CT bans cell phones while driving

overheard:

guy #1: “I had to buy one of those hand’s free headsets for my phone because of the new law.”
guy #2: “oh yeah?”
guy #1: “I love it. now while I’m driving I can talk on the phone and hold my cup of coffee.”

16 thoughts on “CT bans cell phones while driving

  • 10/24/2005 at 10:07 am
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    LOL! That has been law in Britain for a while now, I think that hands free sets are just as dangerous though!

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  • 10/24/2005 at 10:21 am
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    I’ve seen more than one study that says the handsfree headsets are just as distracting… that’s why i use my bluetooth-enabled telegraph in my car, so i can say “…. . -.– -… .—- – -.-. …. . …” without taking my eyes off the road.

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  • 10/24/2005 at 10:27 am
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    I think the bluetooth thing is just as distracting Ben. What those studies are saying is that no matter what you do, you are still talking on the phone and driving. People are still going to get into accidents while they concentrate more on their conversations while driving. Same thing with Radios. If you were too busy trying to find the latest Enrique Iglesias jam, you would fail to notice that Grandma Jones and her walker were right in front of you when you hit the accelerator. Distractions are no good for driving. Am I a guilty person of doing all those things. Yes. But I respect the science that went into them.

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  • 10/24/2005 at 12:26 pm
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    are you spying on me?

    i had the almost the exact same conversation with my best friend, who lives in CT.

    guy #1: “Hey. I’m my car right now. There’s a new state law that says that this is illegal. I’m supposed to have a headset.”

    guy #2 (me): “Oh? So you can get a headset and have that extra hand free for a cup of coffee?”

    guy #1: “Yeah. Pretty stupid, huh?”

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  • 10/24/2005 at 12:57 pm
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    True story involving two guys, I overheard it as well.
    Mythbusters, the constant source of rocking that it is, did this test, in which they had drivers perform driving obstacle courses of various sorts normally, on a cell phone, and legally drunk. They concluded that driving while on the phone is just as dangerous as driving drunk.
    However, this test involved Jamie asking math questions and riddles on one end of the phone, which the driver had to figure out while navigating the course.

    1. Typical driving is easier than precision movements through cones.
    2. Very few people solve equations on the phone. I don’t know about you guys, but I typically shoot the shit if I’m on the phone. If somebody asks me a question, I often don’t respond, as I’m concentrating on the road. Like trying to get my attention while I’m watching TV: Almost impossible.
    3. Your brain multitasks really well. You can adjust the radio if you’re not stupid about it, you sing along to the tunes, you can talk with someone next to you, or in the back seat, all while driving at basically peak performance. I agree that one-handing the steering wheel with the other hand holding a phone is tough for some people. I’m not one of them, I can talk on the phone, eat lunch, and drive stick during rush hour without any issues. You watch the speedo, radio, sing along, watch your bearing, watch other cars, watch out for cops, work 3 petals all in step, adding a cell phone’s just another small thing to get into a sync with. If you can’t pull it off, you shouldn’t be driving at ALL.

    Man I hate this stupid state.

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  • 10/24/2005 at 1:07 pm
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    Actually Sander, the human mind cannot multitask really well. The Human mind can really only concentrate on one thing at a time. What the mind is good at is its ability to adjust this focus rediculously quickly. When we adjust your radio station, you take your attention off of the road and put it on the radio.
    So your example of yourself driving a stick, just proves that you can adjust the focus of your mind pretty quickly, which is pretty impressive. Congratulations on being able to put your focus into something for a short amount of time. That, combined with your fat ugly face is probably why the ladies don’t like you.

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  • 10/24/2005 at 1:12 pm
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    I read about a cell phone study about people’s ability to multitask with a cell phone, and interestingly enough, it varied considerably when compared with other types of multitasking. I’ll try to dig up the article.

    I found this:
    http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/02/0202_050202_phone_2.html
    it’s not the exact one I remember, but it has some similar findings.

    As for Sander’s arguement? I agree with him. His driving does not change dramatically when he puts down his cell phone.

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  • 10/24/2005 at 2:02 pm
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    “rediculously quickly”

    You spelled it wrong and used two adverbs in a row. Fatty, apparently you can’t even mono-task.

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  • 10/24/2005 at 2:47 pm
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    Oh, snap!
    I’ve been rebuffed.

    No, the brain can multitask. If it couldn’t, you’d have trouble breathing and driving at the same time. Or, if you’re Kurt, breathing is always a constant muscular struggle against the atmosphere, which I suspect leads to spelling problems due to lack of oxygen.
    Though, using two adverbs in a row is not incorrect, even if it looks stupid written in anything but crayon.

    While I hate Mike D, he throws down some damn clever burns. Good one, buddy.

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  • 10/24/2005 at 3:21 pm
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    Yeah, I agree. That’s why i made a joke about it. Try to pay attention.

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  • 10/24/2005 at 3:30 pm
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    Multi-tasking is doable, but not well. The basic point is that, while changing your radio you’re performing a quick task that breaks your concentration from the road, but briefly. However, a phone conversation while driving requires continual focus to process the words being spoken to you and respond to them. The basic being, you’ll either be a very bad driver, or not get anything out of the phone conversation, or both. Probably both.

    But all of that ignores the fact that driving IS multitasking, so by adding a major active task to your already busy brain you end up driving like a drunk.

    And I’m fairly certain breathing is not a conscious task, unlike driving and talking, since you do it while you sleep… someone can get more technical, but I’m not very smart.

    So don’t be a jackass, if you need to make a phone call you should probably stop. And if you’re just “shooting the shit” can’t you effing wait to get home? Seriously?

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  • 10/24/2005 at 3:49 pm
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    I’m learning to drive at the moment and I would probably say it would take years of practice to drive and answer the phone! lol. Though I can talk really easily whilst driving.

    When you say driving a stick, do you mean a car where you manually change the gears, i.e. not automatic?
    Everyone over hear uses the ‘stick’ automatic cars are NOT real cars!

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  • 10/24/2005 at 4:04 pm
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    Yeah, but you drive on the left side of the road. Mistake #1!

    Haha, just kidding. But seriously, after our 2 month stint in Fog Town, it took me a few weeks to get used to looking back to the left first as I cross streets.

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  • 10/25/2005 at 12:31 am
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    Breathing is normally handled by the unconscious, like coughing and pooping. These things shouldn’t even be counted as “tasks” as they don’t normally require your attention.

    I’ve determined that Sander is like our personal O’Reilly, just spitting things out to get us to yell back at him as to why he’s so wrong.

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  • 10/25/2005 at 11:11 am
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    i drove in australia once, just an innocent trip to the mall.

    my aussie roomies in the back seat were screaming.

    scariest short drive of my life.

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