In order to participate in the GunBroker Member forums, you must be logged in with your GunBroker.com account. Click the sign-in button at the top right of the forums page to get connected.

So Where's the Outrage??

Ray BRay B Member Posts: 11,822
edited March 2013 in General Discussion
Distracted Related Traffic Fatalities (Cell Phone/Texting While Driving) averages 9 deaths per day in the US, or the equivalent of a small "mass shooting" every day. It's against the law to use a phone/text while driving, just as it is against the law to use a firearm to kill someone; but I don't see the effort to curb these deaths that is being put into the much less frequent firearms related deaths.

Comments

  • CS8161CS8161 Member Posts: 13,596 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Most of those deaths are caused by younger drivers...and the libs don't want to anger that voting block!
    You make a very good point and the news media should be all over it, but its just not as exciting as a kiddie school getting shot up.
  • nemesisenforcernemesisenforcer Member Posts: 10,513 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    It's in your basement.
  • Big Sky RedneckBig Sky Redneck Member Posts: 19,752 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I see it as a Non-Right it is more protected than gun ownership which is a right. If you tried to ban autos or really crack down on auto driving the country would be in an uproar! It's been argued many times that driving on public roads is not a right but yet it is the deadliest thing we do and there are really no laws in place to protect drivers from recklessness.

    Technology exists that would cause phones to stop working when on the move. Trucking companies use it with their Qualcomm systems, once the vehicle is moving the screen locks. The same can be done with cell phones with GPS in them.

    Drinking and driving kills more people every years then guns ever will but yet for a non-right, driving has more protections than gun ownership. Under the Total Freedom people want many states have outlawed DUI checks making it even harder to catch impaired drivers.

    Driving an auto is not a right but you are more free to drive than own a gun. Our highways will continue to be the largest killer in the US and very little will be done to make the highways safer, driving is more important than owning a gun.

    Tell me why a Constitutionally protected item such as a M-16 is much much harder to get than a 200MPH sports car? Why is a 200 MPH sports car even legal?!?! Ohh wait, I forgot, driving is more important, don't want to violate that non-right now do we!!!!!
  • montanajoemontanajoe Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 60,159 ******
    edited November -1
  • grumpygygrumpygy Member Posts: 48,464 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Actually here in Oregon It may just be getting more attention next week.
  • torosapotorosapo Member Posts: 4,946
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by CS8161
    Most of those deaths are caused by younger drivers...and the libs don't want to anger that voting block!
    You make a very good point and the news media should be all over it, but its just not as exciting as a kiddie school getting shot up.


    A new study says adult text and drive more than teens.
    http://video.foxnews.com/v/2260114288001/surprising-study-on-texting-while-driving/
  • TooBigTooBig Member Posts: 28,559 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I don't text driving and use a portable blue tooth if I have to use the phone. Less than 40 bucks and it slips on my sun visor and one touch and your talking if you have to.
  • woodhogwoodhog Member Posts: 13,115 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    stop select-fire before he kills
  • Marc1301Marc1301 Member Posts: 31,895 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by torosapo
    quote:Originally posted by CS8161
    Most of those deaths are caused by younger drivers...and the libs don't want to anger that voting block!
    You make a very good point and the news media should be all over it, but its just not as exciting as a kiddie school getting shot up.


    A new study says adult text and drive more than teens.
    http://video.foxnews.com/v/2260114288001/surprising-study-on-texting-while-driving/

    I saw this the other day and wasn't surprised much.

    This is a pet peeve of mine, but it seems the only thing that gets the ire up here is a death by drunk.
    I figure if a members child or wife was killed by a texting driver, it is looked upon as an accident, whereas the drunk driver is a killer.

    I see them both the same way. Reality that happens from poor judgment IMO.

    I have said several times that I prefer to drive around 'drunks' as I know what to look out for.

    This texting and smart phone crap is out of control.[xx(]
    "Beam me up Scotty, there's no intelligent life down here." - William Shatner
  • slumlord44slumlord44 Member Posts: 3,702 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I get sick and tired of the politicans, including the President, who keep saying that if we can save just one life, it is worth it. We will never get rid of cell phones or make it illegal to put your kids in a car or not let kids drive until they are 21 or ban alcohol, oh, we tried that and it falied. Banning guns will also fail if they ever succede in doibng it.
  • Ford 23Ford 23 Member Posts: 3,129
    edited November -1
    While reading this thread was struck with the thought, wonder if texting/cell phones are the reason it seems I see more red lights run. I don't mean playing the game with caution to red, mean red. Today came to a complete stop for a red light and a pick up tuck with a red that had come on at the same time as the one I stopped for traveling in the left turn didn't even bother to slow down, had someone been in the intersection it would have been all done
    Might be my imagination, but it seems see more and more red light crashing makes sense texting not paying attention could be the root
  • mango tangomango tango Member Posts: 3,833 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Ray B
    Distracted Related Traffic Fatalities (Cell Phone/Texting While Driving) averages 9 deaths per day in the US, or the equivalent of a small "mass shooting" every day. It's against the law to use a phone/text while driving, just as it is against the law to use a firearm to kill someone; but I don't see the effort to curb these deaths that is being put into the much less frequent firearms related deaths.


    Mass shootings are like plane crashes, even though it's much safer to fly then to drive a car, when there is a plane crash, so many people die in one accident at one time, then everyone goes nuts, same with shootings, people are killing each other everyday, but when 20+ people die in one incident, that's where the problem comes from!
  • ltcdotyltcdoty Member Posts: 4,183 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Ray B
    Distracted Related Traffic Fatalities (Cell Phone/Texting While Driving) averages 9 deaths per day in the US, or the equivalent of a small "mass shooting" every day. It's against the law to use a phone/text while driving, just as it is against the law to use a firearm to kill someone; but I don't see the effort to curb these deaths that is being put into the much less frequent firearms related deaths.


    +++1
  • Colonel PlinkColonel Plink Member Posts: 16,460
    edited November -1
    Where, indeed?

    Not distracted driving, to be sure. But it still left five dead.

    An 18-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence in a southern Nevada crash early Saturday that killed five members of a California family and injured the suspect and three others.

    Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/03/30/5-killed-4-critical-in-nevada-traffic-crash/?test=latestnews#ixzz2P59meI7v
  • dakotashooter2dakotashooter2 Member Posts: 6,186
    edited November -1
    Distracted driving has always been an issue, but cell phones have made it worse. Accidents/deaths caused by distracted driving are rapidly closing in on DUI caused accidents and may surpass them in the near future. Texting is absolutly the worse thing you can do while driving because it occupies bith your hands AND your mind.

    A safety training instructor pointed out tha hands free really does not offer any less distraction. In most cases it allow the driver to try to do 3 things at once instead of just 2. Eg. drive, talk and change the radio station. While we think we can do 2 things at once reasearch shows that the brain does not process driving and talking at the same time but rapidly switches back and forth.

    My uncle was hit while riding his bike(harley) a couple years back. The other driver was busy talking on the phone (at the stop sign) and pulled out in front of him..........

    Most built in GPS will not allow you to operate/program them while the vehicle is moving. We may see that come to built in phone systems too..or maybe a system that cuts off texting ability when a certain speed is reached. The gps capability of most phones would allow for this.

    One thing that is probably lowering the accident rate of distracted driving is the rumble strips they now have on the roads. If not for them the accident rates would probably be much higher.
  • FrancFFrancF Member Posts: 35,279 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Epic scene today-
    I was at a stop light today. I glanced over and a gal was messing around with an I pod, ear phones in (illegal) etc. She started rolling backwards totally oblivious to the guy behind her blaring his horn Boom!

    It was low impact but none the less, it was flat ground foot off the break, stopped, not paying attention. and it still lead to a fender bender.
  • shilowarshilowar Member Posts: 38,811 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Texting and driving just became a primary offense in Virginia has been upgraded to Reckless Driving. So it is being treated just as DUI, which is good to see.
Sign In or Register to comment.