Eating A Meal More Common, Almost As Distracting As Driving While Yakking
from the ban-everything dept
Not that we're suggesting everyone run out and drive dangerously, but for all the hype around the idea that "driving while yakking" on a mobile phone needs to be stopped, more people eat while driving - even though most consider it to be almost as dangerous. What this comes down to is that there are many different types of driver distractions. Simply picking one to pull out and ban raises questions about how come other activities aren't banned. The focus should be on educating people on the dangers of distracted driving - rather than having everyone focus in on a narrow problem that doesn't address the larger issue. Update: It appears I misread the chart at first. The article has been corrected to say that driving while eating is considered almost as, but still less distracting, than driving while yakking - and not the other way around. Thanks to everyone who pointed out this mistake.
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talkiing/eating while driving
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The chart indicates that people think it is less d
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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Eating a Meal More Distracting...
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No Subject Given
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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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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No Subject Given
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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Nobody does -n -t like Sara Lee ...
You obviously haven't watched my Mother eat while driving ...
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Re: Eating a Meal More Distracting...
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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Re: No Subject Given
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I'd like to see
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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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My favorite driver
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eating while driving
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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