Are you a distracted driver?

[Video Head]

Given. I was just given you the raz, but with all due respect.

[dadrab]

Hey I didn't have a say so in the radio selection ok??? Besides I haven't used a cassette in like five years or so. Other than to dub to mp3 of course

Video Head and edDV both offer sound recommendations. Crutchfield and most competent audio shops can sell you an adaptor that will close up the hole in your dash with a nice finish plate housing a new head unit. You're not getting nearly what you should out of your stereo system using the cassette adaptor. The signal to noise ratio of a I had to retrofit a new Alpine unit to a 1987 Mitsubishi dashboard fairly recently. That was fun.

Since my old truck is a 5-speed, I rarely talk on the phone unless I'm on open highway. Can't shift and talk at same time and it's not important enough to me to spring for hands-free equipment. Voice mail works just fine if I can't answer. The reason I have a nice stereo in my truck is for the ability to "crank it up" sometimes. I might not even hear your call. And, I'm damn sure not going to wear one of those ignorant looking little ear pieces so I don't miss a call (I get so tickled at the folks walking around in public with one of those things hanging off his/her head - reminds me of a Borg drone. What phone call can possibly be so important that one has to look like a fool in public?).

Personally, I carry several CDs - not more than three or four - with me for the truck and a couple of HQ MP3 discs for longer travel. That ought to get me through...

GPS devices are nice, but, there again, they're not high on my priority list.

I certainly don't fool with any other gadgets or gizmos while trying to drive. I just ain't that smart.

What I love are the folks who are traveling down an expressway or major traffic artery at 30 friggin' miles per hour, holding up traffic and basically blocking a lane. When you finally get a chance to get around them, inevitably, they'll be talking on a damn telephone. And they'll get indignant if you blow your horn at them or otherwise ask them to pay attention to what they're supposed to be doing and get off the phone.

I'd better shut up now...blood pressure on the rise...

[fritzi93]

No. My take is a little different, as I also ride a motorcycle. The only thing that can keep you safe is the assumption that all drivers are stupid and/or out to kill you.

I'm not kidding.

[Video Head]

No. My take is a little different, as I also ride a motorcycle. The only thing that can keep you safe is the assumption that all drivers are stupid and/or out to kill you.

I'm not kidding.

Agreed. I rode a bike in the city for 6 months and finally decided that it had to go before I did...bought a nice little convertible to keep the open air experience but a little more metal around the vital organs. A friend of mine does have one of those Goldwings with the stereo and cellular setup and a GPS to boot...it reminds me more of an F-18 than a bike I do miss the bike, but not the occasional heart stopping moments when someone decides to give you no room or just "push" you out of the way.

[thecoalman]

According to studies, the most distracting thing in a car is a passenger..

Possibly but the person on the other end of the phone can't see the truck that just stopped ahead of you. :wink:

[DereX888]

Some people can't drive even completely "undistracted" so there is no way to compare one to another.
I talk on my cell, listen to music, scratch my balls and drive standard or automatic all in the same time, but I am excellent driver and I bet I can steer my car using my *knees* better than many people using their hands LOL
Driving is no different than any other skill - some people learn it well, some will never learn.

BTW this poll - I think its stupid.
I am never "distracted" when driving, and even while I was driving 1-handed and talking on a cell and listening to music all in the same time - I have avoided many times accidents with stupid drivers who had both hand on the steering wheel and obviously weren't "distracted"... yet they drove like idiots. One moron's distraction is nothing to another person. Stupid poll.

[DereX888]

According to studies, the most distracting thing in a car is a passenger.

Only if she is giving you a blow job while driving.

[SingSing]

I haven't used a cassette in like five years or so.

I am still tryng to convert that opening to hold my GPS.

[thecoalman]

I talk on my cell, listen to music, scratch my balls and drive standard or automatic all in the same time,

The problem for most people isn't actually doing any of those things, its all the fumbling around that goes with it. Like edDV said the single biggest thing is probably looking for a CD. It doesn't matter how good a driver you are, if your eyes aren't on the road you're going to cause an accident. Most people aren't driving safe distances from the people in front of them normally and there is too many things that happen that require a split second decision. I don't think there's anyone that has driven for any amount of time that can say they haven't almost been in accident because they were looking at the radio, looking in the rearview mirror for too long or whatever. I have millions of miles under my belt and never have had an accident that I caused, I have had some near misses. I'm pretty sure all of them were for dumb reasons like those I mentioned.

I almost T-boned a guy in a intersection that was talking on the phone, he had a red light and stopped in the middle of the intersection. He was very fortunate I was paying attention and there wasn't anyone coming in the other direction... I'll never forget the look on his face, it's humorous now but he had that "Oh Shit!" look on his face. Guess a big grill of a commercial truck bearing down on you will do that...

[DereX888]

I talk on my cell, listen to music, scratch my balls and drive standard or automatic all in the same time,

The problem for most people isn't actually doing any of those things, its all the fumbling around that goes with it. Like edDV said the single biggest thing is probably looking for a CD. It doesn't matter how good a driver you are, if your eyes aren't on the road you're going to cause an accident. Most people aren't driving safe distances from the people in front of them normally and there is too many things that happen that require a split second decision. I don't think there's anyone that has driven for any amount of time that can say they haven't almost been in accident because they were looking at the radio, looking in the rearview mirror for too long or whatever. I have millions of miles under my belt and never have had an accident that I caused, I have had some near misses. I'm pretty sure all of them were for dumb reasons like those I mentioned.

I almost T-boned a guy in a intersection that was talking on the phone, he had a red light and stopped in the middle of the intersection. He was very fortunate I was paying attention and there wasn't anyone coming in the other direction... I'll never forget the look on his face, it's humorous now but he had that "Oh Shit!" look on his face. Guess a big grill of a commercial truck bearing down on you will do that...

You are completely right.
I have never i.e. look for a CD while driving city streets or such. There is already enough pure idiots walking or driving everywhere, no need to add more
One of my cars been hit (while curbside parked!) by an idiot who was picking up something from the floor (probably a cd or cigarettes) while driving... I saw it coming and watched the whole thing amazed.
and of course cops didn't gave him any ticket or anything, like nothing happened - almost as if they were saying to him "go on, destroy more property of others, you have insurance so don't worry, its all fine".

Accidents are when it is happening due to i.e. weather. Most of what we call "accidents" nowadays are usually examples of idiocy that goes most of the time unpunished (until they kill someone, and even then it is often unpunished) unfortunately.

[TooLFooL]

man, i have screens, amps, the laptop, ...even the ps2 w/ wireless guitar hero is in the truck! i can send text while i drive, i can drive with my knees and eat a bowl of cereal! i read magazines behind the wheel, i watch tv, i've even fallen asleep a few times! i regularly set the cruise control around 90 and my fastest yet was 140 mph is a 92 CAMARO!! hell, i hardly have to even look at the road when i drive and i just get there, no problem whatsoever... I AM THE BEST DRIVER IN THE WORLD!!!

[DereX888]

man, i have screens, amps, the laptop, ...even the ps2 w/ wireless guitar hero is in the truck! i can send text while i drive, i can drive with my knees and eat a bowl of cereal! i read magazines behind the wheel, i watch tv, i've even fallen asleep a few times! i regularly set the cruise control around 90 and my fastest yet was 140 mph is a 92 CAMARO!! hell, i hardly have to even look at the road when i drive and i just get there, no problem whatsoever... I AM THE BEST DRIVER IN THE WORLD!!!

nope, I say you're second :P


There was a man caught by cops on a highway some time ago (granted, it was during a morning traffic hours) eating from his bowl of cereal and reading a paper while driving. Was it YOU?