cell phone drivers, the modern bike ride outlook?

We have a lot of texting while driving here. I got passed 3 times by the same car the other day because the girl driving it was slowing down to 15 mph below the speed limit every time she responded to a text so I would end up passing her. I also had a girl swerve into my lane the other day while she was texting and I think that the ensuing screaming at her and giving her the 1 finger salute not only caused her to change her route but maybe just opened her eyes to the fact that what she was doing was dangerous and could've ended badly for both of us since FL has now enacted mandatory jail terms for anyone who injures or kills a motorcyclist. We had an incident last year where there was a motorcycle crash and while the fire rescue was at the scene a woman who was messing with her phone ran off of the road and right through the scene hitting several people and injuring one fireman seriously. Just last week a plastic surgeon was posting about his dog on twitter crashed his car and died. On the subject of anti texting laws. I really don't understand the need for them I thought it was already covered under careless or w
reckless driving. Perhaps the cops should just start citing people for it and that would help curb it.

Now that you mention it testerossa, cops seem to be on the phone all the time here too.

seen the cops on phone thing too...

Just yesterday a ladder had fallen off of a pick-up, the pick-up behind was able to stop reasonably quickly and only had it Near the front tires, till the woman behind in the Mini Van rear ended them, pushing the pick-up onto the ladder. Of course she was on the phone, and I could see 2 kids in the back. At least they looked properly seated in car seats and all. Would have thought the phone call could wait until traveling to a stop at a parking lot or something. I wonder if she realizes just how being on the phone distracted her enough to cause an accident?

Then not 1/2 hour later I was behind another mini van at a light, light goes green and Mini van just sits there. I can see she is looking down at something, Horn, then she wakes and moves. So I get along side and look, she has just been to the drive through and has a big salad in her lap she is eating. The Van had the husband and 3 rug rats. Don't know why she can't spend the few minutes to eat that Off of the road.

Yep...they are out there. Just yesterday, I was behind a woman in a mini-van, who was on her phone. As we went by a t-intersection she turned left into 4 lanes of oncoming one-way traffic. I have no idea how she could not have seen 4 lanes of traffic coming striaght at her but she didn't even slow down. Just turned into oncoming traffic and headed at speed straight towards them in one of the middle lanes. Last I remember seeing is that she wasn't making any attempt to swerve or slow down so she must not have noticed what she was doing yet. Oncoming cars were taking evasive action but not her. Interesting part is that on her right was a fire-station (with ambulance) which is right next to local police station. Sorta ironic she did what she did where she did it but I'm sure she didn't notice!

i wonder if there is'nt some national movement under way...like M.A.D.D by folks who got shafted by texting drivers....i know i would get really proactive after the fact if i got that dreaded knock on the door one day...maybe i should start one....i say we carry a couple eggs in our door and throw em on the windshield of the offenders when they pull up next to us.. and spread the word so the whole country has assholes driving around with eggshells on there hoods to warn the others...great idea tri...lol

lets brain storm a movement...something not dangerous or law breaking but that's catchy ...eggthrowers for hangup movement ect..

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trianglelaguna wrote:

i wonder if there is'nt some national movement under way...like M.A.D.D by folks who got shafted by texting drivers....i know i would get really proactive after the fact if i got that dreaded knock on the door one day...maybe i should start one....i say we carry a couple eggs in our door and throw em on the windshield of the offenders when they pull up next to us.. and spread the word so the whole country has assholes driving around with eggshells on there hoods to warn the others...great idea tri...lol

lets brain storm a movement...something not dangerous or law breaking but that's catchy ...eggthrowers for hangup movement ect..

I know that bicycling activists often carry a refrigerator type magnet that they can throw so as to stick to an offending vehicle. It usually has a message about how the driver committed a dangerous act toward the cyclist. Something like this could at least send a message.

or a dash camera that links to the traffic court computer...a nice shot of the driver half into the oncoming traffic with a date and time....and a complaint form....

or just sign a pact at home to not use em....and have a 20 $ fine jar.....

Ive always said there is money to be made for someone to develop a small electronic screen that could be placed in your back window or on your back fender.It could be pre-programmed for several generic messages such as "Shut up,hang up and drive" or "Pay attention or pay a fine" or"my next message will be Missle away", etc.As a guy who still has scars from being run off the road by a drunk driver, I am really cautious these days with idiots and cell phones.I just assume that everyone out there riding on more than 2 wheels is trying to kill me.BJ

trianglelaguna wrote:

i say we carry a couple eggs in our door and throw em on the windshield of the offenders when they pull up next to us..

In my early days of riding we would carry big pinballs in our jackets and toss them over our shoulders at the idiot cage drivers that just about killed us. Sometimes taking out the radiator and sometimes taking out the windshield depending on the bounce it had. Times have changed, no pinball machines now but no cell phones back then.