After surfin' on their site a bit, I see an 'active' issue here in Michigan is:

Bill: HB 5053
Description: Prohibits the use of a handheld cellular device while operating a motor vehicle. Provides exceptions for hands-free devices and emergency situations.

I don't know what to think on this issue....I've known some folks that are unable to just talk while driving while others can successfully read the newspaper while tripping down the Freeway!

What is the consensus opinion on this cellphones among M&M'ers??

Quite honestly, you can get just as distracted changing the radio station, eating burger, talking to a passenger, or swatting at your kids. Its just that changing the radio is momentary but you can talk on the phone continuously.

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Originally posted by sigtauenus:
I can't stand it. I can't tell you how often I find myself behind somebody doing 5-10 mpg BELOW the posted speed limit because they are talking on the phone not paying attention.

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Yep! And have you noticed that if you get to a passing zone where you can get by them, the attempt to pass wakes them up and then the race is on?

Forget "hands-free" phones.... It's where your mind is that counts, not your hands.

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Dwayne

However, I've found that many people can't. I'm still against the cell phone laws because, just as stated above, they should also include, eating, putting on make-up, finding another CD, reading the paper, noisy kids, loud stereos, CB radios, ...you get the idea.

They already have reckless driving laws in place.

And I agree that there is nothing worse than going out for a nice dinner and having to listen to someone on the phone behind you. Especially the speaker phones where you are lucky and get to hear both sides of the conversation. The kid across the street had her mustang totaled because another driver was text messaging while driving and ran a red light. And now they are going to give us access to movies and our favorite T.V. programs on our phones. Heck, bring the pillow and break out the popcorn. It's going to be great. Road rage will be on the rise.

One of the studies I read stated that you should not talk while driving because if it is a bad conversation and you get upset or angry, you will tend to drive erratically because we all drive differently depending on our frame of mind.

As for people driving under the speed limit,well it is a limit not a goal!
I have more of a problem with people driving to fast. They are just as distracking as those on cell phones,putting on make up,eating,picking your noise,fixing your hair,tunign the radio,playing hand held games,playing with yourself! yeah we pulled a guy over and found out thats why he was all over the road.

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Originally posted by Fastymz:
As for people driving under the speed limit,well it is a limit not a goal!
I have more of a problem with people driving to fast.

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Granted, it is a limit and not a goal, but if you do not wish to drive the speed limit or are unable to drive the speed limit, then get over in the right hand lane! Allow those who wish to drive the speed limit (or faster) to get around you. What is even more dangerous is when you have 2 (or more) people, driving under the speed limit, setting up a rolling roadblock (passive agressive driving I call it). All that does is back up traffic, and create road rage. With the heavy traffic these rolling roadblocks create, it only takes one person to get just a little too angry to cause one heck of a pile-up.

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My wife has bugged me constantly to buy cell phones for the family. No thanks. Some can barely walk and chew bubble gum at the same time...

Besides, I don't need a tether for people to locate me anywhere I go. I want to eat in peace, watch a movie without being interrupted, or just get a chance to get away.

Cell phones have their place, but being a ham operator, if I need to make an emergency call, I'll use the phone feature on my local repeater to dial 911 - while stopped safely at the scene.

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The absoulute worst case I've seen is a guy driving a huge SUV, trying to cradle the cell phone between his shoulder and ear while driving, reading a piece of paper and occasionally pickup up a cup to drink out of, putting it down to take a drag of a cigarette. Why doesn't he just shoot himself and save the rest of us some grief.

I am a former 10yr UPS driver in downtown SF & I believe I posses an excelent skill set for safe vehicle operation. With that being said, I have seen a treamendous amount of IGNORANCE while behind the wheel associated with drivers on the phone. I am fully aware of the fact that the average driver has not been professionally trained to operate thier vehicles, therefore there is a wide disparity between people and their skills, or lack there of, behind the wheel. As a result I feel that a hand held cell phone band would protect the safety of we more experienced drivers.

An interesting side note about myself is that while I believe that the majority of people are not skilled or intellegent enough to operate a hand held phone while driving, I do! I have returned to school and one of my school days I have a night class. I drive 200 miles to school round trip each day. As some of you may imagine I get sleepy on the way home after the night class. Some things that keep me awake on the road on the way home are loud music, rolling the windows down for fresh cold air, and some times those measures don't work. In those instances the only thing that will snap me out of the sleepiness is calling some one and them talking me home. So in my case I don't see it as a distraction but a life saver. What do you think? Am I being hipocritical?

Oh yea, and when I do get on the phone I make sure to keep up with the flow of traffic and if I feel like chilling-not driving fast I WILL get into the slow lane. The rolling roadblocks are one of my very worst pet peaves also.

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Originally posted by 66drop:
I am fully aware of the fact that the average driver has not been professionally trained to operate thier vehicles, therefore their is a wide disparity between people and their skills, or lack there of, behind the wheel.

.... that will snap me out of the sleepiness is calling some one and them talking me home. So in my case I don't see it as a distraction but a life saver. What do you think? Am I being hipocritical?

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I hear ya, I am absolutely amazed at the lack of good sense that many of todays drivers demonstrate. It would seem like the current driver's training courses are only about making $$ and not about equipping new drivers with the skills they need to successfully motor down the road fully prepared to deal with even the common problems i.e., car breakdown, fender bender, animal collison, blizzard, etc.

Regarding you using your phone to stay awake, I can relate to what your discribing.... "Back in the Day", I used to do the same thing when I was driving too tired and I'd get on my Citizens Band (CB) radio and talk with anyone/someone to keep my wits about me - just to get me home.

Coming out of a shopping center, waiting to take a left, a car comes up the road to my right, he stops with signal blinking indicating he is taking a left into the shopping center we're in. The kid is looking down at something as we're waiting for him to go so we can go. After 20-30 seconds it's obvious he's not moving so we decide to pull out and make our left since he's either asleep or broke down from all appearances. We start pulling out and as soon as we start rolling so does he, still looking down. We lock the brakes up and he FINALLY looks up and waves at us, cell phone in hand. He would have driven into us without even looking if we hadn't have stopped.

The bottom line is this: a vast majority of people out there are totally maxxed out mentally just in the process of driving a car, period. Add in all the other things these idiots do while driving a car and the result is inevitable: they WILL get into an accident, it's just a matter of time. If they don't give a damn about their car or their lives or their passengers lives, that's their problem. When it involves my property, my family's or my own life, that's when I get concerned.

Each car should be required to have a device that jams the signal of any cell phone while the car is in motion. It's time people start taking driving seriously.

Hang up the ****ing phone and pay attention!

Mostly goes over like fart in church but who cares..... I'm just friendly person and thought I could help. I mean they are telling me all about everthing....

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Originally posted by Jimmy Ray:
For those rude folks that use their cell phones in public place so ever one can enjoy their conversaion..... Be good citzen and join in on the conversaion..... They choose to discuss their ever day life evnts loud enough for me to hear it, I surly should help by adding my .02 worth....

I'm just friendly person and thought I could help. I mean they are telling me all about everthing....

...if they choose to tell me about there issues I have the opion to discuss it with them...

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HEY JR,

WHAT A DAMN GOOD IDEA!
I LIKE THAT! LOLOLOL!!

I've known some folks that are unable to just talk while driving while others can successfully read the newspaper while tripping down the Freeway!

Read the newspaper!!!!

Last Christmas my elderly aunt was driving with her two dogs from Florida to Kentucky with an overnight stay in Montgomery, Alabama. While loading the car in the motel parking lot before hitting the road Saturday morning, someone walked into her room and stole her purse, which included her driver's license, credit cards and all her cash. To top it all off, someone slashed one of her tires, too.

At the motel office all they did was offer a discount on the room.

Luckily her cell phone was in the car on the charger. She called me in Tennessee and I was able to get online and find the phone numbers for her credit cards. She called them all and had all her cards cancelled within 30 minutes. Another person staying at the motel helped her put her spare tire on so she could drive to a Sears a few miles away. Once there she called me and put her new tire on my Sears card.

She thought she had enough gas in the car to make it to Nashville. She called me at various points along the way to let me know how she was doing and how much gas she had left. I was able to figure out an exit she could make it to so I could meet her and fill her tank. She got to the exit first and thought it was the wrong exit. We were both on cell phones, driving, trying to find each other. Needless to say, we finally got to the same gas station. If it weren't for cell phones, my Aunt would have spent the whole day stranded in Alabama with a flat tire, no money and two hungry dogs.

I don't think anyone would argue the benefit of having a cell phone.....

The point of using it WHILE driving down the highway is the issue that I have some difficulty with. Under light traffic/ fair weather conditions, many folks can handle a call, but why test the conditons?

By simply pulling over to take/make a call doesn't seem to be asking too much to me.

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Originally posted by fastford34:
no cell phone use while driving....PERIOD!!!
no cell phone use in a resturant,store,movie theater ETC.!!!!!
i DONT WANT or NEED to hear your conversation!!!!!!!! no matter how TRIVIAL (you may think its important) it is!

I couldnt have said it better myself.

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