# "Sure I text while driving. \*#@% you if you don't like it!" **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 5, 2016, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sure-i-text-while-driving-you-if-you-dont-like-it/745271 "2016-02-05T21:07:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2017, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sure-i-text-while-driving-you-if-you-dont-like-it/745271/241 "2017-04-02T01:29:28Z")
Bullitt’s middle name is “sh”. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2017, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sure-i-text-while-driving-you-if-you-dont-like-it/745271/242 "2017-04-03T15:34:22Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > I am here to post this reply. I am alive, I arrived safely. I sent and received a couple of quick texts. _And you told me not to drive But I made it home alive So you said that only proves that I’m insane_ ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2017, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sure-i-text-while-driving-you-if-you-dont-like-it/745271/243 "2017-04-03T15:43:22Z")
So **Bullitt** puts a bullet into the revolver, spins the cylinder, points the barrel at my head and pulls the trigger and _this time_ nothing happens. What should my reaction be? 1. No big deal, because nothing happened. 2. Great job multitasking! 3. Are you fucking insane, asshole? ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2017, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sure-i-text-while-driving-you-if-you-dont-like-it/745271/244 "2017-04-03T15:45:31Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > So **Bullitt** puts a bullet into the revolver, spins the cylinder, points the barrel at my head and pulls the trigger and _this time_ nothing happens. What should my reaction be? That depends: Did he feel comfortable doing it? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2017, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sure-i-text-while-driving-you-if-you-dont-like-it/745271/245 "2017-04-03T16:19:22Z")
I’m sure under certain conditions it’s perfectly safe to point a loaded revolver at someone and pull the trigger. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2017, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sure-i-text-while-driving-you-if-you-dont-like-it/745271/246 "2017-04-03T16:22:34Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > I’m sure under certain conditions it’s perfectly safe to point a loaded revolver at someone and pull the trigger. Did you mean to say “someone else other than myself…”? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2017, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sure-i-text-while-driving-you-if-you-dont-like-it/745271/247 "2017-04-03T17:23:38Z")
Don’t fight the hypothetical. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2017, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sure-i-text-while-driving-you-if-you-dont-like-it/745271/248 "2017-04-04T19:22:03Z")
[In Rust-Belt New York, distracted driving, while serious, isn’t the primary issue when it comes to the evening commute.](https://youtu.be/JiE7zp6DCaY?t=52s) ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2017, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sure-i-text-while-driving-you-if-you-dont-like-it/745271/249 "2017-04-04T21:27:25Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > Hi again. > > What I have been saying is that, on occasion and depending on location, there are times when it can be done safely enough. Is one more safe if not texting? Yes, of course. But depending on occasion and location… > > . Terrific. That’s EXACTLY what the asshole truck driver thought, just before he ran into the back of my car, totalling it. “I’m safe, I do this all the time, I didn’t think this would ever happen to me.” This came spilling out of his asshole mouth after I pulled off and made sure that my family was not injured. Stupid fucking texting assholes who think there is a right “occasion” and “location”. Dangerous assholes who should be taken off the road. Do you get a sense of where I stand on your statement? ---
**Author:** ![Beren\_Erchamion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/90ced4/32.png) [@Beren\_Erchamion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beren_Erchamion)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2017, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sure-i-text-while-driving-you-if-you-dont-like-it/745271/250 "2017-04-04T22:40:17Z")
> [@Hooleehootoo](#): > > I didn’t want to mention earlier that I don’t even have text service on my phone, and yes, I am philosophically opposed to it, which makes some consider me a crotchety eccentric. Ok, let’s accept that. Is that the reason why I am outraged? Everyone does it but me? Why the lack of shame? Capitalism encourages sociopathy. ---
**Author:** ![Beren\_Erchamion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/90ced4/32.png) [@Beren\_Erchamion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beren_Erchamion)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2017, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sure-i-text-while-driving-you-if-you-dont-like-it/745271/251 "2017-04-04T22:41:30Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > What I agree is that you are fighting tooth and nail for your right to act irresponsibly and endanger others. Capitalism encourages sociopathy. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2017, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sure-i-text-while-driving-you-if-you-dont-like-it/745271/252 "2017-04-04T23:32:05Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Stupid fucking texting assholes who think there is a right “occasion” and “location”. Dangerous assholes who should be taken off the road. There is a right occasion and location, IMHO - stopped at traffic lights. It’s a bit hard to crash into things when you’re not moving. Having said that, texting and driving is illegal throughout Australia, even at traffic lights. I disagree with that aspect of the law but I still pull over to attend to text messages all the same. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2017, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sure-i-text-while-driving-you-if-you-dont-like-it/745271/253 "2017-04-05T23:15:14Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > There is a right occasion and location, IMHO - stopped at traffic lights. It’s a bit hard to crash into things when you’re not moving. > > Having said that, texting and driving is illegal throughout Australia, even at traffic lights. I disagree with that aspect of the law but I still pull over to attend to text messages all the same. Disagree. This is what asshole truck driver above thought. (although we were stopped at a construction zone). When traffic started moving again, asshole trucker was engrossed in his text, then vaguely saw traffic was moving, gunned it, and ran smack into me. So no. Your attention should be on the road, the conditions, other traffic and generally WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE OUTSIDE WORLD, even when you’re not moving. So when you start moving, YOU HAVE A FUCKING CLUE. Otherwise, you’ll be like the asshole truck driver. “Oh, I’m safe, it’ll never happen to me. I pay attention”. All things that the asshole truck driver said. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2017, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sure-i-text-while-driving-you-if-you-dont-like-it/745271/254 "2017-04-05T23:22:21Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Disagree. This is what asshole truck driver above thought. (although we were stopped at a construction zone). When traffic started moving again, asshole trucker was engrossed in his text, then vaguely saw traffic was moving, gunned it, and ran smack into me. > > So no. Your attention should be on the road, the conditions, other traffic and generally WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE OUTSIDE WORLD, even when you’re not moving. So when you start moving, YOU HAVE A FUCKING CLUE. Otherwise, you’ll be like the asshole truck driver. > > “Oh, I’m safe, it’ll never happen to me. I pay attention”. All things that the asshole truck driver said. I’m not condoning getting into a really involved text or updating Facebook or whatever, but if you’re on a route you drive regularly and know that the traffic light phases are a good 30 seconds plus, I really don’t see any safety issue whatsoever with someone sitting at the traffic lights texting something like “OK” or “Driving” or whatever. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2017, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sure-i-text-while-driving-you-if-you-dont-like-it/745271/255 "2017-04-06T13:58:33Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > There is a right occasion and location, IMHO - stopped at traffic lights. It’s a bit hard to crash into things when you’re not moving. IF you are not moving, maybe. Do you put your car in park while doing this? Just about every day on my commute, I see, as soon as we come to a stop at a stoplight, heads in most of the cars around me look down at their phones. Not infrequently, they begin to drift forward towards or into the intersection. Just last week, I was next to some idiot waiting for the light when they started drifting out into the intersection. They made it out far enough that they were blocking traffic going across, and didn’t even notice until people started honking at them. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2017, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sure-i-text-while-driving-you-if-you-dont-like-it/745271/256 "2017-04-06T14:38:53Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > I’m not condoning getting into a really involved text or updating Facebook or whatever, but if you’re on a route you drive regularly and know that the traffic light phases are a good 30 seconds plus, I really don’t see any safety issue whatsoever with **someone sitting at the traffic lights texting something like “OK” or “Driving” or whatever**. bolding mine. So you’ve never had to honk at a texter in front of you at a stoplight that goes from red to green? Also, mentioning regularly-driven routes (such as, within half a mile of your home, for instance) - isn’t that where most accidents occur anyway? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2017, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sure-i-text-while-driving-you-if-you-dont-like-it/745271/257 "2017-04-06T14:39:57Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > I’m not condoning getting into a really involved text or updating Facebook or whatever, but if you’re on a route you drive regularly and know that the traffic light phases are a good 30 seconds plus, I really don’t see any safety issue whatsoever with someone sitting at the traffic lights texting something like “OK” or “Driving” or whatever. And again, this has been heard from _many_ drivers post-accident. They all think they are the ones that can multitask safely. Now convince me through words alone(because that is the only means you have here) that you are different from all the others. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2017, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sure-i-text-while-driving-you-if-you-dont-like-it/745271/258 "2017-04-06T14:48:55Z")
Every person who says they only text for a few seconds is, in fact, texting for ten seconds. If you text while driving you are looking at your phone longer than you think you are. This is true one hundred percent of the time. You, reading this, right now, think you only glance at it for two seconds? It’s five. Or more. I’m wrong? Nope, you’re wrong. Five seconds is enough to lose control of your car and literally crash it through someone’s yard, into their house and kill a person in their own goddamn living room, something that, by the way, actually does happen. If you text while driving you are a fool. Put the damn phone away. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2017, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sure-i-text-while-driving-you-if-you-dont-like-it/745271/259 "2017-04-06T15:01:39Z")
If you are asking yourself if you can safely talk or text while you are behind the wheel and in traffic, then you have gone beyond the possibility that you have picked the wrong answer-You are asking a question that you should never have brought up in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2017, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sure-i-text-while-driving-you-if-you-dont-like-it/745271/260 "2017-04-06T15:29:17Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > I’m not condoning getting into a really involved text or updating Facebook or whatever, but if you’re on a route you drive regularly and know that the traffic light phases are a good 30 seconds plus, I really don’t see any safety issue whatsoever with someone sitting at the traffic lights texting something like “OK” or “Driving” or whatever. I honestly used to think that as well. Now I know that taking your attention off of your surroundings, even for “a little bit”, is a very poor idea when you are in control of a powerful machine capable of killing people. You’re either texting or you’re not. It’s binary. A police officer can’t follow you around and determine that you’re texting at just the proper rate. You either are or you are not. It’s like saying “don’t worry honey, I’ll just put the tip in”. You’re either fucking or you’re not. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sure-i-text-while-driving-you-if-you-dont-like-it/745271.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sure-i-text-while-driving-you-if-you-dont-like-it/745271.md?page=14)