Maybe that’s what Mr. Sparks was typing; Chapter Two to the sequel to his hit “The Notebook”.
Though I am amazed; I suppose there isn’t enough money in publishing these days. A fellow has to keep his day job and write during the dull at-the-wheel moments.
What should he call the next book?
The Tow Book?
Adventures in Babysplashing?
Captain Hook em up?
I’m OK, You’re All Wet?
In Golden Pond?
Just to put this into perspective, I sat in my office, picked up my office phone, then pretended to text message from my cell while simultaneously driving an imaginary tow truck.
Needless to say I was about as successful as the nimrod in this story. Never underestimate the power of stupidity.
I could probably come up with a dozen or so LEGAL reasons why I just crashed my tow truck and parked it neatly into someone’s pool. But this guy admits that he was using not just one but two cell phones… simultaneously?
Since stupid people don’t perceive there is any significant consequence for this behavior, there will be no significant change in it. If anyone was serious about this, they’d pass a law that involves impoundment of the vehicle for 30-days with the ownwer paying storage charges, and a 6 month license suspension. That will get peoples attention. It isn’t draconian either…..stupid people need this kind of consequence. They don’t get it otherwise.
Writing a new law isn’t going to help. Do you really think this kid would have cared if his employers tow truck was impounded for 30 days? This one is common sense…..don’t do twelve things at once while driving, it’s just not a good idea. Lawmakers cannot possibly come up with a comprehensive list of all the stupid things people do…..they’ll always find another one. What next, a law that you can’t take a sip of Coke if you’re at a railroad crossing?
I’m a big supporter of law and order, but there’s some people you just can’t sway.
Typing a letter – which is what you’re doing when texting – while driving – causes one to be distracted. The point is that there are millions of things to distract drivers, and they need to simply pay attention to what they’re doing, regardless of whether someone spells out the “how”.
I agree that there will always be morons regardless of the law or penaly for breaking that law but I have to think that there would be a few less moron texters if there was a mandatory $500.00 fine. No questions asked and no defense. And for that matter give law enforcement the authority to impose the same penalty for brushing your teeth, putting on eye makeup, shaving, shoving a whopper in your mouth, or any other stupid thing I’ve seen idiots doing behind the wheel.
If the penalty is a slap on the wrist then yes, you are absolutely correct, it will bring more idiots out of the woodwork to jeopardize the lives of other decent people on the roadway.
It’s a joke that our spineless politicians can’t implement tougher penalties.
I think it’s fine to ban texting…however, I’m really wondering how they’re going to determine someone is potentially guilty and worthy of being pulled over……the officers can’t see your phone because it’s “on the down low”….and you’ll just hit “escape” when the lights start flashing behind you…then what..the officer says “go to “message history – aborted messages?” Really….. I can see the discussions now on the side of the road…”really, I wasn’t texting!!!!!!”. And obviously they can get phone records, but they’d have to subpoenae them. And the “minutes” would have to be right on…ie the time pulled over well documented and the phone records would have to match…just sounds like a nightmare for the prosecution. What if you sent a text at 2 02 pm, and got pulled over at 2 02 pm. Isn’t it possible that the text was delayed in sending, or sent before being pulled over?
Unless the driver in this story has three hands, it’s fairly obvious that he overestimated his dexterity. But negligence is negligence, is the operator who causes an accident because he or she is busy swinging away at the kids in the backseat with a flyswatter any less negligent? (What? That’s legal in most states) The same can be said for dozens of legal acts we imperfect humans make while hurling ourselves down the highways of this great country.
Adding more laws or stiffer penalties for some of these offenses? Other than making a political statement, probably not going to do much for diminishing auto accidents.
But really….you don’t like put your phone down low in your lap, and text with one hand? With the phone call, it’s harder to hide..you really can’t stick your ears below door height. But texting while driving, and pretending you’re not, that’s easy! Look up frequently, smile at other drivers, make a right turn, continue the message……..
Yes I understand the “down low” deal, that was my point, kids these days can text without even looking at their phones. But this guy was talking on one phone while texting on the other, so unless he was driving with his leg or has some other appendage capable of controlling a steering wheel, his fate seemed fairly certain.
It’s stories similar to this one that make selling products, like umbrella policies, much easier.
Ha! Just teasing. Yeah I thought of that but cell phones don’t stay put very well when snuggled between ear and shoulder. In any event, managing all three activities, no matter what physics were involved, proved to be too much for this particular individual.
And I suspect the pool owner would have to agree with me on this one…
Is this on You Tube yet? Pls tell me it’s caught on tape. Was he actually towing a vehicle too? It’s like that episode on Vacation when Clark Griswold …well, you know.
That sometimes happens when you multitask…
Driving while using cell phone.
Driving while texting.
Driving while stupid.
Maybe that’s what Mr. Sparks was typing; Chapter Two to the sequel to his hit “The Notebook”.
Though I am amazed; I suppose there isn’t enough money in publishing these days. A fellow has to keep his day job and write during the dull at-the-wheel moments.
What should he call the next book?
The Tow Book?
Adventures in Babysplashing?
Captain Hook em up?
I’m OK, You’re All Wet?
In Golden Pond?
that wasn’t even close to being funny.
Just to put this into perspective, I sat in my office, picked up my office phone, then pretended to text message from my cell while simultaneously driving an imaginary tow truck.
Needless to say I was about as successful as the nimrod in this story. Never underestimate the power of stupidity.
I could probably come up with a dozen or so LEGAL reasons why I just crashed my tow truck and parked it neatly into someone’s pool. But this guy admits that he was using not just one but two cell phones… simultaneously?
Wow… points for honesty?
Nah, he’s just REALLY dumb.
Love it!!!!!!!!!!!!
Since stupid people don’t perceive there is any significant consequence for this behavior, there will be no significant change in it. If anyone was serious about this, they’d pass a law that involves impoundment of the vehicle for 30-days with the ownwer paying storage charges, and a 6 month license suspension. That will get peoples attention. It isn’t draconian either…..stupid people need this kind of consequence. They don’t get it otherwise.
Leeann,
Writing a new law isn’t going to help. Do you really think this kid would have cared if his employers tow truck was impounded for 30 days? This one is common sense…..don’t do twelve things at once while driving, it’s just not a good idea. Lawmakers cannot possibly come up with a comprehensive list of all the stupid things people do…..they’ll always find another one. What next, a law that you can’t take a sip of Coke if you’re at a railroad crossing?
By golly Nagonnawork, I guess we should give up passing and enforcing any laws since it’s all futile. As the philosopher said, you can’t fix stupid.
If you have to spell it out, it probably won’t.
I’m a big supporter of law and order, but there’s some people you just can’t sway.
Typing a letter – which is what you’re doing when texting – while driving – causes one to be distracted. The point is that there are millions of things to distract drivers, and they need to simply pay attention to what they’re doing, regardless of whether someone spells out the “how”.
I agree that there will always be morons regardless of the law or penaly for breaking that law but I have to think that there would be a few less moron texters if there was a mandatory $500.00 fine. No questions asked and no defense. And for that matter give law enforcement the authority to impose the same penalty for brushing your teeth, putting on eye makeup, shaving, shoving a whopper in your mouth, or any other stupid thing I’ve seen idiots doing behind the wheel.
If the penalty is a slap on the wrist then yes, you are absolutely correct, it will bring more idiots out of the woodwork to jeopardize the lives of other decent people on the roadway.
It’s a joke that our spineless politicians can’t implement tougher penalties.
I think it’s fine to ban texting…however, I’m really wondering how they’re going to determine someone is potentially guilty and worthy of being pulled over……the officers can’t see your phone because it’s “on the down low”….and you’ll just hit “escape” when the lights start flashing behind you…then what..the officer says “go to “message history – aborted messages?” Really….. I can see the discussions now on the side of the road…”really, I wasn’t texting!!!!!!”. And obviously they can get phone records, but they’d have to subpoenae them. And the “minutes” would have to be right on…ie the time pulled over well documented and the phone records would have to match…just sounds like a nightmare for the prosecution. What if you sent a text at 2 02 pm, and got pulled over at 2 02 pm. Isn’t it possible that the text was delayed in sending, or sent before being pulled over?
Unless the driver in this story has three hands, it’s fairly obvious that he overestimated his dexterity. But negligence is negligence, is the operator who causes an accident because he or she is busy swinging away at the kids in the backseat with a flyswatter any less negligent? (What? That’s legal in most states) The same can be said for dozens of legal acts we imperfect humans make while hurling ourselves down the highways of this great country.
Adding more laws or stiffer penalties for some of these offenses? Other than making a political statement, probably not going to do much for diminishing auto accidents.
But thank God for insurance!
No worries, I have an umbrella.
But really….you don’t like put your phone down low in your lap, and text with one hand? With the phone call, it’s harder to hide..you really can’t stick your ears below door height. But texting while driving, and pretending you’re not, that’s easy! Look up frequently, smile at other drivers, make a right turn, continue the message……..
Yes I understand the “down low” deal, that was my point, kids these days can text without even looking at their phones. But this guy was talking on one phone while texting on the other, so unless he was driving with his leg or has some other appendage capable of controlling a steering wheel, his fate seemed fairly certain.
It’s stories similar to this one that make selling products, like umbrella policies, much easier.
he could have had left hand on wheel, phone scrunched up between left shoulder and left ear, with right hand down low texting. That’s my defense.
Defense or experience?
Ha! Just teasing. Yeah I thought of that but cell phones don’t stay put very well when snuggled between ear and shoulder. In any event, managing all three activities, no matter what physics were involved, proved to be too much for this particular individual.
And I suspect the pool owner would have to agree with me on this one…
Is this on You Tube yet? Pls tell me it’s caught on tape. Was he actually towing a vehicle too? It’s like that episode on Vacation when Clark Griswold …well, you know.