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[FLSTFI Dave]

I don't know, Dave.  I've pulled up and passed many a car that had two or more folks or on the bike with two riders and when passing/pulling along side, I noticed they were talking or having a conversation but you couldn't tell it from their driving (there are exceptions).  However, you can always tell if the person is talking on a cell or texting in the way the vehicle is swerving/slowing or speeding up/etc. in that the operator is well past paying attention to the task at hand....driving.

I bet the OP of this thread had no idea his decision to stop riding would end up here....

Ok you pull up next to me, with my wife in the car.  My phone is in center console, and I am talking on it blue tooth.  How do you know I am not talking to my wife?   

I am not talking about holding a phone and talking, or texting in any form.  I am talking about pure blue tooth talking.

[ultrarider123]

Ok you pull up next to me, with my wife in the car.  My phone is in center console, and I am talking on it blue tooth.  How do you know I am not talking to my wife?   

I am not talking about holding a phone and talking, or texting in any form.  I am talking about pure blue tooth talking.

Checkmate.....

[BigLew]

"For crying out loud eat a pizza!" I can't do anything about how you drive, interact with your wife or your kits. Or stop you from having sex riding down the rode. After 20 plus years on the road i feel qualified to say most people over estimate their skill set. Then there is the new crowd that thinks they own the road and have no manners or courteously when driving. But we can fix them so they will not use there phones while moving in a car. Wow guess what we would actually devote some time to paying attention to what we are doing. Just the fact we we have to have this conversation leads credence to how inconsiderate we have become. I'm really confused why a newbe choose this site and this venue to say good bye? Not going there.

BigLew

[helimd]

Not a "newbe", BigLew.  Watched the forum for years, just didn't feel I could take part until I owned a CVO.  Sorry if I ruffled some feathers.

[guppytrash]

I have had the same thoughts, but still choose to ride.
I think laws and escalation of penalties are effective.  Not 100% cure but effective.
The younger generation is the worst at cellphone driving, but from what I have seen much better than previous generations for drinking and driving.  JMO.
Now how long before this discussion starts with driving while high from weed?

It is too easy to get driving privileges in the USA.  We give a DL to anyone who can put an X where the signature goes.
Make the cost and training of obtaining a DL a financial and time investment.  Make it similar to getting a pilot rating.
Lets face it the cellphone cost more than their DL and they would be more devastated to lose the phone than the DL.

I hope some of our Europe riders will chime in.

[BigLew]

Guppy feel your pain. Not sure about making it cost more to get your permit to drive. But I agree we do nothing to actually train folks to drive. Then there is that whole lets enforce the current laws on the books. It appears cops are too busy with other things to enforce bad driving. It is really a sad state of affairs. If the current group of tree huggers doesnt get a grip on reality and learn that this life is a gift and it should be used for service to others they will be doomed. O wait that sounds to much like a Christian view. Just saying.

BigLew

[FlaHeatWave]

Over the years I'm sure that all of us have thought about hanging up the spurs... I know I have... Particularly last spring when we lost 3 riding Friends, 3 separate incidences, in the span of 3 months... 1 was taken out by an idiot in a cage, the other 2 were single bike...

Even though I agree with all here about the dangers of cellphone / texting / driving, that was not a factor in any of these...

Alcohol was a definite factor in one of the single bike Deaths...

One thing that I believe has benefited me over 40+ years of Street Riding, is anytime I swing a leg over a Motorcycle, whether it is 2:00 in the Afternoon or 2:00 in the morning, is a conscious acknowledgement of the activity I am going to undertake, and the possible consequences for myself and others... I think the same way getting behind the wheel, but not as much as I should...

IMHO Hanging up the spurs is a personal decision (if we're lucky enough to make it!) that I'm sure we all revisit from time to time... No Good, No Bad, it's just part of the Deal...

On the Techno side... "The Ball & Chain" and I upgraded the Head Unit in the truck early this year, to a Pioneer that interfaces with the Cellphone... Bluetooth for Music and Calls, Plug-in for Navigation and Talk to Text, works amazing! all voice activated! seamless, just touch 1 Button, "Take me to...Call whomever is in Contacts... Text whomever... "What is your message to...??" you say your message, then the voice reads your message back, then asks if you want to send... all you do is say send, then voice confirms message to; xxx Sent. when incoming text notification, just touch the same button, and the voice reads the Text to you.
Pretty slick!! Nowhere near as distracting as hunting the station on the old AM Radio, or changing the climate control or opening up the window for that matter... Much safer Technology for all of us becoming mainstream...

Added; It used to cost a good bit to get a DL, not so much in fees, in the early '70s it was like $400. / year Liability only to insure a teenage driver in Charleston, SC, all of which I had to pay out of my own pocket. And I knew if I had an accident / claim, I would be back to walking or riding a bicycle...   

 

 


     

[bigchuck]

I think every thing in the original post has been covered multiple times, except one. How much for the bike?

[Dan_Lockwood]

I forget what show it was on TV, but they had a young girl that had written to them about her dad.  He claimed to be able to multitask while driving.  The girl had been in the car when there were close calls with her dad driving and doing the phone thing.

The interviewed the dad and then had a road course setup with pop-up people and it was a more in-town setup with slower speeds etc.

He drove the course first without any phone and no distractions; he did good.

Then they gave him his phone and had him do his "normal" things as well as they were texting him during the driving test.  He literally ran over several people in the course, to his surprise.

Then they took hi phone away and had him on speaker with them.  All of the tests were done on live camera.  While they had him on speaker, they started to talk with him and then asked him to do simple math questions, 2x23 etc.  While he was thinking about the answers he also ran over pop-up people.

Bottom line was he was distracted big time when he had to engage his brain. 

He was one guy, but I'm sure all of us fall in there someplace.  Distractions are distractions.

I remember as a kid in the '50s in MI there was a campaign going around to not eat while driving.  I know that was decades ago, but how distracting is it to eat and drive.

I guess with everything today, in the camp with no phone activities that require hands.  Of course new cars with Carplay can send and read text messages to you and then you can press a button and dictate your reply and then say send.  That may be crossing the line with convenience available in a car.  If you phone boing boing you've got a text message, pull over to read it and reply, then get back into traffic.  Or just wait till you have the time to do it right.

I remember back in the late '80s getting off airplanes and there would be a line at every pay phone.  Now try to find a pay phone in an airport.  They may still have the row of booths, but they're resting, not phoning...

[helimd]

Hey, bigchuck, I wondered if anybody would even remember the first sentence in my post.  Thanks.  I'm trying to get $15K out of it.  Perfect condition, inferno orange, 7,000 miles, no damage, with all the CVO goodies.  Factory leather trunk and bags, 2 complete exhausts, cover, gold key, etc.  But the best part is that I will throw in my Handi-lift as part of the deal.  The bike alone is worth more than the asking price.  We'll see what winter brings.

[bigchuck]

Hey, bigchuck, I wondered if anybody would even remember the first sentence in my post.  Thanks.  I'm trying to get $15K out of it.  Perfect condition, inferno orange, 7,000 miles, no damage, with all the CVO goodies.  Factory leather trunk and bags, 2 complete exhausts, cover, gold key, etc.  But the best part is that I will throw in my Handi-lift as part of the deal.  The bike alone is worth more than the asking price.  We'll see what winter brings.

What state is the bike in?

[helimd]

Oklahoma

[spydglide]

It's not just the addition of phones & texting, but other factors such as increased numbers of vehicles and driving attitudes that scare me.  Also, getting hit  within the past few years will refresh the danger/pain/etc. relative to the pleasure/satisfaction, etc. that I experience riding my scooters.  Still ride, but not as frequent.  And the close calls are more frequent.  Never imagined it would get this bad, but times, they are a changing.  har!  spyder

[FLSTFI Dave]

"For crying out loud eat a pizza!" I can't do anything about how you drive, interact with your wife or your kits. Or stop you from having sex riding down the rode. After 20 plus years on the road i feel qualified to say most people over estimate their skill set. Then there is the new crowd that thinks they own the road and have no manners or courteously when driving. But we can fix them so they will not use there phones while moving in a car. Wow guess what we would actually devote some time to paying attention to what we are doing. Just the fact we we have to have this conversation leads credence to how inconsiderate we have become. I'm really confused why a newbe choose this site and this venue to say good bye? Not going there.

BigLew

Fully agree most over estimate their skill set.  I thought I knew how to handle a High performance sports car.  Boy was I humbled when I took a professional high performance driving class.  I have taken three more since, and skills have greatly improved, and I have room to learn and improve.

I have done the same with a motorcycle.  I take the advanced rider course every couple years, ride like a pro and have taken a high performance riding.  Still have lots to learn.

[bigsixman]

Back in the late 80's, early 90's, I flew EMS helicopters in Spokane, Washington.  Saw quite a bit of blood and guts during that time, but one of the most memorable was an vehicle accident on I-90 near Moses Lake.  Back in those days, we were told about the severity of the call and responded accordingly.  Anyway, we landed on the Interstate and saw the end results of one of the most incredible accidents that I had ever seen.  Some model of station wagon was upside down in the median, with the driver sitting a ways away from 3 sheet covered bodies.......little bodies.  Her children. 

The lady had lost control of the car after reaching across the seat to smack one of her 3 unsecured kids for causing a ruckus.  This lady was the only occupant with a belt on, the only survivor, and no doubt witnessed her kids being ejected to their untimely deaths.  One part of me was angry, the other part sad for what she had just gone through.  She probably still suffers, to this day.

I can only imagine what you and your coworkers came across doing your job, I thank all the people that can do that type of work.

I quit flying EMS shortly after that one.  I spent too much time taking those memories home with me.  Still have a hard time sleeping.  The point is, label me a quitter if you will, but this recent accident put me in a position to quit again.  Just like then, it's not so hard to give up. 

Safe journeys to all of you.  Just remember, blue side should always be up.  Be vigilant, my friends.