Why we need protect bike lanes

[Greenbelt]

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/03/25/car-crash-videos-highlight-risk-of-multitasking-with-phones/?ref=personaltech

Topic

[MRH5028]

That video was scary to watch knowing how many people I see on a daily basis using their phone wile driving. Using a phone while driving needs to be raised to the same level of stigma as DWI/DUI.

Also knowing that teenagers are often the culprits of cell phone use I think we really need to start talking about adjusting the driving age or implementing more restrictions on younger drivers. Not to say that the over 70 crowd is any better at driving.

Protected bike lanes would be nice, but that is not a cure for the real problem of distracted driving. In a perfect world we would have protected bike lanes and fully attentive drivers, but sadly that won’t happen anytime soon.

[americancyclo]

Throw someting like this in your pannier: http://www.thesignaljammer.com/products/4G-Portable-Compact.html

[Powerful Pete]

@americancyclo, I am certain you were not serious, but remember that agencies such as the FCC take a dim view of do-it-yourself jamming… I seem to remember reading an article about a gentleman that equipped his car this way and was eventually tracked down and prosecuted (I think in Florida, but I could be mistaken).

Also, think of the panic that the absence of a cell phone signal would induce in most people (especially teen drivers!) today… the resulting mayhem and complete distraction from driving would be even more dangerous than their chatting and posting on FaceySpaceGram on the interwebz. 😮

[rcannon100]

“Vigilante” Florida Highway Cell Phone Jammer Smacked with $48K FCC Fine

Actually, I think this is probably a sting operation since AmericanCyclo was deputized as a member of the FCC Friday

[bentbike33]

@americancyclo 112646 wrote:

Throw someting like this in your pannier: http://www.thesignaljammer.com/products/4G-Portable-Compact.html

These devices need to be standard equipment in all motor vehicles, always switched on when the transmission is engaged, and full functionality confirmed as part of vehicle inspection. Anyone wishing to use a cellphone while automobile-ensconced would need to pull well off the roadway, and put the vehicle in park or neutral.

[PotomacCyclist]

Yes, that man in Florida was fined $48,000 for unauthorized operation of a jammer:

http://www.cnet.com/news/man-put-cell-phone-jammer-in-car-to-stop-driver-calls-fcc-says/

[Phatboing]

It’s a “clueless human” problem, this, for which a technological solution is but band-aid.

Teens should learn driving in Mumbai (or worse, Delhi), where if you let your attention waver for just the teeniest second, something undesirable is virtually guaranteed. Not that this stops drivers in these cities, admittedly.

[83b]

Humorous deja vu!

Edit: It’s also humorous that we’re debating the extent to which technology is making us worse drivers, because I for one cannot wait to welcome our coming robot driver overlords! I worked on an early stage investment for Mobileye years ago and remember during one conference call looking around at a roomful of distracted law firm partners on Blackberrys and thinking that those guys were going to make a fortune someday and probably keep one of these very jackasses from running me over turning into our parking garage.

[Author]

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