Guilty of manslaughter, she was texting at 85mph in Prius

Sad.
It's not a feel good time.
But I always recommend that people watch the Werner Herzog documentary "From One Second to The Next".
It deals with the harsh tragedies created out of texting and distracted driver accidents.

If I was a parent of a young person or new driver, I'd actually MAKE them watch it.

Sad for the friends and family of people that get killed in these accidents. But also sad for the survivors and often the person that did the texting. Often the guilt and pain they feel is absolutely horrible. So lives get impacted on both sides of the equation.

You cannot totally remove the risk and danger of accidents happening in the real world. But talking on the phone while driving or texting while driving IS a choice, and it's as easy to say I'm NEVER going to do it, as it is to say I'm going to try to do it.
If you really understand the risks, and the potential aftermath, there is no conversation or statement that makes the risk worth it.

 

Texting or cell phone use while driving is so rampant now it's unreal. The police clearly can't get a handle on it.

I bike quite often too so I am accustomed to being defensive. Seeing the increasing number of drivers wandering in their lanes is really scary. Be alert and never give the benefit of the doubt others are watching out for you.

I hope they come out with some software that can get this under control!

 

won't take much technology to prevent the phone from working if it's not in a holder and on speaker phone. personally, i don't think you should be able to use the phone at all, unless the car is in park. but there's too much money lobbying for more phone use and access, and no one lobbying for the dead, maimed and potential future victims.

 

Not exactly true.
In fact, the documentary I site, was funded in part by phone companies.
With smart phones and cellular technology, they are going to sell it to you regardless. I don't think anyone is lobbying FOR texting while driving.

Hands free phone calls?

That's a grayer area. I can make and receive phone calls in the Prius--while driving.
Most new vehicles today offer this today it's expected.

I'm totally against texting while driving.

Of course the ideal, is to always be 100% focused on driving, which would mean no music, no sound systems, and even no hand's free phone calls.

While I think care has to always be applied, I can't be against hands free phone calls. That shouldn't be anymore distracting than having a conversation with a passenger. We generally expect and allow that.

 

disagree. phone makers, carriers and auto mfg.'s want as much distracting technology in the car as they can get people to pay for. of course, autonomous vehicles will solve all of this. (but no doubt create other problems)

 

I hope she gets the full 6 years in prison. Does not even look like she braked at all.

Then she lied about not texting or talking on the phone. What else would she have been doing.

Whenever I am in a situation like the women that was hit, I put on my emergency flashers as oncoming traffic may not realize you are at a dead stop. May that young girl RIP.

85 m.p.h. must have been horrific! You are covering quite a distance in a shortly amount of time. Terrible story.

 

I agree.
But since we generally allow or expect people to drive and have verbal...hands free conversations with passengers that might be riding with them, how do you argue against hands free conversation using blue tooth?

Seems to me the only difference is that in one scenario the person is Actually sitting next to you, the other their voice is coming through the speakers in your car or phone.

But I do agree. The best, safest approach is to simply have NO conversations text or hands free phone while driving. But while I think you'd get the majority of people to support and understand the risks of texting. I don't think you'll get most people to give up the feature of hands free verbal conversations using hands free devices or blue tooth.

Well that's a shotgun blast of 3 different industries. But I'd say I disagree.
NOBODY wants their product or service routinely associated with tragedy or death or defined as being dangerous.

Which is why I think the cellular carriers bothered to fund Werner Herzogs documentary. It certainly wasn't a advertisement FOR texting with their products.

Automakers and "Technology" providers certainly will want to sell you safer options. Which is why we now have "Hands Free" options. Which is why we now have "Back-Up" camera's.

I think we have to stay somewhat specific here. Even though there are SADLY too many people that do it, I don't think the Auto Industry, The Cellular Phone Industry or nearly anyone is FOR texting while driving. Specifically.

Will the Auto Industry be happy to sell you a car with a great sound system, and a DVD player in the headrests of the vehicle? Sure.
But it should be noted that they will also sell you steering wheel volume and radio controls, HUD displays, touch tracer and a myriad of technology designed to "lessen" distraction and allow for better focus on the road.

 

If I hadn't seen it I would not have believed it, texting while riding a bicycle (tho I suppose it is safer than texting while driving) the idiot is most likely to hurt only himself.

 

Or is that it is what the people want all that.

 

Drunk drivers at least have the flimsy excuse of being chemically altered.
Text drivers just don't give a rats.

The DA offered this woman a plea deal which she turned down, opting for a jury trial.
The first jury failed to convict 11-1, and the state had to go through the expense of trying her again.
Whatever the maximum punishment available for this crime, she rates it.

News Flash:
I've texted while driving.
Many people have, but the few times I've done so I've assuaged my guilty conscience by telling myself that nobody was around.....and there are literally places where I live that are VERY SPARSELY traveled....especially at night.

Like many of my fellow humans, I admit to not a little bit of hypocrisy in this area.
I've also eaten and done other things that one should not do while behind the wheel.
However (COMMA!!!) I make a good faith effort to drive as non-distracted as one can in these modern times.
I'd like to think that if my actions caused death or severe injury then I'd at least own up to it, plead guilty, throw myself on the mercy of the court and try to live the rest of my life in a pathetic attempt to put things right.

There are no winners in a situation like this.....and it's going to keep happening until texting while driving is as socially acceptable as drinking and driving.......and then????

It's still going to keep happening.

As much as i despise driverless cars, this is the one thing that they have going for them.
It's possible to build cars that drive smarter than their owners.

......not an especially high bar to clear, in most cases.

 

Texting really symbolizes how self centered one can be... their text message, whatever it may be, is so important, it's worth endangering whomever it may.. though I am sure majority of the texters doing this isn't conscious of it but that goes to show how clueless they really to yet another level...

I ride for leisure and fortunately don't have to for commuting. It's really pretty dangerous around here due to the number of cars. Just recently, I literally had to yell and a driver cutting into me in the left lane as I had to make a left turn! There's no reason why he had to squeeze me over besides him wanting to get in front of me. I had no where to go besides across the median or slam on the brakes. Inconsiderate and or clueless. Anyhow, not to get too far off track, but be a considerate, alert driver. It's keep you and other safe. We all have someone to go home to.

 

That's a good one.. I actually have done it before.. NOT to say that I am right for doing it but I'm not going to kill anyone on my 16 pound bike at 10-15 miles an hour. That was I think only 1 or 2 times ever and on a quiet street. I rationalize is as this, the driver of the most dangerous vehicles has the most responsibility. We all need to be courteous but if you can kill me(in a semi-truck, bus, tank), please have the relevant level of rational operating it. If everyone would drive with the same level of respect, we would be only better and safer for it.

 

Absolutely not true at all.
I've seen chain-reaction accidents caused by bicyclists.
They're exceedingly rare to be sure, but most cyclists don't appreciate both halves of the "share the road" concept......which is understandable since they're usually on the other end of the 'endangering others' equation.

 

I hope she rots in prison. She is a selfish liar who killed an innocent person. She thought she was going to get away with this with a slap on the wrist. I don't think she had any concern for the woman she killed. I see people driving and using their phones everyday. I think they are all selfish greedy scum.

 

Sadly, most folks condition themselves to act like trained dogs when the phone rings, beeps, or dings....drop whatever you are doing and jump on that phone, text, tweet, or whatever pronto.

Maybe one of these days I will have to buy a cell phone...but I like being a human instead of a trained animal and will hold out for as long as possible.