Drivers w/cell phones

[nishiki]

Why are people still allowed to drive while talking on their cell phones?
I almost got hit twice as a pedestrian and as a cyclist...

It s time to change this, cell phones behind wheels are simply very dangerous.

[GelFreak]

its been a hot point for years in many places. Its slowly changing...as with anything in the USA. Eventually I'm sure it will be a ticketable offense...but in Portland no such luck yet.

[nishiki]

Things changing in the USA...
Sounds like you know a lot about other places.

What other part of the world (as outside of the US) have you lived in?

[GelFreak]

I don't feel obligated to give that information out, but I have lived & visted places outside of the USA...and besides you don't have to live somewhere to know politics and laws of other countries.

[Haven_kd7yct]

Sounded to me more like an innocent question....

[nishiki]

Touchy,

I was wondering how the US is slower with change than other countries.

[GelFreak]

sorry I mis-inturpeted what you wrote.

The US government is slow to react for a couple reasons.

By nature the human brain is reactionary. Unless someone forces change within, for example Management within a company, you'll always be reactionary. IE always putting out "office fires" and such. We've all been in situations where we've said ... I know this isnt going to work but if you say so... The good old trial by error method. Well generally problems can be forseen with the proper methods in place...causing you to go from reactionary to proactive. Which other countries governments are and have been doing for years now.

Now Democracy's in general are slow to react to anything except military threats.

BUT

If you take countries with similar econmies. Such as Australia, Britian, etc and look at deaths from vehicle accidents you will see a drastic difference from the USA.

Reason being is they forsee problems (such as cell phone use and driving) and address them before they become major issues.


I'm sure someone will disagree with my statements as is the case with any political argument/discusion, which is fine.

[Simple Nature]

America coddles the special interests and lobbyists like no other place on Earth. They have the money to spend and get a tax write-off at the expense of the people being victomized. The double whamey. Don't you know you are the cattle of the machine?

[bikejunkie]

While there isn't much we can do legally, some catchy slogans can help.
Signs like"

"Don't be a cell - fish"
or
"Sell car not Cell car."

Aaron

[FixForLife]

Originally Posted by GelFreak

sorry I mis-inturpeted what you wrote.

The US government is slow to react for a couple reasons.

By nature the human brain is reactionary. Unless someone forces change within, for example Management within a company, you'll always be reactionary. IE always putting out "office fires" and such. We've all been in situations where we've said ... I know this isnt going to work but if you say so... The good old trial by error method. Well generally problems can be forseen with the proper methods in place...causing you to go from reactionary to proactive. Which other countries governments are and have been doing for years now.

Now Democracy's in general are slow to react to anything except military threats.

BUT

If you take countries with similar econmies. Such as Australia, Britian, etc and look at deaths from vehicle accidents you will see a drastic difference from the USA.

Reason being is they forsee problems (such as cell phone use and driving) and address them before they become major issues.


I'm sure someone will disagree with my statements as is the case with any political argument/discusion, which is fine.

yes, it is fine. and no, these countries did not all get together in their offices and talk about the cell phone menace. they realised when people were getting in accidents (reactionary) to do something about the problem. now, simple nature had it right, special intrest groups keep alot of things from happening such as legal pot, clean cars (replacing the gas eaters that we have all over), among other things. cell phones will still be in the hands of drivers here as long as people that are making the laws are doing the same damn thing.