TELECOM Digest OnLine - Sorted: Re: Why Do Cell Phone Conversations Interfere With Driving?

Re: Why Do Cell Phone Conversations Interfere With Driving?

Tim@Backhome.org
Thu, 10 Feb 2005 07:02:16 -0800

David Clayton wrote:

> On Wed, 2005-02-09 at 10:49 -0500, Monty Solomon wrote:

> Ahh, is this the old mental "cpu cycle" availability issue?

> It looks like with all the new "applications" we are introducing, we
> may need upgrades to our "wetware" to keep up? :-)

Those of us who have spent a career in professional aviation found out
a long time ago that the diversion caused by talking on the radio with
air traffic control has to be managed carefully, and placed at the
lowest of three levels of tasking:

1. Flying (controlling) the aircraft.

2. Navigating the aircraft.

3. Communicating by radio with ATC.

A subset of Number 3, even with a two or three-person crew on an
airliner, is to never respond to, an initiate a radio communication
with ATC while taking off or landing on a runway at high speed.

And, normally aircraft are not operating in as tight of an enviornment
as automobiles. Plus, professional pilots are professional pilots,
whereas most (but not all) automobile drivers are poorly trained,
poorly kept up-to-date, rank amateur drivers.

Plus, there is the progressive decline in amateur driver's attitudes
for common courtesy and observation of proven safey rules. The common
running of red lights, failure to yield to pedestrians lawfully
crossing the street, and failure to use turn indicators are prime
examples. Grossly excessive speed and excessive lane changes (as in,
"get out of my way you idiot, I am more important than you are) is
another scary trend.

Cell phones should be outlawed for drivers everywhere. Then again, it
takes consistent enforcement to make any rule like that work
Consistent enforcement is the exception, rather than the rule, these
days.

[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I assume you are referring to *using*
a cell phone, not merely *being in possession* of a cell phone while
driving. They are very important tools for people driving alone at
night, or on the highway in the event of an accident or automobile
malfunction, etc. PAT]

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