PSA - Think twice before you drive and text..

[BladeVenom]

Because stuff like this has stopped people from driving drunk.

The number of deaths per year from drunk driving have been cut in half over the last 25 years.

 

[TechBoyJK]

http://www.ksdk.com/video/default.aspx?bctid=1522852645001

 

[SaDiZTiKStyLeZ]

Annoys me to no end when I'm riding with others & they are talking on phone or texting. Whenever I've complained about it in the past they always shoot back some arrogant argumentative retort to shut me up.
Only time I text is when I'm stopped. More involved than that & I pull off to side of the road.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Horrible story... :'(

 

[destrekor]

Sure as hell better fault her. She choose to place driving second to something else. This is the direct consequence.

Yep. Just like I'd completely accept fault (not to the police though :awe if I got into an accident because of using a phone.
And thus, I will readily *apply* blame to any individual doing distracting things and causing a crash (could be anything that requires more than the most mundane physical motion with no active mental processing - like quickly altering radio/audio deck functions).

Just because many people do it all the time, and escape death's grasp, doesn't mean blame is null when they actually do fuck up enough to cause an accident.

Sometimes I'll mess with electronics when on the road - but I often make a ton of mistakes and have to re-do things multiple times (I don't text or call while driving - this is all music related or navigation related) because I actively avoid putting any effort into concentrating on the most non-important task that can be done in a vehicle while in motion (i.e. not devoting every ounce of brain effort on the task of driving). But yes, I have to admit I have fumbled with my phone or Zune while driving, and sometimes have noticed too much attention going to the wrong place, and making minor mistakes. It's rare, but if that happens, I immediately return to the correct focus (driving) and return to making errors with the device, not the vehicle.

Sometimes when messing with phone GPS, I get to the point that I've made so many mistakes or can't seem to get to the end result I'm looking for without devoting too much attention, that I simply say fuck it, and if navigating, attempt to make best guesses until I get to a point I can stop and then I'll focus. Same thing with texting, I don't do it unless at a red light.
That's a funny thing: the rare moments I hope for red lights is when I need to text. It is most comical when, after having one red light text session, I desperately crave the next possible red light, so that I can finish texting (that last red was too short! )

 

[destrekor]

Well that was not the humorous anecdote I was hoping for :/

I too was hoping for such.

Sure as hell better fault her. She choose to place driving second to something else. This is the direct consequence.

Yep. Just like I'd completely accept fault (not to the police though :awe if I got into an accident because of using a phone.
And thus, I will readily *apply* blame to any individual doing distracting things and causing a crash (could be anything that requires more than the most mundane physical motion with no active mental processing - like quickly altering radio/audio deck functions).

Just because many people do it all the time, and escape death's grasp, doesn't mean blame is null when they actually do fuck up enough to cause an accident.

Sometimes I'll mess with electronics when on the road - but I often make a ton of mistakes and have to re-do things multiple times (I don't text or call while driving - this is all music related or navigation related) because I actively avoid putting any effort into concentrating on the most non-important task that can be done in a vehicle while in motion (i.e. not devoting every ounce of brain effort on the task of driving). But yes, I have to admit I have fumbled with my phone or Zune while driving, and sometimes have noticed too much attention going to the wrong place, and making minor mistakes. It's rare, but if that happens, I immediately return to the correct focus (driving) and return to making errors with the device, not the vehicle.

Sometimes when messing with phone GPS, I get to the point that I've made so many mistakes or can't seem to get to the end result I'm looking for without devoting too much attention, that I simply say fuck it, and if navigating, attempt to make best guesses until I get to a point I can stop and then I'll focus. Same thing with texting, I don't do it unless at a red light.
That's a funny thing: the rare moments I hope for red lights is when I need to text. It is most comical when, after having one red light text session, I desperately crave the next possible red light, so that I can finish texting (that last red was too short! )

 

[Eli]

http://www.ksdk.com/video/default.aspx?bctid=1522852645001

Hmm.. That's not a Corolla, is it?

And it doesn't look like the car burned up..

 

[OverVolt]

Can't fix stupid.

I CAN talk and drive. The primary focus is the the driving. My conversation sometimes dies, so I really only call close friends and family while driving.

Some people place priority on the phone call.

They'll get into an argument or something and stop paying attention to their actual surroundings. They are driving on crude instinct, stuff in front, stop, red light, stop, green light, go, very small glance, change lanes, make turn, etc.

 

[TechBoyJK]

Hmm.. That's not a Corolla, is it?

And it doesn't look like the car burned up..

to my understanding the car was on fire pretty badly but it was put out before the car was consumed by it. However, it was fierce enough to have burned the passengers.

 

[destrekor]

Hmm.. That's not a Corolla, is it?

And it doesn't look like the car burned up..

It's the hatchback version

No idea what exactly it would be called, but it's like the unloved bastard child of a crossover and a minivan. Hell, I can see why someone would call it a van.
Until I got a size reference with the people standing next to the vehicle, I too was like "that's NOT a van? :hmm:"

And that vehicle could look like a melted wax museum inside and not look terribly burnt on the outside. Newer paint and clearcoat withstand flames far better than interior surfaces, I'd imagine.

Definitely sucks for all involved, and all related/acquainted.

 

[TechBoyJK]

It's the hatchback version

No idea what exactly it would be called, but it's like the unloved bastard child of a crossover and a minivan. Hell, I can see why someone would call it a van.
Until I got a size reference with the people standing next to the vehicle, I too was like "that's NOT a van? :hmm:"

And that vehicle could look like a melted wax museum inside and not look terribly burnt on the outside. Newer paint and clearcoat withstand flames far better than interior surfaces, I'd imagine.

Definitely sucks for all involved, and all related/acquainted.

If you wait towards the end of the video they show an angle from the left side of the car, and it seems like the engine bay clearly burned up and you can see where they put it out. My guess is that the windshield was probably blown out and that fire went right into the cabin. I'm hoping the child either had whiplash so bad he died on impact, or he suffocated. I really hope he didn't burn up and experience it.

 

[destrekor]

Can't fix stupid.

I CAN talk and drive. The primary focus is the the driving. My conversation sometimes dies, so I really only call close friends and family while driving.

Some people place priority on the phone call.

They'll get into an argument or something and stop paying attention to their actual surroundings. They are driving on crude instinct, stuff in front, stop, red light, stop, green light, go, very small glance, change lanes, make turn, etc.

Yep, if you pay attention to their body motions in the vehicle (and facial animations), it's very easy to determine who is basically piloting on reflex, compared to those who are actively *driving* ... hell, that goes for anybody, but less easy to spot without something so obvious of a distraction as a phone or other portable device.
There are a lot of drivers who drive like that without distraction. People scare the shit out of me on a nearly daily basis, I think that might be one of my motivators for speeding - I like to keep those bastards in my mirrors (in front of me means I have to react to who the hell knows what they'll do if they react to something). So many oblivious drivers, it's depressing.

I've talked on the phone while driving, but I can only imagine how torturous it is for the other party - my mind is far too focused on the vehicle and my surroundings, I tend to speak in a very broken cadence/rhythm, and often just stop talking for moments. Hell, I can be like that when talking with people in the car when I'm driving - if I find myself actively involved in conversation when on the highway, and I notice that I don't seem to sound retarded, I can easily look at the speedometer and be shocked (or, not shocked at all) to discover I am suddenly driving the speed limit (65 in Ohio - typically). I normally drive, at a minimum, 10 over. My mind compensates instinctively by allowing better reaction time while also providing an easier driving experience (faster = less time to react, plus, even if far from actual limits of grip/performance, by definition you are closer to that line, which requires more attention/skill to remain in control if you must suddenly react to danger).

 

[destrekor]

If you wait towards the end of the video they show an angle from the left side of the car, and it seems like the engine bay clearly burned up and you can see where they put it out. My guess is that the windshield was probably blown out and that fire went right into the cabin. I'm hoping the child either had whiplash so bad he died on impact, or he suffocated. I really hope he didn't burn up and experience it.

Truth on that last part. Few people in this world deserve that experience.

As for the video - I only watched enough to identify the vehicle (and then googled the vehicle to confirm ). This isn't the type of video/news that I go out of my way to watch in its entirety. The world is full of shitty things, no need to actively look at harm brought upon the innocent.

 

[TechBoyJK]

word

 

[eits]

mindy is my friend. diego was a great kid... he would climb all over me and rough house with me whenever he came over with his family (mom, aunt, uncle, cousins). he LOOOOVED our huge ciclid and our big dogs. my heart was broken all day when i got the phone call early in the morning.

she's currently in a medically induced coma and needs some skin grafting on her legs and one of her arms. her face and hair weren't burned at all... not cuts or anything. she also has a broken collarbone, fractured c7, and broken hip.

diego was an amazing kid. so cute, loving, trusting, and funny.

:'(

... breaks my heart. she's such a good person... no one deserved any of this, especially a great kid like diego.

precious kid.

 

[eits]

Mindy was actually really good to her son, at least from what I've heard and been told. And she did have him properly in his car seat, in the backseat, buckled up.. She just fucked up and made a terrible driving mistake.

mindy is a great person. she was a great mom. she loved diego more than anything in the world.

 

[eits]

I do not have anything nice to say about the girl.

However, I feel for the kid, the father, and the people in the car she hit head on.

you don't know her.

 

[eits]

Can't fix stupid.

I CAN talk and drive. The primary focus is the the driving. My conversation sometimes dies, so I really only call close friends and family while driving.

Some people place priority on the phone call.

They'll get into an argument or something and stop paying attention to their actual surroundings. They are driving on crude instinct, stuff in front, stop, red light, stop, green light, go, very small glance, change lanes, make turn, etc.

first off, she's not stupid. shit happens sometimes. she was on her way to drop him off at school. it's just a tragic accident...

 

[TechBoyJK]

mindy is a great person. she was a great mom. she loved diego more than anything in the world.

I've only met her a few times but she was nice to me. I've hung out with Jesus before and I know him to be a really nice guy. A lot of my friends new the two of them much better and they're all really heartbroken.

 

[radhak]

I fail to see how this is the fault of the cellphone.

The mother was a bad driver. PERIOD.

While I wouldn't wish this on anyone, the cellphone is not the root cause of the accident.

It's not the fault of the cellphone - but of the cellphone in the hands of an active driver.

This. I am not an idiot that can't drive and talk on the phone.

That's what everybody says or thinks before they get into an accident. I'm sure Mindy would have said the same last week.

Reading while driving shows an immense lack of common sense. However, it is again not the cellphone's fault. It could just as easily have been a newspaper.

Blame where blame is due, people.

How many do read a newspaper while driving? Or even a easily handled paper-back? Not many, I presume, other than those that are pathologically ditz.

But the cellphone is handy, is personalized, updates instantly (text from ___! call from ___! video from ___!) and far, far more addictive.

"Don't blame the tool" is theoretically correct, but in this case, the tool is a powerful enabler, and not acknowledging that is nothing but denial.

But not to deny your main point - the culpable party here is not the cell-phone manufacturer, but the driver who cannot recognize a dangerous act s/he is about to commit, and is foolish enough to think, I can do this, no problem.

first off, she's not stupid. shit happens sometimes. she was on her way to drop him off at school. it's just a tragic accident...

Slipping and falling because of a banana peel is an accident; being run-over by a drunk driver is an accident; being hit by lightning is accident; texting while driving is sheer stupidity; doing that while on the way to drop off your son to school is inexcusable stupidity.

That she loved him so much and did so much for him before, that is the tragic part.

I appreciate that you want to stand up for Mindy, but we should not let this teachable moment get away from any of us, which is - "DON'T BE STUPID".

I only hope Mindy never gets to read my comments; she'll have enough guilt as such to last her lifetime.

 

[SillyOReilly]

I have been riding my bicycle on the road since I'm a young lad, and the idiots have increased 5 fold within the last 5 years.

I will always lose in a collision, so I am always vigilant. When someone almost runs me over? They're either looking at their phone or have it on their ear.

The funniest and closest one was once when I heard her say. "OMG I almost ran over this stupid guy on a bike that's not watching where he's going" as she almost ran me over going the wrong way on a one way street.

 

[PimpJuice]

Very tragic story.....RIP Diego

 

[PingSpike]

The number of deaths per year from drunk driving have been cut in half over the last 25 years.

While I don't doubt the campaigns have had some effect on that statistic I'd guess improvements in auto safety design were responsible for the bulk of that improvement.

 

[ViviTheMage]

poor little guy, horrible way to go.

 

[rh71]

This. I am not an idiot that can't drive and talk on the phone.

If you hold your phone up to your ear, you are impairing your ability to see the full field of view since you are less capable/likely to turn your head that way. I always put it on speaker. Bluetooth sucks too much battery.

Tragic for the loss of the kid... have two near-4-year-olds and wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy.