Crash

Sorry to hear about the crash. #hit happens!
Yea! I had a big old bag phone that upgraded to a brick phone now a old flip phone and I use about 8 minutes a month and don't really need it at all. Yep! old!

 

It's been against the law to drive with cellphone in hand here in California for a few years now. BUT! It's definitely a cliché that I see cellphones attached to driver's faces on a daily basis as they tailgate the car in front of them.

 

If the 100% his fault situation is referring to rear-enders where the person behind you wasn't rear-ended as part of a chain reaction, tell that to my mom. She was rear-ended while turning right into the driveway of my relatives' house.

It sent her 96 Camry over a curb, knocking down a tree, totaling it (this was in early 08). It was driven by some BMW-driving teenager. Long story short, the teenager tried to blame it on my mom. Unfortunately, my mother didn't handle the situation well (talking to witnesses, getting their names, etc. didn't do any of that) and it became the other party's word against her. Police came out and apparently refused to assign blame and I don't think a police report was taken either.

This was in a residential area w/35 mph speed limit and a road that was 2 lanes wide + a yellow area in the middle (as wide as a lane) + 2 very wide bike lanes on both sides (each as wide as a lane).

 

Not necessarily. What if the car in front of you just changed lanes to your lane, drove in front of you, 'stolen' your safety distance to the next car you had, then he suddenly brakes and you hit him before you managed to put enough space between him and you?

In this case, that wouldn't be my fault. And that's why I also have a dashcam in my car if the driver wouldn't admit what (s)he did.

 

Don't know about where you live but in Jersey you must be in control of your vehicle and if you hit somebody directly from behind it's your fault, but hen again we have no fault insurance here, so if it's not a ticket violation the insurance compy. Fight it out!

 

My wife rear-ended a police cruiser last year. She was distracted by all of the people at a sidewalk sale when she noticed the car in front of her had stopped. Jamming on the brakes, so was barely able to stop in time to avoid an accident. The person driving a BMW behind her didn't, though. She was rear-ended and pushed into the cruiser.

The BMW insurance covered the damages, which were minimal on a 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix, and we just pocketed the cash.

How does no fault insurance work? Who's insurance premium goes up when there is an accident? This seems like it would increase reckless driving and insurance premiums.

 

Wow, I thought I was the only one.

I guess I'm going to break down and get a Cell Phone, there are situations where they are useful. But mostly because now whenever I do anything and someone asks me what my Cell Phone number is, and I admit I don't have one, they give me this look like I'm one step away from homeless, or obviously visiting from another planet.

But I've gone for years without a Cell Phone, and to tell you the truth? I love the reality that on weekends, or whenever I'm away from home? I'm basically..honestly- not reachable. That freedom is worth it.

 

I typed too generally. 100% is only true if you have not done something illegal. If your brake lights are out, even just one, or if you switched lanes illegally, or were reversing against the flow of traffic, that sort of thing then it can be your fault. In normal rear collisions, it is car furthest back that gets the ticket. And if you are in a multi-car, you can get in trouble for being too close to the car ahead if you hit the car infront of you because of the momentum of the crash into you. You are supposed to be able to see the tires of the car ahead of you touch the pavement when you stop. If you can't, then you're too close.

Dashcam is a great idea and I have bought a few over the years and all of them were below my expectations on quality so I put them in a closet. With the newer clip-over mirror type that record full resolution QWXGA I might finally have an excuse to keep it in the car.

Yep. Unless you are using a cane to move around, if you don't have a cell phone it is a pretty simple assumption you are either off your rocker or too poor to afford one.

Don't give out your cell phone number. Give out your Google Voice number. You can setup what phones to ring and when. If you want, you can say if it is after 5pm on a weekday or anytime on the weekend, go straight to voicemail and don't ring any of my phones. Or just ring the landline. Lots of different options.

Who uses headsets anymore? Those were passe 5-8 years ago. I haven't seen one in the wild since the Motorola Razr was the "cool phone" on the block.

 

Thanks. I know from trying to reach other people with cell phones, that you can make yourself unreachable. But that's not the point. If you have a cell phone, often times the expectation from others is that you are reachable 24/7. Even if that "reachable" is voice mail or some other option.

I kind of like being able to say, I'll be gone this weekend and....you simply cannot reach me...Honestly.

The risk of course is that I return home to find 25 messages on my land line answering machine...BUT...at least I wasn't tempted or disturbed or distracted by my Cell Phone.

Times have changed. I think they are good safety tool to have with you. I will get one. But I will admit, I've enjoyed NOT having one.

 

I see them for sale, but I have not seen anyone wearing one in many years. They still sell chia pets too, doesn't mean they are still all the rage!

 

how will they know when an accident happens? does the black box record it? you need something to match the phone records against.

 

In the UK having a mobile in your hand while driving "you do not have to be using it" is an offence. Fines are heavy and on the spot as are automatic licence endorsements of three points.
If you get 12 points on your licence you loose it. When it is returned your insurance premium goes sky high. Still on a regular basis you see people holding a phone to there ear while driving.
It is now considered more dangerous to use a phone while driving, than drink driving.

John (Britprius)

 

I'd rather see someone wolfing down a donut than texting on a phone....