Joseph Hall wrote: > I don't get it. Why should talking on a cell phone be any different > from holding a drink in one hand and talking to somebody in the > passenger seat while driving? People do that all the time, and I have > yet to hear somebody complain about it. Or if you're using a > hands-free set, how should that be any different from driving with > both hands and talking to the person in the passenger seat, or the > back seat? > > It doesn't make sense to me. It shouldn't be any different. Of course, > driving and texting (DWT) at the same time, that would be dangerous.
I know when I am talking on a cell phone I am more distracted then if I were not. I think it would be very hard to dispute that. When talking to and adult passenger or an adult in the back seat, I think you are generally safe with this. Notice I said "adult". I will have to agree with you in that I have had arguments with kids in the back seat, or babies screaming that I would qualify as more distracting than talking on the cell phone though. If I remember right, the drivers handbook states that any thing that distracts you from focusing on driving should be avoided. I assume this includes cell phones, texting, listing to too loud of music, putting on makeup, changing your cloths, reading a map, drowsy driving, angry or upset children in the backseat (I usually have a lovely passenger with me who deals with the children, namely my wife :-) but this one can't always be avoided), eating a taco or hamburger, looking down to fiddle with the radio, leaning your seat slightly back so you can catch glimpses of the movie the kids are watching, and I would include road rage in this list as well, ALL of these things I have witnessed drivers on the road doing. /* PLUG: http://plug.org, #utah on irc.freenode.net Unsubscribe: http://plug.org/mailman/options/plug Don't fear the penguin. */
