Cell phones, cars a dangerous mix
August 11th, 2008 at 12:42pm Wally Haas
We’ve all had near accidents — or maybe we weren’t that lucky — because a motorist was talking on a cell phone and wasn’t paying attention to the road.
As a bicyclist, I’m especially aware of drivers who are holding a phone in one hand and trying to make a turn with the other. I stop because I know they don’t see me (or care to). Fellow bicyclists have told me stories about being clipped or being nearly clipped by someone yakking and driving.
The Tribune’s Jon Hilkevitch writes about cell phones and traffic accidents in today’s column.
Distracted walking will be the next issue. More and more I see folks walking and talking on the cell phone. It seems they expect motorists to stop no matter what color the light at the intersection may be.
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4 Comments Add your own
1. quitjockinmea$$hole | August 11th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
The days of common courtesy and common sense are gone. We live, and have lived, in an “all about me” society for quite some time now and this is only increasing the amount of violence around us. Everyone is expecting others to be nice to them, but they would care less about how they treat others. Something has to give…
2. Wally Haas | August 11th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Seems like people have forgotten the Golden Rule: Do unto others …
3. Leaf like a Tree | August 11th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
What about bicyclists???? I can’t tell you the number of times I have seen bicyclists peddle trhough a stop sign or a red light because they feel they don’t have to obey the laws of the land. Yet, they expect drivers to drive 5 mph behind them. I love it when I must follow a bicyclists for a mile and finally pass him, only to come to a red light and have him go through the light and me have to do it all over again.
4. Wally Haas | August 11th, 2008 at 3:21 pm
True, but I don’t think I’ve seen a bicyclist use a cell phone while riding. Lots of folks need to learn the rules of the road. The other day, every cyclist I came across was going the wrong direction (against traffic instead of with traffic). I wanted to yell at them “You’re going the wrong way.”
As to red lights, some, if not most, lights will not turn green if there’s just a bike there. The cyclist either has to run the light or wait forever for a car to show up.
In my experience, motorcycle drivers are the safest, most polite drivers on the road. Perhaps that’s because they face the most risk in an accident. (Disclaimer: I have a motorcycle license).
Bottom line, doesn’t matter if they’re on two wheels, three wheels or four, some people are concerned just about themselves.
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