Is it ok to talk on your cell phone while driving?

[WoodysGirl]

I'm a big hands free proponent... Bluetooth and/or earpiece should always be connected.

Obviously, you can drive and talk, but most who do it suck at it.

Texting and driving... "It can wait" which I usually do until I get to a good stopping point. stop signs, stop lights, etc.

 

[Tabascocat]

Most cars now days have bluetooth, so it is easy to use while driving, all hands-free. Texting should not be allowed anywhere IMO, even stuck in traffic.

 

[Wheeltax]

It's a tough question because some people can handle talking on the phone while they drive. As long as a person is able to prioritize their driving over their phone, then it isn't much of an issue - and I believe people should use hands-free devices regardless.

 

[03EBZ06]

Texting and driving... "It can wait" which I usually do until I get to a good stopping point. stop signs, stop lights, etc.

I'm going to guess that you will get into another long drawn debate about this comment, just like checking text while in a movie theater.

IMO, texting shouldn't be done at stop sign or stop lights, people still need to be alerts concerning their surroundings and I've seen too many people don't realize light has turned green while they are busy texting, holding up the traffic. Nowhere in traffic should some one text, even at a stop sign or stop light. If you have to text, pull over to some parking lot or something, away from the traffic then text.

 

[WoodysGirl]

I'm going to guess that you will get into another long drawn debate about this comment, just like checking text while in a movie theater.

IMO, texting shouldn't be done at stop sign or stop lights, people still need to be alerts concerning their surroundings and I've seen too many people don't realize light has turned green while they are busy texting, holding up the traffic. Nowhere in traffic should some one text, even at a stop sign or stop light. If you have to text, pull over to some parking lot or something, away from the traffic then text.

Nope. Not going to engage in that dialogue.. Because the reality is if the text response requires more than a simple yes, no, k...or something equally short, then I don't respond or I just call. I'm an impatient driver and I'm not going to sit long at a stop sign or stop light just so I can hold some long-winded text convo.

 

[TwoCentPlain]

If you are stuck in a traffic jam and the car isn't moving and is not expected to move for a while, then it is ok to make a short phone call to tell someone you will be late in my opinion even in states where it is illegal to talk while driving. Keep it short and to the point: "Hi, it's me. I'm stuck in a traffic jam. Will be about x minutes late. Can't talk, driving now. See you."

Or, if you are calling 911 to report something, like some drunk driver or criminal activity.

Otherwise, no it is not ok to talk on a cell phone and drive. And it is a big no-no to talk while driving in a supermarket parking lot. If I had a nickel for every person (9 times out of 10 a woman, mostly soccer moms) I saw doing this, I would have a couple hundred dollars. Bugs me to no end seeing people do that. Seriously, these people are so stupid they don't have the common sense to park the car and then make the call or make the call before they leave.

 

[Rack]

Do you think it's ok to talk on your cell phone while driving, and does it bother you when you see others talking or texting on their cell phones while driving knowing it's illegal?

It's ok to just check it for like 2-3 seconds to see if there's an "Emergency".


/sarcasm

 

[Teren_Kanan]

Don't think there is really any correct answer on the talking while driving part.

Texting makes you have to take your eyes off the road.. I don't see how anything thinks that's ok while driving.

But talking? Don't think it should be illegal, but there are definitely people who shouldn't do it (like women!... I kid!). Long as your priority is on the road, and not on the phone, it's no different than talking to a passenger while driving with 1 hand, and I never drive with 2 hands anyways. The passenger isn't "another pair of eyes", because they are facebooking on their phone anyhow! =p

Talking on a phone doesn't distract me while driving, but driving sure as hell distracts me while talking. I often have to ask people to repeat stuff cause I totally blanked while focused on the car in front of me etc.


Better question is, is texting OK if you use a voice to text and text to voice feature?

 

[arglebargle]

Last time I looked at the research, it said that people using cel phones while driving were roughly as bad as drunk drivers around the legal limit. If that's still the case overall, it becomes a serious issue.

Checked it some again, apparently it is still showing up as dangerous. Even Mythbusters sez so.
Here's the original Utah info and some scary reports on texting done by Car and Driver.

http://unews.utah.edu/old/p/062206-1.html

http://www.cnbc.com/id/31545004

 

[bigdnlaca]

Don't think there is really any correct answer on the talking while driving part.

Texting makes you have to take your eyes off the road.. I don't see how anything thinks that's ok while driving.

But talking? Don't think it should be illegal, but there are definitely people who shouldn't do it (like women!... I kid!). Long as your priority is on the road, and not on the phone, it's no different than talking to a passenger while driving with 1 hand, and I never drive with 2 hands anyways. The passenger isn't "another pair of eyes", because they are facebooking on their phone anyhow! =p

Talking on a phone doesn't distract me while driving, but driving sure as hell distracts me while talking. I often have to ask people to repeat stuff cause I totally blanked while focused on the car in front of me etc.


Better question is, is texting OK if you use a voice to text and text to voice feature?

I remember a AAA report last month saying that hands free texting is more dangerous than talking to someone on the phone while driving.
Also, stated that using a hands free device for talking on the phone is more distracting than speaking with a passanger in the car and a little bit less distracting than having a phone up to your ear while driving.

My issue with people talking on phone while driving is that the drivers have the same driving behavior as if they aren't on the phone.

 

[CowboyGil]

I think both should be illegal. You need more than your eyes on the road. if it's that important, pull over and call them back.

 

[Nova]

If you have a manual transmission and are driving around town... then no.

 

[jobberone]

No to texting. Pull over. Very short texts at stop aren't the best idea. I've had people start to backup on me and u can't see people trying to get your attn or the idiot about to plow into the back of u. They don't happen often so ur probably ok and I do it. I just do one quick one very occasionally and then survey. Mostly I just don't do it.

I appear to be able to drive and talk on the phone safely but I do agree hands free is best. I wii look at that data today though.

 

[Bigdog]

Here in CA it is illegal to do both and you pay a hefty fine if you are caught. They even have signs on the freeway that say phone in one hand and ticket in the other.

 

[Sarge]

I remember a AAA report last month saying that hands free texting is more dangerous than talking to someone on the phone while driving.
Also, stated that using a hands free device for talking on the phone is more distracting than speaking with a passanger in the car and a little bit less distracting than having a phone up to your ear while driving.

My issue with people talking on phone while driving is that the drivers have the same driving behavior as if they aren't on the phone.

I heard this exact same thing.

 

[Wheeltax]

I've heard that talking hands-free is supposedly not considerably less distracting than talking with a handset against your face, but I personally don't see how that's possible. I won't drive with a phone to my ear because I can tell that I can't give the road my full attention - with a bluetooth thing in my ear I don't have any issues. There are times when I have to ask the person with whom I'm speaking to repeat something because my attention is taken away by some idiot on the road, but that's because the driving takes precedence over the conversation.

 

[TheCount]

If you believe you're such a good driver that you've gone beyond the point where hurtling a 2 ton vehicle through space at 60+ miles an hour with a bunch of strangers, whom think the exact same thing, no longer requires your full attention, then you are probably part of the reason talking/texting is illegal to begin with.

 

[Teren_Kanan]

If you believe you're such a good driver that you've gone beyond the point where hurtling a 2 ton vehicle through space at 60+ miles an hour with a bunch of strangers, whom think the exact same thing, no longer requires your full attention, then you are probably part of the reason talking/texting is illegal to begin with.

Hey I agree, but why does talking on the phone mean you aren't giving your full attention to the road, any more than speaking with someone in the passenger seat, or your kids in the back seat? How are 3 kids in the back seat not 10x more distracting?

 

[Rockport]

People who text and drive are idiots. No debating that.

 

[TheCount]

Hey I agree, but why does talking on the phone mean you aren't giving your full attention to the road, any more than speaking with someone in the passenger seat, or your kids in the back seat? How are 3 kids in the back seat not 10x more distracting?

3 kids in the back seat are definitely more distracting, the problem is that some people with 3 kids in the back seat are STILL going to decide they want to have a phone conversation on top of that.

You're not wrong, there are plenty of ways for drivers to get distracted and while simply answering a call, speaking your piece and then hanging up is probably not that big of a deal - people are going to want to make calls (which requires looking away from the road completely, especially on a modern touch phone), sending and receiving texts, checking emails, etc. These days having a smart phone is like having a computer with you at all times. Would you trust yourself to use a computer and drive at the same time? I'm not sure I'd trust myself.