:50 PM

My cell phone with power cord and hands free cord wrapped around my stick shift and parking break have nearly killed myself and others more times than I care to imagine

I use a cell a lot while driving, but I think it's very dangerous even with the hands free kit.

-spence

fishaholic18 · 03-17-2006, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigFish

Am I going somewhere?

So...Where u going????

BigFish · 03-17-2006, 01:58 PM

Crazy...wanna come?

fishaholic18 · 03-17-2006, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigFish

Crazy...wanna come?

Sure, I like crazy...

Squid kids Dad · 03-17-2006, 02:06 PM

Talking on cell phones while driving is good for my business as well as Raider Rons...

Bob Thomas · 03-17-2006, 02:15 PM

Only problem is there is a law making it illegal to wear headphones while driving. This is to prevent walkman use during driving but also applies to the hands free ear sets people are using. This state needs to re-think some old laws!

Slipknot · 03-17-2006, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigFish

These hands free laws are not going to save even one life and I will argue to my death with anyone who believes they will!

you said you'd argue to your death so I guess you are going 6 feet under

yep, you should pull over if you cannot carry on a conversation at the same time as driving.

me personally, I don't have any problem carrying on conversation while driving whether it is with someone in the car or on the phone. and there have been many times while in a car driving by myself not on a phone and my mind wanders and the next thing I know I took the wrong exit or whatever. it just happens.

Having said that I think cell phones do add to the cause of many accidents but so do other distractions like putting on makeup, reading a map,fiddling with the radio ...........etc,

Raven · 03-17-2006, 03:30 PM

with Bigfish about the tunnel vision....or in an attempt to maintain good control you go on automatic pilot.

i had this kid pull out in front of me....while talking on his cell phone causing me to almost smash this other guys car....

so he books a right turn just to avoid confrontation....and i left rubber backing up to go get him and trapped him in a parking lot along with the other guy and blocked his exit....

then i run up and he's still talking on the phone....oblivious to my approach STILL.... so i yell at him WHAT THE F__K dude...
blood vesels about to pop.... as the other guy joins me...

hang up that phone ....i yelled. so then he's all upset (good)
and i told him he nearly caused two accidents....because your not paying attention... and he says...but it was my dad yelling at me while on the phone..and i couldnt concentrate ... now his eyes are all watery... and i explained that your phone takes messages....and your supposed to pull over.... i almost called his dad to give him a ration of shat too.

on the other hand...if you get lost , you (sometimes) need to be on it...(a cell phone) if someone is giving you directions to a hard to find spot. but making them hands free wont change a damned thing...people will still be tunnel vision driving or on automatic pilot in a trance.

also: anyone i see on a cell phone gets absolutely no courtesy
because they don't deserve it....and the cell phone drivers that speed and screw me up...have a death wish.

Van · 03-17-2006, 04:14 PM

It all makes sense and I see many times too. But I also talk while driving (i try to be real carful). Bottom line is whether they are talking on their phones or not many many many many people are totally oblivious while driving.

Try driving in and out of Boston every day for the past 20 years like I have. Then post again........

I got rear ended a couple of weeks ago in a rotary at 5pm in Boston. Gee did he think there might be traffic and should not follow too close to a big a$$ pickup truck????? SMACK !!!!!!

The Dad Fisherman · 03-17-2006, 04:34 PM

I Thought they already had a Hands Free Law........I get reminded about it every time I go to Hooters

Van · 03-17-2006, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Dad Fisherman

I Thought they already had a Hands Free Law........I get reminded about it every time I go to Hooters

Hooters or the "Gentlemen's club" ????

MAC · 03-17-2006, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigFish

Am I going somewhere?

Who knows, I heard when you hit 10,000 posts your account vanishes and you can't log in anymore...

UserRemoved1 · 03-17-2006, 05:07 PM

Bob I believe the law is for a FULL 2 sided headset which is illegal. A single side earpiece is legal in Mass. Cupped headsets, walkman earfones etc are illegal is my undertsanding so not to impede hearing emergency vehicles. But I digress....

Larry...

Headsets are the right way to go no question about it. It has been proven by many studies that headsets reduce the driver distraction factor that you get by doing things while you drive. Note I said reduce...it's does indeed make you pay more attention and you have both hands for the wheel. I drive every day and see all the boobs on their fones not paying attention and quite honestly just this morning I was driving west bound coming out of Boston at around 7 am and was noting to myself the amount of people who were driving east talking on a cell fone.

beamie · 03-17-2006, 05:12 PM

Larry,

Your right, hands free nothing to do with it, just not paying attention.

That law shouldn't just be for cell phones though, many times I, I mean a friend of mine,...has a hard time controlling the vehicle when the whopper starts falling apart or when he is reaching for the fries. It is all the same thing, doing too many things at once.

Raven · 03-17-2006, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MAC

Who knows, I heard when you hit 10,000 posts your account vanishes and you can't log in anymore...

there should be:
a. a 10,000 posts for bigfish party..... see...
b. we should all gamble as to when that will occur.
c. the guy that wins.... gets some goodies.

MAC · 03-17-2006, 05:39 PM

True, hands free headsets are the way to go. It frees up your hand to drink your coffee and have a donut while checking the latest line in the sports section. This way when talking to the bookie you don't have to put anything down and can keep driving to work.

BigFish · 03-17-2006, 06:49 PM

Again...the problem is not a hands issue...it is an issue with people paying attention.

MAC · 03-17-2006, 06:54 PM

I agree, but where do ya draw the line. Will the next thing be no coffee while driving? No smoking while driving? No picking your nose while driving? No talking to a passanger while driving? Sometimes it seems like big brother is being too over protective. After all we do live in a democracy..

BigFish · 03-17-2006, 07:01 PM

Point is when people talk on the phone....they zone out...get tunnel vision......it happens to everyone whether you choose to believe it or not. The guy I saw pull out in traffic today had a look on his face like "Hey, what the hell am I doing in the middle of this street....that car almost hit me!".......oh well....it doesn't really matter what I think anyway.....friggin politicians are gonna vote with whatever makes their stocks rise!

MAC · 03-17-2006, 07:04 PM

Same thing happens to some people when they listen to the radio while driving.

Slipknot · 03-17-2006, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MAC

I agree, but where do ya draw the line. Will the next thing be no coffee while driving? No smoking while driving? No picking your nose while driving? No talking to a passanger while driving? Sometimes it seems like big brother is being too over protective. After all we do live in a democracy..

Mac, you can drive barefoot but it's already a law that you can't drive while eating

MAC · 03-17-2006, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slipknot

Mac, you can drive barefoot but it's already a law that you can't drive while eating

Actually no, unless they changed the laws. Your feet have to be covered.

Slipknot · 03-17-2006, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MAC

Actually no, unless they changed the laws. Your feet have to be covered.

oh
don't mind me I'm stupid today
thank God it's friday

MAC · 03-17-2006, 07:27 PM

don't mind me either, I'm just cranky tonite.

vineyardblues · 03-17-2006, 07:29 PM

I hate to say this, but it was a law that they (I) pulled cars over for and that was drinking and driving, soda /water /coffee etc era 70's
Today people thing beer etc that would now called DUI
It still may be a law ?
VB

ps as for cell phones, sorry Larry , I hate when I see a teenager driving talking

VB