Girl texting while driving hits cyclist, says “I just don’t care”

[Handsome B. Wonderful]

Originally Posted by SportsJunky

And get the bum cancer?

Well, you're already road cancer.

[troutman]

My friend was hit by two different distracted drivers, in separate incidents 1-2 years apart. Among other things, she is dealing with significant concussion problems (not unlike what some retired NFL players have experienced):

- constant and severe migraine headaches
- memory problems
- unable to focus long on reading, writing or watching tv
- conversations more than an hour are very taxing for her
- unable to tolerate noise
- PTSD - very uncomfortable to drive around the city, or let other people drive her
- has been unable to return to her job - has a very low income
- difficult to have relationships, as she often does not feel well
- exercise is difficult - she used to be a triathlete, but a 20 min walk is very taxing for her now, and she has lost all her muscle mass
- difficult for her to travel
- depression and frustration
- attends many therapy appointments but progress has been slow
- she had to attend insulting legal examinations where her condition was questioned

All of this is because two selfish people did not consider the consequences of their actions. Her life may never be the same. No injury award can ever restore the quality of life. All she wants is to be able to return to work and enjoy the simple things in life, but we don't know when that will be.

I talked about her before, and I will keep telling the story, in the hopes that some people get the message.

Every day I see people texting and driving. Sometimes at a light, sometimes while they are driving. No one seems to consider the possible outcomes.

[Resolute 14]

Well, a lifetime ban for a first offence is ridiculous, but honestly, making texting and driving a 15 point offence might not be a bad thing. Get caught, and you get to ride the bus for a month.

Realistically though, Alberta does need to add demerit points to distracted driving tickets. And one thing I wish the law would change is to take away the option of negotiating away demerit points. Negotiating fines, or finding alternative methods of repaying I am fine with. But the point of demerits is to take bad drivers off the road. Allowing the system to remove those points is counterproductive.

[Shawnski]

This is a Transport Canada survey from 2007 regarding "observed" cell phone use by province. Wonder how we would fare now, considering it is illegal...

[Temporary_User]

I think everyone is overreacting a little in this thread. I drink and drive every once in a while, but I mean this is Calgary, it is damn cold outside and nearly impossible to catch a cab. I do pay more attention when I do it, making sure I'm not swerving or anything. Or I do it late at night after the bars are closed when really no kids would be out on the streets and there are barely any cars out then too.


This is a joke.

[Igster]

Originally Posted by Wastedyouth

Driving: It's seriouz biznezz.

Oh you're right. Life is a video game. Let's see how many other things people can do while driving. I would love to take their phones and shove them right up these peoples' a#### when I see people swerving around trying to text while driving.

Originally Posted by surferguy

It is.

Last year I had to swerve completely out of my lane to avoid a head on collision with a car that floated across two lanes into mine because the other driver had her face burried into her phone. We missed by about six inches. The load I had in my car at the time would have ended me right there, only doing 50 kph.

Put down the ####ing phones in the car.

If I could thank this post 1000 times, I would.

[puckluck2]

Originally Posted by Temporary_User

I think everyone is overreacting a little in this thread. I drink and drive every once in a while, but I mean this is Calgary, it is damn cold outside and nearly impossible to catch a cab. I do pay more attention when I do it, making sure I'm not swerving or anything. Or I do it late at night after the bars are closed when really no kids would be out on the streets and there are barely any cars out then too.


This is a joke.

White text is lame.

[TorqueDog]

Originally Posted by nfotiu

I don't know what the answer is, but I don't think that cell phones and texting is the whole problem. I've been in cars with drivers who will never touch their phone, but jeez, if you have any kind of conversation with them, they'll be driving right through red lights. Others who will stare at their radio for hours as they flip through the stations barely looking up. I saw someone in a parking lot almost run over some kids as she was driving 10 mph focused on the drink she was sucking on. I've been with drivers who are way to focused on their cellphones, and others who seem to be able to quickly glance at it in their peripheral without taking their eyes off the road.

I'm sure phones and texting contribute to the distractions for people who aren't very good at concentrating on the road anyway, but the problem doesn't seem as simple as just taking away their phones either.

I do recall reading a study somewhere that made this very point - it isn't necessarily the act of texting or using a phone, but engaging in the mere act of conversation that distracts people.

[zamler]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Call me an old fuddy duddy, but I think cars these days are so easy to operate, that most of the time it's just something that you do in the background. People think they can do other things because driving the car itself barely takes a finger. Simply driving is no longer the primary point of attention. Just look at any car commercial... it's all about your infotainment system, and being connected, and doing pretty much everything but driving.

The solution is to buy you and your kids a car with a stick. You'll actually start paying attention to the road, instead of looking for things to do because you are bored out of your skull steering your couch on wheels. It doesn't eliminate all distraction, but it sure makes you much more aware of what's going on. It's a lot harder (but not impossible of course) to text when both your hands, and brain, are doing things.

This post deserves more love. Driving has become something you do in the background instead of being the primary focus. What's amazing to me is cars are loaded up with distractions, and at the same time are being fitted more and more with cyber nannies that can hit the brakes, steer the car etc. in case you are not paying attention. Which you won't be because you are using the gadgets in the car.

[St. Pats]

The new victim rights thingy should have a choice of just having the criminal get exactly back what they cause. No arguments over whether the punishment suits the crime. It's just exactly what they have caused by their stupidity being done to them.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Shawnski

This is a Transport Canada survey from 2007 regarding "observed" cell phone use by province. Wonder how we would fare now, considering it is illegal...

My one man sample size says it hasn't.

I saw the driver of an EMS vehicle talking on a cell phone while driving the other day.

[habernac]

my favourite are the police with the huge laptop they're busy looking at while driving.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by habernac

my favourite are the police with the huge laptop they're busy looking at while driving.

I have seem truckers watching movies on a regular basis.

[habernac]

brutal. I had a driving job for awhile last year, the habits of a lot of drivers are abhorrent. Swerving into other lanes looking at their crotches. Just turn the damn things off.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by zamler

This post deserves more love. Driving has become something you do in the background instead of being the primary focus. What's amazing to me is cars are loaded up with distractions, and at the same time are being fitted more and more with cyber nannies that can hit the brakes, steer the car etc. in case you are not paying attention. Which you won't be because you are using the gadgets in the car.

Yep, we pretty much pack so much tech/nanny gear into our car, that we barely have to operate them any more. Then because we have nothing to do, car makes sell us on all these infotainment gadgets and ways to be connected to our phones and tech. Then because we're too busy with this stuff, we're not really paying attention, so we need more nanny gear and cameras. It's a never ending cycle of car gluttony.

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Yep, we pretty much pack so much tech/nanny gear into our car, that we barely have to operate them any more. Then because we have nothing to do, car makes sell us on all these infotainment gadgets and ways to be connected to our phones and tech. Then because we're too busy with this stuff, we're not really paying attention, so we need more nanny gear and cameras. It's a never ending cycle of car gluttony.

I honestly wonder how long it will be before Transport Canada (I assume that's the governing body) steps in to regulate in-car tech.

You look at the other implementations they impose on vehicles being sold/imported here (DRLs, seatbelts, etc) and it seems like having some sort of limitations around in-car tech is a no-brainer. Because as laws are getting stricter, distractions are getting greater.

[stazzy33]

Originally Posted by Daradon

What in this story makes you say that?

The girl is obviously a jerk, but plenty of those around everywhere.

I was just talking about the names of all the cities.

[zamler]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

I saw the driver of an EMS vehicle talking on a cell phone while driving the other day.

Originally Posted by habernac

my favourite are the police with the huge laptop they're busy looking at while driving.

These people have training you don't.

[strombad]

Checking CP while you drive is still OK though right?

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by zamler

These people have training you don't.

How the #### do you know what driver training I have had?

Beyond, that.......WTF?

Explain the difference between the police looking at a laptop for 15 secs and a "Joe Public" looking at a phone for 15 secs, for that matter explain the difference between EMS using a phone and "Joe Public".......