A question if you please

Before I ask, let me relate an incident that happened to me recently....

I had to run out to the Dollar Store and to get there, you have to go through a 4 way stop. This is where 2 highways cross and since it's on the edge of town, the speed limit is 45 mph. At that time of day, there was very little traffic because everyone is still at work, kids are still in school, so when I approached the 4 way, there was me, a car behind me and I saw another coming up on the left side of the intersection. I stop, look left, right, straight ahead and then took my foot off the brake and before I hit the gas, did another quick left/right look. [ I ALWAYS do a double check at intersections ]

Glancing to my left, I see the car approaching is not even slowing down ! So back on the brake [ I had only rolled a few feet forward ] and this car blasts through the intersection, missing the front of my truck by what looked like inches. And what did I see when he went past ?
Left hand on steering wheel and you guessed it, right hand holding up a cell phone.
The great part about this is.. Well, remember that car behind me ? [ evil smile ] It was one of those with all the pretty lights on top.
I set still while the cop goes around me and after the moron who damned near t boned me and it is my sincerest wish that ended in an epic ass chewing along with some very expensive traffic tickets and a nasty rise in insurance rates because of said tickets.
Now, I hope someone can answer this because I am genuinely curious....
If you are one of the 36% of people who admit to texting and driving, please tell me...What's it going to take ? Do you actually have to injure or even kill someone before you get it through your head to
PUT DOWN THE GODDAMN PHONE !!

a reply to: DAVID64

I'm writing this as I drive to work, you said something about a T-bone?

I prefer ribeyes myself.

Sometimes there is karma.

a reply to: DAVID64


Love that there was a police officer behind you!

This happens up here quite a bit, but in a different context.

We have more dirt/gravel roads than paved. And off of these are private farm access roads/trails, and old logging roads/fire roads.

For whatever reason, whenever I'm driving the logging roads I encounter people who think these are personal race tracks.
I'm talking about 50-60 mph , sideways as hell, barely in control of their vehicle morons...

Usually kids and 20-something dumbass rednecks.

And ALWAYS with a phone in hand- to record their awesome driving skills.

I've since welded full-box ar500 bumpers/ram bars, rocker bars, that are attached to the frame. The bumpers/rocker guards are filled with sand for extra "oomph". On a 1972 f350 shortbed truck i use for logging. It was already beefed up and stiffened in more ways than one, and has 900 lbs of 429 big block in it.

I've had to suddenly crank my wheel and jump banks and slam into all kinds of crap repeatedly to save one of these idiots.

I've called parents and bitched.
I've talked with foresters and dnr people.
I've talked to local sheriffs (friends with a few).

I'm not the only one who is steaming mad about this. But I've made it clear.

I will no longer run off the road so your dumbass kid can not die because he didn't think anyone else would be out there on a blind hill/curve while pretending to be dukes of hazard.

The next one will be eating 6800 lbs of reinforced steel.


You cant fix stupid..

I should probably add, that I ignored it for the longest time, but lost it when my 11yr old son was nearly tboned in his door by one of these kids.

Last straw snapped after that one.

a reply to: DAVID64

Seriously?

it's a phone culture, an instant message culture. Everyone has to be connected all the time.

And I'd blame Millennials but it is older people also who have to be "linked-up" or linked-in" all the time.

My favorite fishing spot is up in the mountains, well-stocked with trout.

Beautiful part of the state and it is never crowded because there's no cell reception, so no one ever goes.

A few month ago, I was driving on a busy freeway where I live for work. This freeway is considered the most dangerous in the state. With a 75 mile an hour speed limit, windy curves and mountains to traverse over.

It was a Sunday, and Sundays driving southbound are incredibly congested. So I find myself in a long line of clumped up cars, driving about 40 miles an hour in a 75. This lasted for a good 30 miles (40minutes or so). As I FINALLY get my vehicle towards the front of this mess, I realize what’s causing all of it.

It’s a two lane highway. In the right lane, a guy in his 20’s was driving 40 miles an hour, while holding the freaking phone in front of his face — watching a fu##ing movie!

Everyone was honking at him and flipping him off as they finally got past him. He didn’t care and just continued on.

I’ll be honest, I did not wish just a fat ticket on him. I wished that he would drive his car off an embankment, get seriously injured— then got a fat ticket.....

These bozos with their phones have gotten ridiculous. We have hands free here, but the cops rarely enforce it.

a reply to: DAVID64
This happens to me everyday!!! I live in a booming city In Texas and we have a lot of corporations moving in due to lower taxes(for now that is) and along with the businesses come the transplants. Not a day goes by without some joker on his/her phone that comes close to taking me out. It just boggles my mind. What is so important that you can not wait to see, read, or talk about until you get to your destination? In my opinion when I see someone with there phone driving they are telling the world that the only life that matters on the road is theirs. Well you better think again Sonny Jim cause your life is not worth more than the others out on the roads. One day you are going to piss off the wrong person in this state where it is legal to carry a firearm. SMH!!!

I've seen this all over the country and it really bothers me. Young peoplendo it, old people do it, it's like everyone does it. I was under the impression that driving while on the phone, texting, snapchatting, streaming whatever was illegal, but it seems police officers don't enforce it.

I just want to push them off the road. Really bad. That or get in front of them and slam on my brakes.

I honk at them and tell them to get off theirbphones and they act as if some beggar had offended royalty. Eff them. No sympathy when they get hurt or die. All my sympathy is reserved for the ones affected by it.

a reply to: DAVID64

If you are one of the 36% of people who admit to texting and driving, please tell me...What's it going to take ?

Well here in my great state we have four scary things to worry about,
texting/drunk driving/snow-ice/people too old to be driving. Sometimes all four at once!

I'm dead serious when I say I drive in full defensive mode.
Lucky traffic isn't so bad here, but I can't tell you how many times I've had people driving the wrong way, people texting and almost hitting me or someone else. Add a few round abouts and you'll see a lot of accidents.

If there is one thing I did right as a mom it is to pound into my kids head that they do NOT text and drive.
Thank goodness they don't.

a reply to: JFA13

Sounds like you live in Austin.

I’ve personally experienced people almost killing me with their erratic driving there. Then when you honk at them, to let them know what they did was jacked up, they want to pick a fight with you — for making them aware of their terrible behavior.

The extreme self entitlement has gotten out of hand. Unfortunately, I don’t see it getting any better.

I thought about this .

It would have to be court ordered for flagged dangerous drivers because of chronic taxing or cell phone use .

Instead of a breathalyzer lock like drunk drivers .

The order would install an app connected to The GPS in the phone . Which would shut the phone off once they do over 30 miles an hour .

The offenders could be flagged over a wreck while texting or a couple distracted driving tickets .

Similar to drunk driving laws so there won’t be any civil liberty issues .


Normally when I have a “Epiphany” like this. Somebody shows me that it’s already been done .

Well? Lol

originally posted by: DBCowboy
I prefer ribeyes myself.

Speaking of eyes, they should be on the road which ironically is where I toss them when I'm done with the rest of the corpse.

originally posted by: KKLOCO
a reply to: JFA13

Sounds like you live in Austin.

I’ve personally experienced people almost killing me with their erratic driving there. Then when you honk at them, to let them know what they did was jacked up, they want to pick a fight with you — for making them aware of their terrible behavior.

The extreme self entitlement has gotten out of hand. Unfortunately, I don’t see it getting any better.

Close but I'm way north of there. Austin is just as bad though. It started there and move north. I also agree with you, I don't see it getting any better either.

originally posted by: Fallingdown
I thought about this .

It would have to be court ordered for flagged dangerous drivers because of chronic taxing or cell phone use .

Instead of a breathalyzer lock like drunk drivers .

The order would install an app connected to The GPS in the phone . Which would shut the phone off once they do over 30 miles an hour .

The offenders could be flagged over a wreck while texting or a couple distracted driving tickets .

Similar to drunk driving laws so there won’t be any civil liberty issues .


Normally when I have a “Epiphany” like this. Somebody shows me that it’s already been done .

Well? Lol

This is a good idea but (playing devils advocate here) what is going to keep them from having two phones? The court ordered app phone and a "burner" phone. Where there is a will there is a way. People will always try to find way around just about anything.

a reply to: DAVID64

I hate it when people mess with their phones and drive. I had a job that required a lot of driving and had to ride along with a supervisor. She was on her phone constantly and all over the road. It was scary. I'm surprised we didn't end up in the ditch, or worse. NEVER take your damn eyes off the road. Your life isn't the only one at stake.

a reply to: JFA13

Good point

Maybe change that from an app to a cell phone jammer in the car ?

ok boomer. I've seen plenty of middle aged folks guilty of texting and driving.

a reply to: DBCowboy

a reply to: DAVID64

Hi David.

A question if you please

Sure. No problem. Here you go:

How much does the internet weigh ?


As for the rest: have seen 2 different police officers driving (rolling), and with their cell to their ear.

So maybe your cop was just taking-off after his buddy, to scold him for not picking-up, to discuss their fishing trip ?

originally posted by: KKLOCO
...
I’ll be honest, I did not wish just a fat ticket on him. I wished that he would drive his car off an embankment, get seriously injured— then got a fat ticket.....

Seems like you may be letting him off rather lightly for having wasted 15 or 20 minutes of your short time here on Earth, no ?