Yet another DUH!

Harry K wrote:
> N8N wrote:
> > Harry K wrote:
> > > Dave Head wrote:
> > > > On 21 Jul 2005 00:24:00 GMT, Jim Yanik .> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > >Dave Head > wrote in
> > > > :
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >> Just your wildly active imagination that everyone is going to
> > > > >> fly off the road and crash if they talk on a cell phone. Hey - if
> > > > >> driving is so damn dangerous, can I breath while I drive? How about
> > > > >> blink? This stuff is silly - the task isn't that hard. All you have
> > > > >> to do is know how to pay attention to the most important stuff while
> > > > >> incidentally doing some other stuff. It can be done, but has to be
> > > > >> practiced.
> > > > >>
> > > > >> Dave Head
> > > > >>
> > > > >>>Chris
> > > > >>
> > > > >>
> > > > >
> > > > >You and many others fail to see the difference between talking on the CP in
> > > > >urban driving conditions,and on the open highways.
> > > >
> > > > Who said anything about urban/suburban/rural driving conditions? The
> > > > contention here by all the Safety Nazis / Chicken Littles is that we're all
> > > > gonna die if we talk on the CP while driving. If that weren't the case, they
> > > > wouldn't be advocating a nationwide ban on using cell phones in cars, which is
> > > > exactly where they've been taking this.
> > > >
> > > > Dave Head
> > >
> > > And I hope they succeed. There are enough idiots on the road who can't
> > > drive even without the distraction of yakking on a piece of ear candy.
> > > Your description of what you use one for is very illumative.
> > >
> > > Harry K
> >
> > What about the people who are competent enough to walk and chew gum at
> > the same time? Are we to penalize them for the inability of others to
> > realize their limitations?
> >
> > nate
> >
> > ...who literally could not do his job effectively without a CP. Yes I
> > use a headset whenever I'm away from the office.
>
> You mean those who -think- they can. Just like all of us (me included)
> on this board that -think- they are the greatest drivers to ever come
> down the pike.


Nope, I never said that. I do think that I am a *good* driver, and my
driving record bears that out. I actually agree with all of those that
state that CPs are a distraction - they are. The key is understanding
how much attention one needs to give to the road, and never letting the
level of attention one is actually giving drop below that level. If it
means saying "hold on" and dropping the phone, so be it. If it means
unexpected silences or asking a caller to repeat himself, so be it.
Most people are reasonable and understanding about such things.

> Business was conducted for over a 100 years without the use of CPs.
> Granted they are damn useful but hardly essential. Then there is the
> always non-popular option of PARKING to make the call.

Heh, around here if I am on the phone and in my car I am usually parked
and in the passing lane at the same time

>
> How about banning them across the board except for those who can pass a
> test by making a 5 minute important call while performing some
> technical task? Should be possible to set up some sort of a lab
> environment for it.

I wouldn't have a problem with that. (the idea, I mean, not the test
itself. I bet I could pass the test also, however.)

nate