Go to From The Observation Deck
- Add a comment
- Go to Back on my soapbox again with that same old discussion: stupid people!
Re: Re: Re: Re:
posted by
Kabu
on June 16, 2014 at 6:16 PM
| link to this | reply
Re: jimmy
Thanks, jean. It's always nice to have as much support as possible when going up against a large group of people who insist on doing things their own way, seemingly at the cost of everyone else! People have united against drunk drivers ( groups like MADD ), but there doesn't seem to be a united front against this new menace . . . yet! No, I'm not campaigning. I'd rather just bellow from my soapbox. Don't worry. There's plenty of room on here . . . 
posted by
JimmyA
on June 16, 2014 at 6:05 AM
| link to this | reply
Re: Re: Re:
I hope so too, Kabu. Another key reason I really dislike cell phones is because, nowadays, it's the only way to get ahold of some people, and you never know where they are or what they're doing when you call them. I called one of my sister-in-laws once on her cell phone, and of course she picked it up, even though she was driving at the time. Once I learned of that, I told her to immediately hang up, and call me when she got home. I certainly don't want to be responsible for someone having an accident . . . 
posted by
JimmyA
on June 16, 2014 at 6:01 AM
| link to this | reply
jimmy
rest assured that i am not one of them, but you will find me standing beside you on your soapbox. go get um!
posted by
jeansaw
on June 15, 2014 at 7:42 PM
| link to this | reply
Re: Re:
The only time I have ever been cross and really told her you are doing wrong was my friend texting while she drove...could have killed us both. She apologized. I hope she learned a lesson.
posted by
Kabu
on June 15, 2014 at 9:53 AM
| link to this | reply
Re:
Good for you, annicita. If someone doesn't care about their own lives, and want to live dangerously while behind the wheel of a car, that's one thing. But when there's the possibility of causing an accident or even killing someone else because of that person's insensitivity or inconsideration, then that's a whole other ball game! Apparently, all of the news reports and all of the accident reports related to this distracted driving phenomenon just have no effect on some of these people! And that's why I'm now a paranoid wreck each time I get behind the wheel of my car . . . 
posted by
JimmyA
on June 15, 2014 at 9:14 AM
| link to this | reply
Re:
Thanks, chuck. And it's such a shame too, because the accidents and misery these distracted drivers cause is so preventable! Just out of curiosity, have you ever overheard someone's cell phone conversation that actually sounded like an emergency, or was it just bullshit and nonsense that could have waited until a more appropriate time? Don't worry; that was a rhetorical question, because I already know the answer! I myself have never heard someone's phone conversation that actually sounded like it was an emergency! Where is our society headed . . . ?
posted by
JimmyA
on June 15, 2014 at 9:10 AM
| link to this | reply
Re: Jimmy
You think, Naut, or you mean you hope? Yes, we have the same laws down here as well, along with the same idiots who do it anyway! Every once in a while I do see someone actually pull into a parking space and stop their car to make or receive that phone call. But for every one who does that, there are probably another 20 or 30 continuing on their way down the highway, phone in hand, an accident waiting to happen! Fines, suspensions, even jail time, just doesn't seem to be working as deterrents. Makes me sometimes curse the day Dr. Martin Cooper was born . . . 
posted by
JimmyA
on June 15, 2014 at 9:05 AM
| link to this | reply
Re: JimmyA
Oh, no, no, no, Sir Wiley! Not me! First of all, my cell phone is off at night! You wanna reach me, call the house phone ( yes, we still have one of those! ). And secondly, nothing distracts me when hockey is on! However, I'm not sure what I'm gonna do now since the season is now over! October is such a long way off . . .
posted by
JimmyA
on June 15, 2014 at 8:58 AM
| link to this | reply
Re:
I think the thing that gets me the most, Kabu, is that, when a person is driving drunk, their senses are completely compromised, along with their ability to distinguish right from wrong. But I would think that, by now, every citizen on the planet has been made well aware of the dangers of distracted driving, have the ability to use a little common sense, know what they're doing is wrong and dangerous . . . yet they do it anyway! And if you were to actually say something to any of these people, they would probably tell you to go to hell and mind your own business, as if you're the one doing something wrong! Mark my words, more and more you're going to be reading and hearing about people getting shot because of their annoying phone calls! I'm not wishing that on anybody, but it's gonna happen . . . !
posted by
JimmyA
on June 15, 2014 at 8:56 AM
| link to this | reply
Re:
They've tried that here too, adnohr, but unfortunately, it seems to have very little affect! They keep doubling and tripling the fines, but still people refuse to put their damned phones down! And taking their phones away does no good, since they are so plentiful and easy to obtain ( or re-obtain ). I'm practically a nervous wreck when I drive now, doing a constant 360° sweep of my surroundings, just in case! Terrible! And yes, I climbed off of my soapbox in time to see my Rangers go down in flames. That's okay. I'm still very proud of how far they came ( hey, only 3 wins shy of The Cup! Not too shabby! ) However, seven of the Ranger players on the ice during these playoffs are now free-agents! I have no idea what this team will look like when next season starts . . .
posted by
JimmyA
on June 15, 2014 at 8:46 AM
| link to this | reply
Re:
I've used that argument myself, shamasehar! Years ago, there were phone booths at almost every street corner, in front of every store and along every strip mall. And yet I don't recall there ever being lines and lines of people waiting anxiously to make a phone call to someone. People were perfectly content to only use the phones in case of emergencies. But now because some idiot made it available to people to be able to call anyone, any time, from anywhere, now all of a sudden people just cannot go out and about doing their daily tasks unless they are talking to someone else at the same time! Why? When did this sudden need to be in constant contact with at least one other person throughout the day get started? Annoying, frustrating, ridiculous . . . and now dangerous!
posted by
JimmyA
on June 15, 2014 at 8:41 AM
| link to this | reply
Re:
That's true too, FSI. We don't hear too much ( yet ) about people on the sidewalks, by the curb or in the crosswalks getting hit by those same distracted drivers. No one wants to live a life of paranoia, but if you're not paying full attention to everything going on around you at all times, you're just asking for trouble today! And I see this particular problem getting worse before it gets better ( if it ever will ) . . .
posted by
JimmyA
on June 15, 2014 at 8:35 AM
| link to this | reply
Re:
That seems to be a part of it too, Bill. And I have a feeling it coincides with the steady decline of intelligence and common sense amongst our fellow citizens as well. These are people who, if they're walking down the street and you put a stick of gum in their mouths, they have to stop. Multi-tasking? Give me a break . . .
posted by
JimmyA
on June 15, 2014 at 8:32 AM
| link to this | reply
i used to be one of those....now i pull over if phone rings or i get a text .... to read it answer it....too risky otherwise
posted by
Annicita
on June 15, 2014 at 3:49 AM
| link to this | reply
I agree with you a 100%
posted by
Chuck_E_Ibrahim
on June 14, 2014 at 11:01 AM
| link to this | reply
Jimmy
We too have had cases of people texting and getting into heavy accidents...But at least here in Ontario it's illegal to be on a hand-held phone while driving, which keeps the numbers of people doing it fairly low, I think...
posted by
Nautikos
on June 13, 2014 at 9:27 PM
| link to this | reply
JimmyA
C'mon, you read all that off your cell phone watching the hockey game' LOL
posted by
WileyJohn
on June 13, 2014 at 8:24 PM
| link to this | reply
I completely agree with you so don't put that soap box too far out of sight. I find this phone thing epidemic is crazy. We never had it, we never missed it, I still don't have it or miss it. I would much rather talk to whoever I am with..that would be Wiley...rather than sit there texting someone else.
posted by
Kabu
on June 13, 2014 at 4:41 PM
| link to this | reply
Climb off that soapbox in time to watch the game tonight, Jimmy, I hope? By the way, I completely agree with you - as do the authorities - which is why in this province they give very pricey tickets and seize the phone of any person caught driving and using it.
posted by
adnohr
on June 13, 2014 at 2:13 PM
| link to this | reply
We were satisfactorily connected with just landline phones or an occasional telegram I feel but this mania to stay connected 24x7 is dangerous indeed. Hope people understand the consequences. Enjoy the weekend.🌹
posted by
shamasehar
on June 13, 2014 at 10:22 AM
| link to this | reply
I am with you 100% on this, Jimmy. It is alarming all of the distracted driving that is occurring. I, too, find the "new menace" to be worse than drunk driving. Then there are pedestrians who are taking part in distracted walking.
posted by
FormerStudentIntern
on June 13, 2014 at 9:34 AM
| link to this | reply
And talking while driving Jimmy.
posted by
BC-A
on June 13, 2014 at 7:55 AM
| link to this | reply