Reaching out for anyone to do something...

[stilly]

I started researching this (by just observing really) and yesterday I think it was confirmed.


I watched as I was waiting behind several cars at a light on Van Buren in Riverside on my way to work. I noticed that the vehicle over one lane and up about 4-5 car lengths had about 20' of space between them and the car in front.
I noticed that several cars started moving in their lane and it got to a point where I think I saw about 30+ yards of free space in front of the vehicle that had a lot of space in the first place. My lane was not moving but I could see that they had their head down- they were texting or doing SOMETHING and just looking at their lap essentially- but their head was down. They remained stopped for about 10-15 seconds and I was getting mad because I see people do this crap all of the time and it slows folks down and yeah so anyways...

I got to pull up and I was failing to understand why the guy right behind them was not honking his horn like a madman. Then as I got up beside him I could see that THEY were also texting... Heads down looking at their laps as well... This is a seriously growing problem. I swear to god if I had a gun I would have gotten out and broken their windows and pistol whipped them both... (well no not really, but it is nice to fantasize...)

Is it still against the law to do that? (obviously text- not pistol whip, I think we can still pistol whip folks for a good reason such as this) I HATE that there was a law made but I also HATE that people are not considerate enough to NOT do that while in their vehicles. I do not care if you text and drive or even talk on the phone and drive, but damn you to hell if you start leaving 30' gaps at drive-thru places and holding up traffic elsewhere...

I would love to make an over exaggerated PSA (not over-exaggerated like ansiz ansari, but just a bit less so that it still makes sense and does not sound ridiculous).

I think that all of the road rage we see is from people finally sick of seeing this crap and it seems to be from all of these millennials that expect to be given everything... Okay, that was my opinion...

Anyways, they are easy to spot because of that damn cushion of extra 3-5 car lengths they leave themselves...


Be safe... (I just had to get this out, hopefully I will feel better now that I am about to go to work again.)

[Win231]

When cell phones became popular, the first prediction I made was that people wouldn't be able to resist the temptation to use them while driving & pedestrians, bicyclists & drivers would die as a result. Sure, it's illegal but that hasn't stopped anyone; the fine is too small.

It's both amusing & pathetic when I see a woman with her head down (texting, of course), trying to make a left turn, her car is slowing moving into traffic, a bus honks just as she is about to hit it, then she looks up & has the dumbest look of shock on her face as she slams on her brakes.

[Cokebottle]

20' of space is completely reasonable.
You should ALWAYS be able to see where the tires meet the pavement on the car in front of you. It's a buffer zone in case you get rear-ended so you don't hit the car in front, AND it is your escape route in case someone approaches your door on foot.

As for texting at a light?
Yes, it is still illegal. Yes, CHP frequently runs enforcement weeks where they more actively target texting.

PSA is not going to be produced because nobody is going to get killed while stopped unless some pissed off unstable gun owner pulls them through their window.

But that would be a funny PSA.
Kinda like....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IXjVtRzJls

[Cokebottle]

When cell phones became popular, the first prediction I made was that people wouldn't be able to resist the temptation to use them while driving & pedestrians, bicyclists & drivers would die as a result. Sure, it's illegal but that hasn't stopped anyone; the fine is too small.

It is a major pain for traffic signal operation as well.
The old math for how long it takes for a queue to begin moving, which directly impacts how many cars we can move per hour per lane, are no longer valid.
We used to calculate 4 seconds for the first car, then 2 seconds for each following car for the first 200ft.
Now, we're literally seeing multiple "startup" sequences within the queue for a single cycle of the light.
Since the computer models are not adjustable for this, I've been "cheating" and running my coordination simulations based on speeds reduced by 5mph and for the last 2 years it has been pretty close to reality.

[ElvenSoul]

Op

Needs

http://www.truckinginfo.com/channel/safety-compliance/article/story/2010/06/driving-with-the-wingman-collision-avoidance-system.aspx?force-desktop-view=1

[CinnamonBear723]

When i was on patrol, i was not well known for writing tickets. This is one i would write all the time because too many collisions have occurred as a result of people paying more attention to their phones than the road and other people. I think texting and driving is one of the most self absorbed things someone could do.

For some reason people think its ok as long as their at a red light. My explanation to them is it is only ok to text where you could also take a nap. You can't take a nap at a red light, so you can't text either. And if they argue, i give them a ticket for not going on a green light as well as a variety of other things i can find upon inspection. For some reason i always end up in traffic court.......

[Bainter1212]

It is a major pain for traffic signal operation as well.
The old math for how long it takes for a queue to begin moving, which directly impacts how many cars we can move per hour per lane, are no longer valid.
We used to calculate 4 seconds for the first car, then 2 seconds for each following car for the first 200ft.
Now, we're literally seeing multiple "startup" sequences within the queue for a single cycle of the light.
Since the computer models are not adjustable for this, I've been "cheating" and running my coordination simulations based on speeds reduced by 5mph and for the last 2 years it has been pretty close to reality.

This is why I use my horn all the time now.....seriously my horn use has increased tenfold the past few years, up to several times a day.

I give the drivers in front of me a second or two to react to a green before I hit my horn.

[Cokebottle]

I give the drivers in front of me a second or two to react to a green before I hit my horn.

Yep.

I had one idiot that I had to "wake up" three lights in a row.
After the third I passed and her attention was about equally divided between her banger boyfriend in the front seat, toddler in the back, and phone in her hand.

[Cokebottle]

My explanation to them is it is only ok to text where you could also take a nap. You can't take a nap at a red light, so you can't text either.

Umm... Red lights is where I catch up on my micro-sleep

[micro911]

Smart phone can be a safety hazard. I saw a CCTV from China, I believe, that a woman was using the cell phone and fell into a body of water. She was eventually drowned. It was late at night and there was no one to help her. The CCTV captured it. People just don't watch what they do when they are with the smart phone.

[Cokebottle]

Smart phone can be a safety hazard. I saw a CCTV from China, I believe, that a woman was using the cell phone and fell into a body of water. She was eventually drowned. It was late at night and there was no one to help her. The CCTV captured it. People just don't watch what they do when they are with the smart phone.

We've had more than a few wander out in front of trains and remove themselves from the gene pool.

[dmcmillenfv]

Oh the memories of so cal traffic.....

[kygen]

When i was on patrol, i was not well known for writing tickets. This is one i would write all the time because too many collisions have occurred as a result of people paying more attention to their phones than the road and other people. I think texting and driving is one of the most self absorbed things someone could do.

For some reason people think its ok as long as their at a red light. My explanation to them is it is only ok to text where you could also take a nap. You can't take a nap at a red light, so you can't text either. And if they argue, i give them a ticket for not going on a green light as well as a variety of other things i can find upon inspection. For some reason i always end up in traffic court.......

Might need to come up with a better explanation, unless you are goading someone into an argument

Your first premise is way too easy to reject

[Ninety]

20' of space is completely reasonable.
You should ALWAYS be able to see where the tires meet the pavement on the car in front of you. It's a buffer zone in case you get rear-ended so you don't hit the car in front, AND it is your escape route in case someone approaches your door on foot.

As for texting at a light?
Yes, it is still illegal. Yes, CHP frequently runs enforcement weeks where they more actively target texting.

PSA is not going to be produced because nobody is going to get killed while stopped unless some pissed off unstable gun owner pulls them through their window.

But that would be a funny PSA.
Kinda like....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IXjVtRzJls

This.

And why didn't you just honk?
You do know that your horn isn't directional per say

Sent from my HTCONE using Tapatalk

[CinnamonBear723]

Might need to come up with a better explanation, unless you are goading someone into an argument

Your first premise is way too easy to reject

Really?! It's too easy to reject the fact you shouldn't be sleeping at a traffic light?! Me thinks you might have been one of my victims!