• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Tennessee Highway Patrol using semi trucks to hunt down texters on the interstate

Page 3 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.
It still didn't stop DWI. People still die. Ask my dead brother about that if you get a chance......

People still die from going to church. I offered a solution I think would be far more effective than the subject of this thread. Any other non-sequiturs?
 
A simple solution would be for the phone to disable or go into airplane mode once it senses it's moving at a certain speed. This would probably need to be done at the hardware level to avoid workarounds.
 
People still die from going to church. I offered a solution I think would be far more effective than the subject of this thread. Any other non-sequiturs?

My solution to DWI....automatic jail time on any offense. Automatic attempted murder charges if you hit and don't kill. Automatic murder charge if you kill someone.

At this point, I'm not too far behind those beliefs on texting while driving. I've had too many close calls with these fucktards nearly hitting me or forcing me off the road so they can tinker with their fucking phones. The more I think about it, screw it....give them the same consequences as the DWI I suggest above.

By the way, you have any statistics that people going to church put me at more of a risk of getting killed on the highway than if they were on the highway not going to church?
 
Last edited:
That's not the point. The point is that the driver of an 18-wheeler should be driving, not peeking into every passing car.
Every big rig driver I've ever seen is peaking downwards into cars looking for beaver. It's one of the perks plus I think it's part of their training :hmm:
 
They are doing something similar in NC as well. The troopers are riding with a truck driver and locating violators. They then radio a patrol car who stops the car and issues the ticket.
 
No shit, how is he not at least as distracted as the people texting and he is driving a friggen semi.

Not quite. He's looking around at traffic around him. Better than your focus being at something totally unrelated entirely like texting.

Unless you're suggesting you don't watching traffic around you. I hope you do. And it isn't hard to pick out people texting as they go by. I see it regularly just on my daily commute.
 
Not quite. He's looking around at traffic around him. Better than your focus being at something totally unrelated entirely like texting.

Unless you're suggesting you don't watching traffic around you. I hope you do. And it isn't hard to pick out people texting as they go by. I see it regularly just on my daily commute.
Exactly. It's foolish to say, "I see people texting all the time," and then condemn police for attempting to see people texting by riding in a vehicle they don't suspect an officer to be in. It's not like they're attempting to figure out which keystrokes are being hit, and what the actual message is.
 
I drive semi trucks for a living. Sitting up that high compared to normal drivers it's very easy to see people on their phones. Night time obviously really stands out. As a truck driver, I'm trained to be looking all the time for the " big picture " around my truck and trailers. So I notice drivers and what they are doing as they are around me. Here is the thing though that some people might not think to much about ... Semi Truck Drivers on their cell phones !

That is the thing that scares me out on the highway. I see just as many truck drivers doing that as I do cars. My cell is turned off while I'm in the cab. I will not have it on. To much at risk for the public as well as myself.
 
i approve of this. i see people swerving and veering out of their lanes daily while going 70 - 80 mph on i95 due to texting. it's so easy to tell if someone is texting (or on their phone in general) while driving on the road. 10/10 times after i pass them, yep, they are face down in their phone just like every other fucking person is at every other spot in their life.
 
They are doing something similar in NC as well. The troopers are riding with a truck driver and locating violators. They then radio a patrol car who stops the car and issues the ticket.

This is probably safer. Driver concentrates on driving, still gets to catch unsafe drivers.
 
I fully support this. I see these fucks driving along at 70mph on the freeway looking down at their stupid cell phones all the fucking time.

NOTHING you are reading or responding to is more important than the task of piloting two tons of steel down the road at 100 feet per second you self-absorbed piece of shit asshole.

Perfectly stated.
 
Truck drivers should be looking for females in cars giving them a show, not people on their phones.
 
I stopped at a truck stop during my last vacation and the young man at the counter was amazed that I was still driving after more than eleven hours. He said that most drivers stop at the eleven hour point (or at least say that they do.). I wonder if he would have called the state police if I hadn't told him that I'm not a truck driver.
 
I'm about 1hr East of Nashville. About 2 weeks ago I was messing with the GPS in my phone at a red light, it was turning green and we were rolling. A police motorcycle pulled me over and said he could give me a $210 ticket if he wanted. He said it was separate from a texting ticket, basically it sounded as if they could give you the ticket for any distraction they felt like. Give me a break.
 
My wife's car will read incoming texts to her. I'm not sure but I think she can respond by speaking and the phone will convert to text.

I have a blutooth speaker and my phone will read and send them if i want.

it's great to have. though people say it sound weird when im on it.
 
I'm fine with this. Be nice if they would nab cops too, though. Saw a cop a few days back on FB messenger while driving.

i approve of this. i see people swerving and veering out of their lanes daily while going 70 - 80 mph on i95 due to texting. it's so easy to tell if someone is texting (or on their phone in general) while driving on the road. 10/10 times after i pass them, yep, they are face down in their phone just like every other fucking person is at every other spot in their life.

I've taken to honking at people when I pass them and they are nose deep into a phone. Usually startles them so much they jerk the wheel and start paying attention. I'm sure it'll backfire on me one day when they swerve into me.

madmax-doof.jpg

This guy is not in the Mad Max game. I am disappoint.
 
Last edited:
A simple solution would be for the phone to disable or go into airplane mode once it senses it's moving at a certain speed. This would probably need to be done at the hardware level to avoid workarounds.

It would have to sense whether it's being used by the driver or somebody else and only deny service to the driver.
An SUV with a 16yo driver and a 16yo passenger rear ended a school bus in front of a school near here and the passenger died. The sheriffs investigator talked about the camera on the school bus but they haven't been on TV talking about what was on the video.I wonder if that driver was on the phone. Lots of people have learning experiences, it's terrible when somebody dies during one.
 
Back
Top