Driving while using a cell phone is illegal in the State of New York and will get one a hefty ticket in a heartbeat.
Driving requires full attention which one cannot give when they are paying attention instead to what someone is saying over the phone. Both hands, of course, for that unexpected split second when something totally unexpected happens: a child running in front of a car, another driver's careless move, you name it.
Just being distracted by someone's conversation is enough to lose the ability for split second response to avoid an accident. If making or answering a call is that important, pull over. Other drivers and pedestrians deserve that consideration, at least.
I disagree with most of these posts. I think it depends ( 1 ) on the person and ( 2 ) on the driving situation.
I don't care what all of the research says, some folks can do two things at once better than others. I am certain that when I talk on the cell phone in my car I am less totally attentive than when I'm not. I am also certain when I am conversing with a passenger in my car I am less totally attentive than when not.
I will talk on my phone while driving if I'm on the freeway and it's not too congested. Everyone is going the same way at the same general speed. I make it a point to look in my mirrors, etc., while I talk. I will also sometimes talk on the cell phone when in quiet residential areas.
I do not talk on a cell phone in dense traffic or when many turns are required, etc. If I'm talking on the phone while driving and things get the least bit "hairy," I politely tell the other party I need to hang up and call them later.
To me it's the whole Libertarian vs. regulatory society. If you can do it, OK. If you can't. . .don't. Some folks can. . .some folks can't.
use of a hand held phone creates danger.have had to honk, switch lanes, pull over because of some one being unaware while talking on the phone yes lots of wrecks have been caused buy other forms of distractions. now we have added one more big one.
Hands free phones are impossible to police. Hand held phones are not. As was stated earlier hands free phones don't take the drivers eyes off the road or their hands off the steering wheel. Hand held phones are absolutely dangerous to motorists and pedestrians.
I might even go further to make it illegal to walk and talk at the same time. I've seen teenagers so engrossed with their fucking phone they've walked out into traffic oblivious to everything around them. They should at least be charged with making themselves a public nuisance.
Ah, yes, let's ban talking on cell phones while driving even if your using handsfree, let's also ban talkng to your passenger and while we're at it let's ban talking to yourself while driving, that can really be distracting. Yep, more laws, that's the answer. Before you know it we'll all have some type of criminal record.
" I think it depends ( 1 ) on the person and ( 2 ) on the driving situation. [...] some folks can do two things at once better than others"
True. And I'm sure that there are people who are capable of safely riding a unicycle carrying a loaded Uzi with the safety off. That doesn't mean I want to be near someone who is doing it.
An automobile is potentially deadly. I support your right to do whatever you want while driving your automobile on your own property. Once you're on a public road, there's an overriding interest in public safety that justifies making rules that take into account the greater good. Despite the right to free speech, it is illegal to falsely yell "fire!" in a crowded theater.
That some folks can do it safely in some situations isn't good enough. You'd have to convince me (at least) that most folks can do it safely in most situations.
Well, perhaps we need to separate the folks who can from the folks who can't, and those who use discretion about the complexity of the driving situation. We could do this by putting a really hefty penalty on a driver who causes an accident by using his cell phone, or doing his . . . make that her . . .nails, or engaging in any other distracting activity. Personal responsibility.
