Texting & Driving.

[Le bonheur*]

*I guess this could go here, feel free to move it if necessary.*

My aunt's boyfriend picked me up on Friday with his two boys who are 6 and 9. He had me (18), my sister (15), and my cousin (14) in the car with him. While driving on the highway, he started texting. I started getting angry but I let it go. Then he started swirving all over the place. I was scared for our lives. But I kept my mouth shut because I know he would've just told me to shut up. So, if you were in this situation would you say something? Would you be mad? Would you ask them to stop even though they're wayyyyy older than you?

Tell me your thoughts.

[Aletheia*]

I think that texting and driving should be illegal. In my city (Chicago) and I think many other larger cities, talking on the phone while driving (and this includes texting) has become illegal. I'm not sure about EVERYWHERE else, but I don't text and drive. A text isn't as important as my life. That person can wait until I'm stopped at a stop light, or I get to where I am destined to be. I took an oath on a website, and got a thumb ring that I wear on my right thumb to remind me of this. The oath is for a family who lost their daughter due to texting and driving.

[Sincerely Yours ♥]

Where I live (California), texting & driving IS illegal, as well as talking on the phone & driving & using other handhelds while driving. I think it's a great law, but not enough people get pulled over for it. I have friends that text & drive with me in the car & usually I won't say anything unless I notice it's affecting their driving. I know for my boyfriend, he drives crazy if he's texting. That is definitely when I tell him to put down the phone. For older people, well, that depends. My dad texts & drives sometimes, but I keep my mouth shut or it would start this big dispute about him having more driving experience than me. He doesn't drive crazy anyways, so no big. But if it made me really uncomfortable, I would probably say something.

[thebigmole]

Well I personally think that there are times when talking on the phone and driving are necessary, such as when you are lost, or someone has and emergency. Texting and driving is not illegal here, usually though if there is someone else in the car with me I'll give it to them to write the text, my dad does the same thing. If I'm by myself and decide to answer I can usually do it without looking at the phone, though I NEVER text and drive while on the highway. If I'm driving over 30mph I won't text and drive.

[Kitty]

With the old-style phones, it was easier. I used to text and drive all the time. The key was to memorize how many clicks it took on which numbers. Granted, I would read the responses at stops. I can't do that anymore because there are too many keys. Even with touch pads, I can't feel the clicks or the boundaries of the keys.

[Cosmo]

Here in the UK its illegal and I was actually shocked and totally surprised it is not in the US. The US needs to play catchup and realise it's very, very dangerous.

[OMFG!You'reActuallySmart!]

What your aunt's boyfriend did was downright stupid regardless of his age. Even if he had no passengers with him, his driving could've caused an accident. I'd be angrier than a wet cat in a hay stack but I would do my best not to act out toward the driver (or in your case, all of you in the car). The boyfriend was being stupid, driving fast, swirving like a madman, distracted, and the last thing he'd need is people shouting at him. If I were in the car, I'd wait until he parked and then I'd slap him silly. If I truly felt scared, I'd ask him to pull over because I have to use the bathroom badly, otherwise I'm dumping in the car. Once he pulls over, I go to the bathroom, come back and before he can start up, I'd try to wrestle the phone from him. I wouldn't ask for him to not use it because someone who is that reckless and stupid probably wouldn't listen.

When I'm driving, I rarely use the phone, unless it's for an emergency, I'm lost, I'm late or something else important. However, it has to be a short conversation and using hands-free communication so I can have both hands on the wheel. I can drive automatic and manual, so I'm more willing to answer the phone when I'm driving an automatic car. If it's an important call, I'll park then talk, hand the phone to a passenger for them to talk or use hands-free communication for a short talk, especially at red lights.

[Le bonheur*]

Originally Posted by Cosmo

Here in the UK its illegal and I was actually shocked and totally surprised it is not in the US. The US needs to play catchup and realise it's very, very dangerous.

Oops. Sorry, I didn't clarify that where I am it IS illegal. But a lot of people don't listen and they just do whatever the hell they please. Especially him.

[Snufkin]

It's a shame that so many people are obsessed with technology that they can't wait until they've finished driving to send a text. Sure, some journies take a while, but I have plenty of friends who would text multiple times over a 10 minute drive.

It is dangerous, it should be illegal, and I'm glad it is illegal here.

[Cabron]

It's illegal in BC and I'm glad it is. No text is worth a life.

[equinox]

Its illegal here. If a text is that important to send right then you can pull over.

[ShimmeringFaerie]

I think it's one thing to talk on your mobile phone while driving. At least you are still looking at the road. But to text and drive is just ridiculously stupid. Anyone who thinks it is a good idea to take their eyes off the road for an extended amount of time, only use one hand to steer for an extended amount of time, and be concentrating more of typing instead of driving should have their license taken off them immediately. It is dangerous and there is never a good reason to text and drive.

Here, it's illegal to use your mobile phone while driving, including when stopped at a red light. You can talk on your mobile, but it has to be hands-free. And for people who've only just gotten their license (in the last year), it's illegal to use a hands-free mobile as well.

[Magic.]

I think stopped at lights it's fine. Otherwise no. It's more dangerous than talking on the phone driving ... at least on the phone your eyes are on the road not checking your spelling -.-

[Dr.Bobby]

You know, I'll show my age here, but I distinctly remember a time when there were no cell phones whatsoever. And you know something? We all got by just fine.

We've been conditioned to expect immediacy in everything we do, and the idea that we all have to be connected to each other all the time, instantly and immediately and on demand is something that's been artificially created. It's so powerful, though, b/c it taps into the pleasure centers of the brain, all that attention.

I digress...

Studies show that merely talking on the phone while driving is the equivalent of driving drunk, the level of impairment in attention and concentration is the same, with the same accident rate, too. Txting while driving is like letting a 5 year old drive, as you see.

So, what I'd do for the safety of everyone in the car and other drivers and pedestrians is to respond as if the driver txting and attempting to drive WAS a five year old, and tell him to turn it off immediately, and if he refused, take the phone away and turn it off.

Some things are worth getting into an argument over, and when it comes to actual physical safety, it's one of them.

[BDF]

If they can actually text and drive, without compromising their attention to the road too much (which is almost impossible), then I wouldn't have much of a problem with it. I'd get pissed if I saw them looking 80% of the time down at the phone though, which is pretty much what most people do when they text.

But, not on the highway going 70mph/130kmph. Maybe going slowly like 20mph-30mph through a built up area, assuming there aren't many hazards.

Pretty much a no.

What would I do? Not sure. I'm not really friends with any nutcase who does such things so I don't imagine myself in that position. But if I really felt in danger I guess I would just get out and take a bus. Or on the highway... hitch-hike.

[Brandon]

A lot of people claim that they're "good drivers," but it doesn't take long for something bad to happen...especially when you're driving 30+ miles an hour. A second can make a huge difference, and I wouldn't even care if it was the best driver in the world. No one should be texting while driving; even at stop lights (though it's not near as bad as texting while moving the vehicle). If you see someone text while driving, suggest that the stop. If not, have them drop you off and see if you can get someone else to drive you. It's irresponsible behavior, and puts lives at more danger than driving already does alone.

[Ghost On The Highway]

It's illegal in Michigan. I still do it in traffic jams and at stoplights, and would hope to have a ticket reduced and/or thrown out if I was caught in that situation. Texting at speed is idiotic, the only time I did it I ran a red at 50mph.

[craz33me]

I would've told him that I didn't appreciate it.
I don't believe in texting and driving, I never do it.
I always have someone text for me, or I don't text at all.
I think it should be illegal.

[craz33me]

I mean I think it should be illegal where I'm at.

[Briana]

Where I live, it is Illegal to text and drive. I never text and drive unless I'm at a red light and I need to respond to something, then and there. That was completely wrong for him to do that, specially with a car full of people and on the highway, where he could risk the lives of the other cars. I would have totally grabbed his phone and yelled at him.

[Sythan]

It's illegal here in California and I'm glad for that. Albeit, I do think that you should be able to call someone in the event of an emergency.

[Intoxication]

Like other people have said, my mom has the passenger (whoever's in shotgun) text for her. I think if you don't have passengers who can text for you, that person's just gonna have to wait.

[Lugez]

{Friend is texting while driving}

Me: Hey, can't that wait till later?
Friend: I can drive don't worry.

{He texts, swerves a bit out of lane}

Me: Dude, you can't do this.
Friend: You're just overreacting man.
Me: *sigh*....

{1 month later: He hits a guy from behind}

Me: So why'd you hit him?
Friend: