Preoccupation with cell phones
 

Hi all, had a bad day yesterday. spent 8 hours at my tax attorny's office setting up a new corparation and fighting with the IRS about some bogus tax bills from 13 years ago and trying to convince a client to pay me the money he owes me. After this long day stuck in Nashville I left her office at 9:45pm and headed home. Everything was done and it was a beautiful night with a full moon. I was about 3 miles from home setting at a red light when the light turns green and immediately I am struck from behind and the intire left rear quarter of my previously beautiful '87 'Vette is demolished. lucky enough no one is hurt....Here's the kicker......When ask what happend the other driver told the officer he was on the phone and not paying attention, looking out the window........ Come on people lets get real here if you need to talk on the phone ...pull over. If the State trooper had not shown up when he did they would have needed the ambulance.

I think from now on I'll shoot first then ask questions.

RE: Preoccupation with cell phones
 

dam geroge im sorry to here that[:o] that realy sucks. hop you get it fixed soon, got any pic's of the damage.[8D]

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Thank for the conceren, Dicky. It really pi$$ed me off when he said he wasn't paying attention. I'll get some tomorrow and try to post them. I took some last night with my phone (of all things) for the insurance, but couldn't get them transfered to the laptop. don't they have to be a certain size?

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i think so. i know some times i cant down load my pic's they are to big. do you have microsoft word you can shrink them down .:)

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Bummer about your car being damaged but at least you were not injured. It is amazing how people can drive around and completely forget what their responsibilities are. Perhaps it is due to the fact the modern vehicle is so comfortable and little effort is required to drive it as compared to the cars of years ago. As a motorcyclist I hear about these types of accidents all too often. Unfortunately for us, what causes a little body damage to a car will send us to the hospital or morgue. It really irritates me that a driver can say "I didn't see him" and that is supposed to make everything OK. Get this, in Tennessee, if you shoot a duck out of season it is a $500 fine, they take your gun and vehicle. Kill a motorcyclist and you may get a $50 failure to yield ticket. Something has to change here.

RE: Preoccupation with cell phones
 

Blueshark - Sorry about the accident! I feel the same about these idiots and their cell phones and such. Here in Maryland it is really horrible the way folks pay no attention to driving at all! I am a firm believer in all states banning cell phones while driving. These drivers need to 'HANG UP AND DRIVE". If I did not think I would get shot (you never know these days) I would get some flash cards!!:)

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OH MY GOD!! My heart is totally sunk for you, my friend. Oh boy, I'd be flamin' mad too. I sincerely hope that the damage is fixable to your satisfaction for you.

I completely agree about the whole cell phone thing. Most people aren't clever enough to tie their own shoes in the morning, let alone pilot a 2 ton automobile while chattin' on the phone. [:@]

I am so sorry for what happened to you. Best wishes.

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Thanks for the well wishes. I don't think there is any serious damage but won't know for sure til I pull the quarter off. one good thing is now I have to buy paint so I can paint and install the greenwood wing I bought. it just sucks haveing to do it for that reason. talk about road rage. back in the pld days you would "juss buss a 9 in his a$$" and go home. Now it's "let my people call your people" and everyone gets screwed but the insurance company. I'll stop here ....I feel a rant comeing on.

RE: Preoccupation with cell phones
 

Sorry to hear about your accident...as far as talking on the phone while driving goes one good thing is that most new cars are starting to intergrade bluetooth into the radio. So I would imagine in the coming years it will start to be standard on all cars and people will be able to talk hands free and hopefully pay more attention to the road. Hope all goes well for you.

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Another thing here in Tennessee is tailgateing. I've driven all over this great country of our and have never seen tailgateing as bad as here. from 40mph to 140mph they stay right on your butt if they can. even the local cops, WTF?

As far as hands free, I still think you should pull over. If someone is argueing with the kids or the spouse they are not paying attention to the road. just seams safer to pull over to me.

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Overwhelmed by self percieved importance!
Using a cell phone while driving..........their little world would come to a stop if they were out of contact with the outside for 20min. while driving to the mall.
I really think it has become an adiction. My cousin (female) pulls out her phone as soon as she gets in the car. We were just in the house and she was fine, no phone, tv.......!
I told her I wouldn't ride with her if she was going to be on the phone. She hung up, but I swear she was "Jones'in", going through withdrawls. I don't know what made me more nervous. Her "relaxed" with the phone or havin' the shakes form not having it in her ear.

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Starship, That sounds like my wife. she stays on the phone. in the house or car. drives me nuts. I had to put in as econd line at the house just so I could use the net and make my calls for my work. I know in some states it's a misdameanor, here in Tn. the cops are on them too. geeesh!

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BTW, that really sucks, what happened to your car Dude!!!

Find out where the guy lives, sneak up behind him when he comes out of his house to go to work, and throw your monkey at him!!! (take lots of pics, O. K.?) ROFL!!!

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Oh GOD yeh! If yer gonna do any monkey throwing, though, video might be in order. :D

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Sorry about the Vette, hope everything is well with you physically. I had the same thing happen to me, except I wasn't driving my Vette. Some little 16 y/o rear ended me while text messaging his freind. He was doing 40mph and never saw me. It took everything I had not to go open a can of whoop ass on him,[:@] since I was on my way to drop off my 3yr old at day care. I've had to have 2 neck surgeries. from that wreck. Like 16 y/o's need cell phones might as well let them drink a fifth of vodka and drive they couldn't be anymore dangerous

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Vette RN, I was lucky not to be injured. I am really sorry that you were hurt. I hope your Dr.'s fix you up better than new. We'll say some prayers for your well being. Now a days most 16 year olds are not mature enough to have a cel phone let alone a drivers liscense. This youg kid had just driven from california and was haveing a bad first day in TN. I almost felt sorry for him til I looked at my car again. Blessings, Shark(george)

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Hi Blueshark. The exact, very same thing happened to me and my 87 Vette conv't about 3 years ago, only it was a little old lady of 86 years of age and she was talking to another lady in the car and hit my Vette's rear end at 80 km/h, while my Vette was parked, destroying the whole rear end. This was Easter weekend, and I didn't have my Vette for the whole Summer while it was getting repaired. Oh well......the lady was taken to the hospital and was in for three weeks; poor thing. I felt bad about that.

mypetu39

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Hi all, Just an updateThe Vette is still not in the shop yet. insurance has not answered me on the estamate of $3003.02. They are dragging their feet. I just spoke with them again this morning and hopefully they will OK it this week. wish me luck.[sm=smiley35.gif]

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Oh Good LORD already!!! Jeez, George, this has been going on for awhile now, hasn't it? What's the news?

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My heart goes out to you too. What is really unbelievable though - is because people are irresponsible, the government will have to get involved, and actually pass a law, to prevent what people should have prevented in the first place! This happens time and time again. The less the government effects my life the better.

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Thanks for the concern ya'll. I recieved my reduced check from the insurance company on friday of last week. After some investigating I suppose they are somewhat justified as the bodyshop was collecting over $800.00 for the left quarter alone. Unfortunately now they won't fix it unless I pay the differance.
My solution is : I found a factory quarter for $99.00 + $45.00 shipping and I will get the center trim pieces from Ecklers and do it my self. Benifit to that is I can do the custom paint job on it I wanted to do while still useing factory paint and I won't have to worry about shoddy work since I will not pay the extra for the parts the body shop wants.
No wonder insurance costs are so high with service shops ripping them and the customers off.

I'll post some pictures when it's done for everyones opinion. Cheers, B.S. .....ooops!, BlueShark.(George)

PS: Good thing I just bought a new DeVilbis Gun.

PPS: glad your back Topspeed(Scotty)

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Hey,...Hey, Git 'er done Dude! That insurance money will pay you for the work!!!;)

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On the news up here recently, there was an interesting story. Seems a local, busy, company told their employees to NOT use cell phones while driving. They have to pull over, use a payphone, whathaveyou....

They discovered that things are now running at 95% productivity (I have no idea how they measured that, but they somehow did) and it took a couple days for folks to get used to it, but everyone is totally OK with it. Now, here's the kicker; near 50% of the people who work there are now NOT using their cellphones in the car during personal time!!! :)

So, except for emergencies.... I say, why the heck is this even a topic? I mean, c'mon... what happened to common sense? It never ceases to amaze me, that we, as a society, need to pass laws for patently stupid things.

Reminds me of those warning labels:
Chainsaw
Do not attempt to stop chain with hands.

Tesco's Tiramisu dessert: (printed on bottom of the box)
Do not turn upside down.

Nytol sleep aid:
Warning: may cause drowsiness.

Cardboard windshield sun shade:
Warning: Do Not Drive With Sun Shield in Place.

Infant's bathtub:
Do not throw baby out with bath water.

Disposable razor:
Do not use this product during an earthquake.

A toilet bowl cleaning brush.
Do not use orally.

Microwave Oven:
Do not use for drying pets.

Rat Poison
Warning: has been found to cause cancer in laboratory mice.

Here's the whole list, if you want to pass some time.

Some of those make you really wonder how that came to light to be an issue.