Here's what pisses me off

[PizzaMonster]

Obviously this won't happen, but just imagine if all cars had:
            manual transmissions
            charging systems just powerfull enough to operate the car
            no sound system
            no GPS
            no cup holders
            and would immediately stall from a cell signal insied the car
           

And I thought you were talking about an older Duc.........   

[♣ McKraut ♣]

it's not hard to see where people get that idea of riders being reckless, though, whether from the squids with no gear on doing wheelies and tank stands at highway speeds, in traffic of course, or from a dude on a chopper with just oakley's on, at 2am on his way back from the bar.

i just try to ride safe and smart, be ready for everyone to be a complete idiot, but on the same token try to be somewhat courteous and don't be an asshat trying to weave in and out of traffic at 110 and feed that stereotype that people in cages have to begin with.  i try to be defensive without being a douche basically.

[roy-nexus-6]

I'd like to see HUGE penalties in place if you are texting when you have an accident.

GPS is standard on many phones - which would allow you to establish the location of the phone when the accident occurred (i.e. was it in the car). If an accident occurs, police should be able to as a matter of course apply for and be granted the call & sms history of the drivers phone - so they can check if the driver was otherwise occupied when they should have been paying attention.

HOWEVER, just thought of a problem: if the driver runs over you BEFORE they send the sms, no one will know. 

[Capo]

Here in the UK, if you have an accident, your phone will be checked and if it is found that you were using it at the time of the accident, you will face a charge of dangerous driving, a serious offence carrying a jail sentence.

[TiNi]

i don't think enough could ever be done to modify people's need to do other things while driving...

there are 11ty billion distractions in a cage. take away the cell, gps, phone's, ipod's, cup holders, etc...
you'll still have the baby crying in the back seat, the folding map, newspaper, smoking, make-up mirror's, etc...

my awareness for motorcycles, and my style of driving all changed for the better when i started riding.
i drive my car like i'm riding my bike. i look WaY ahead, and i'm much more aware of other driver's.

i like statler's idea for the awareness ad... but the people who really need to get it, probably won't.

[Statler]

I'd like to see HUGE penalties in place if you are texting when you have an accident.

GPS is standard on many phones - which would allow you to establish the location of the phone when the accident occurred (i.e. was it in the car). If an accident occurs, police should be able to as a matter of course apply for and be granted the call & sms history of the drivers phone - so they can check if the driver was otherwise occupied when they should have been paying attention.

HOWEVER, just thought of a problem: if the driver runs over you BEFORE they send the sms, no one will know. 

You'e talking hundreds of man hours added for a case.   Hell, they can't even get tox screens done on time and done properly.   So easy to have thrown out too...my phone often won't send a text right away due to signal strength.   It will beep at me that a text was sent an hour after I wrote it.

You cannot prove someone was texting...just won't happen...unless an officer saw and will testify that someone was typing and he/she saw it.    Then there is the issue of how the officer knew it was typing and not dialing (which is legal).  Or scrolling through a call menu (which is legal).   The more specific the law is written the easier it will be to get out of it, and no state is going to have time or resources to go after cell phone records.

I agree it should not be allowed, but I don't see an easy way to accomplish it. 

Of course I'd be happy if the laws in place were actually used and enforced.   PBJ for third drunk driving offense?  problem.

[♣ McKraut ♣]

Here in the UK, if you have an accident, your phone will be checked and if it is found that you were using it at the time of the accident, you will face a charge of dangerous driving, a serious offence carrying a jail sentence.

wow...amen.  not sure how you pull that off to be able to prove that someone was on the phone when the accident happened...but i like it   

[thejsnide]

Down in the Dominican Republic you can land yourself a NICE spot in the local jail for talking/texting on a cell phone... But on the contrary, they actually promote drinking and driving by selling beer with about 9% alcohol on almost every street corner...  Take your pick, which is worse?

[Desmo Demon]

When will people wake up and realize the bike itsself is not dangerous but the morons and their stupid multi-tasking while driving is the problem?!

The problem will get better when our society realizes that negligent driving is worse than drunk driving will ever be and our laws and penalties reflect this fact. I can rant on and on about negligent driving and how you can kill a person while driving negligently and get off scott-free because there is no "malice" in the driver's actions.....I always figure that if you consciously do something to distract yourself from driving then this can be viewed as "malice" since it is a conscious act, but the laws and courts don't view it this way.....BTW, my wife is disabled because a dumb 18-year old girl was on the wrong side of the road in a blind curve.

[Scottish]

I like the idea of ignition interupters, if a call is recieved and answered while the vechile is on it beeps and gives you like 15 seconds to pull over before it shuts off. Ergo people learn is it really this important to take this call RIGHT NOW, or can it wait til I get where ever I'm going.

[TiNi]

i had a dream a few years after i started driving a car that i was speeding in my gti, came up over a blind hill, and killed 2 young boys riding their bikes in the road...

it scared the bejeezus out of me... really shook me up, i slowed it down in residential neighborhoods after that dream.

would it help to simulate similar accidents to all young drivers, the day you get your license?

[Popeye the Sailor]

GPS is standard on many phones - which would allow you to establish the location of the phone when the accident occurred (i.e. was it in the car). If an accident occurs, police should be able to as a matter of course apply for and be granted the call & sms history of the drivers phone - so they can check if the driver was otherwise occupied when they should have been paying attention.

Yeah except it tells you where you are +/- roughly 8 feet or so (this may have changed since I was in the maritime industry). The phone may have been safely stowed in the trunk and show up in the same location as in the driver's hand. Not accurate or useful, really.



Perhaps we need some mothers to get angry or some such. 

[JoeChieftain]

I just saw something the other day that gave the same thoughts about upcoming drivers. I was driving home through the neighborhood, I see a girl, about 12ish, riding her bike slow down the street. The bike is swerving around as she is going very slow. As I got closer I saw she was texting while riding her bike.

My only thought was that she will make a swell driver in a few years.

Mike

[GLantern]

I just saw something the other day that gave the same thoughts about upcoming drivers. I was driving home through the neighborhood, I see a girl, about 12ish, riding her bike slow down the street. The bike is swerving around as she is going very slow. As I got closer I saw she was texting while riding her bike.

My only thought was that she will make a swell driver in a few years.

Mike

Its too late they are already on the streets i almost got hit by some lady in a big GMC Yukon today, no signal just decided to change lanes thank god there was a shoulder.  I proceeded to do the full 180 with my arm outstretched with a nice one finger salute!!  Seeing into her window there was another blond in the car and i was sure her hands weren't even on the wheel

[robartlum]

I am a much better/safer rider than I am a driver. I wont lie. Having all that tons of steel around me is...safe so I don't drive as aware as I do when I ride. I bumped my front bumper the other day on somthing because I thought I had tons of room to spare. After that, I decided to start riding more. I am much much more alert while riding....strange.