09-17-2008, 09:00 AM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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Texting + Driving = Bad News
"It's suspected, but not known for sure yet, that that the engineer of a Los Angeles Metrolink commuter train may have been text messaging when the train ran a stop signal, crashing into an oncoming freight engine. It will likely take the National Transportation Safety Board up to a year to investigate the tragedy, which resulted in 25 deaths, including that of the engineer himself, and 138 people injured." 
Regardless of why this happened, the loss of human life is saddening - but if it was was due to negligence on the part of the engineer because he was texting, it's all the more tragic. In my history of texting, which is admittedly not as long as some people, I've sent exactly two texts while driving - or more accurately, composed most of them while at a stop light and finished them while driving. And that was completely and totally stupid of me to do - I couldn't imagine how badly I'd feel if I caused an accident because I thought my text messages were more important than the safety of the people around me. Reading texts and email messages is almost as bad - there's hardly any message that can't wait until you're at a red light to red, or pulled over to the side of the road. Time to confess: do you text while driving your car?
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09-17-2008, 09:24 AM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 173
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I've been in an acident with somone texting. I were dring my mums car and stopped at a red light. The guy behind me were texting and didn't stop in itme and hit me right in the rear behind. It was an awful experience.
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Im just happy to be here.MPX220 w/512 mb mini sdMPX 220 OUT OF SERVICE 21 DECEMBER 2005
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09-17-2008, 12:57 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Nov 2002
Posts: 238
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Actually I'm surprised by this. There are signal systems used by railroads, both large and small, where the brakes are applied automatically if an engineer passes a red light.
Was this an exception where this kind of control is not implemented? If not, it would seem the economy was not justified.
Even still, it's a terrible loss for someone being careless.
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Bill B
Zune Tag - therealstlbud
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09-17-2008, 02:10 PM
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Neophyte
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 3
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When it came to the Metro link train, they do not have the safety feature of Automatic Train Protection that you are talking about. Where I work they do. And it will shut you down way before the signal. You will not be able to move the train unless you over ride the protection and then you are only going ten miles per hour. When it comes to texting and driving, I only will read a text. I've texted more driving the train then the car. But I know the limits. Where I can do this and where I don't. I know I'm not suppose to but....
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09-17-2008, 03:05 PM
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Contributing Editor-in-Training
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 63
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No texting here!
I do not text and I also refuse to handhold my cell phone while driving. It is tough enough to drive while others are using their cell phone. Now that bluetooth is in my car I feel better about using the cell phone. Still no texting period. I don't know how many times I had to avoid an accident because people are using their cell phone and not paying attention. How stupid can people be that they need to talk while driving and failing to pay attention to what is going on around them on the road!
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09-17-2008, 03:37 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 327
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Some People Are Simply Idiotic
When I switched from the old RIM pagers to Windows Mobile devices for the regional managers of a company I previsously worked for, I was bombarded by complaints by the managers because the Windows Mobile device (back then an SX66) was too difficult to send messages with when driving. I basically looked at them like they were completely nuts, and told them not to send messages when driving.
This did not end the complaints, and the COO then came to me and presented the same complaint. I then showed him several articles about people who had died in car wrecks while texting, and also explained to him that texting while driving is illegal (as is anything that distracts you from paying attention to the road). They all shut up about it at that point.
About 6 months later the CFO of the company comes in and tells me he was driving to work and had to go around a car stopped in the middle of an intersection with several people honking their horns at the driver of the stopped car. As he passed the driver he noticed it was one of our regional managers sending a text message.
At this point I sent out a memo informing the company how dangerous this is and that conducting company business in an unsafe manner was against company policy. I left the company soon afterward.
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09-17-2008, 04:06 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 378
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Texting & Driving
Quote:
Originally Posted by g35a
I do not text and I also refuse to handhold my cell phone while driving. It is tough enough to drive while others are using their cell phone. Now that bluetooth is in my car I feel better about using the cell phone. Still no texting period. I don't know how many times I had to avoid an accident because people are using their cell phone and not paying attention. How stupid can people be that they need to talk while driving and failing to pay attention to what is going on around them on the road!
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I am so against driving and talking on the phone. I come from back in the day where if your phone rang and you didn't answer, you were either not home or didn't want to be bothered. When did it become so important that you had to be on 24 hour call? I think cell phones are wonderful for families with kids and emergencies.
There are enough folks out there who can't drive paying attention. I try to steer away from them as much as I can. Who has that much to say or that kind of time to be texting nonstop?
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"It's alright to pick your friends, but not to pieces."
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09-17-2008, 04:50 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 50
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Busted. I have done this, but after reading this---new ammo for me to quit. My name is mwfielder, and I am admitting I have a problem!  No more texting/emailing/checking scores in the car!
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09-17-2008, 06:27 PM
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Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,097
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I've never even answered the phone while driving. And now there's a law saying I can't without a headset! Gee, too bad I'll never have that experience. 
The closest I've got is glancing down at my caller ID to see who I have to call back when I get to my destination.
And, of course, who can forget my experience a year or so ago of taking a bus while the driver was texting and listening to his iPod in one ear...
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09-17-2008, 07:46 PM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dma1965
...as he passed the driver he noticed it was one of our regional managers sending a text message.
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Haha. Wow...that's just too much. It really is amazing how the belief that just because someone can reach us instantly, we somehow have to respond instantly. It's really quite bizarre. 
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