# Texting while... **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 18, 2017, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texting-while/777485 "2017-01-18T18:44:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2017, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texting-while/777485/1 "2017-01-18T18:44:01Z")
A couple of weeks ago I saw a guy wearing a ginormous backpack riding his tall, skinny bike down my street…texting as he rode. Yeah, steering with one hand, phone in the other. I thought that was not too safe, but probably a one-off. Nope, a different guy just rode by my house texting as he rode, and his phone looked like one of those really big ones. Lord. I know not everyone does, but I need both hands when I ride my bike. What’s the oddest texting/\<_activity_\> combo that you’ve seen (or God forbid) done? ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2017, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texting-while/777485/2 "2017-01-18T18:55:57Z")
A teenager riding a [razor scooter](https://ll-us-i5.wal.co/asr/b16df290-1e15-45eb-8d08-a09689cfdd28_1.1d6b0fecd600d02acf00228e452ba77f.jpeg-9a4be83f3bbbd9964e13fa23087d0544499ad1c1-optim-500x500.jpg) in the middle of a mildly busy street while texting. I was in awe of his audacity. ---
**Author:** ![BeeGee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5a626/32.png) [@BeeGee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeeGee)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2017, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texting-while/777485/3 "2017-01-18T18:59:16Z")
I haven’t done anything sketchier than text in the grocery line. However, my Aunt C read me the riot act at Thanksgiving. “Now, BeeGee, you don’t go texting and driving at the same time. I know you young people do that. It’s not safe!” This would be a good time to explain that I’m 55. With gray hair. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2017, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texting-while/777485/4 "2017-01-18T19:50:31Z")
I’ve seen multiple pedestrians texting and walking into various things, poles, other people, traffic, fountains, ponds etc. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2017, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texting-while/777485/5 "2017-01-18T20:06:01Z")
> [@BeeGee](#): > > I haven’t done anything sketchier than text in the grocery line. However, my Aunt C read me the riot act at Thanksgiving. “Now, BeeGee, you don’t go texting and driving at the same time. I know you young people do that. It’s not safe!” > > This would be a good time to explain that I’m 55. With gray hair. At least you _have_ hair. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2017, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texting-while/777485/6 "2017-01-18T20:48:00Z")
Cyclist. Nighttime. Riding against traffic, w/o any lights, while texting, Eastbound in the outer of the 3 Westbound lanes. From North to South - [ul] [li]2 Westbound lanes. [/li][li]Median with grass, trees, & 8-10’ wide pavement. [/li][li]3 Westbound lanes [/li][li]Middle no-man’s land / breakdown lane / traffic light islands [/li][li]3 Eastbound lanes [/li][li]Median with grass, trees, & 8-10’ wide pavement. [/li][li]2 Eastbound lanes[/li][/ul] Had he moved moved about 8’ to his left, he would have been safe & legal. :smack: Idjit! ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2017, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texting-while/777485/7 "2017-01-18T21:30:13Z")
Cyclist texting and smoking. Damn near hit me, and that would have been hell to pay. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2017, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texting-while/777485/8 "2017-01-18T21:39:10Z")
I’ve seen people somehow manage to text on (regular, motorized) scooters while going making left turns. Even as a motorcyclist, I can’t figure out how you can do that. Speaking of texting and walking, a while back a pedestrian was killed while doing that. He was apparently oblivious to the outside world and managed to walk under a moving semi truck. FTR, the semi driver wasn’t charged with anything as it really wasn’t his fault. He had no reason to believe the pedestrian would step off the curb, onto the roadway and into the side of his truck. ---
**Author:** ![greenmario](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/97f17d/32.png) [@greenmario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/greenmario)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2017, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texting-while/777485/9 "2017-01-18T22:31:47Z")
A different kind of dangerous than texting while driving but I’ve seen multiple guys text while using a urinal ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2017, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texting-while/777485/10 "2017-01-18T22:41:37Z")
IIRC, I read that Paris Hilton was texting during her sex tape. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2017, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texting-while/777485/11 "2017-01-18T23:01:04Z")
> [@greenmario](#): > > A different kind of dangerous than texting while driving but I’ve seen multiple guys text while using a urinal EWWW. Although I’ve been guilty of texting/emailing while on The Throne-- but AT HOME. Not out in the world. And girls generally have both hands free… ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2017, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texting-while/777485/12 "2017-01-18T23:36:27Z")
Riding without holding the handlebars is pretty basic, especially for a young kid. ---
**Author:** ![Heracles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heracles/32/487_2.png) [@Heracles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heracles)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2017, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texting-while/777485/13 "2017-01-18T23:57:15Z")
We had one case here of a young woman who was apparently texting when she [walked into the gap between subway cars](http://globalnews.ca/news/514584/montreal-woman-killed-in-metro/). She died. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texting-while/777485/14 "2017-01-19T01:40:54Z")
I tell my kids over and over that they cannot move if they are looking at their screens. Period. Screens may not be lit. Or they may not be looking at it if they are moving in any direction. This is a constant battle. My hope is that by the time they leave my hope in another 6-8 years, it might be engrained enough that they’ll actually remember it. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texting-while/777485/15 "2017-01-19T02:36:47Z")
> [@campp](#): > > Riding without holding the handlebars is pretty basic, especially for a young kid. I’ll agree with that. As a kid, I/we used to ride _everywhere_ without using out hands. Back and forth to school around turns, weave/“slalom” in and out of each driveway as practice etc. However, texting while riding a bike seems like it’s just as bad as driving while texting since you can’t keep you’re eyes open for that driver that blew a stop sign or someone that’s backing out of a driveway and doesn’t see you. > [@Sunny\_Daze](#): > > I tell my kids over and over that they cannot move if they are looking at their screens. Period. Screens may not be lit. Or they may not be looking at it if they are moving in any direction. This is a constant battle. > > My hope is that by the time they leave my hope in another 6-8 years, it might be engrained enough that they’ll actually remember it. I understand that sentiment, but that seems a bit overbearing. I don’t or claim to know your situation, and maybe your kids and clumsy or walk into things a lot\* but it might be a constant battle because it seems a bit odd. Besides, walking into another person or knocking into a locker isn’t exactly on par with not noticing a red light coming up. You might be better off backing off on this, provided they’re smart enough to pay attention for things like stairs and streets, and drill it into them when it’s time to drive. \*I do have a few employees that have a really bad habit of not looking forward while walking. Most of them are very talkative AND hard workers so this combination of trying to get on to the next thing while also finishing up a conversation with that person over there tends to lead to them walking in one directions with their head turned the other way and the end result seems to always be them walking into me. As a result, I’ve had to tell them they need to be looking in the direction they’re walking. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texting-while/777485/16 "2017-01-19T02:49:54Z")
My wife has an idiot friend who drives a school bus. She called the house and I picked up. It sounded like she was driving, so I asked, and she said yes. So I hung up on her! Wife’s cell phone rings a minute later. She’s sending her a fucking text! :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texting-while/777485/17 "2017-01-19T03:07:18Z")
There was a story on CBS News a while ago about a mountain village in Rwanda that was experiencing a drought. The people were going higher into the mountains into a national park to fetch water. They showed a video of women walking with water jugs balanced on their heads. Some of them were texting. [Climate Diaries: Drought threatening African mountain gorillas](http://www.cbsnews.com/news/climate-diaries-drought-threatening-african-mountain-gorillas/) (The video is shorter than the one I originally saw and doesn’t show as many people texting.) By the way, the people going into the park were depriving the endangered gorillas of water, spreading disease to the gorillas, and catching them in hunting traps. ---
**Author:** ![4kad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/7cd45c/32.png) [@4kad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/4kad)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texting-while/777485/18 "2017-01-19T03:15:38Z")
I can barely walk and text so I know I would never be able to ride a bike and text. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texting-while/777485/19 "2017-01-19T03:22:40Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > I’ll agree with that. As a kid, I/we used to ride _everywhere_ without using out hands. Back and forth to school around turns, weave/“slalom” in and out of each driveway as practice etc. However, texting while riding a bike seems like it’s just as bad as driving while texting since you can’t keep you’re eyes open for that driver that blew a stop sign or someone that’s backing out of a driveway and doesn’t see you. > > … The two guys I saw were both holding on to one side of the handlebar and texting with their other hand. Maybe they weren’t gifted enough to ride with no hands. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texting-while/777485/20 "2017-01-19T03:28:36Z")
> [@BeeGee](#): > > I haven’t done anything sketchier than text in the grocery line. However, my Aunt C read me the riot act at Thanksgiving. “Now, BeeGee, you don’t go texting and driving at the same time. I know you young people do that. It’s not safe!” > > This would be a good time to explain that I’m 55. With gray hair. So your aunt was right. But quit flaunting your age, young’un – soon enough you’ll be grown up and mature like the rest of us. 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texting-while/777485.md?page=2)