Posted: 8/14/2010 10:22:45 PM EDT
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I must be driving in WTF-ville because lately I am repeatedly seeing 2 things that I believe are NOT safe for everyone else. Let me anticipate your responses by saying "what others do on public roads IS my business because it affects my safety". 1. Driving while wearing headphones - I almost want to say I have seen this every time I drive on the interstate. I've seen people use the classic white iPod ear buds and just today I saw some guy wearing what looked like noise cancelling Bose headphones. Unless someone can provide a legitimate reason for someone to wear headphones while driving, I'll just as easily assume it is because their car's radio is not working so they are listening to some portable device. Doing this in NO way ADDS to your ability to focus on driving in a precise and conscientous manner. While I doubt states have laws that specifically prohibit this, I'm sure it falls under a more broad description of not being distracted while driving. 2. Not using headlights when driving at night - No, not dusk, but 10 or 11PM dark-as-black night. I can't even figure out how some people manage to do this because not turning on the headlights means the dash cluster is not illuminated. I guess if you're a careless driver and don't care how fast you're going or which gear your selector is in, then why not. The main problem here is that, IMO, headlights serve 2 primary purposes when driving at night on public roads: Illuminate the road ahead of you for obvious reasons and signal to other drivers that you are present on the road and performing some action (turn signals, brake lights illuminating, etc). So to summarize: 1. Fix your stereo, or quit driving with headphones on. I don't care if there isn't any music playing through them. You share the road with me, and the fact that you are helping to bury yourself into a self-absorbed world where you can apparently just block out other cars on the road means you aren't focused on the act of driving in a safe and deliberate manner. 2. Turn on your headlights at night, if not to help yourself out from running into a stray animal, then to let OTHER drivers know you are there. Light works from both directions, genius. And because you guys all have opinions that stink like the asterisk on your ham end: 1. We do not need more laws because of my rant. If anything, I wish police enforced obvious safety threats like these rather than ticket speeders for revenue collection. If anything, speeders are typically MORE aware of their driving because they're scanning for police and planning ahead on when to merge or switch lanes. 2. I'm not a perfect driver, but I do my best to turn certain aspects of driving into a muscle memory exercise. Night time? My left hand moves to the dash and turns the knob 2 clicks right. It just happens like this because I trained myself into force of habit over years. Music? The hell if I have an answer. My stereo works. If it didn't work I'd drive without music until I could afford to have someone look at it. I'd even go borrow someone's CD boombox and stick that in the back seats before I resorted to using headphones while driving. 3. Something related to FU AROCK and Chris Costa's man tits. So, if I haven't covered your response, flame-on and let the games begin. I'm always amazed at how a lot of you automatically play devil's advocate, even when the rant is against something so obviously stupid.  |
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I think Texas has a law against using headphones while driving. then again, we also have a law against having license plate frames on out cars that obscure any of the text on the plate. I have no idea if these laws are actually enforced or not by the LEO's. I know my neighbor (who is a LEO) doesn't pull anyone over solely because they have a license plate frame that obscures text. He has better things to do. |
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It may not be "Safe" to be using headphones but what about just playing the stereo really loud.
What about talking to your passenger? "What about "Deaf" people?" I ride my motorcycle with earplugs in. Was told by a cop it was not legal. Took him to court and won using the above question. As to lights I think they are using night vision goggles.(I hope) |
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I agree about the headlights thing. I would LIKE to know you're coming before I pull out in front of you... because I didn't see headlights, and couldn't see your car. As far as the headphones... it's the same thing as other forms of activity that obstruct your hearing. Not a huge deal, but I can understand how it might lead to an accident, therefore upsetting you. |
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I`ll have to agree with the get off the phone comment. Usually the driver in front of me will go fast then slow down, go fast then slow down & on & on. They will weave or stay in the faster lane with 18 cars behind them, all while oblivious to the poor folks who would like to go around them.
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This will not end well. I love the passenger debate. Talking to a passenger is not the exact same as texting while at the wheel. How many of you people actually look at the people you are talking to when driving a car and holding a conversation? I think we as humans are fully capable of doing whatever we please at the wheel as long as we maintain control of the car and keep our eyes on the road. Talking and yelling and listening are all activities that can do done while your eyes remain on the road. Texting is the only thing i have a problem with because your hands and your eyes become preoccupied with something that isn't controlling the vehicle.
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Quoted: I`ll have to agree with the get off the phone comment. Usually the driver in front of me will go fast then slow down, go fast then slow down & on & on. They will weave or stay in the faster lane with 18 cars behind them, all while oblivious to the poor folks who would like to go around them. Hell, that's my MOM... hands at 10 and 2, no radio on, not talking on the phone. She's scared of other drivers, completely oblivious that she's a horrible driver.  Some people just suck at driving, regardless. |
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The most popular exterior car color is now silver. In most cases it appears to be grey, with the fog we get frequently in our area the silver-grey cars will blend easily into the fog. I find myself astonished at the number of people that driving their grey cars in heavy fog without their headlights.
Some model cars now have automatic head lights, this used to irritate me until I realized that many drivers are simply not smart enough to know when to turn their headlights on. |
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I agree with the OP about the headlights, but what REALLY gets me are people not using turn signals.
Jesus Christ...is it SO fucking hard to let other people know what your intentions are???!!!!! Around here, if you see a turn signal blinking, it's probably because the driver accidentally hit it when he bought the car and hasn't figured out how to turn it off. |
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Quoted:
It may not be "Safe" to be using headphones but what about just playing the stereo really loud. What about talking to your passenger? "What about "Deaf" people?" I ride my motorcycle with earplugs in. Was told by a cop it was not legal. Took him to court and won using the above question. As to lights I think they are using night vision goggles.(I hope) Their night vision goggles don't help others see them. |
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Quoted:
I agree with the OP about the headlights, but what REALLY gets me are people not using turn signals. Jesus Christ...is it SO fucking hard to let other people know what your intentions are???!!!!! Around here, if you see a turn signal blinking, it's probably because the driver accidentally hit it when he bought the car and hasn't figured out how to turn it off. I have been noticing that a lot lately. I also see many people driving with their high beams on and refusing to dim them. Common courtesy on the road is gone. |
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Quoted:
I think we as humans are fully capable of doing whatever we please at the wheel as long as we maintain control of the car and keep our eyes on the road. As long as you maintain control of the vehicle in the RIGHT HAND LANES!!!!...........Get out of the FRICKEN WAY while you talk! 
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Recall your school daze.
Remember the kids who couldn't read in high school? Recall the kids who couldn't do simple math? Recall the kids who were always picked last for the sports teams in PE because they were so uncoordinated they couldn't even be counted on to pass the basketball correctly? They all have cars and driver's licenses and are now barreling down the road at 75 mph in the lane next to you listening to their iPods, texting, and otherwise diverting their 90 IQ on other tasks while speeding. Add to those idiots the ones from out-of-the-country who don't read the English so very well, the 80 year old blue hairs from out-of-state going to Disneyland who no longer think very fast, and the 17 year old who's father just gave him a new Mustang and it's lots of fun out there. The really cool part is that they can continue to so that right up until the point where they impact your seven year old crossing the street at the school crosswalk. 
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I been bad. Yesterday driving from work, the gal in front was all over the lane. Got beside her and noticed she was dicking with her phone. She weaved in behind me and I could see in the rear view she was still playing with the phone. Everything was clear around me, except for her, and I - tapped my brakes to defeat the cruise control and slowed/coasted, watching her in the rear view and the road ahead, of course. When she finally got back to driving the car, she was surprised! Her mouth came open, made an awful face and was bracing for impact. However, I have played this game before - right at the moment of her "realization" I accelerate, so there is not going to be an impact with me at least. Yes, I suppose it could be called a silly game to play with another vehicle, but I braked for the dog, that wasn't there. What if there had been a dog or pedestrian, huh? Going into work at 0520, it is dark. I see women all the time with the sun visor down using the mirror to put on their makeup... while doing 50, totally inattentive to the situation. Some fun is to be had there too.  |
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Quoted:
I agree with the OP about the headlights, but what REALLY gets me are people not using turn signals. Jesus Christ...is it SO fucking hard to let other people know what your intentions are???!!!!! Around here, if you see a turn signal blinking, it's probably because the driver accidentally hit it when he bought the car and hasn't figured out how to turn it off. +1 |
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Quoted:
I agree with the OP about the headlights, but what REALLY gets me are people not using turn signals. Jesus Christ...is it SO fucking hard to let other people know what your intentions are???!!!!! Around here, if you see a turn signal blinking, it's probably because the driver accidentally hit it when he bought the car and hasn't figured out how to turn it off. It might not be like this everywhere.......But around here if you use your turn signal, its a signal for the shithead in the lane next to you to speed up so you cant move in front of him, because heaven fucking forbid he have to slow down or horror of horrors stop for 30 damn seconds while I make a turn. 
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Quoted:
I agree with the OP about the headlights, but what REALLY gets me are people not using turn signals. Jesus Christ...is it SO fucking hard to let other people know what your intentions are???!!!!! Around here, if you see a turn signal blinking, it's probably because the driver accidentally hit it when he bought the car and hasn't figured out how to turn it off. That's the exact reason blinkers are mostly pointless anymore. I don't use them unless there's cars in close proximity. |