Cell Phones/Drunk Drivers

[DannyD]

Today, well Saturday anyway, I "got" 2 cell phone drivers & 2 "got" me. The first one that got me was talking on her f'in phone at a left turn light & I missed it cuz she took about 10 seconds to realize the light had changed. Of course, SHE made it thru the light & went on her merry way down the road. The 2nd one that got me was some guy who entered the highway at about 30 MPH talking on his phone. One car veers to let HIM on the road but the car behind that wasn't prepared (I'm not blaming this person one bit) & would have rammed me as I had no space to enter. I had to stay on the shoulder for a bit cuz if I had tried to get on the highway, there would have been a good chance for a wreck. Usually when I see someone entering a highway at a low speed, I'll back off some & try to give myself some space. Then enter at a merging speed. The challenge here was there were people behind me. If I back off, then THEY have a problem. So it's one of those judgment calls ya have to make a snap decision on.

Every flippin day I work a few cell phone drivers put me in a less than optimum situation, where I have to account for not only my actions, but theirs as well. Usually I never get to bone them any, but today was a lucky day for me & I made 2 uncomfy.

The two I got were as follows. The first one was driving beside a semi, talking on his phone. This was on I-69 Eastbound in Flint/Davison, MI. Right when it goes from 3 lanes to 2. Must have been Joe Cool talking about saving the world cuz he obviously wasn't focused on the road. Anyway, he's driving alongside a semi for about 2 miles & no one can pass. I was about 4 cars back & just KNEW he was on his phone yappin his jaws off. He finally gets over to the right lane, so we all pass. I see he's got his blinker on to exit, but there's another semi in front of him. So he changes his mind & gets in the left lane, but now he's behind me. He wants to shoot past semi #2 to make his exit. I sped up a lil (but not a lot) so he'd think he had enough time to get past. Then I slowed back down. Not slammed on the brakes or anything. Just slowed down enough so he couldn't get by. He couldn't really stop to much cuz semi #1 (the one he just passed) had closed that gap some. After the exit I get over & let him pass. He drives by me & flips me off. LOL!! I smiled at him & made the "talking" motion w/ my fingers. Amazing at how peeved he was when the situations were reversed. Now he's driving at a pretty good clip. I'd say 75 or so & I'm going maybe 70. He gets off at the next exit, which is about 4 miles down the road to the east. Sure enough he turns left, & LOL sure enough he turns to go back west. I'm a lil vindictive sometimes but I sure was proud of myself for that one.

The 2nd one I got was driving about 30-35 on a 45MPH road. All over the place too. I'm behind her & can't pass. If any of ya's know the Lake Orion area, this is on Clarkston Rd from Joslyn Rd. to M24. So I'd say about 2 miles or so. I had to get gas at the corner & as luck would have it, so did she. So I pulled in behind her & she's talkin on the phone at the gas station. In the nicest, friendliest way I can tell her, I'm like "ohhhhh, you're just on the phone eh??" & she's like "huh?" & I said "yes ma'am. You were driving pretty erratic so I thought you were drunk & I just called the cops on ya. Sorry 'bout that." She said "well thanx a lot" but somehow I just don't think she really meant it. She prolly meant so say "azzhole" behind it but just forgot. By the way, I didn't really call the cops on her, cuz then I would have been doing the same stupid thing she was.

So this leads to a question. Overall, which do ya think is a bigger problem on our highways? I'm not thinking of one drunk vs one cell phone driver, because I would think the drunk is a bigger problem. I'm more thinking because there's so many more cell phone drivers, & at all times of the day, vs a lot less drunks, which is an overall worse problem on our roads in your opinion?

Thanx for reading,
Danny

 

[nightcreacher]

i find the cell phone drivers that have a problem,are the same drivers that have a problem reading the paper or drinking there morning coffee,and you will see,they have trouble driving anyway.my feelings are,before your permitted to drive on an interstate,you need to have an interstate indorsement,this would take care of many of the accidents that are caused by people merging on to the highway
just my 2 cents

 

[dragontrans0304]

I like your interstate endorsement idea, but you know someone would find a loophole and exploit it. I think regular car drivers should have to jump through as many hoops as we do. just my opinion.

 

[pelicn]

Interstate endorsement...great idea! Then maybe they'd figure out what that pedal under the right foot is for.

I've seen drivers using cell phones and you'd never know it, but, it's the ones that are totally absorbed in the conversation they forget that they are not in a chair at home. Cell phones are a distraction and for some, it would be the same as walking and chewing gum.

 

[greg334]

I want to know who was the idiot who thought the hands free system would be safer?

Drive down M14 with the idiots who are doing 80 to 90 and talking on the phone, some are students going to U of M or Eastern and don't want their conversation interrupted. I had one Friday when I went to pickup my wife who rode my a** for 6 miles, I could see she was talking on the phone with her blue tooth device stuck in her ear, and every time she would get excited she would wave her arms and go off the road or almost hit the car next to her. When I slowed down to 60 with the other guy next to me, she got mad because she had to concentrate on her driving. When she finally passed me, she was talking away waving her arms and hands.

If that dumb governor wants to make a fortune, all she has to do is sit 10 cops on M14 and write tickets all day long, enough aggressive and reckless drivers out there to make a lot of money.

 

[Turtle]

I think that truck drivers should be able to carry a handgun and actually shoot people who drive down the Interstate while texting.

I also think that all trucks should be required to have a snow plow on the front in the winter, that way the roads will always be clear.

Sorry, had a Jack Handy moment there.

 

[DannyD]

Greg, interesting ya say that. I have often thought that it would be great if there was say a $500 fine for talking on the cell phone, w/ the cops getting a $50 bonus for every one they nailed. Yes, there'd be some corruption, but cell phone records could show if the cop was lying or not. Plus, there'd be enough real cell phone talkers out there that the cops wouldn't need to make anyone up.

Also, when I think cell phone talking, I'm thinking of at speeds over 45 or so. I don't mind if someone is on a dirt road going 25 (the posted speed limit on that road) talking on the phone, cuz I don't think they're dangerous. But daaaaaaang, when ya pull on to the main road... TURN THE **** THING OFF.

ps: Turtle, wow!! I've had such similar thoughts. Though mine were more along the lines of snipers on bridge overpasses.

 

[P51bombay]

Quebec have just enacted a cell phone ban while driving and you don't need to be talking on it to be tickets - according to the officer on the news report merely having it in your hand will get you a ticket as it is presumed you are either using it or about to use it.