Powerful message from the folks at VW...

[Ronin13]

Now we're getting into my real pet peeve of people who don't answer the phone.

I can deal with that... I understand sometimes people are either A) too busy to answer, or B) answering would be imprudent (like if they're driving). Now, not calling you back when it's convenient, that's what really grinds my gears.

[Irving]

Ever have someone text you all day long, and you just call right after a text and they just don't pick up?

[Ronin13]

Ever have someone text you all day long, and you just call right after a text and they just don't pick up?

Got on my buddy's case about it just the other day... He texted me, I called him and no answer. Once he did call me back I was like "What the hell? Did you text me and then toss your phone out the window or something?"

[Jer]

Jer, actually, painful as it might be, I agree with you. Our government has tried way to hard to protect the stupid and the innocent from the stupid. There are things you can do to mitigate your exposure to idiots, but nothing is foolproof. Yes, the focus SHOULD be on the action, not the tool.

So, how do we go back to making people pay for their stupidity instead of walking out on it? Text/drive drunk/ eat a burrito and kill someone...do we, as a society strap you in a chair and flip the switch? Our society has lost its will to punish stupidity due to apathy, sympathy, etc, so how does the impasse get resolved?

But, yes stricter DUI enforcement and penalties, along with educational campaigns by the alcohol producers, have made a sizable dent in alcohol related accidents and deaths.

Just FTR, I did not, in this thread advocate making texting illegal. Philosophically, I am against it. Now if an automaker wanted to create a system where handset use was not possible while the ignition was on, free market would decide if it was good or bad. I have my cell set to decide if I am driving to go to auto-speak and not let me text. BUT, I controlled myself, I don't want the government to do it.

It's difficult to extrapolate that more strict DUI laws (lowering the BAC, etc.) is solely responsible for a decrease in motor vehicle injury accidents and fatalities. It's arguable that the emphasis & advancement in vehicle safety my manufacturers plays a large role in this as well. The point is that it's way too complex to say that we have laws to thank.

How do we fix it? Well, that's a complex question and the solutions are numerous & complicated but suffice it to say that f we stop protecting the stupid from themselves via nit picky laws the dumb will weed themselves out at a more rapid rate and we'll be back to an increased average intelligence. This is a rather deep subject that would require it's own thread but it should be pretty obvious that my stance is that petty laws isn't the solution. It's not even a band-aid fix IMO. If we can't be trusted to know when a situation is too dangerous to text (or change the radio station, enter an address in the nav, active the windshield wipers, etc.) while driving then what can be we trusted with? I don't need the government to tell me any of these things and if this means the perception by some is that I'm slightly less safe then so be it. I've logged hundreds of thousands of accident-free miles (other than a deer and an unavoidable truck pulling out in front of me.. both on a motorcycle) in a vehicle and am a firm believer that this isn't due to luck. Much like real life, you need to be on your A game when it comes to situational awareness and this is directly proportional to the speeds at which you're operating.

Summary: Liberty is dangerous and I wouldn't have it any other way.

[Jer]

Now we're getting into my real pet peeve of people who don't answer the phone.

I can deal with that... I understand sometimes people are either A) too busy to answer, or B) answering would be imprudent (like if they're driving). Now, not calling you back when it's convenient, that's what really grinds my gears.

Ever have someone text you all day long, and you just call right after a text and they just don't pick up?

Got on my buddy's case about it just the other day... He texted me, I called him and no answer. Once he did call me back I was like "What the hell? Did you text me and then toss your phone out the window or something?"

You guys are funny. If someone sends you an email do you immediately respond with a singing telegram and wonder why they don't respond in kind? I text when talking isn't convenient so assuming I'm available for a phone call is making an ass out of 'u' and 'ming'. It's poor social etiquette to get ticked off at someone because YOU chose to change the means of contact and they didn't reciprocate on a moment's notice. Perhaps it's THEM who think YOU are rude for calling in the middle of a text message conversation.

[Ronin13]

You guys are funny. If someone sends you an email do you immediately respond with a singing telegram and wonder why they don't respond in kind? I text when talking isn't convenient so assuming I'm available for a phone call is making an ass out of 'u' and 'ming'. It's poor social etiquette to get ticked off at someone because YOU chose to change the means of contact and they didn't reciprocate on a moment's notice. Perhaps it's THEM who think YOU are rude for calling in the middle of a text message conversation.

Ya know, that's an interesting way of looking at it... No, wait, excuse me, but the world does revolve around ME, not them...

[rbeau30]

Nice commercial.

I'm not saying those who text and drive are stupid. I'm saying that keeping it legal allows those who can't do it properly to kill themselves before poisoning the gene pool further. Creating laws preventing the stupid from needing to know the difference is what is helping to further pollute the gene pool with stupid genes.

I am also in favor of letting Murphy out of his cage.

I miss the days of being unavailable as soon as I left the house. The electronic leash is getting old

I still do become unavailable. What I do is: 1) Put the Phone down. 2) Walk away somewhere else.

[TFOGGER]

My real pet peeve is people that do every damn thing but drive when they're behind the wheel. Most people don't drive well to begin with, and trying to do 3 other things at the same time doesn't make them any better.

[Bailey Guns]

Saying there's a safe way to text while driving a vehicle in motion, on a roadway with other cars is like saying there's a safe way to look down the barrel of a loaded gun with the hammer cocked and your finger on the trigger.

Sure, you can do it, but it's eventually gonna bite you on the ass.

[Jer]

Ya know, that's an interesting way of looking at it... No, wait, excuse me, but the world does revolve around ME, not them...

ROFL

Saying there's a safe way to text while driving a vehicle in motion, on a roadway with other cars is like saying there's a safe way to look down the barrel of a loaded gun with the hammer cocked and your finger on the trigger.

Sure, you can do it, but it's eventually gonna bite you on the ass.

A better comparison would be competing at firearm competitions rather than looking down a loaded barrel. It's a dangerous procedure to be sure and there are practices that make it more safe and some that make it less safe. Let's be realistic though... some people are just accident prone regardless of what situation we're talking about.