As much as it saddens me to post this…I have to. I am convinced that my husband has a death wish. It’s nothing crazy to most. He doesn’t do extreme sports, or play with guns, or anything really physically dangerous. What he does do is text CONSTANTLY while he is driving. And with the statistics out there quickly coming in, I am terrified for his life. I am terrified for the life of others. And if you text while driving? Then I am terrified for you!
As always I have been watching Oprah, and as usual she is on a mission to make change. And again…as usual I am on board. Although I missed the original episode, I have kept up with her campaign to make America’s cars a NO PHONE ZONE! I have been trying to get Captain Awesome on board but he refuses, and I can’t understand why doesn’t see the danger in what he’s doing.
Are you into numbers and percentages? How about these?
“For comparison purposes, someone who’s drunk at a 0.08 blood alcohol level has a four-time crash increase. So talking on a cell phone is about the same as driving drunk,” he says. “When you’re text messaging, the crash risk goes up to eight times.”
8 times more likely to crash while texting as you are at a 0.08 blood alcohol level?? How scary is that? Everyone is so worried about drinking and driving what about this? I mean it makes sense. How are you supposed to drive and hit that tiny little key board? How are you supposed to drive and read that little screen? You aren’t?? I mean it takes a split second for a car to stop in front of you? Can you imagine crashing and maybe killing someone because you couldn’t wait the 15 minutes to respond to a friend?
Jerry Seinfeld said it best on Monday’s Oprah. He said that he lost a friend in an accident because his friend was on the phone. He said “what was wrong with 1985??” I mean really? Are we that important that someone can’t wait a few minutes to hear back from us? The answer is NO! And I tell that to The Captain all the time. In 1998 when I went to college I had a cell phone…the star Tac..but it certainly wasn’t used like it is today! In 1985 people had to wait till they heard your message on the ANSWERING MACHINE! And you couldn’t check it while you were out..you had to go home and press PLAY! We have come a long way, but if they survived back then we can survive a few minutes of driving with out texting.
I have even tried to make him feel bad. I have asked him repeatedly not to do it at least when I am in the car. See he always drives, and I told him I refuse to die because he insists on texting. I even went as low as to ask him what happens when I am carrying his future child??!! I thought that might do it but he won’t agree to change, and Iam scared.
I personally have blue tooth in my car and have signed Oprah’s NO PHONE ZONE PLEDGE have you? I actually didn’t jump on the texting band wagon till recently. I see how addicting it is, but now I see what it can do when you are driving. Luckily I have had no personal tragedies, but I don’t want any. I can not imagine how I’d feel if I ended someones life because I insisted on texting. Same as I wouldn’t drive a car if I were drunk. So I hope you will do the same. And I hope soon I can convince Captain Awesome to change his ways.
I don’t know how people manage to do this. It’s not easy…lol. Personally, I have taken the no driving pledge. I just make my H drive me around everywhere.
The Captain drives when we are together and that’s what scares me!!!
I can’t agree more. Mostly, because I caused an accident while texting and driving. Several years ago, I was headed home from work and while texting (I only looked down for a split second) I rear ended a woman, going 40 miles an hour. The woman had stopped to turn into the day care where she was picking up her son. Luckily she was incredibly gracious, nobody was hurt (accept my little car). I still pause once in a while in horror, just remembering that moment and thinking about how much worse it could have been…very dangerous!!
Yup it only takes a split second! It’s sad to know that it takes getting into an accident for people to realize. I’m glad that you don’t do it now!
I have been a victim of distracted driving and it’s hateful that some people don’t seem to value their life and the life of others. Thank you for posting this.
I’m sorry to hear that you had to go through that. I have a small platform here, but I feel better if I say something about it:)
I’m glad you posted this! I have seen this on Oprah and I just signed it!
Yay! I”m glad you signed it!
What a great post. I have been feeling SO convicted about this. I get it out at red lights and really, I must stop. I even saw the show and I didn’t stop. I am ashamed of myself.
It’s hard! I find myself grabbing for my phone at redlights too…but I am MUCH more concious of it and now I stop. It’s a reflex now when people feel bored…but it has no place in the car.
I don’t understand texting while driving. Makes no sense to me. I can barely adjust the radio. I won’t even do that (even though it’s in my steering wheel). Maybe I’m just not a multi-tasker. LOL Anywho, we agree with you. In our family there is no talking or texting on the phone while driving unless it’s through the sync system in our Ford. And we were doing that before the campaign and statistics. Because it’s COMMON SENSE. I hope Captain Awesome can realize this. I know it’s tempting to pick up the phone when it rings…especially if it’s most likely a work call (as it is with my Hubs) but it just isn’t worth it. And if it IS worth it, do what the military teaches its servicemen and women to do: pull over. It’s not a big deal to see random cars pulled over on the road and people talking on their phones or texting. And when they get done, the continue on their way. There are options. There are ALWAYS options.
That’s a good policy! I have blue tooth too and I am so happy. It’s a must have for me. Everyone just has to be more aware that their actions can affect others when it comes to driving!
Luckily Kenny and I do not text- never have!!! He drives when we are together too (I am sure most guys do)! Kenny does not drive while talking on the phone and forget trying to get him to use Bluetooth- he doesn’t like the feeling in his ears!!! We are on the NO PHONE ZONE in NY….. Hopefully the Captain will turn around and realize it takes one second for an accident to happen……
You don’t text at all?? wow! Good for you. I never understood it but now I love it! But I’m happy you are part of the NO PHONE ZONE! I’d be happy to share the road with you;)
I totally agree with you! I have bluetooth in my car for when I talk. And, I don’t text or anything while driving. I recently heard a tragic story too. One of my cousin’s distant family members was driving upstate with her 2 children in the car. She got into an accident and killed her 6 year old daughter. She said she hit an icy patch, but those that know her say she always texts & drives. When you are putting someone else’s life in your hands a total no-no. If The Captain has a death wish for him that’s the chance he’s taking. But if you (or your family! ? is in the car an absolute no no….
I agree! I hope he listens now that I have embarrassed him on my blog! ?
Before Aubrey was born, we both promised each other than we wont use cell phone EVER in the car, especially when she’s with us. It’s so scary that people don’t think it’s a big deal when the statistics prove the opposite.
Your hubby is a smart guy. He knows what he is doing is dangerous. All it takes is a second of attention off the road to cause an accident. People who do this and other distracting things while driving are taking the chance of killing themselves or someone else on the road. It is a habit he needs to break now because I know you will be damned to have a kid in the car with him if you cannot trust him to stay off the phone. Matt has a tendency to be on his phone all the time while driving. I’ve come close to tossing his phone out the window. Now he stays off of it while I am in the car or the kids are.
A note on hands-free devices. A recent study showed hands-free devices are no less risky than using a handheld phone.
It is the distraction, not the actual use of the phone that is causing the accidents. There are other things we all are guilty of doing in cars that could cause deadly accidents. Tuning the radio, selecting a song on an iPod, programming a GPS navigation system, eating french fries, digging in a purse for change while approaching a toll booth on the Garden State Parkway, or turning around to scream at the kids-all done while behind the wheel of a car-are things that distract drivers and could potentially cause collisions. I think we all need to reevaluate our behavior while driving and adjust it accordingly.
That’s why I am trying to break the habit now!!
texting while driving is scary!! I admit that I have done it too but I have seriously put it off limits for myself. I think that if you get in a wreck here in California and you are texting and anyone dies in the accident you are charged with vehicular homicide! so many risks, so not worth it
I have done it too! I am just trying to be more aware…and now that I am I think I will be able to break the habit. I agree…so not worth it!
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I have almost been in a few accidents because I was holding the phone to my ear or texting. I finally got a blue tooth and it really has changed the way I drive. I’m glad that I can put both hands on the wheel and concentrate. It’s scary to think that others might not be doing the same thing.
I agree..when driving it’s scary to know that you can control what you are doing..but you never know about everyone else on the road! Scary!
I did this a while too and I was one to hop in the car, grab the Bluetooth and chat all the way home. But I saw that Oprah, and stopped cold turkey. I may text when I am a stop light fully stopped, but once I take my foot off the brake, I put the phone down completely. I even cringe when it rings and I have to answer it, knowing it is important! Good for you doing this and keep on him. Find the Oprah episode – buy it if need be and make him watch it! IT is worth it.
I try to keep all text-related activities to being stopped in traffic or at red lights, but as the poster above said: it’s the distraction level, not the particular activity, that’s dangerous.
You can outlaw all the distracting activities possible and all it takes is someone with their mind somewhere else (problems at work, admonishing a kid in the backseat, talking to someone in the front seat) and you’re no safer.
Which is why I cringe every time a law is proposed making it a fine-able offense to talk on a cell phone in a car or something else that falls under personal responsibility and not government mandate.
I saw that episode of Oprah, too, and it is frightening. I have asked my husband to at least not text while we’re in the car. I always say, “Is that something I can take care of for you?” or “If that’s really important, I’m happy to drive.”‘ (Even though I’m really not.) Since I am toting around the little one on a daily basis, I have really realized how distracted we can be as drivers and I want to be as responsible and safe as I can be – and to look out for others that aren’t concerned or don’t have a baby in their car!
I would refuse to get in the car with him if he texted. Even just checking your email ping is distracting but tempting so I bury my cell phone in my purse when I’m driving.
I’d like to get bluetooth soon but really it’s not that important.
Love your blog design. Have a great day!
At the expense of polarizing genders, but to illustrate a point. (Granted there is overlap all over the place – no statistics!)
I once heard a saying that I liked very much.
“A man may only be young once, but he can remain immature forever!”
My point being that, in my opinion, one of the primary characteristics of youth that gets carried forward and is slow to mature is – the sense of immortality.
I suggest that, although the end results may be the same – an early demise – it seems to me to be more about denial of danger/consequences than “a death wish.”