Wednesday, October 05, 2005
Calm Blue Ocean Calm Blue Ocean
After playing a nice game of Don't Wake Daddy with a couple of eight-year-olds, I have calmed down from the heightened state of rage apparent in the previous rant blog. Plus, I already got in trouble for the cussing via email from my mom. So, I am now going to take a more pro-active approach and look into what needs to be done to get a no-phones-in-the-car law passed and do all I can to help make it happen. Serenity now!
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5 comments:
I will be mad at you if you get the law passed.
I like the idea (driving while cell phoning [except w/ hands-free options] is currently a ticketable offense in much of Australia).
But I'd also look into the option of photon torpedoes... ;)
BTW -- what's ''Don't Wake Daddy''? Is this a standard speecho trick?
--GG
(P.S. In Aussie-land, they have a thing about giving nicknames to occupations. Mail carriers are ''posties'', electricians are ''sparkies'', carpenters are ''chippies'', garbage collectors are ''garbos''. So without really thinking about it, I referred to speech therapists as ''speechos''.)
Don't Wake Daddy is just a board game, kinda like hungry hungry hippos. (hee hee - I almost typed Hungry Hungry Hippies, which would be a funny name for something.)
And Julie, I don't care if you get mad at me about this...that guy almost killed me, and there is lots of science to back me up on my arguement. If a call is THAT important, people can pull over. I feel very strongly about this. I hope we can still be friends. PS I bet Dr. Phil is on my side!
I am with T. on this. Talking on your cell phone while driving doesn't make you a jackass. That comes from within. But studies have shown that it does impair your attentiveness and reaction time by an alarming amount (on par with a legally drunk driver). Interestingly, headsets did not significantly improve the situation. The phenomenon was called "Inattentinal Blindness" or something like that.
Of course, cell phones aren't the only distractor. There is EWD (Eating While Driving), SWD (Shaving While Driving), fiddling with the radio, applying makeup, and oggling at billboards of scantily clad swimsuit models on the tollway. Oops, did I say that last part aloud?
On average, I get my life threatened in a brake-slamming, horn-honking way about four times a week. Usually it is by an impatient jackass driver who CAN"T STAND to be behind another car in heavy traffic. A significant portion of these are cell phone talkers. And God only knows what would happen if I was talking on a cell phone too.
It is a sobering thought that the difference between life and death can be measured in seconds when one is hurtling down Central at 75 mph.
Last year, I was crossing the street and actually got hit (at low speed) by a lady in an SUV talking on her cell phone. She was taking a right turn on red and never bothered to look right. I slammed my fist on her trunk and yelled as she pushed me out into the street. And you know what? She never did see me. Just went on her way in total oblivion. If only I wasn't a Low Talker! She would have heard me cursing in fury!
I think there should be less emphasis on catching "speeders" in speed traps (an easy source of revenue for the police) and more emphasis on patrolling the major commuter routes for reckless drivers. I also think the Hungry Hungry Hippies would make a good softball team name.
-K.
Has K been into the chocolate covered coffee beans again?
i do like the hungry hungry hippies though!
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