Early morning ponder: Phone "safety" [Purp]

The National Safety Council estimates 24% of highway crashes are cell phone or texting related.

There were over 5M crashes in 2010, ~30k of those involving a fatality.

We've got our priorities straight, so naturally we put all our national focus on mass shooting events that kill on the order of the same number of people that lightning does each year.

Cell phones/texting - over 1M crashes/yr, ~7k fatalities.

P.R.I.O.R.I.T.I.E.S.

Posted by: Open Blogger at 04:36 AM

Comments

1 Well, hopefully those fatalities are all from the assholes texting while driving...then again, a friend in Minneapolis told me of an incident where some stupid cunt was painting her nails and hit a guy from the rear on a motorcycle at a red light. Going 55+ mph. Guy died, obviously.

Posted by: model_1066 at February 12, 2013 04:44 AM (7xPCu)

2 Cell phones: the weapon of choice for the urban hipster.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at February 12, 2013 04:47 AM (piMMO)

3 2 Cell phones: the weapon of choice for the urban hipster.
Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at February 12, 2013 04:47 AM (piMMO)

And the flash mobster!

Posted by: model_1066 at February 12, 2013 04:48 AM (7xPCu)

4 I used to work for a guy that called his phone his "crackberry". When our company imposed a formal ban on texting while driving I swear that diehard Catholic sat Shiva for a month.

Posted by: Acid Spunk at February 12, 2013 04:51 AM (hv/hw)

5 I was almost sideswiped by some douche busy texting on I-25 going through Colorado Springs...I don't think he was even aware that he almost hit me...just kept texting and driving. I could see he was steering with his wrists while his fingers were furiously texting his mother an excuse for being out late, or something.

Posted by: model_1066 at February 12, 2013 04:52 AM (7xPCu)

6 From my cold dead hands

Posted by: Zakn at February 12, 2013 04:55 AM (Qci+c)

7 We've got our priorities straight, so naturally we put all our national focus on mass shooting events that kill on the order of the same number of people that lightning does each year.

Can't be repeated enough:

It's all about the control, not the gun.
It's all about the control, not the gun.
It's all about the control, not the gun.
It's all about the control, not the gun.
It's all about the control, not the gun.

Posted by: model_1066 at February 12, 2013 04:55 AM (7xPCu)

8 If people would stop using their cell phones in their cars in thunderstorms the slaughter could be stopped.

Or did I read this wrong?

Well shoot, I guess so!

Never mind.

Posted by: somejoe at February 12, 2013 05:05 AM (SSWdi)

9 Yes, but all the little Obama whores and parasites have cell phones - many supplied by Obama and subsidized by taxpayers - whereas most of the people who own firearms might not be loyalists.

Posted by: Adjoran at February 12, 2013 05:18 AM (9uOra)

10 Texting in a car amazes me. It's a phone stupid! And even that is dangerous.

Posted by: Darth Randall at February 12, 2013 05:30 AM (mV8sg)

11 This is of a class of driving called distracted driving.

I don't think the cell phone has added markedly to the number of crashes per year caused by distracted driving.

Posted by: General Woundwort at February 12, 2013 05:49 AM (zOP5o)

12 Brett Favre steers with his junk, snaps a pic of his junk and sends it, all while taking the kids to piano lessons.

Posted by: Opus An Arcus at February 12, 2013 05:52 AM (J/aK1)

13 And the flash mobster!

****

I hate those assholes.

The expiration date on flash-mobs being "hip" was about two seconds after the first one got started.

Now, it's the criminal's domain.

Posted by: NBC wankers at February 12, 2013 05:58 AM (piMMO)

14 The only solution that people can offer to cell-phone use while driving is stronger bans. We need phones that are easier to use while driving and we need to get the self-driving cars on the road sooner.

I ought to be able to be on my phone at all times. That's my connection to the people I know.

Posted by: Paul at February 12, 2013 05:58 AM (y9odA)

15 The National Safety Council estimates 24% of highway crashes are cell phone or texting related.

Another BS number from a group known for BS numbers. I am surprised they didn't come right out and add up all their BS numbers and have alcohol and cell phones are related to every death ever on the highways.

And what does "related" mean. Investigation shows that their old alcohol related shit was counted even if you were riding in a cab back from a bar and someone ran a red light and hit the cab.

I never credit any number that any ax grinding group releases.

Posted by: Vic at February 12, 2013 06:00 AM (53z96)

16 I've got to get my mad scientist on and build a lightning gun.

Posted by: Stardraigh at February 12, 2013 06:07 AM (KHjIa)

17 I've got to get my mad scientist on and build a lightning gun.

****

Will yu promise to use it on flash-mobbers?

Posted by: NBC wankers at February 12, 2013 06:10 AM (piMMO)

18 "16
I've got to get my mad scientist on and build a lightning gun."

Hah, you call that mad science? Amateur. I'm working on a gun that shoots radioactive spiders.

Posted by: Evil Otto at February 12, 2013 06:15 AM (VPMjy)

19 Good thing Sven doesn't drive.....

Posted by: B C Eagle at February 12, 2013 06:18 AM (C3KwS)

20 If they want a good number then they can pay the major carriers to log phone mode/activity when significant accelerometer changes occur. Cops could then pull that data after accidents with injuries. Collect some hard then, write about - spare us anymore observational crap disguised as science.

Posted by: Jean at February 12, 2013 06:35 AM (3f/jH)

21 78% of all statistics come directly out of someone's ass. That's science.

Posted by: Truman North at February 12, 2013 06:36 AM (+gfwN)

22 Hey, BC Eagle, are you a Masshole by birth or by choice?

Posted by: Truman North at February 12, 2013 06:37 AM (+gfwN)

23 By the way, I'm dog-sitting. My parents took three dogs to show at Westminster. Seven house dogs are here; the rest are somewhere i don't care where by god as long as they're not here.

Seven is like five too many.

Posted by: Truman North at February 12, 2013 06:39 AM (+gfwN)

24 Truman-----both!

Posted by: B C Eagle at February 12, 2013 06:40 AM (7TwHV)

25 Just think of the distractions that are now in some vehicles.
GPS
The kids' video screens and battle over what to watch.
Radio.
Bluetooth
Oh did you just drop your phone under the seat?
Its too hot or too cold
Oops just spilled the coffee.

Used to be -
Its too hot or too cold.
Screaming kids.
Static laced AM radio
Burning cigarettes.
Just spilled coffee.

But I still remember seeing in my rear view mirror one day this mini-van. And watching the woman driving it put a jacket on. Then work on her hair and make-up. While in traffic. Yikes.

Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at February 12, 2013 06:41 AM (pu60A)

26 How did all us in the "get off my lawn" crowd ever survive without having a cell phone to yak on while we were driving?
Oh yeah, I remember now.
Radio stations that could play whatever the hell they wanted without being told what to play by the parent company.

Posted by: teej at February 12, 2013 06:45 AM (m4AUe)

27 What we need are lightning guns...

Posted by: sven10077 at February 12, 2013 06:49 AM (LRFds)

28 Some of us are old enough to remember the old payola racket.

Posted by: Vic at February 12, 2013 06:49 AM (53z96)

29 I'm not sure replacing a folding map with a GPS is a net negative

Posted by: Jean at February 12, 2013 06:49 AM (XwRIg)

30 Ban alcohol.
Ban motorcycles.
Ban swimming pools.
Ban kerosene heaters.
And other stuff when I think of it.

Posted by: The guy who wants to ban stuff that you don't need and kills people at February 12, 2013 06:50 AM (vk6ov)

31 cell phones with detachable batteries, and bayonet lug wrist straps.
oh...and a pistol grip, in black.
pure evil.

Posted by: VIA, on the tiny keyboard at February 12, 2013 06:50 AM (9eQRQ)

32 Not even sure why payola was illegal

Posted by: Jean at February 12, 2013 06:51 AM (XwRIg)

33 news up

Posted by: Vic at February 12, 2013 06:51 AM (53z96)

34 It has become common pratice now that after any vehicle accident, the cops check cell phones at the scene. They will call your cell phone if you claim to not have it with you. Ambulance chasers collect your cell phone records. Cell phone distraction is the new DUI.

Posted by: Suppressed Flasher at February 12, 2013 06:51 AM (X+nFp)

35 13 nbc wankers,

You could have flash posses...m

Posted by: sven10077 at February 12, 2013 06:52 AM (LRFds)

36 That's great BC. My happiest times were spent at BC.

I went for five years, never graduated.

(I have since graduated from another school which was more my speed.)

But those were the days...!

Posted by: Truman North at February 12, 2013 06:52 AM (I84O1)

37 19 bc eagle,,

I use dragon voice to text....

Posted by: sven10077 at February 12, 2013 06:53 AM (LRFds)

38 I spent half my time there in WZBC and the other half in bed with improbably-beautiful women of every description.

Wait a second. I think I see why I didn't graduate!

Posted by: Truman North at February 12, 2013 06:53 AM (I84O1)

39 What's the over/under on strawmen killed by Obamacles tonight?

Posted by: sven10077 at February 12, 2013 06:58 AM (LRFds)

40 Not even sure why payola was illegal

Posted by: Jean at February 12, 2013 06:51 AM (XwRIg)

It was fraud. Radio play is what determined rankings and sales.

Posted by: Vic at February 12, 2013 06:58 AM (53z96)

41 Truman North at February 12, 2013 06:53 AM (I84O1)

All the ladies are gorgeous here. I think that is part of the admission sequence.

Posted by: B C Eagle at February 12, 2013 06:58 AM (6gk77)

42 Oh I remember that too Vic. I also remember;

"KEWI, who am I talking to?"
"Jeff here."
"What can I do for ya Jeff?"
"How bout White Room?"
"You got it man"

"KEWI, what's up?"
"Could you throw on some Temptations for me?"
"Love to"

"Hello KEWI. What's your name?"
"Sally."
"Well hi Sally. How old are you?"
"9"
"Well what can I do for you today Sally?"
"Could you play Puff the Magic Dragon?"
"Stay next to your radio sweetheart. I'll put it at top of the list."
"Thank you."
"You're very welcome. Thank you for listening."

Posted by: teej at February 12, 2013 07:03 AM (XOog0)

43 Morning!

I wanna know who the fuck all those women are talking to at 7am in the morning.. every morning on my way to work, at least 50% of the women in cars are on the freakin' phone! Who the hell could they be talking to?

My only answer is: they are talking to the other women on their way to work!

I've had a cell phone for over 20 years (I started with those bag phones), but I rarely use it. I like my "alone time" in the car.. just me and Sirius radio surfin'!

Posted by: Chi-Town Jerry at February 12, 2013 07:21 AM (UTq/I)

44 They blame cell phones because their entire mantra is blaming traffic deaths on user error.

Imagine if the espresso machines at Starbucks exploded on a regular basis, if you pushed the buttons in a wrong way. Or the softserve dispenser at McDonalds.

And imagine that those fast-food deaths totaled about 90-100 people per day. Every day, for 5 or 6 decades.

Now, maybe the exploding dispenser problem could, in theory, be explained on user error. After all, they'd say, there's a complex 80-page instruction book that explains in detail how not to blow up the machine and kill all those people. Did you not read every page of the instruction manual?

Something tells me that, eventually, after 80-90,000 people were killed trying to use these machines, that SOMEONE would say that MAYBE, just MAYBE, there's something wrong with the DESIGN of a machine that kills all those people.

MAYBE there's something about the WAY the machine's owner and designer PERMITTED it to be used that contributed to the deaths. Maybe if those features could be changed, and fewer people would die, then refusing to change them might be ... I dunno, what's the word?

Culpable.

SOMEONE would say that the owner of the premises, who controls everyone's behavior while there, who set up the whole death-trap system, would be held responsible for the deaths of as many people in every month, month after month, as died on 9/11.

That's four Sandy Hooks, every day.

This is the basic ideas of products liability, and premises liability.

But for some reason, when it comes to the GOVERNMENT, which designs the safety features of all of the cars, and dictates the rules of the road usage, and controls the system of rule-enforcement, and designs all of the construction features of all of the roads themselves, and owns all of the road property ...

every death is user error. Every time.

That's what government thinks of you and me.

Posted by: Phinn at February 12, 2013 08:36 AM (oFH2D)

45 A completely bullshit statistic since crash rates have been steady and fatal accident rates going down steadily since before the cell phone era. If cell phones were such a big factor, and they didn't used to exist (and I remember they didn't) then accident rates should have gone up by a corresponding percent.

They haven't. It's the nanny state trying to control another aspect of life.

Does careless cellphone use sometimes cause an accident? Of course. Does careless smoking, eating, or changing the radio knob or button sometimes cause an accident? Of course. Do misbehaving children sometimes cause accidents? Yes!

But most of all, what causes accidents is people driving instead of taking trains! We must therefore ban driving altogether!

Posted by: Harold at February 12, 2013 10:20 AM (1TfG9)

46 How about 80,000 wrongful deaths...in hospitals?

That number may be low(or high), it is from memory, and years old.

Bad handwriting alone can kill.

Posted by: nip at February 12, 2013 11:07 AM (11Tdq)

47 "We've got our priorities straight, so naturally we put all our national focus on mass shooting events that kill on the order of the same number of people that lightning does each year."

It can't be repeated enough: the authoritarian ideologues driving gun control legislation and regulatory restrictions and seeking other end-runs around the 2nd Amendment are not motivated by public safety concerns. They'll use true believers like Sarah Brady to further their goals, sure, but stopping madmen and criminals from obtaining firearms is not and has never been the primary purpose of civilian disarmament. Thus, the premises supporting arguments favoring an assault weapons ban don't have to be consistent or factual or even relevant to the issue. The slaughter of children by maniacs serves their purposes nicely because the sheer emotive power of these atrocities clouds reason, fuels propaganda,and obscures intent.

Posted by: troyriser at February 12, 2013 11:45 AM (vtiE6)

48 The methodology of the tests said the crash was cell-phone related if a cell phone was found at the scene. Using that correlation, seat belts were involved in 100% of fatality accidents.

Posted by: OCBill at February 12, 2013 02:29 PM (YJvVE)

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