The following was in the most recent Subaru e-newsletter I found in my Inbox. I wish more companies would get on this particular bandwagon rather than showing insane driving to the tune of fine print such as "Closed Course, Don't (wink-wink, nudge-nudge) Try This At Home".
If you have a Subie, make sure your dealership knows you read the post below, and as a cyclist, thank them. I did, and got a company response.
Their email address is "insider at subaru dot com"
INSIDER TIPS: Hang Up and Drive!
You see it all too often: drivers swerving, running red lights or narrowly missing collisions because they're paying more attention to their cell phones than their driving. "Still, people consistently assume that they can drive and text or talk at the same time," writes U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood in the Orlando Sentinel (September 19, 2010). "The results are preventable accidents." Study after study testing the effects of distracted driving come to the same conclusion that talking and texting behind the wheel impair driving ability. Tougher laws, more effective enforcement, and public education are positive steps toward changing dangerous behaviors.
What You Can Do. Resist the temptation to use your cell phone for any reason while driving. Put it in silent mode or turn it off altogether. Wait until you reach your destination to pick up texts and voice messages, or pull off the road to a safe location. "The safest way to get from one place to another is to hang up and drive," LaHood writes. "Powering down your cell phone when you're behind the wheel can save lives, maybe even your own."
"People consistently assume that they can drive and text or talk at the same time. Powering down ... can save lives." Ray LaHood, U.S. Secretary of Transportation
3 comments:
Cell phones are also a distraction if you use them while cycling. I figure if I can't ride and take pictures at the same time, I can't dial and ride either.
Agree. I can barely ride and chew energy bars at the same time. The general public's notion that bicycles can be ridden as toys does not work in our favor.
It's actually illegal to talk on a handheld phone while driving but unfortunately many folks do it. I haven't seen anyone on a bike talking on a cell phone yet. I figure it would be kind of hard since both hands would need to be on the steering handle.
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