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  ian, 11 May 2004 @ 2:27am

  
  

  talkiing/eating while driving

  Mike, according to the article you quoted, my reading of it is that most people think using the cell phone slightly more dangerous (4.0 versus 3.8). But it doesnt really matter what people in the survey think, there would need to be more empirical evidence to determine the relative dangers. Personally , munching a sandwich seems likely to be much less distracting than chatting since it takes less thought.Now reading a newspaper - thats gotta be risky, especially a broadsheet!

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  Anonymous Coward, 11 May 2004 @ 2:53am

  
  

  The chart indicates that people think it is less d

  From the article:
  Distracted Driving Activity Percentage of Drivers Average Driver
  Admitting Driving While Danger Rating
  Eating a Meal ..............................65%..................3.8
  Talking on a Cell Phone.....................58%..................4.0
  Steering with Legs and No Hands
  on Wheel....................................25%..................4.7
  Applying Makeup or Shaving..................14%..................4.6
  Reading a Newspaper or Book..................6%..................4.9
  Writing a Text Message.......................3%..................4.8
  
  1 = Completely Safe
  5 = Very Dangerous

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  Art McClure, 11 May 2004 @ 4:48am

  
  

  Eating a Meal More Distracting...

  I see 4 or 5 people each day talking on their cel phones while driving. I haven't seen anyone eating while driving in many months.

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  • 

    aNonMooseCowherd, 11 May 2004 @ 7:07am

    
    

    Re: Eating a Meal More Distracting...

    I see 4 or 5 people each day talking on their cel phones while driving. I haven't seen anyone eating while driving in many months.

    Sounds about right. Note that the article states: "Sixty-five percent of drivers stated they eat while driving, and fifty-eight percent acknowledged they talk on a cell phone while driving." It doesn't say how often each driver eats or yaks while driving. It could be that the 65% who admitted to eating while driving have done so only rarely, while the 58% who talk on the phone may do it every day. So the headlinr "More Common Than Driving While Yakking" may be reading more into the article than it says.

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  thecaptain, 11 May 2004 @ 5:52am

  
  

  No Subject Given

  This isn't meant to be stereotypical, but the dangerous behaviour I see almost DAILY are these ditzy women PUTTING ON MAKEUP while driving. Let me tell you, as a pedestrian, this is scary.
  
  So far in the last year, I've been almost run over by a driver doing exactly this about a dozen times...once with the car actually hitting me lightly before the lady stopped...in that case, she was stopped at a red light..putting on makeup and not realizing that her car was slowly moving into the intersection until she hit me and I slammed my hands down on the hood.

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  • 

    Sammy Mc Super size, 11 May 2004 @ 6:47am

    
    

    What a dilemma !

    
    I steer with my left knee precisely so I can smoke with my left hand, talk on the cell phone with the wired little thingy that sticks to my head ( boy does that wire get in the way ) and drink with my right hand. There are far too many annoying distractions ( like oncoming traffic ) on the roads these days! It's getting to where I damn near can't balance my blubber-size meal on my stomach and eat properly !
    Something needs to be done !

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  • 

    eeyore, 11 May 2004 @ 8:14am

    
    

    Re: No Subject Given

    When I lived in Seattle one morning while riding the bus I watched a man shaving with an electric razor in his rear-view mirror. While I was marveling at his ingenuity and lack of common sense he slammed into the back of a stopped public bus. At least the electric razor saved him from slitting his own throat. Wouldn't want to explain that one to the insurance company, though.

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    • 

      Anonymous Coward, 11 May 2004 @ 8:38am

      
      

      I'd like to see

      I'd like the government try and ban "drive-through windows"...

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      • 

        AMetamorphosis, 11 May 2004 @ 9:28am

        
        

        Re: I'd like to see

        
        Ban everything ...
        
        Because that way, no one ever has to think and apply the concept that maybe, just maybe its safer to drive than, drive & eat or drive & smoke, or drive & talk on the phone or drive & fiddle with the CD player, or drive & text a message to " hot4Unot " or a myriad of other profoundly stupid things ...
        
        It really is safer that way ...
        We wouldn't want to injure anyone ...

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  Anonymous Coward, 11 May 2004 @ 6:47am

  
  

  No Subject Given

  While eating, you have some control over the distraction level. You can defer a bite or a sip until the road situation allows it. Same when conversing with a passenger... they can see the road and will accept (or initiate) a pause in the conversation.
  
  What's unique about phone conversations is the person at the other end, who CANNOT see the road. The cognitive load on the driver, who must follow this conversation in real time (also with no visual cues) is significantly higher than any activity that's focused entirely within the car.
  
  While the scale in the first post is interesting, it's a self rating. Based on my observation of other drivers and correlating the quality of the guidance of the car vs. the activity, I'd have to say (1-5 scale):
  
  Eating..... 1.5
  Yakking.... 4
  
  

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  • 

    AMetamorphosis, 11 May 2004 @ 6:55am

    
    

    Nobody does -n -t like Sara Lee ...

    
    You obviously haven't watched my Mother eat while driving ...

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  Mark, 11 May 2004 @ 10:13am

  
  

  My favorite driver

  I was on the highway the other day (in Seattle) and glanced out the window to see a woman on a cellphone ... and taking notes on her PDA! She was driving at highway speeds while steering with her elbows. Unbelievable. I'm not sure education is the solution for behavior like that; possibly a baseball bat to the cranium would be more effective.

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  David, 15 Jun 2006 @ 9:16am

  
  

  eating while driving

  the information is right! eating while driving does pose a greater risk than talking on the cell phone.
  not only that but 26-29% of all wrecks occur while being distracted. only 7-8% of those wreck are cell phone related.This is such a minute amount why are we focused on just cell phones, there many other problems out there just as or worse.

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