AJC > Sandy Springs > Blog > Archives > 2008 > February > 25 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USTime to grow up about driving
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
These words caught my eye in the Sunday paper a week ago:
“In Sandy Springs, four police officers quit directing traffic in school zones because of their concerns over drivers, mostly adults, talking on cell phones and not paying attention.”
This is one of those times I wish we’d learn a lesson but I have a pretty good idea nothing is going to change.
As Sandy Springsteens our love affair with doing what we want when we want usually rules the day. We seem to have more than our fair share of adults, and I use that word with grave reservation, who act as though the universe revolves around them.
Usually the sight of a police officer directing traffic should be enough to get and hold an adult’s attention, but apparently too many of our peers would rather chat merrily away rather than wait a few minutes to make a call.
I’ve seen it in our neighborhood. The parents drop the kids at school and common sense gets left as well. The phone gets dialed, the cigarette lit and the coffee mug is put back into play. Three items, two hands not on the steering wheel at the same time and someone who should know better zooming off to start their day and woe-be-unto anyone who might be in their way. The stray jogger. The delivery guy. The police officer.
These people do seem to have the ability to pound their horn if you get in the way. Or flip someone off.
It has been suggested that there be no-phone zones around schools. Folks, do we really need a law to tell us how to behave responsibly? Are we really that rude and self-absorbed that we can’t gets the kids to school without a phone conversation?
If a law is enacted I’d suggest that anyone breaking it be hit with two penalties. One, their phone is immediately smashed with a hammer. Two, it’s their turn to direct traffic while the police officer gets to sit safely off to the side.
Permalink | Comments (26) | Post your comment | Categories: Jim Osterman
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By Vandstra
February 25, 2008 8:11 AM | Link to this
You would think the possibility of vehicular manslaughter and prison time away from their family would be enough to get them off the phone.
By Jule
February 25, 2008 9:06 AM | Link to this
It’s not just in Sandy Springs, it happens everywhere. What I fear even more is the example these people set for their children. What kind of drivers will they be?
By jcr
February 25, 2008 9:10 AM | Link to this
The problem is that way too many people simply think the rules do not apply to them. Funny, though, they think the rules apply to everyone else. So, yes, I think a law prohibiting the use of cell phones while driving is necessary, in school zones, at the very least. Remember when everyone opposed the seatbelt laws? They could never be enforced, etc.
Hopefully, the fact that four police officers quit this post sends a message. Are the parents listening?
I don’t think the issue is just the cell phones. People only want the police officer there when it suits them. When my son was in middle school, he had many pre-school activities, making it necessary for me to drive him. Unfortunately, we had to pass the elementary school and its carpool line—-what a headache.
Every morning, there was a policeman directing traffic. He used to have to hold up traffic making a right into the school so that those making the left could get in. Without fail, even though he stopped traffic in the right-hand turn lane, when he turned his back on the right-hand turn drivers to permit the left-hand drivers entrance, the drivers behind him turned in, thus backing up the carpool line at the curb making the left-hand drivers back up traffic into the intersection behind them. It was a mess. Oh, yes, he addressed those drivers, backing up traffic even more. These people just didn’t get it.
These drivers showed a complete disregard for the policeman and his authority. Great lesson to be teaching their kids. Hang up the phones and pay attention. Someday those young children will grow into irresponsible drivers.
By GeezGuys
February 25, 2008 9:11 AM | Link to this
As Sandy Springsteens our love affair with doing what we want when we want usually rules the day.
Last fall Jim was complaining about “Sprinkler Snitches”, and backing the Council member who dismissed water restrictions as for other people. They shouldn’t bother the Very Special People populating the fiefdom of Sandy Springs. Little wonder such people are now observed thinking their double latte is more important than not running over human beings.
Being self-centered is what made y’all incorporate into Sandy Springsteens in the first place. Stop complaining, you choose to live in a city of me-first jerks. Oh,—-good luck scraping your kids off of a car bumper!
By NICK
February 25, 2008 10:07 AM | Link to this
Try taking a cell phone away from a black female driver.
She will either shoot you or claim that her civil rights were violated and Sandy Springs will have to payher $10M out of tax payers money.
By talking to stupid
February 25, 2008 10:31 AM | Link to this
**NICK that comment that you made was stupid..i’m a black female…..I had 1 white girl almost run me and my daughter off the highway..because instead of watching where the *uck she was going she was running her mouth..so it doesn’t matter black or white everybody needs to realize this shyt has gotten out of hand..you can blame it on color if you want..But 1 day you will wake up and realize all of us need to grow up and be more of a role model..
By talking to stupid
February 25, 2008 10:31 AM | Link to this
NICK that comment that you made was stupid..i’m a black female…..I had 1 white girl almost run me and my daughter off the highway..because instead of watching where the *uck she was going she was running her mouth..so it doesn’t matter black or white everybody needs to realize this shyt has gotten out of hand..you can blame it on color if you want..But 1 day you will wake up and realize all of us need to grow up and be more of a role model..
By Akima
February 25, 2008 10:37 AM | Link to this
I have to agree with Nick. 9 out of 10 times I see someone in a car doing something stupid, and not paying attention, it’s a black woman blabbering on her cell. Or it’s an asian woman who has no idea her car can do over 30 mph……
What can possibly be so important that you have to have a cell phone glued to your ear while in the car? I have a cell, but very rarely do I use it when driving….my son is learning how to drive and the cell phone is forbidden while he is driving. I am trying to lead by example, and not use mine while driving.
By Akima
February 25, 2008 10:38 AM | Link to this
I have to agree with Nick. 9 out of 10 times I see someone in a car doing something stupid, and not paying attention, it’s a black woman blabbering on her cell. Or it’s an asian woman who has no idea her car can do over 30 mph……
What can possibly be so important that you have to have a cell phone glued to your ear while in the car? I have a cell, but very rarely do I use it when driving….my son is learning how to drive and the cell phone is forbidden while he is driving. I am trying to lead by example, and not use mine while driving.
By Do'h!
February 25, 2008 10:46 AM | Link to this
Blame the car manufacturers. The cars will not start these days unless the cell phone has an active call going on.
I hope that everyone catches the sarcasm
By GeezGuys
February 25, 2008 10:46 AM | Link to this
9 times out of 10 idiots who are impatient/can’t read hit the “post” more than once.
By i luv hoops
February 25, 2008 11:08 AM | Link to this
Nick is right. You may not like what he said but it is the truth. And we all know the truth hurts.
By talking to stupid
February 25, 2008 11:20 AM | Link to this
* nick isn’t right..but you agree because you both are ignorant..your opionion is yours..but remember those teenage girls that died because 1 was texting on the phone??* it was a white chick..but who’s pointing fingers..
By John
February 25, 2008 11:34 AM | Link to this
I can’t count the number of time so soccer mom in an Ford Excursion has almost creamed me while she’s yanking away on a cell phone.
By John
February 25, 2008 11:35 AM | Link to this
I can’t count the number of time so soccer mom in an Ford Excursion has almost creamed me while she’s yaking away on a cell phone.
By Jason
February 25, 2008 11:42 AM | Link to this
There’s really no difference between driving while talking on your cell phone and driving while drunk. For some reason, though, there’s an intense stigma attached to the latter, while the former is widely accepted—even expected. I’m not condoning drunk driving, but why the hypocrisy? Impaired driving is impaired driving.
The same goes for sleep-deprived and medicated people, as well as those too old to operate a vehicle. They pose no less of a threat to the public than the villified DUI offended.
It doesn’t matter why someone is driving erratically; it only matters that they are driving erratically. That being said, punishment should be meted out indiscriminately.
By roadwarrior
February 25, 2008 12:05 PM | Link to this
Some folks can talk and drive at the same time. Just like many police officers talk on the radio and drive. It is called responsible talking on a cell phone while driving.
Mr. Osterman brings up valid points about so many people are just not responsible enough to drive much less try to do two things at the same time. We used to call them “talking to peter pan and tinker bell” drivers. Oblivious to the world around them and if they realizes they are in the world, rules did not apply to them.
Does anyone need an ordinance prohibiting talking on a cell phone? No. However, if an officer see’s unsafe actions by a driver as a result of using a cell phone, an accident caused by a cell phone, write them up. Have the state institute a code on the ticket for dumb use of cell phone so the insurance companies see this. When the rates of these mental midgets goes up, the problems will slowly decrease. Hit them in the pocket book for three years of increased premiums. That will get many of the self absorbed ledgends in their own minds to decrease the use of the mobile addiction.
By jcr
February 25, 2008 1:18 PM | Link to this
rw—-I respectfully disagree. Four police officers have seen bad driving habits due to cell phone use and are saying they don’t want to direct traffic in school zones because of it. That’s scary. Do you think the cell phone-wiedling parents are paying attention?
The problem is that chronic cell phone-using drivers don’t realize that they are a problem. Heck, they’ve probably never been involved in a wreck and just may be the ones who we all see talking incessantly on the cell phone while “driving”. Thus, they view themselves as good drivers who can multi-task, and that is why they’d be of the opinion that a hands-free law is stupid. They probably don’t realize the number of near-miss accidents they almost caused b/c other drivers drive defensively. Lucky for them.
By DB
February 25, 2008 9:23 PM | Link to this
I check my 17 year old daughter’s cell phone log every other day or so. Once I found a series of text messages that were made during the time period I knew she was driving to school.
When she got home, I showed her the log, confiscated the cell phone for two weeks, and she lost her license for a month. And then went over the story a few years back of the 16 year old who killed the toddler while careening around the neighborhood on her cell phone. Kids do not realize how quickly life can turn on a dime. And adults, too, forget just how quickly something can happen when you’re going 35 mph.
By Jim Osterman
February 26, 2008 8:31 AM | Link to this
DB:
What you did makes you the exception, not the rule. And for that I thank you.
By MW
February 29, 2008 8:43 AM | Link to this
We seem to have more than our fair share of adults, and I use that word with grave reservation, who act as though the universe revolves around them.
This is the biggest problem when it comes to driving these days —people are so wrapped up in there self-importance that courtesy to your fellow driver, your fellow man, has been lost.
As for cell phones, I do own one, but I do not use it when I am driving. I don’t care who it is that is calling, I do not answer my cell phone while I’m driving.
If my wife or child, or another family member hits me with a consecutive calls in an attempt to reach me, then I will pull over in the nearest parking area and call them back. Everyone should practice this. Other than emergency situations, nobody needs to be talking on their cell phone while driving.
By jcr
February 29, 2008 9:33 AM | Link to this
Interesting comments from high school students in Forsyth County regarding the issue of cell phone use while driving. Check out the Northside Opinions.
http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/northfulton/stories/2008/02/24/whatdoyouthink_0224.html
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