If you look at your phone while you’re driving…what are you thinking?

[Anonymous]

I can’t get over how many people I see driving while looking at their phones. My kids walk to school every day, and they’ve almost been hit by drivers staring at their phones, running stop signs and red lights.

I know our lives are busy, and we’re pulled in a million directions, trying to do too many things at once. But do you not live in fear of accidentally hitting a pedestrian? Or of plowing into a stopped car because you looked up from your phone a second too late to see a slowdown in traffic?

It’s as dangerous as driving while intoxicated, yet I suspect most of the people who look at their phones while driving would never drive under the influence and would be horrified to think they are as much of a menace on the roadways.

I don’t know what I expect from this thread…maybe I want to know what it will take for people to change this insanely dangerous behavior?

[Anonymous]

They're addicted to their phones.

I agree, it's as dangerous as driving drunk. There are the people who think "well if I just slow down to 5mph below the speed limit, it's fine" - and it's utterly mind boggling. I'd rather a driver go 10mph over but have their eyes fully on the road (and their mirrors), than slower but on their cellphone.

There are people who are looking straight down at their phones while actively moving. It's insane.

[Anonymous]

Honest answer: because beltway traffic is boring and I'm an idiot who thinks I'll be fine this one time. It's an objectively bad thing to do and I shouldn't do it again.

[Anonymous]

Waze

[Anonymous]

I’ve literally seen someone negotiate a left turn across traffic while looking down at their hand held phone. Addiction. That’s the only answer that makes sense to me. Also, an unkind word occurs to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Waze

I’d buy this if the majority of people I see looking at their phones weren’t in late-model, high-end cars that absolutely have navigation and/or phone integration that makes everything hands-free.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honest answer: because beltway traffic is boring and I'm an idiot who thinks I'll be fine this one time. It's an objectively bad thing to do and I shouldn't do it again.

I appreciate the honesty of this answer. The funny thing is that I live in the city and rarely drive on the beltway, so my OP was inspired by the people (probably the majority of drivers) I see driving through DC in normal (not backed-up) traffic, absorbed in their phones.

[Anonymous]

How is it different than looking at the radio to change the station? Serious question.

Are you talking a glance or like immersion?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honest answer: because beltway traffic is boring and I'm an idiot who thinks I'll be fine this one time. It's an objectively bad thing to do and I shouldn't do it again.

This is the most honest answer, and probably what’s true of many people.

I use my phone for navigation and will sneak in a text at a red light but I know I should not be texting. It’s bad and should stop.

[Anonymous]

I look when I am stopped at traffic lights. Never otherwise.

[Anonymous]

Everyone is looking at their maps.

[Anonymous]

Waze for me too. I do the same route once weekly but traffic changes and I need the fastest route. It's not like I need the directions so much as I need the real time short cuts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Waze for me too. I do the same route once weekly but traffic changes and I need the fastest route. It's not like I need the directions so much as I need the real time short cuts.

Here’s how to turn on voice directions in Waze: https://support.google.com/waze/answer/10264825?hl=en

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How is it different than looking at the radio to change the station? Serious question.

Are you talking a glance or like immersion?

OP here, and I see lots of immersion. I wouldn’t notice people doing it if it was a quick glance. They are holding their phones in front of their faces or looking down consistently with only the occasional glance up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Waze

I’d buy this if the majority of people I see looking at their phones weren’t in late-model, high-end cars that absolutely have navigation and/or phone integration that makes everything hands-free.

Yep. I constantly see someone down the street on their phone. Their car has all the bells and whistles (that are not new, at all). They don't care.